A Reflection on the UC LeaderShape Institute
Information about LeaderShape: Question and Answer
Q: What is the LeaderShape Institute?
A: The LeaderShape Institute is a national program whose goal is to create a more caring and thriving world, one where all people are integral leaders and have a healthy disregard for the impossible. Many different programs are offered, such as national conferences, short, one-day programs, and campus programs. The LeaderShape Institute at UC is a program that was held specifically for the UC Honors Program, albeit off campus at a near-by retreat grounds. For one week, 59 selected honors students attended this leadership training in order to further discover themselves, learn effective leadership techniques, and develop (or at least foster) a healthy disregard for the impossible.
Q: What do you do at LeaderShape?
A: As students, our role at the LeaderShape Institute was to invest out best effort, be open-minded, and "trust the system," as we were told upon our arrival. Part of "trusting the system" meant partaking in all the activities in the curriculum. Each activity was designed to teach us something, thus in order to get the most out of the experience it was necessary to give our best effort at everything we did. Perhaps more importantly, however, we were expected to have open, willing minds. In order to be transformed, we had to be at least willing to see the potential change. As on of the large group facilitators phrased it, we had to "arrive." By this he meant that each of us experienced a moment of "arrival," at which time we truly opened our minds to the vast possibilities, the immense complexities of humans, and numerous transformations that could take place. But in order to become aware of these aspects, we had to allow ourselves to be changed. That--really--is what you do at the LeaderShape Institute. At the end of the week, each student departs with a huge, vivid, inspiring vision on how to change our world, which means allowing yourself to change the world--and be changed personally.
Q: What do you learn at LeaderShape?
A: Aside from what I mentioned in the previous response about learning to open our minds to possibilities, complexities, and transformation, LeaderShape offers a great amount of theoretical information. I use the word theoretical only because the information I am writing about is primarily taught, be it through practice, lecture or discussion. For example, we all took the DiSC personality assessment. We then used this information to first learn about ourselves, and then to education others about how we--individually--think, and lastly to learn how to best work with others' personality. At other points throughout the week, we learned how to manage chaos and change and how to create our visions for the future. In addition to learning these personal skills, we also were education on how to be inclusive leaders: the effects of discrimination and oppression in society, how to create opportunity for every individual, how to use our visions to better the lives of all people, all around the globe.
Q: How has the LeaderShape Institute made an impact on your life?
A: To be completely honest, I went into the Institute somewhat skeptical of how much of an impact it would have on my life. I had heard great things about the experience, but at the time I chose to carry a more cynical outlook. As it turned out, I could have not have been more mistaken. LeaderShape has changed my life, although not in the way that is typically expected when someone says that something "changed my life." LeaderShape did not cause me to change my major or even my future aspirations. Rather, it taught me how to strengthen my vision, how to be more inclusive, how to overcome hardship and persevere, how to better work with others on a deeper level. All of these improvements, I discovered, could be applied within my long-standing personal goals and values; they served to improve, reinforce, and broaden my goals and values in order to make the largest impact on the world as possible. One could say that it developed my "healthy disregard for the impossible" for my future plans. On an overarching summation, LeaderShape led me to a much more vivid--but realistic-- awareness of the possibilities of my life, an awareness that has inspired a drive for action.
Personal Transformation: Question and Answer
Q: Based on what you learned at LeaderShape, has your definition of "leadership" changed? If so, how?
A: Before going to LeaderShape, I had a notion of what "leadership" was based on my experience as an Eagle Scout. To me "leadership" means respecting others, being respected, and unifying people in order to accomplish goals. Along with this basic definition came the important idea that in order to be an effective leader, it is critically important to be on the same level as the members of the group. For example, instead of continually telling others what tasks need completed, a quality leader will sometimes do the very task he or she wants done.
