Leadership Experience Essay Example

There are diverse theories on leadership which aim to enhance awareness and develop skills of leaders. I affirm that through a knowledge of these leadership concepts and through practical applications, potential and current leaders’ competencies, skills, and abilities are aptly improved. My leadership experience evolved when I was elected as the project team leader in high school. I was the team leader for the well-known project called “Satellite Navigation” and managed nearly 30 people. This position was awarded due to excellent academic performance and manifestation of leadership traits. These characteristics and traits include possessing exemplary interpersonal and communication skills; conflict resolution skills; problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills. Likewise, I was noted to assume a positive perspective in life and had evidently shown charisma, genuine interest to integrate the personal, academic, and professional advancement of the members of my team.
Consistent with the theory of group development, I realized that there are phases that affect interaction among team members. At the onset, after being selected as the team leader, I recognized the need to delegate tasks and responsibilities according to the members’ skills. To enable me to do this effectively, I actively encouraged each of the members to present their respective biographical backgrounds, including contact information. The information that were shared were instrumental in discerning the roles and tasks that each member should comply. We confirmed that there is a need for regular and open communication through various medium: either through the use of social networking sites, through mobile phones; or regular scheduled meetings.
In addition, with relevant information at hand, I communicated the objectives of the project to enhance the members’ awareness on the goals that we must achieve. In the process, I solicited their inputs and comments to enable us to design strategies that would assist in accomplishing the project’s objectives. I also recognized that with appropriate planning and strategies formulation, our team is on the right track to perform the needed tasks within the stipulated time frame. It is at this point that I realized the need to regularly monitor the progress of each member to determine the level of completion at various phases. I used motivational techniques to influence them to use defined strategies at an efficient and effective manner. For instance, I regularly commended and acknowledged those who submitted the completed and delegated tasks way ahead of schedule. Likewise, we used quality time to meet at a common vacant period to discuss relevant concerns which posed as bottlenecks that could jeopardize the progress of the project at any point in time. It is during this phase when my conflict resolution and problem solving skills were appropriately tested. When there was a member who misbehaved and I confronted him to resolve issues that were bothering him.
When everything was duly resolved, the output was submitted for review of the senior professor. After evaluation, the professor noted some areas which require revisions. I had selected two best members out of 30 for final corrections, as advised by the senior professor. The final corrections were made and the project was accepted by the senior professor. The project had been selected as the best project among the state level high school competition on technical project. It was an exhilarating and rewarding experience for the whole team. I appreciated and commended my members for the cohesive and successful team work. The team was awarded best students award with my leadership at the helm.