LEADERSHAPE Institute
At the retreat, everyone was placed into a "family cluster" in which we spent much of our time reflecting on large group discussions. This is my cluster!
On December 14, 2019, I embarked on my Leadershape journey; what that meant, exactly... well, I wasn't exactly sure yet. All we were told about this unusually secretive endeavor prior to departure was that it was a transformative five day leadership retreat. By the time I returned home, it had opened my eyes to the power of my own potential, not just in growing as a leader but also in my ability to make a genuine, lasting impact in the world around me.
The first few days of the retreat focused on learning more about ourselves: strengths, weaknesses, and everything in between. One of my greatest takeaways from this was from a DISC personality test; while most people received one definitive result, I fell nearly exactly between the "steadiness" and "influence" types. While this meant I had a natural tendency for two major areas of teamwork (motivating others and being an effective team player) it meant I also had double the weaknesses. Recognizing these at the beginning of the week allowed me to work on them for the rest of it though, purposefully going against the grain in order to overcome my discomfort with sudden change and potential rejection of my ideas. By the end of the week I'd stepped out of my comfort zone to the point where I volunteered to host one of our guest speakers, something that would otherwise have intimidated me to no end. Needless to say, I ended up perfectly fine, more proud than ever of my progress!
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Everyone completed a blueprint for their visions. Mine focused on ways to make STEM a welcome, fair environment for all.
The second part of the retreat dove into how we can take what we've learned about ourselves, pair it with a passion, and make a difference in the world. For me, my focus was immediate: I wanted to bring about a positive change within the STEM field for female and nonbinary involvement. As we expanded on our ideas, or "visions" as we called them, the statement that stuck with me then and now was that if your idea can be completed within your lifetime, it isn't big enough - think even farther outside of the box.
After completing the architecture for our visions, we discussed how to stay on track even after leaving Leadershape Institute. Since then, I've registered to volunteer with local Tech Olympics and Science Olympiad events, and I've made a concerted effort to encourage and stand up for other women and nonbinary peers in my field. Farther reaching goals for the rest of my college career and beyond are shown above, in my Vision Blueprint.
The plans I've made for my vision and for my own development have taken root in my outlook on the social and professional world around me, and I plan on carrying this momentum for as far as I possibly can.