My education in leadership has taught me not only how to be a leader, but also how to be a follower, and that understanding oneself in both respects is necessary for strong leadership. For most of my life thus far, my belief was that being a leader was something that came naturally to certain people, and that those to whom it did not come naturally were simply not meant to be leaders. While there is some merit to the skills approach to leadership (Northouse, 2022), my education and experiences have taught me that good leadership is driven more by the needs of the situation.

While I am a good leader in many situations, in others my strongest leadership move is to recognize someone else in the group who may be better equipped and empower them to lead through that particular challenge. In this way, I show leadership by making the choices that serve the community best and by lifting up others as leaders as well (Northouse, 2022). Kouzes and Posner (2017) agreed when they presented their “paradox of power: you become more powerful when you give your power away” (p. 221). This servant style of leadership comes very naturally to me, and it is what draws me to nonprofit work.

Early in my Junior League membership, I was content to be a dependable service volunteer. However, as I spent more time in the league, I realized that I was one of many people who wanted to see major structural and cultural changes to the organization, and I took on several executive roles in order to be instrumental in those efforts. As a board we were very siloed in our roles, and I was trying to be a leader on my own in one aspect of the league or another. Now that we have cultivated a more collaborative board, I have had better opportunities to get to know fellow board members and recognize their strengths, and when I look to them for guidance I continue to build on the collaborative nature of the group.

Authentic leadership principles also inform my leadership approach, which is strongly grounded in my personal ethics (Northouse, 2022). Guided by the ideals of Confucianism, I believe that cultivating healthy relationships builds a stronger community (Johnson, 2020). People are unique in who they are and what they need, and as a leader it is imperative that I am attuned to those needs and can adjust my leadership style accordingly. Further, as a community-minded individual, inclusivity is fundamental to my ideas of strong leadership. In order to build a community on integrity and mutual respect, truly valuing every person is paramount (Northouse, 2022). Foregoing this ideal as a leader to any degree alienates others, which undermines the very nature of true leadership. Though I am aware that one cannot please everyone, I believe it is crucial to understand everyone’s thoughts and feelings when deciding how best to serve the group as a whole. As someone who has witnessed a crippling lack of inclusivity—especially in these politically turbulent times—I understand more and more how important it is to ensure that every person knows that they matter and that their voice is heard.

The leadership theories and approaches that resonate most with me also support my strengths in the Leadership Challenge model (Kouzes & Posner, 2017). Of the Five Practices of Exemplary Leaders, my two strongest are Enable Others to Act, and Encourage the Heart (Kouzes & Posner, 2022). As my leadership style demonstrates, interpersonal relationships are very important to me. I highly value integrity and mutual respect. By both enacting these values and encouraging them in others, I become a better leader and at the same time also help to develop others into leaders.