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.
