Imagine you are a University student currently studying Leadership. Based on the following self-assessment written at the beginning of the term, please write a letter to yourself commenting on your achievements as an artist and educator and indicating potential plans to continue developing. Be specific, fair, and plan well. Do not forget to answer the following questions in your paper: Who are you as a Leader? What are your strong points and what are your developmental goals? What will you be able to contribute to your future organization? How?
In taking the survey from the prompt, I kind of solidified my own perceptions of myself. I agree with the assessment for the most part in that these character traits/strengths do align with my modus operandi. I was given the top strengths of humour and playfulness, the capacity to love and be loved, a love for learning, curiousity and interest in the world around me as well as social intelligence (UPenn, 2023). I think there are, however, absolutely certain qualities I could hone in and further develop throughout this term in order to really enhance my leadership skills.

To start out, my sense of humour and playfulness is an integral part of my leadership style (UPenn, 2023). I tend to believe that laughter and a lighthearted approach can foster a more positive and inclusive environment, as you can ‘catch more bees with honey than with vinegar’, however, I do also recognize that there may be times when this aspect could be excessive or even distracting, and therefore counterproductive, so this term I aim to strike a balance between humour and professionalism in order to ensure that I can maintain focus as well as create an atmosphere conducive to productivity.

My capacity to love and be loved was another listed strength that helps define my leadership style, as I do deeply value the relationships I have with others, and believe in reciprocating care and support (UPenn, 2023). This is essentially a two way street of respect when there are relationships I’ve made with people I don’t necessary get so well along with. I try to foster a sense of belonging and create a team dynamic built on trust and understanding through prioritizing strong connections as well as emphasizing empathy, although I can acknowledge that at times, this openness and vulnerability can be perceived as a weakness. So, in order to address this, I will strive towards setting appropriate boundaries and maintaining a certain level of professional detachment when necessary, all while still promoting a supportive environment. In the past, perhaps, I have, at times, been a bit too open, too honest, and worst of all , too willing. I took the cue to help other colleagues and ended up doing all the work, only after to be assigned even more on top, so I need to pump the brakes I think.

My love of learning has definitely been a strength that has driven me throughout my academic journey, as I always try to embrace opportunities to further expand my knowledge and experience new things (UPenn, 2023). This thirst has enabled me to stay open-minded, adaptable, and continuously improve myself as a leader, but at the same time, it can sometimes overshadow the wisdom and insight of others. To confront this, I can actively cultivate a mindset of humility and recognize that everyone has valuable knowledge and experience to contribute. This has been especially a struggle in the past, when, because I felt so far ahead of other colleagues in terms of knowledge of the work and systems, I might disregard and even be offended by a superior giving me constructive criticism.

This hunger for knowledge also coincides a bit with my curiosity and interest in the world, leading me to be more inclined to ask questions and explore new ideas and perspectives, if only for a chance to say a found a better way that the traditional method sometimes (UPenn, 2023). This allows me to approach challenges with an open mind and seek innovations, but, as I said before can occasionally lead to impatience, or maybe distraction, so to counteract this, I will seek to practice active listening and hone my ability to prioritize tasks to ensure that I’m able to maintain focus while still fostering an environment that encourages exploration and discovery.

Finally, it’s my social intelligence that enables me to understand the possible motives and feelings of others, adapt to different social situations as well as put others at ease (UPenn, 2023). This character strength has played a crucial role in fostering effective communication, collaboration, and inclusiveness within a team and to other leaders, although, as with the others, I must acknowledge that there might be situations, like there have been in the past, in which my ability to read others’ emotions might lead me to unfairly assume their needs without direct communication. In order to combat this, I will actively encourage open and direct communication to try and guarantee that I’m creating a space in which individuals feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and needs.

I think that by recognizing the areas for opportunity, or weaknesses, within these strengths, I can further leverage them to create an environment where everyone is supported, positive, inspired and productive. Many times, a hubris can get too big for one to see their shortcomings and this term I aim to use what I learn in this course to open the door to improving on those weaknesses.