Personal Reflection: Executive Leadership

What kind of leader would I consider myself?

When I think about myself as a leader, I think about my experience as the project lead for the University of Dayton Monster Energy Up & Up Festival team. This role made me responsible for overseeing a team of ambassadors, organizing marketing & promotional campaigns, understanding & setting up technology for livestreams, and maintaining communication with partners, venues, agents, & other essential relationships.

When starting this role, I noticed that the team was unmotivated and unorganized, and no one quite knew their responsibility. Additionally, there was almost no morale and team chemistry was lacking. When noticing these problems, I decided to act similarly to John C. Maxwell, author of Establishing the Leader Within You, and establish the team’s priorities. I added structure to the overall team by organizing each ambassador into smaller, specific teams. Once everyone was given responsibility and a priority focus, I noticed the team was more committed to promoting the event and team morale was improved. This also boosted productivity because the team was working smarter rather than harder.

Throughout the rest of this semester, my team organized over a dozen promotional events, hosted a livestream with live music and curated visuals via zoom, and executed an in-person concert with over 800 tickets sold. No other Dayton Up & Up team has ever completed so much in such little time! This reality became possible because as a team we grew together and dared each other to be bold in our actions, a theory proposed by Robert Greene, author of the 48 Laws of Power. By the end of the semester, our team was a group of passionate and motivated friends. Each team member was valued, and we inspired each other through what we represented. This environment of respect and passion united our team and influenced a culture of success.

Through this example, I resembled more of a servant leader (Maxwell), than a power-hungry Greene leader. As the leader, I focused my time more on the success of the team, rather than my own success as an individual. I found that inspiring my team members ignited a passion that made our team unstoppable. While I do use Greene leadership methods, I influenced my team members to use these methods as well so that we created an environment of healthy competition. This style is unique compared to most leaders, and it matches my personality because I thrive in competitive, but supportive environments. Additionally, I believe that building your team up will always be more effective than focusing on yourself.