At the culmination of each semester’s Emerge Leadership Circle, students share their personal leadership philosophies. These philosophies are the culmination of a semester’s learning and reflection, and each is as unique as the participant themselves.
Celia Germain Class of 2024
“In my attempts to become a leader I hope to inspire people, not only to commit fully to their passions, but to openly be themselves. Previously I have found myself answering to those that I may not agree with and felt uncomfortable being my authentic self around them. An effective leader allows for those they surround themselves with to be comfortable in their skin and willing and able to participate actively in shared spaces. A leader must listen to those around them in order to best decide which path to ease their team onto. It is not about becoming a person that dictates the group around you, rather it is about compromise and patience; the ability to adapt as mayhem arrives is essential. Leadership is not about always knowing exactly what to do or what to say, rather it is about giving yourself, and others, a space to try to improve safely and with encouragement. “
Francis Hodge Class of 2023
“My leadership philosophy is about lifting up the people I lead in order for them to be their best selves. I want to encourage people to give their all, to try their hardest. I also want to lift up the voices of those who seldom get a chance to be heard. I’ve heard it said, if you’re used to talking, try listening, and if you’re used to listening, try sharing, and I want the space in which I lead to follow that principle. I want the space I lead to be a welcoming and affirming place for all identities and abilities. We all have something to learn from one another. I want to lead by example, by doing my best to be there for the people I lead and to face challenges head on as they come. I want to be someone who is known for doing the right thing, even when it is hard. I want to be someone people can come to, to be known for offering advice and support.”
Caroline Macharia Class of 2022
“L- LISTEN– It enhances communication and ensures that you are listening to your team and making proper adjustments.E- EXAMPLE– As leaders we must lead by example as this instills trust and confidence in his teamA-AWARENESS– Being aware of the different backgrounds, upbringings, age groups etc will help a leader be more inclusive and make better decisions in having a solid teamD- DECISION– How you solve problems as leader has a great impact on your results and solving problems in the correct manner can make you an effective leader. E- ETHICAL LEADERSHIP– Having a set of principles and values that provide a sound basis for appropriate and professional behavior for a team. This has a huge impact in influencing workplace culture. R- REASONS FOR BEING A LEADER– You have to the reason why you want to be a leader to make impact and build great relationships with those around you.S- SELFCARE– It is important to take care of yourself physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually. Having a self-care plan is very important and reduces burnout.H- HUMOR– Appropriate humor can be used to break the ice or to just bring a smile to others. It just brings the energy level up in any setting. I-IDENTITY IN LEADERSHIP–To be an effective leader, you must understand your style of leadership and the values that are important to you. It also means being able to understand how the world sees you and how you see the world and adjust if there are biases or assumptions that hinder you. (Achieved, Ascribed and Stereotypes)P-PUBLIC SPEAKING– Leaders must be comfortable enough to speak in public and be effective in their communication, whether it’s a small group of individuals or a big crowd. “
“L- LISTEN– It enhances communication and ensures that you are listening to your team and making proper adjustments.
E- EXAMPLE– As leaders we must lead by example as this instills trust and confidence in his team
A-AWARENESS– Being aware of the different backgrounds, upbringings, age groups etc will help a leader be more inclusive and make better decisions in having a solid team
D- DECISION– How you solve problems as leader has a great impact on your results and solving problems in the correct manner can make you an effective leader.
E- ETHICAL LEADERSHIP– Having a set of principles and values that provide a sound basis for appropriate and professional behavior for a team. This has a huge impact in influencing workplace culture.
R- REASONS FOR BEING A LEADER– You have to the reason why you want to be a leader to make impact and build great relationships with those around you.
S- SELFCARE– It is important to take care of yourself physically, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually. Having a self-care plan is very important and reduces burnout.
H- HUMOR– Appropriate humor can be used to break the ice or to just bring a smile to others. It just brings the energy level up in any setting.
