Who am I in the context of being a Husky Leader?
My Core Values
Leadership
Leadership, to me, means taking charge of a situation and guiding others through it, either because I can or if no one else is willing to do it.
I've found myself taking the initiative countless times in dire situations that called for it. In whatever commitments I partake in, I have this sense of urgency and team-building which I leverage towards creating a shared goal.
Motivation
Whenever I think about motivation, I find it the inherent will to do something.
"Will I like the outcome? Will it be worth it? What's driving me to do this?" These are some questions that reaffirm my motivations.
Everyday, I strive my best to succeed and attain my goals. Sometimes I win, other times I learn (Nelson Mandela quote), but most of all, I refuse to give up. Rather, I garner the consistency and resilience to work relentlessly towards my goals regardless of my circumstances.
Whenever I feel like giving up, I first remind myself where I came from, how far I’ve come, and then instantly visualize where I’m heading. I also recall the people who look up to me and how bad I’d be letting them down if I let myself down. Enough said- I move on.
Faith
By faith, I acknowledge my compliance to God from my spiritual upbringing. My spiritual conviction leads me to God by praying during stressful times in challenging life situations.
I also realize that I cannot control the outcome of things, nor can I predict tomorrow despite how hard I try. I understand that I may have a Plan A, but God has others and puts them so that life meanders me a different course than expected.
A Swahili saying for this goes, "Jitihada haiondoi kudura," meaning "Hard work does not reciprocate God's Will." For this reason, my favorite is adjective is God willing.
Optimism
Naturally, I'm a happy-go-lucky person who enjoys seeing the silver lining of things. I understand that life isn't a smooth ride as expected to be, but I live by the mantras of "this too shall pass" and "it only gets better."
By optimistically having a positive attitude in life, I encourage myself and others on the same. Years down the line, I want to be in a comfortable world of peace and love. It's debatable if the world is getting better or worse, but on my end, I choose the latter because I want to.
Intuition
Intuition has me listening to myself - my conscience - more often than not, and most of the time, my inner me is correct. I use my intuition and ethics to rationalize complex life scenarios that I'm stuck in, so long as I can bear the outcome.
By honing my intuition and meditating over the years, I've grown thoughtful of myself, my thoughts, and emotions. I've also paid attention to my surroundings, the people I'm with and make simple but effective decisions with clarity of mind.
My Unique Leadership Identities
STEM and Technology Leader
I never quite visualized myself as a technology leader beforehand, but being in a professional organization such as NSBE qualifies me as one in my own right.
NSBE stands for the National Society of Black Engineers. A STEM organization, NSBE has honed my leadership skills in both technical and non-technical areas. For example, I may lead team projects within the club, conduct informative meetings, or construct informational websites for conferences that redirect 3,000 students on the West Coast. I know I'll be with NSBE for a long while, and for as long as I do, I'm happy to learn my merits as a Technology Leader and see what more I can contribute in such a diverse field.
Avid Mathematician
Math has been my favorite subject in school for as long as I can remember, but in recent years, my liking for it has come under question. Fortunately enough, it's such second-guessing moments that immensely build my character, and for that, I'm grateful.
One such character-molding moment was back in college during my Calculus II class. Calc II revitalized my entire approach to advanced mathematics from the setback I suffered in Calculus I. It altered my thinking and analytical strategies towards the subject and possibly relate them to real-world situations. Furthermore, it's amplified in me some skillsets that can market me in the job market - skills like analysis, critical thinking, Mathematical projections, and collaboration.
Inspirational Thought Leader
I embrace the gift I have of inspiring others to be their best selves, and that satisfies me as well.
I like to share my positively unique thoughts with others, hoping that I've made at least one person's day. Myself, I'm still a student of life, so I learn as much as I give; it might be through reading, talking to successful people, or watching an inspirational podcast. By whichever means I discover, not only do I apply what I've learned, but I also teach others the same while sharing my thoughts too.
Some role models in this field inspire me by their actions: Tony Robbins, Shade Zahrai, and Ali Abdaal, to name but a few. Long term, I hope to develop my voice and inspire others just as they have done for me.
My "Why"
The "Know Your Why" concept is one popularized by Simon Sinek, and it's in which he emphasizes that people should have a "why" - a reason for getting out of bed every morning and a reason to do what one is doing. By knowing your why, thus, Sinek assures that one is likelier to lead a fulfilled life.
It's only recently that I realized my why (after probably 6 or 7 years of searching,) and that is to inspire people through my actions and thoughts. Everywhere I've been, I've left some positive impact, effortlessly or not, which has been positive. While I initially don't take much note of myself instantly impacting my environs, I notice the praises and appraisals from my friends, colleagues, and family. Knowing what I bring to the table is one thing; seeing my impact from the eyes of others is another.
It's then that I realized I have a gift of inspiring others, and if all goes well God willingly, I may create a career from it.
Future Goals: How I Envision Engaging in Leadership in the Future
I have short-term and long-term career goals, which entail some leadership aspects.
In the short term, I seek to attain a (non)technical job that would still hone my leadership - something like consulting or project management would do. Just as I've had fun leading NSBE, I'd be happy thriving in a team-building environment and investing in our team's individual talents and capabilities to achieve a common goal.
Long term, I want to build a company out of this, hence my plans for Carerra's Chronicles. While I'm still planning precisely what it would entail, I'm sure that it would continue with my leadership and positive influence among many; think the Inspirational Thought Leader from above.
Either way, I understand some personal aspects of my leadership that need improvement. Currently, I'm working on my communication, especially in communicating effectively. I know that leaders have an excellent way of influencing people with their words, and I want to hit that saturation point too. Another quality is empathy. Born from a silver platter, I admit that I might not entirely imagine people's situations until I experience them myself. Till then, it helps me keep an open mind towards all, learn where they are coming from, and feel how they feel. Thus, I can lead in a way that reflects an understanding of their circumstances.
Thanks for reading,
. . .
~Carerra
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