I have a problem. I have a tendency to get put into leadership positions (even when I don't ask for them). Don't get me wrong, I do what I can and try to be my best possible self in these positions and I love doing it. This upcoming year -- my sophomore year of college -- I am president of one club, Event Coordinator of another, Service Chair for my sorority, and Editor-in-Chief for Odyssey. Even though it's a lot on one plate (and I probably will be majorly stressed out a couple times during the year), I couldn't be more excited. Here's why.
I love being in leadership positions. I feel that it gives me the chance to help my community in a way that otherwise I wouldn't get. I get to interact with people outside of my friend group and touch many lives. I want to be remembered as someone who was able to help many people because it's what I love doing. If "Professional Helper" was an actual job, I would take it. There was one specific leadership position (probably the biggest one of my life so far) that was able to teach me this about myself along with what it means to be a good leader. In high school, I was a Drum Major.
I held leadership positions all four years that I was in band. I went from Freshman Representative to Sophomore Representative to Junior Drum Major to Head Drum Major. However, nothing prepared me for what it would be like once I got a little higher up on the ladder. Being a leader is hard. I mean really hard. During my years as Drum Major, I had to deal with petty girl feuds, freshman boys who didn't know what personal space was, underclassmen who would sit in the school bathroom during band camp because they just didn't feel like marching that day, people who thought that coming to practice high was a great idea, etc.. And even though I came home and complained to my mom about what I had to deal with that day, I am so grateful for all the things I learned from it.
Being a Drum Major taught me that everyone has something to offer, even if it doesn't show immediately. It taught me how to treat everyone with respect and gain their respect in return. It taught me how to handle tough situations without being mean. It taught me that being a good leader also means being a follower. It taught me how to teach people who were having a harder time learning than the others without making them feel like they were dumb. It taught me how to deal with a crisis calmly and quickly. But most importantly, it taught me to see the value of the individual in the group.
Everyone has something to offer the world. I like to think of it this way: each of us have a sticker on our back that represents all of our good qualities. Even though it is hard for us to see it, it's easy for others to. I get to see everyone's potential; their awesomeness. I get to see their sticker. I get to see people's strengths and see those strengths used to create a working team. That is why I love being a leader.
