My Personal Development Through This First Semester

 

This semester has allowed me to think critically on my habits in school, socially, and especially in my leadership. Through my experiences with ROTC, I have been able to reflect on my abilities, challenges and aspirations as a leader.

My strongest advantages as a leader stem from my frustration with other leaders who have gone before me. In my frustration I took actions so that I may be a stronger leader for others. Integrity is one of the best characteristics that a leader may have, so I make a conscious effort to ensure that it is a strength of mine. Without a leader’s integrity, the followers will never practice that trait and the whole system could fall apart. Passion is another aspect that I find makes an empowering leader. When I find myself in a position of authority I try not to just lead by example, but to inspire people with an enthusiasm for the task.

My first leadership challenge is decision-making. I find myself often being flustered or overwhelmed when faced with a sudden decision. I tend to overthink and become stressed, especially when the decision will have a lasting impact in people’s minds. One example from everyday life is going to a new restaurant and having to order unprepared with my meal. There is a large pressure here with not wasting other people’s time and not trying to mess up your own food. Another example of poor decision asking took place during a PT session when I had to lead PRT. I had to choose the placement of where we would stretch. I went into a mild panic mode because I wasn’t prepared to make that decision.

My second leadership challenge is communication. I have found in the time that I have been at OSU, that I struggle to respond to emails and texts in a timely manner. This is a large issue because one of the biggest modes of communication within ROTC and across campus is through email. I have a bad habit of reading a message, thinking of a response and never actually sending it. This can lead to waiting for a response to an email that I never sent.

My biggest goal for ROTC and my leadership growth is to stop being afraid of making decisions. I hope to be sure in my fast but calculated decisions. I am glad to see that ROTC has already begun to help me start on top of my communication through emails with other people in the program.

Leaders are what make the world go round. A poor leader will inhibit all those around them. In order to keep everyone on the path of moving forward leaders should self assess. The future, the present, and the past are all intertwined and evaluating the merits and flaws of the past and present can allow a leader to shape the future for the better. I hope to be able to make a lasting impact through my leadership, which is why I will continue to better my leadership skills.

 

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