How To Be a Leader

Don’t… Unless you love being stressed out, dealing with all types of people, and doing dirty work that no one likes doing. I’m really only kidding, but in all reality being a leader takes more from you than you think you have within you. And in all honesty, I never envisioned myself holding so many leadership positions. It wasn’t until my sophomore year that I started getting involved, and joining clubs.
The first step to becoming a leader is to join something, anything. You’ll never know your true potential until you start to get involved. When I first joined the Future Business Leaders of America, I never envisioned myself as becoming the Maine State President. I joined because my friends told me it would be fun, but I never imagined falling so in love with a single organization. I never envisioned myself being President of my class, or being a part of the majority of clubs that Oak Hill has to offer. But it has truly been lifechanging, and in order to be a leader, you must become involved.
Don’t let people get to you. People will try and knock you down, they will be jealous of what you have accomplished. Take what they say and use it to your advantage. Use the negativity to make you a better person, and grow your leadership abilities.
Know what you can do. If you believe that you can do something, keep pushing yourself. Even if it’s a bit of a stretch, push for your goals, and set goals further than what you think you could accomplish. Had I not joined that one club, and started pushing myself to do more, I would not have had the experience that I have today. I would not be able to sit here and discuss leadership with you, because I would not have had the experience to do so.
Teamwork. People think that leadership is about getting your way. It’s actually the complete opposite. Being a leader is about being inclusive and about acknowledging ideas presented by other people. You won’t succeed as a leader unless you learn to include everyone.
Being a leader is such an accomplishment, but you must remember to trust yourself and your knowledge, be a team player, and join everything you can. You’ll have to deal with a lot of busy work and do the hard stuff that nobody wants to do, but the lessons you’ll learn are worth every second.