How do I define Leadership?
"The ability to influence and inspire"
This is one of the key concepts that align with my understanding of leadership. The ability to influence and inspire is not a quality everyone possesses, but it can be developed. A crucial aspect of influencing others involves understanding oneself and others. For me, mastering emotional and cultural intelligence was essential to developing this ability. As a volunteer and a member of diverse communities and organisations, I had opportunities to learn from people in top positions, observing how they worked. This was a valuable chance to learn what leadership truly is and to develop my own leadership style.
One key lesson was approaching any task or interaction with an open mindset, which facilitates communication and support. Another was the importance of acknowledging mistakes, both individually and as a group, as the first step towards learning and moving forward. The third lesson was about how they inspired those around them. It wasn’t the big things that stood out, but rather the small, consistent actions how they treated the community and volunteers, their punctuality, and their organisation. These are the qualities that influenced and inspired us to do better. I believe these are among the most essential elements of leadership.
"The ability to empower myself and others"
When I first started volunteering and taking on leadership roles, my initial focus was on helping others. However, this evolved into a “two-way learning process,” allowing both me and the community to thrive together. For instance, in mentoring, I initially thought I was the primary contributor, but I quickly realised that I was also improving my experiences and skills by learning from those I mentored. Reflecting on my first mentoring session, I recall feeling nervous and lacking confidence, but by the end of the program, I had gained new skills and experiences. I felt confident and motivated to contribute more. Empowering others and seeing them achieve their goals is a significant aspect of leadership. It’s not just about guiding and inspiring others but also about identifying and nurturing the talents within the community, providing opportunities for individuals to utilise their capabilities.
"The ability to have a creative, innovative vision"
This is something I’ve come to value through my leadership experiences in diverse fields. One example is the projects I led as a DUELI student leader. Deakin English Language Institute (DUELI) gave me the opportunity to test my creative vision. Initially, I followed the traditional formats of previous leaders, but I soon realised this was an opportunity to think creatively and innovatively. I introduced programs that combined mental health and art, such as using fractal art, drama, dance, and movement therapy to enhance students’ mental health. These programs focused on stress relief, mindfulness, relaxation, fitness, active lifestyles, and empathy. Today, DUELI continues to offer innovative activities that enhance student experiences at Deakin.
"Working on passion"
For me, leadership also means “working on passionate areas,” as I’ve had the chance to pursue my passion projects. I’m passionate about videography, photography, cinema, and content creation, and I’ve utilised my leadership roles to work in these areas. At DUELI and Future Forte, I creatively applied my skills to their social media platforms and websites, educating and raising awareness on various subjects while sharing student experiences. One of the major video projects I’m currently working on is Future Forte International Student Journeys, where we aim to capture “student resilience, their journeys, struggles, and achievements” cinematically. These projects amplify student voices and recognise their unique journeys.
"Lived experiences"
In my leadership journey, I always share my learning experiences, mistakes, struggles, failures, and how I overcame challenges. Why is this important? I believe lived experiences have depth they teach us to find our own solutions, assess issues from diverse perspectives, and relate to others in similar situations. This serves two purposes: making others feel they’re not alone and helping them find effective solutions through shared experiences. A great example is when I conducted the Future Forte public speaking and confidence-building session for international students in Victoria. The student feedback highlighted the importance of sharing my experiences, which helped them realise their potential to improve, just as I had.
"Creating a sustainable impact"
I believe a true leader has the ability to envision long-term results for themselves and others, creating sustainable impacts. I see these impacts when students share their experiences of overcoming challenges under my guidance. At DUELI, we’ve created systems to pass on our knowledge and experiences. One such platform is the University Transition programs, where student leaders share their experiences with English-learning students who are preparing to start their degrees. Every time I conduct these sessions, I share my unique experiences and knowledge, which have become tools in my academic journey. By passing on this knowledge, I help others avoid the mistakes I made and prepare them to succeed by sharing valuable information and tips.
"Building a community committed to transferring skills and knowledge to others, impacting more lives."
The final component of leadership for me is building a community committed to transferring skills and knowledge, thereby impacting more lives. This is the ultimate goal of any project, program, or activity to inspire participants or the community to pass on their skills and knowledge, creating a ripple effect. For instance, one of my mentees shared how she helped her new classmates using the knowledge she gained from a mentoring program. This is a powerful example of how leaders can influence others, who then transfer that influence to many more people.
