Leading
Leading is taking the initiative to step up and inspire a group of people to reach a shared goal. To be an effective leader, one must be innovative, open-minded and most importantly passionate so they can pave the way and set a good example.
My Experience:
I currently work on the product strategy and communications team for Texas A&M Information Technology. Having worked here for over a year, I am responsible for training the new student workers. During last semester, we had a new hire, Sally. She was extremely qualified with her previous experience, and I was excited to have her join our team. One of our primarily responsibilities is to manage and write content for our social media platforms. Our team has a strict and concise strategy we follow, which I introduced to Sally. I even showed her sample posts and had her look at our platforms to observe our online presence and better understand our brand. However, after working for less than a week Sally tried to completely change our social media plan. She said the way we organize our content is “stupid” and wanted to restructure our processes by creating an online calendar. She also said our graphics were unappealing, and our posts were not interesting. I initially became very frustrated with Sally; she was barely learning the ropes and was in no position to criticize our work. Although I was extremely offended, I responded to her politely and said we would discuss her ideas in our next meeting. Later that afternoon as I began writing our social media posts, I thought about Sally’s ideas. After reflecting on what she said I realized that although her statements were harsh, they were also accurate. I had been so stuck in my routine and following our current processes that I was not being open to new ideas. I became disappointed in myself, as this was not the “leader” I strive to be. I immediately talked to Sally, and we brainstormed new ways to adjust our strategy.
What I Learned:
This experience has taught me to the value of a second opinion and to appreciate different perspectives. I also learned that conflict is not always negative; when handled properly, opposing ideas can lead to a better outcome. I am now a more collaborative leader who listens to others’ ideas and is more open and adaptive to change. From this experience, I have learned the importance of constructive criticism, even if it is rather harsh. Other’s opinions should not offend a strong leader; instead one should take these opinions into consideration and brainstorm new, innovative ideas to help the team become more successful.