| How
to Become a Leader
by
Amy S. Grimes
 hen
Sarah Dailey began her freshman year at the University
of Louisville (UL), Louisville, KY, she was eager
to begin a new chapter in her scholastic life
-- and to prepare for her professional one. Knowing
that she aspired to a career in journalism, and
having worked on her high school's yearbook, Sarah
was certain she wanted to be a part of The Louisville
Cardinal, UL's student newspaper.
"I
knew it would take a lot of sacrifice," says
Sarah, whose ultimate goal was to become the paper's
editor-in-chief, "but at the time I wasn't
worried. I just knew that I wanted it, and somehow
I would get it."
Last
spring, after four years of dedication and hard
work, Sarah achieved her goal, and learned some
vital lessons along her journey to the newspaper's
top spot.
 "You
have to gain experience and learn how to handle
situations [carefully]," says the now-wiser
student leader. "Going into the [position]
this year, I thought all I was going to do was
run the paper. I never imagined it was going to
be as hard as it has been."
Aside from overseeing the day-to-day management
of the student paper, Sarah has had to deal with
everything from an uncooperative staff to issues
of racism.
Sarah
discovered, however, that it takes more than desire
to be the captain of your boat. Whether you aspire
to take the helm of a school publication like
Sarah, or hold a club office, your experience
in a leadership role has to start somewhere. And,
to get the experience you crave, you've got to
map out some fine-tuned steps. Consider these
for starters...
Step
Out!
After familiarizing herself with her scholastic
surroundings, Keri Cotterman, a sophomore at Colorado
State University (CSU), Fort Collins, CO, decided
she wanted to become involved with the Associated
Students group, CSU's student government. She
ran in the senate election for one of three available
slots on the school's Intra-University department
last Spring against seven other students.
Not
only did Keri win a seat, she received the most
votes in her category, and takes her role as a
student representative very seriously.
"Since
I've been in the senate, I've been really proactive,"
she explains. "I've worked with the vice
presidents of college administration and have
become very acquainted with the student fees fund."
Work
Hard and Aim Right
Jake Doris, a senior at Vanderbilt University,
Nashville, TN, made sure he got very acquainted
with his school's radio station, WRVU 91.1. As
a freshman, he became the station's assistant
manager and worked his way up the leadership ladder
each year. Now, as a senior, he is the full-fledged
station manager.
"I
essentially received my position because of my
extensive experience and qualifications for the
job," Jake says. "I got an early start
and was fortunate enough to be adequately prepared
for the station manager job by my junior year."
Set a Schedule
"If
you're going to have a leadership position, working
60 hours a week, you have to get a sense of what
classes are going to be hard and which ones aren't,"
admits Casey Newton, editor-in-chief of The
Daily Northwestern at Northwestern University,
Chicago, IL.
That's
why he always aims to prioritize his schedule.
"I try not to take morning classes because
I'm up so late," Casey explains. "I
usually go to class every day from 1 p.m. to 3
p.m."
Ann
Robinson, assistant director of student media
at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, says
this type of time management is smart.
"Students
tend to overcommit and promise what they cannot
deliver," says Robinson. "A strong leader
sets realistic goals and doesn't [work on] too
many projects at once. It's hard to inspire confidence
if you aren't modeling task completion and a solid
work ethic."
Communicate!
Robinson
also believes that while making decisions and
being in charge are both critical to being a successful
leader, being able to work well with other people
is also important.
"To be a leader, you need to be a good listener
and be willing to meet people," Robinson
offers.
Jake
agrees, stating that much of his leadership success
has to do with strong communication skills.
"I
commit large amounts of time to the station and
deal with people often," he says. "I
interact with people who are much older than me,
but I have found that acting with courtesy and
a sense of professionalism goes a long way.
When
considering a leadership role, determine if you're
equipped to handle whatever comes your way. As
these students have demonstrated, it takes more
than wanting to lead that makes a good leader.
It's all in the doing! |
