Relationships in Leadership

To me, the Relational Leadership Model is kind of a lot of "no-brainer" ideas put into shapes in a model.  The concept that ideas like empowerment and inclusivity add to the process and outcome of a leader are pretty general, but these can sometimes be hard to put into practice.  It is easy to say you are a leader.  It is pretty easy to acquire power from others.  But to become the type of leader that is action-oriented, respected, and relationship-based is not an easy feat.  I'm a few years older than most people in this class, but in a way it's a good thing because I have had two more years to reflect on my leadership styles and strengths, as well as how they've changed since I've come to college. And I've reflected a lot, trust me.

This first thing I connected strongly with in Chapter 3 were the components "knowing-being-doing."  These words not only take into account what is going on inside a leader's head, but how they interact with others.  Empowering is huge for me as a leader.  If you have a group who does not care about your cause or purpose how will you accomplish anything? I think it is important to support people, especially students, to be self-sufficient leaders.  By empowering them and letting them make mistakes, you are instilling a trust in the relationship that strengthens the effort towards the ultimate cause.  It is not enough for people to participate in the organizations I lead.  I want them to be actively participating, learning, and being leaders in their own right.  That way, when the day comes for me to graduate I know I have 5 student leaders who are skilled in critical thinking, relationship developing, and communicating.

Like I said earlier, I have reflected a lot on my leadership tendencies over the past few years.  I try my best at it, but something I struggle with in the Relational Leadership Model is Inclusiveness.  It can be hard when you have been in an organization for years and then new people come in who are different from your old friends.  I will admit to not always being the most warm and welcoming person but the change is sometimes uncomfortable.  What I have known for years has evolved into something different and I sometimes struggle with embracing that.  I'm not terrible by any means, but it is definitely something I think about and have to work on actively.

I have met and seen lots of leaders in my life but my favorite one and the one I looked up to the most was a friend of mine who graduated.  This girl was the epitomy of a Relational Leader.  Her relationships with others were what made her such a unique leader in the midst of all the selfishness in the world.  She worked towards a cause and inspired others to go with her. She did not stoop down to others levels, but challenged her followers to rise up to the challenges that they would face.  She helped form me into the leader I am today.  She wasn't the loudest person in the room, nor the smartest.  But she listened, thought carefully, and cared deeply about the  people she worked with.  There was a mutual respect and nobody wanted to let her down.  When I am leading a group, I try to channel her actions so I can better myself.  I hope that after I graduate college, I can lave a mark like that on someone else.  By creating relationships in student orgs, you are deepening the connections between people and in turn, strengthening your organization.