I would not say that my definition has been completely altered because of LeaderShape, but it has certainly been expanded in several aspects. The first aspect is integrity. In order to be a quality leader, it is of the utmost importance that one remains true to him/herself. While allowing for positive change within oneself, one should always lead in a manner that coincides with the person they are; lead with your heart. Another aspect that has been refined in my definition of leadership is inclusiveness. By this, I mean that it is important for a leader to be aware of everyone's strengths and weaknesses and help guide each person to maximize their strengths--no matter what they be. Lastly, my overall impression of a leader has changed based on some discussion at LeaderShape. Now, instead of viewing a leader as someone who leads followers in order to accomplish his/her own vision, I see a leader as an equal member of a group whose job is to align every individual's particular strengths and aspirations in nearly the same direction in order to maximize the collective work of the group.
Lastly I'd like to emphasize how important it is for a leader to remain positive, see possibility in everything, build meaningful relationships and to impact lives. To me, this is the foundation of every leadership experience.
Q: You mentioned "leading with integrity" earlier; what exactly does that mean?
A: Before I explain what "leading with integrity" means, let me say that this is a phrase that the LeaderShape Institute emphasizes. It is not a phrase that I came up with, but rather an idea with which I have now aligned my values. I have made the conscious decision to follow this idea because I now believe it is critical to the person I want to be. Essentially, as I stated above, leading with integrity is all about following your core values. In order to be an effective leader, one must stay true to who they are. This doesn't particularly mean you can't change. It means that in whatever you do with your life, it should reinforce or exemplify the person you are. For example, I have identified faith as an integral part of my life (no pun intended). Therefore, in everything I do in my life, I try to ensure that it reinforces and portrays my faith in action. In other words, the person you are while leading should be the same person you are at any other time in your life. While certain situations may require specific manners of conduct, the one thing that should not change is who you really are. You may now be asking myself "Well who exactly am I and how do I figure that out?" Through a series of reflective exercises at LeaderShape, we did just that...read on.
Q: What did you learn about yourself at LeaderShape?
A: Of all the things I learned at LeaderShape, what I discovered about myself is for me by far the most significant. From my personality type to my core values, the amount of self discovery was actually astounding, given that it all happened within seven days. To me, the most interesting aspect I learned about myself was my personality type according to the DiSC test. After a short process, I found that I am a "Creative Type" personality. The description was surprisingly accurate, which was very interesting to read. While I had already known my personality, it was very helpful to find the correct way to describe it. Additionally, defining my personality has helped me realize how much I do certain things and feel certain ways, and how those actions and emotions can be attributed to the person I am. This discovery is significant to me because every moment provides opportunities during which I think about how my personality type has affected my actions and decisions.
While the discovery of the personality type was interesting from an analytical standpoint, articulating my core values was perhaps the most meaningful for me on a introspective level. I have always been aware of my guiding principles in my life, but discussing them with my family cluster and officially displaying them was profound. Firstly, reflecting on how my core values came to be helped me learn a lot about myself in terms of how I have developed over the years. Secondly, displaying my values on my shirt really helped solidify my choices. It showed all of the other people in the room who I was and what I valued. For some reason, this public proclamation felt more like a public affirmation. I knew at that moment that I could be accepted everywhere, no matter my values. And while everyone's values are different, there are many common things that unite us--even in our values.
Q: What have you learned about others, especially about relationships?
A: Generally speaking, LeaderShape helped me understand the value of my relationships and how to properly appreciate every person for who they are. There were two main ways that I learned about these valuable relationships: through my close-knit family cluster and through discussions with others. The members of my family cluster were extremely welcoming and comfortable being open. This allowed us all to be able to appreciate one another, even though we all had our faults. Furthermore, my family cluster had a great variety of personality types, interests, majors, and skills. Sometimes in the past, if someone's interests did not align well with mine, I would tend to disregard their abilities, but learning to incorporate each person's skills into family cluster activities helped me learn the value of each individual. No matter the project or goal, every single person has a skill that can make a positive contribution.
