When you think of the word “leadership”, there are a few traits that immediately come to mind.
Strong. Outspoken. Charismatic. Brave. These are characteristics of people who are not afraid to command a room and have a certain quality to them that can hold people’s attention. Magnetic personalities that inspire people without a second thought.
While this is true for a lot of leaders and definitely a useful characteristic, it is somewhat of a stereotype. I realized this the hard way, holding a variety of leadership positions in my student organization throughout the past three years. Looking at the leaders I admired, the qualities that I didn’t have seemed to glare at me, sticking out like a sore thumb. Our president during my freshman year was a bubbly, outgoing person who wasn’t afraid to speak up in any situation, whether it was in a smaller meeting or up on the podium in front of all of us. Our vice president during my sophomore year was the type to somehow strike up a conversation with anyone and everyone and always knew the right questions to ask. The president that served before me – he always added a creative spin to everything that we tried to accomplish that semester, with an ever-optimistic outlook no matter what happened.
With all of this mind, when I was officially named president in Fall 2025, there was just one thing I couldn’t figure out. What was my unique quality as a leader? How would I inspire others in my own way? When I stood up at the podium facing my members, I couldn’t imagine what they were seeing from their perspective.
As the first semester went by, I realized that I couldn’t stay fixated on that for very long. I spent the semester trying, failing, and succeeding all at the same time, battling self-doubt every step of the way. However, at some point, the routines became easier, if not enjoyable. I poured my focus into the things that I was passionate about: making our members’ experiences in the organization fulfilling, public speaking at events, and brainstorming with my fellow leadership board on new initiatives. In the end, looking back on everything we have accomplished so far, I have an immense sense of both relief and pride.
What these experiences taught me was the importance of authenticity in leadership. Leadership comes in many shapes and forms: in the calm and responsible ones, in those with extensive expertise in their field, in the empathetic team leaders, in the funny social chairs who can lighten up any atmosphere, and so much more. The important part is to give your all to whatever kind of leadership feels most right to you, because they are all impactful in their own ways. You may not always be able to see the full extent of the impact you create, but you need to believe in your own strengths and play to them.
So, what kind of leader are you?