I-IDENTITY IN LEADERSHIP–To be an effective leader, you must understand your style of leadership and the values that are important to you. It also means being able to understand how the world sees you and how you see the world and adjust if there are biases or assumptions that hinder you. (Achieved, Ascribed and Stereotypes)
P-PUBLIC SPEAKING– Leaders must be comfortable enough to speak in public and be effective in their communication, whether it’s a small group of individuals or a big crowd. “
Tanner Renaud Class of 2023
“Reasons for being a leader Help make a difference in someone’s life Make a change in my environment Help to achieve tasks and challenges I Want to be able to put my knowledge to the test and learn moreWhat does it mean to be a leader? Make decisions that may be difficult Be willing to understand everyone has different objectives Be willing to work with the different people around you Be willing to work in groups Be willing to bring/learn new ideasHow am I a leader? VP of active minds Often take the lead on set up for events on campus and even sometimes running them by myself Try to come up and lead new ideas into the club or campusWhat will I do moving forward? Try to recognize which leadership styles would be important in different scenarios instead of trying to use the same in every scenario Work on figuring out how to work and understand groups that I may cross Work on solving conflicts without causing large amounts of stress on myself as it may reflect on others “
“Reasons for being a leader
Help make a difference in someone’s life Make a change in my environment Help to achieve tasks and challenges I Want to be able to put my knowledge to the test and learn more
What does it mean to be a leader? Make decisions that may be difficult Be willing to understand everyone has different objectives Be willing to work with the different people around you Be willing to work in groups Be willing to bring/learn new ideas
How am I a leader? VP of active minds Often take the lead on set up for events on campus and even sometimes running them by myself Try to come up and lead new ideas into the club or campus
What will I do moving forward? Try to recognize which leadership styles would be important in different scenarios instead of trying to use the same in every scenario Work on figuring out how to work and understand groups that I may cross Work on solving conflicts without causing large amounts of stress on myself as it may reflect on others “
Zachary Trudell Class of 2024
“To be a leader is to be someone who others can look to for support, inspiration, and strength. I strive to be the kind of leader that I would have looked up to when I was younger, and the kind of leader that I would be inspired by today. To be a leader is to put yourself in the shoes of those you lead and walk alongside them together towards a common goal. Through my time in college, I have tried putting my best foot forward, taking up leadership roles on the WSU campus to better the school environment and make the change I wish to see. I became president of the Worcester State Chess Club during my sophomore year, and it has taught me alot about my style of leadership and what being a good leader can do for a group and for the goals of said group. I offered a safe, casual space for those who wanted it, and a competitive, energetic space for those who took up the challenge. This position has taught me that being a good leader means that you have to put in the hard work for everyone around you, including yourself. A leader shows the group that hard work pays off, and that even in failure there is something to be learned. A leader is someone that will inspire and offer the support, inspiration, and strength that the members will remember and carry with them moving forward, as I do. All of these were traits and acquired skills which I found on my leadership journey with this club. We had a goal of all raising our ratings and getting better at the game we love. We sought to learn from the grandmasters and each other alike. Because of that, I led by example – challenging myself to learn tough concepts, take on tough opponents, and stay late to allow members to play longer and with more people. All of this for the purpose of fulfilling the promises I made to both myself and to the club members.I believe, though, that I have found the skills of a good leader most through following the suggestions of those whom I lead. I wish to better myself and my skills through the constructive feedback of others. When I am leading, I consider the success those I lead to also be a personal success, as I would like to believe that I made some contribution to it and I cultivated a space in which everyone had everything they needed. I believe that a leader ought to listen to those whom they lead. Maybe not everyone has great ideas to offer up, but I have learned that a great idea can come from anybody. Everyone ought to have the chance to speak up and contribute, and it is my belief that leaders ought to facilitate that communication and use their skills to further reach towards the group’s goals. A leader must inspire others to speak up, take initiative, and act. Most of all, it is leaders who inspire future leaders. The type of leader I strive to be today is the kind of leader that would have inspired me yesterday.“
“To be a leader is to be someone who others can look to for support, inspiration, and strength. I strive to be the kind of leader that I would have looked up to when I was younger, and the kind of leader that I would be inspired by today. To be a leader is to put yourself in the shoes of those you lead and walk alongside them together towards a common goal. Through my time in college, I have tried putting my best foot forward, taking up leadership roles on the WSU campus to better the school environment and make the change I wish to see. I became president of the Worcester State Chess Club during my sophomore year, and it has taught me alot about my style of leadership and what being a good leader can do for a group and for the goals of said group. I offered a safe, casual space for those who wanted it, and a competitive, energetic space for those who took up the challenge. This position has taught me that being a good leader means that you have to put in the hard work for everyone around you, including yourself. A leader shows the group that hard work pays off, and that even in failure there is something to be learned. A leader is someone that will inspire and offer the support, inspiration, and strength that the members will remember and carry with them moving forward, as I do. All of these were traits and acquired skills which I found on my leadership journey with this club. We had a goal of all raising our ratings and getting better at the game we love. We sought to learn from the grandmasters and each other alike. Because of that, I led by example – challenging myself to learn tough concepts, take on tough opponents, and stay late to allow members to play longer and with more people. All of this for the purpose of fulfilling the promises I made to both myself and to the club members.
I believe, though, that I have found the skills of a good leader most through following the suggestions of those whom I lead. I wish to better myself and my skills through the constructive feedback of others. When I am leading, I consider the success those I lead to also be a personal success, as I would like to believe that I made some contribution to it and I cultivated a space in which everyone had everything they needed. I believe that a leader ought to listen to those whom they lead. Maybe not everyone has great ideas to offer up, but I have learned that a great idea can come from anybody. Everyone ought to have the chance to speak up and contribute, and it is my belief that leaders ought to facilitate that communication and use their skills to further reach towards the group’s goals. A leader must inspire others to speak up, take initiative, and act. Most of all, it is leaders who inspire future leaders. The type of leader I strive to be today is the kind of leader that would have inspired me yesterday.“
