School and Year: College of Dupage ’15
Major: Biological Science
Leadership position: President of ISA (Indian Student Association)
How do you define leadership?
Well, I think there is no specific phrase, word or metaphor that could define the pictorial image of leadership. Leadership, to me, is an act where the leader leads the group of diverse thinking people, by connecting them, and directing their effort to succeed in their goal of change. Leaders must have to be influential, responsible, strategic, and visionary. Everyone has performed some kind of leadership in their lives, but they never came to know it. As Dr. Krasemann said once, “The most important person one has to lead is oneself”. A leader must have to stand for his beliefs.
What is the most stressful part of leadership?
When people do not cooperate or when people do not participate in group discussion, then it is harder to come up with a final decision. The most stressful thing about leadership is to make members agree upon one common decision. Besides that, creating trust among the members is not too stressful while group discussion.
What is one experience (any kind) you think everyone should have?
The one experience that everyone should have is articulation of your dreams in reality and changing the world according to your thoughts. This includes persisting in your beliefs till you change the fictitious reality into non-fiction life.
What was your number one take-away from DFT?
My number one take away from DFT is that not everyone is positioned at the same number on dance floor. But we have to attract those uninterested persons into our group by changing their thoughts about your organization. As I said previously, changing the thought induces the person to migrate from number 5 to 4 or 4 to 3, which includes more involvement and results in active participation. This would also lead to developing multiple perspective about a diverse cultural group, which is an essential elemental strategy for a leader: to know others.
What is your go-to happy song?
The go-to happy song for me is “the hero” by Mariah Carey. This is the most inspirational song in my life, which actually awakens my inner leader when presented in front of real world.
” Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow,
But don’t let anyone,
Tear them away”
These lines actually defines a true leadership where you have to persist till you convert your dream or vision in reality.
