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Skills development:
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Team-building skills:
Being a part of a team is a lot about growing in trust and building connections with one another. A good team will build up, support and encourage its members and rejoice in their success and comfort one another in hard times. Having been a part of many different types of teams I have found the ones that were the most successful were the teams that not only grew in the bonds of teammates, but also in nurturing friendship. When you grow together with a good team you build bonds of trust and friendship that become unbreakable.
Being a part of a team is a lot about growing in trust and building connections with one another. A good team will build up, support and encourage its members and rejoice in their success and comfort one another in hard times. Having been a part of many different types of teams I have found the ones that were the most successful were the teams that not only grew in the bonds of teammates, but also in nurturing friendship. When you grow together with a good team you build bonds of trust and friendship that become unbreakable.
Self-Image:
Understanding one’s own self-image is very important when it comes to trying to lead others. I believe it is important to know your own strengths and weaknesses before trying to commit to leading others. In order to build trust in others and work as a team, I need to first trust and believe in myself. Someone once told me “we can't give to others what we don’t have.” I don’t need to have every characteristic of strength in the world to be a good leader. All I need to do is to use the skills I do have and trust in others when I need their skills to help me.
Understanding one’s own self-image is very important when it comes to trying to lead others. I believe it is important to know your own strengths and weaknesses before trying to commit to leading others. In order to build trust in others and work as a team, I need to first trust and believe in myself. Someone once told me “we can't give to others what we don’t have.” I don’t need to have every characteristic of strength in the world to be a good leader. All I need to do is to use the skills I do have and trust in others when I need their skills to help me.
Taking the initiative:
Taking the initiative is something that has been natural to me. But as I grow and discover what good leaders are, I have found that sometimes it is proper to let some else step up and take the lead. If I tried to take initiative on every group project not only would I get burnt out, but I would also miss out on seeing other people’s leadership skills flourish. Taking the initiative is not always about being the first leader to jump on a project and get it started. Sometimes it is observing what other strengths are in others and finding where it is best for you to step in and put your best food forward. “Leaders eat last” is a book I read that helped teach me that being a leader is not about being the face everyone looks to or always being the one to lead the way. But rather it is about coming to work with and build up your team to achieve success together.
Taking the initiative is something that has been natural to me. But as I grow and discover what good leaders are, I have found that sometimes it is proper to let some else step up and take the lead. If I tried to take initiative on every group project not only would I get burnt out, but I would also miss out on seeing other people’s leadership skills flourish. Taking the initiative is not always about being the first leader to jump on a project and get it started. Sometimes it is observing what other strengths are in others and finding where it is best for you to step in and put your best food forward. “Leaders eat last” is a book I read that helped teach me that being a leader is not about being the face everyone looks to or always being the one to lead the way. But rather it is about coming to work with and build up your team to achieve success together.
Connecting with others:
Over this past year I have learned that there are so many ways to connect with others. Connection can be through communication, it can be through sharing an experience, it can be through working on a project with a team. Some ways are easy to build connections and some ways are hard. I was once on a mission trip in Peru and communicating with the children was not always an option because I didn’t speak their language very well. But when I showed them an example of what we were doing and showed them how much fun I was having they wanted to join me. Sometimes a connection is not verbal but rather a silent gesture or a silent act to show someone else you are with them.
Over this past year I have learned that there are so many ways to connect with others. Connection can be through communication, it can be through sharing an experience, it can be through working on a project with a team. Some ways are easy to build connections and some ways are hard. I was once on a mission trip in Peru and communicating with the children was not always an option because I didn’t speak their language very well. But when I showed them an example of what we were doing and showed them how much fun I was having they wanted to join me. Sometimes a connection is not verbal but rather a silent gesture or a silent act to show someone else you are with them.
Personal reflection:
Evaluating one’s self is not always an easy task, but it is necessary to continually seek and know what one’s own strengths and weaknesses are. Over the past couple of semesters I have found that no one ever reaches a point where they are the all-encompassing ultimate. I find that I can always be a little better in each aspect of my life. Whether it is communication, motivation, encouragement, or being okay with things that are uncomfortable, I have found that I can always be a better teammate. I have also found though that it is okay and in fact necessary to take a step back and say, "We did a good job" or "We could probably change that next time". I have also found that it is good to ask for help. Working together is what brings me joy and confidence that I can achieve my goals in life because I have teammates to support and help me when I need it.
Evaluating one’s self is not always an easy task, but it is necessary to continually seek and know what one’s own strengths and weaknesses are. Over the past couple of semesters I have found that no one ever reaches a point where they are the all-encompassing ultimate. I find that I can always be a little better in each aspect of my life. Whether it is communication, motivation, encouragement, or being okay with things that are uncomfortable, I have found that I can always be a better teammate. I have also found though that it is okay and in fact necessary to take a step back and say, "We did a good job" or "We could probably change that next time". I have also found that it is good to ask for help. Working together is what brings me joy and confidence that I can achieve my goals in life because I have teammates to support and help me when I need it.