Self Image
I firmly believe that you need to believe in yourself before anyone is going to believe in you. This is one thing that I have learned while being a student at the University of Mary. While my professors and mentors are supportive, encouraging, and all-around great people, I know that in the end, I need to be confident in my personality and abilities for myself. This does not mean being prideful and stuck-up, but rather having a humility in knowing my strengths and weakness so that I might learn how to better serve others in the process.
I firmly believe that you need to believe in yourself before anyone is going to believe in you. This is one thing that I have learned while being a student at the University of Mary. While my professors and mentors are supportive, encouraging, and all-around great people, I know that in the end, I need to be confident in my personality and abilities for myself. This does not mean being prideful and stuck-up, but rather having a humility in knowing my strengths and weakness so that I might learn how to better serve others in the process.
Taking the Initiative to Lead
I think that taking initiative is a quality that is necessary for leadership, but tends to be something that young people lack. Taking initiative means being proactive and solving an issue before it has the chance to become one in the first place. It means not being afraid to be the one to step out of your comfort zone and lead in a situation. This does not necessarily mean being the center of attention at all times; it means anticipating the needs of others and accommodating to them. I try to be keenly aware to this by taking the initiative to lead projects I feel passionate about such as raising money and buying supplies for expectant mothers in the Bismarck Public School system, like I did in my ELA class sophomore year.
Connecting with Others
As a teacher, especially a secondary education teacher, I think connecting with others is not only important to my future profession, but absolutely crucial. I think that creating meaningful relationships with my students is central to classroom management and teaching in general. This, of course, goes beyond the classroom. Being friendly and genuine to people in my professional and personal life is something that I think is so very valuable. I try to do this in my own life by investing in others and being a person who welcomes others into new situations. Currently, I love doing this by being a Student Ambassador at the University of Mary; I give tours and make phone calls to prospective students, and I welcome incoming freshman by taking them through orientation and helping them start their new life as a college student.
Team Building Skills
No matter what your profession is or where you are working, it is almost guaranteed that you will be a part of a team. Being a part of a team means being able to communicate with others as well as having a willingness to make compromises. I think that team building is a skill that I have acquired and improved since I have been a part of the Emerging Leaders Academy. In group projects, it is necessary to be a team player and to communicate effectively and efficiently with your team. This is true within academic and the professional world, but also in all relationships.
No matter what your profession is or where you are working, it is almost guaranteed that you will be a part of a team. Being a part of a team means being able to communicate with others as well as having a willingness to make compromises. I think that team building is a skill that I have acquired and improved since I have been a part of the Emerging Leaders Academy. In group projects, it is necessary to be a team player and to communicate effectively and efficiently with your team. This is true within academic and the professional world, but also in all relationships.
Personal Reflection
It is necessary to spend time reflecting on both our weakness and our strengths for many reasons. While it is true that reflecting allows us to become better at our jobs and in our personal lives, I think reflection is especially important because it fosters gratitude. When I do not take the time to reflect, I know that I will be much more likely to see the negatives rather than the positives in a given situation. Leaders should never be a "glass half empty" kind of person, but instead someone who is optimistic and grateful.