The discussions I had without others during the week covered a variety of topics: from major to book preferences, and from vulnerabilities to strengths. Although impossible to completely recount each conversation, no matter the topic, they all taught me something about the other person. Particularly of interest were the discussions we had about our personality types. It was intriguing first to share about ourselves, and then to learn about the other person and how the two personalities could be meshed in order to provide the most positive outcome. No personality type dominates any other, so suggesting ways for others to work well with my personality type (and vice versa) taught me a great deal on inclusiveness and acceptance.
Lastly, I (re)learned how my people matter to me. Each person in beautiful in his or her own unique manner. I drew closer to friends I already had, as well as established solid bases for future friendships. One medium that really appealed to me was the "mailboxes." Each participant had a paper bad taped to a board, which served as their personal "mailbox." Throughout the week, we all exchanged thoughts and feelings through notes in the mailboxes. It was nice to show appreciation for each other in such a meaningful way--a medium that we can all hold on to for a while. Therefore, this aspect of the relationship development at LeaderShape was meaningful because it was a way to truly show appreciation and affection for those around us. It was invaluable.
Q: What vision did you develop at LeaderShape?
A: My vision for the future that I developed at LeaderShape aims at creating a better world through service. Through lots of reflection and serious thought, my final vision reads as follows: "I want to create a world where the health and wellness of every individual is increased by the free giving of heartfelt, compassionate service." This vision really speaks to my heart--and my goal for my life. In general, I want to make the world a place where people feel well because everyone is cared for; a world where service is the currency of the heart. In order to achieve this vision, we were required to make stretch goals and manageable goals. These goals can be read on my "Breakthrough Blueprint," which is attached below.
The vision I developed will serve as a guiding principle in my future decisions. Now, when considering which path to take, I can always assess which choices will help me achieve my vision. With proper leadership, solid relationships, and a healthy disregard for the impossible, I can undoubtedly achieve my vision. In fact, although this was not mentioned in my manageable goals, I have already begun working on my vision, in that I am pursuing a volunteer position at the UC Medical Center.
Click here to download/ view my "Breakthrough Blueprint"
Q: What was the most meaningful/ memorable experience?
A: No part of the LeaderShape Institute was not meaningful, but one moment in particular sticks out as the most memorable, valuable, and meaningful experience. At the conclusion of the week, we all met in our family clusters for the evening. During this time, we sat at the table--just as we had the entire week--and gave each other feedback. This feedback wasn't just of the "you did a great job" nature; it was serious feedback. Each of us gave every person in the group a piece of negative feedback (something the person could improve upon) and a piece of positive feedback (something they did very well and should continue doing). While this may sound like sometime rather routine, it was not. In fact, my group was so focused on it that we continued the discussion until 01:00, when we were supposed to have been finished at 23:00.
Not only was this experience meaningful through the opportunity to help others develop themselves--especially through the positive comments, but it was also valuable because of the feedback I was given. This feedback is truly a gift, as self-reflection is often difficult. It's nice to know what others honestly see in me. Many of the improvement comments were already apparent to me, but hearing my family cluster tell me how I could actually make the improvements was extremely helpful, and somewhat therapeutic. I would always happily take this kind of feedback because this experience showed me how valuable it is. To a certain extent, however, people like to hear good things about themselves; the same applies here. The statements my family cluster made for me were so meaningful because they affirmed the person I want to be. They told me that they saw in me a true desire to serve others; they saw me as a person who someone could come to with any problem, and I would find a way to help them; they saw me as an outstanding emergency physician. These comments touched me to the core. My life's goal is to serve others in any way possible, so to know that people see me living out my passion in this sense was deeply moving and quite motivating.
Needless to say, I took notes during this feedback and will forever remember what my family cluster said to me. Those words--that moment-- was so powerful, I can hardly express all my gratitude.
Q: Was there any moment in particular that seemed more challenging than others?
