Re-framing My Take on Leadership

            It's difficult to compress the abounding amount of mental notes I have taken throughout the classes. I have experienced different viewpoints, and appreciated learning peer's perspectives to broaden my own. Every classmates has provided me with a perspective regarding the ideal leader through their thoughts and experiences. However, this previous meeting taught me more than just theories and opinions.  

            EHSEA class setting is similar to that of any group or organization in which a leader may be a part of. It is centered around conversation with the intent of having everyone in the meeting take part. Typically, there is one, or a handful, of people who distance themselves by not partaking in the conversation. When leading a meeting I have also attributed a person's meekness as a sign of an uninterest, therefore allowing them to sit in silence. Without a doubt this past class session taught me how wrong I have been regarding this idea.

            Leo is a fellow classmate who frankly I did not know what his name was, nor had I ever heard a word come from him. Thanks to the in-class activity I finally got to meet who Leo is. There is no doubt I was hesitant to pair with him as I thought we would have difficulty holding a conversation, but was astonished when the quiet guy easily talked with me regarding his interests and personal life.

            Talking with Leo got me thinking about inclusiveness in the Relational Leadership Model combined with the recent discussion of introverts. How do we take the idea of inclusiveness  and conform it to introverts? Clearly, Leo wasn't shy to share about his life with me he just seems unwilling to in a large group setting. This is a shame as he is pleasant and knowledgeable.

            Having grown up in a different culture than my own I am interested to get his take on leadership. As Exploring Leadership for College Students Who Want to Make a Difference puts it, "The purpose, vision, and values of the whole come to life as each individual member describes and applies them" (Komives 2007). Therefore, it is difficult to be considered a whole when not everyone is contributing. Inclusiveness is about mixing cultures but that is hard in a setting where Leo seems unwilling to share. 

            What I have learned, thanks to Leo, is sometimes it's important to individualize the group. This means that if a peer seems uninterested, I will talk to them on a one-on-one basis. Having introverted tendencies myself, I understand how it may be easier for individual conversation as opposed to that of groups. I would never want the individual to feel uncomfortable, so the conversation would take place outside the meeting. Therefore, going forward I will make all attempts to have every individuals opinions expressed, because sometimes the best ideas are those that go unheard.