A: Just as the feedback conversation with my family cluster struck me as the most memorable experience of LeaderShape, there was one discussion in particular that was the most challenging for me. The discussion took place after a simulation designed to demonstrate power, influence, and oppression. The simulation itself was frustrating, which led to an even more emotional, intense conversation. While impossible to completely record what was spoken, the gist of the conversation dealt with how certain populations are oppressed in our society. Not only was this frustrating because of the disgust I felt about the issue, but it was also aggravating because we found it difficult to find a solution to the oppression in our society. We all wanted to help, but did not know how. It seemed like everything we talked about either led to a dead-end or circled back around onto more complex issues. In the end, we all concluded that in order to attempt any type of solution, we needed to work on better inclusive leadership. The overall consensus was that in order to reduce oppression in our current society, it is acutely important to create solid opportunities for underprivileged communities. Through each and every vision, we found after some reflection, creating these opportunities is certainly possible.
Q: What would you have changed about your experience?
A: As I said earlier, I was somewhat skeptical at first about what I would learn at LeaderShape. I think many attendees would concur that LeaderShape exceeded their expectations. Therefore, I would have changed my attitude going into the Institute. I did not see much possibility and was certainly not the most enthusiastic. That all changed after the second day, but I think I could have had a better experience if I had been completely motivated from day 1. By the end of the week, thankfully, my outlook on Leadershape--and my future--was much more positive--filled with possibility, motivation, enthusiasm, and a healthy disregard for the impossible.
Q: How are you going to use what you learned at LeaderShape to make a positive change in the future?
A: I could elaborate on and on about how each of my life's decisions in the future should relate to my vision, but making positive change in the future can be stated much simpler than that: lead with integrity. Here is a list of things I will do (or continue to do) in the future in order to carry out my vision (many of these thoughts are based in the explanations above):
A: Before going to LeaderShape, I had a notion of what "leadership" was based on my experience as an Eagle Scout. To me "leadership" means respecting others, being respected, and unifying people in order to accomplish goals. Along with this basic definition came the important idea that in order to be an effective leader, it is critically important to be on the same level as the members of the group. For example, instead of continually telling others what tasks need completed, a quality leader will sometimes do the very task he or she wants done.
I would not say that my definition has been completely altered because of LeaderShape, but it has certainly been expanded in several aspects. The first aspect is integrity. In order to be a quality leader, it is of the utmost importance that one remains true to him/herself. While allowing for positive change within oneself, one should always lead in a manner that coincides with the person they are; lead with your heart. Another aspect that has been refined in my definition of leadership is inclusiveness. By this, I mean that it is important for a leader to be aware of everyone's strengths and weaknesses and help guide each person to maximize their strengths--no matter what they be. Lastly, my overall impression of a leader has changed based on some discussion at LeaderShape. Now, instead of viewing a leader as someone who leads followers in order to accomplish his/her own vision, I see a leader as an equal member of a group whose job is to align every individual's particular strengths and aspirations in nearly the same direction in order to maximize the collective work of the group.
Lastly I'd like to emphasize how important it is for a leader to remain positive, see possibility in everything, build meaningful relationships and to impact lives. To me, this is the foundation of every leadership experience.
Q: You mentioned "leading with integrity" earlier; what exactly does that mean?
A: Before I explain what "leading with integrity" means, let me say that this is a phrase that the LeaderShape Institute emphasizes. It is not a phrase that I came up with, but rather an idea with which I have now aligned my values. I have made the conscious decision to follow this idea because I now believe it is critical to the person I want to be. Essentially, as I stated above, leading with integrity is all about following your core values. In order to be an effective leader, one must stay true to who they are. This doesn't particularly mean you can't change. It means that in whatever you do with your life, it should reinforce or exemplify the person you are. For example, I have identified faith as an integral part of my life (no pun intended). Therefore, in everything I do in my life, I try to ensure that it reinforces and portrays my faith in action. In other words, the person you are while leading should be the same person you are at any other time in your life. While certain situations may require specific manners of conduct, the one thing that should not change is who you really are. You may now be asking myself "Well who exactly am I and how do I figure that out?" Through a series of reflective exercises at LeaderShape, we did just that...read on.
Q: What did you learn about yourself at LeaderShape?
A: Of all the things I learned at LeaderShape, what I discovered about myself is for me by far the most significant. From my personality type to my core values, the amount of self discovery was actually astounding, given that it all happened within seven days. To me, the most interesting aspect I learned about myself was my personality type according to the DiSC test. After a short process, I found that I am a "Creative Type" personality. The description was surprisingly accurate, which was very interesting to read. While I had already known my personality, it was very helpful to find the correct way to describe it. Additionally, defining my personality has helped me realize how much I do certain things and feel certain ways, and how those actions and emotions can be attributed to the person I am. This discovery is significant to me because every moment provides opportunities during which I think about how my personality type has affected my actions and decisions.
While the discovery of the personality type was interesting from an analytical standpoint, articulating my core values was perhaps the most meaningful for me on a introspective level. I have always been aware of my guiding principles in my life, but discussing them with my family cluster and officially displaying them was profound. Firstly, reflecting on how my core values came to be helped me learn a lot about myself in terms of how I have developed over the years. Secondly, displaying my values on my shirt really helped solidify my choices. It showed all of the other people in the room who I was and what I valued. For some reason, this public proclamation felt more like a public affirmation. I knew at that moment that I could be accepted everywhere, no matter my values. And while everyone's values are different, there are many common things that unite us--even in our values.
Q: What have you learned about others, especially about relationships?
A: Generally speaking, LeaderShape helped me understand the value of my relationships and how to properly appreciate every person for who they are. There were two main ways that I learned about these valuable relationships: through my close-knit family cluster and through discussions with others. The members of my family cluster were extremely welcoming and comfortable being open. This allowed us all to be able to appreciate one another, even though we all had our faults. Furthermore, my family cluster had a great variety of personality types, interests, majors, and skills. Sometimes in the past, if someone's interests did not align well with mine, I would tend to disregard their abilities, but learning to incorporate each person's skills into family cluster activities helped me learn the value of each individual. No matter the project or goal, every single person has a skill that can make a positive contribution.
The discussions I had without others during the week covered a variety of topics: from major to book preferences, and from vulnerabilities to strengths. Although impossible to completely recount each conversation, no matter the topic, they all taught me something about the other person. Particularly of interest were the discussions we had about our personality types. It was intriguing first to share about ourselves, and then to learn about the other person and how the two personalities could be meshed in order to provide the most positive outcome. No personality type dominates any other, so suggesting ways for others to work well with my personality type (and vice versa) taught me a great deal on inclusiveness and acceptance.
Lastly, I (re)learned how my people matter to me. Each person in beautiful in his or her own unique manner. I drew closer to friends I already had, as well as established solid bases for future friendships. One medium that really appealed to me was the "mailboxes." Each participant had a paper bad taped to a board, which served as their personal "mailbox." Throughout the week, we all exchanged thoughts and feelings through notes in the mailboxes. It was nice to show appreciation for each other in such a meaningful way--a medium that we can all hold on to for a while. Therefore, this aspect of the relationship development at LeaderShape was meaningful because it was a way to truly show appreciation and affection for those around us. It was invaluable.
Q: What vision did you develop at LeaderShape?
A: My vision for the future that I developed at LeaderShape aims at creating a better world through service. Through lots of reflection and serious thought, my final vision reads as follows: "I want to create a world where the health and wellness of every individual is increased by the free giving of heartfelt, compassionate service." This vision really speaks to my heart--and my goal for my life. In general, I want to make the world a place where people feel well because everyone is cared for; a world where service is the currency of the heart. In order to achieve this vision, we were required to make stretch goals and manageable goals. These goals can be read on my "Breakthrough Blueprint," which is attached below.
The vision I developed will serve as a guiding principle in my future decisions. Now, when considering which path to take, I can always assess which choices will help me achieve my vision. With proper leadership, solid relationships, and a healthy disregard for the impossible, I can undoubtedly achieve my vision. In fact, although this was not mentioned in my manageable goals, I have already begun working on my vision, in that I am pursuing a volunteer position at the UC Medical Center.
Click here to download/ view my "Breakthrough Blueprint"
Q: What was the most meaningful/ memorable experience?
A: No part of the LeaderShape Institute was not meaningful, but one moment in particular sticks out as the most memorable, valuable, and meaningful experience. At the conclusion of the week, we all met in our family clusters for the evening. During this time, we sat at the table--just as we had the entire week--and gave each other feedback. This feedback wasn't just of the "you did a great job" nature; it was serious feedback. Each of us gave every person in the group a piece of negative feedback (something the person could improve upon) and a piece of positive feedback (something they did very well and should continue doing). While this may sound like sometime rather routine, it was not. In fact, my group was so focused on it that we continued the discussion until 01:00, when we were supposed to have been finished at 23:00.
Not only was this experience meaningful through the opportunity to help others develop themselves--especially through the positive comments, but it was also valuable because of the feedback I was given. This feedback is truly a gift, as self-reflection is often difficult. It's nice to know what others honestly see in me. Many of the improvement comments were already apparent to me, but hearing my family cluster tell me how I could actually make the improvements was extremely helpful, and somewhat therapeutic. I would always happily take this kind of feedback because this experience showed me how valuable it is. To a certain extent, however, people like to hear good things about themselves; the same applies here. The statements my family cluster made for me were so meaningful because they affirmed the person I want to be. They told me that they saw in me a true desire to serve others; they saw me as a person who someone could come to with any problem, and I would find a way to help them; they saw me as an outstanding emergency physician. These comments touched me to the core. My life's goal is to serve others in any way possible, so to know that people see me living out my passion in this sense was deeply moving and quite motivating.
Needless to say, I took notes during this feedback and will forever remember what my family cluster said to me. Those words--that moment-- was so powerful, I can hardly express all my gratitude.
Q: Was there any moment in particular that seemed more challenging than others?
A: Just as the feedback conversation with my family cluster struck me as the most memorable experience of LeaderShape, there was one discussion in particular that was the most challenging for me. The discussion took place after a simulation designed to demonstrate power, influence, and oppression. The simulation itself was frustrating, which led to an even more emotional, intense conversation. While impossible to completely record what was spoken, the gist of the conversation dealt with how certain populations are oppressed in our society. Not only was this frustrating because of the disgust I felt about the issue, but it was also aggravating because we found it difficult to find a solution to the oppression in our society. We all wanted to help, but did not know how. It seemed like everything we talked about either led to a dead-end or circled back around onto more complex issues. In the end, we all concluded that in order to attempt any type of solution, we needed to work on better inclusive leadership. The overall consensus was that in order to reduce oppression in our current society, it is acutely important to create solid opportunities for underprivileged communities. Through each and every vision, we found after some reflection, creating these opportunities is certainly possible.
Q: What would you have changed about your experience?
A: As I said earlier, I was somewhat skeptical at first about what I would learn at LeaderShape. I think many attendees would concur that LeaderShape exceeded their expectations. Therefore, I would have changed my attitude going into the Institute. I did not see much possibility and was certainly not the most enthusiastic. That all changed after the second day, but I think I could have had a better experience if I had been completely motivated from day 1. By the end of the week, thankfully, my outlook on Leadershape--and my future--was much more positive--filled with possibility, motivation, enthusiasm, and a healthy disregard for the impossible.
Q: How are you going to use what you learned at LeaderShape to make a positive change in the future?
A: I could elaborate on and on about how each of my life's decisions in the future should relate to my vision, but making positive change in the future can be stated much simpler than that: lead with integrity. Here is a list of things I will do (or continue to do) in the future in order to carry out my vision (many of these thoughts are based in the explanations above):
- Stay true to myself, and my Faith
- Surround myself with people who will always care for me and support me
- Live every day to impact a life positively
- Always stay positive and see possibility in everything--including failures
- Be inclusive in all my decisions, and pay particular attention to underprivileged communities
- Serve others with heartfelt compassion