Looking back at this course, I can say that I have gained a deep understanding of the topics that are sure to be useful in my future career. Moreover, I have developed a number of important skills, which will ease my move towards greater levels of profession. I believe that knowledge necessary to be a leader in any profession can be useful, no matter which position you occupy in reality, as in every sphere you need to know how to communicate with people and what skills and knowledge you need for leading those people ahead.
One of such topics that was in the current course is dedicated to stress, burnout and work-life balance. I think that there is no leader and professional in some field that can live without stress. However, especially in the beginning of your career, such moments when you feel that you cannot do anything, that you failed to do what you wanted, can result in depression and other unfortunate outcomes. However, if you understand that it is a normal part of any career, especially in case you are a leader and have a lot of responsibilities, it is much easier to find a way out of this state. Moreover, knowledge that I gained in this field will allow me to identify the proper time not to reach the state of burnout and continue my work in efficient way.
Another important topic that I learned was motivation. I am sure that the knowledge I gained will be useful for me in two directions: in self-motivation and motivation of my colleagues and subordinates as a leader. Without proper motivation and its understanding, no leader can achieve success. Moreover, with the help of different methods of motivation, leading people ahead can become very pleasant and much easier, than without this knowledge. I now know and understand the major needs and desires of people, which will definitely help me in future career.
The knowledge in the sphere of conflict and negotiation in the workplace is also valuable for my future. There is no people’s collective that can live without some conflicts. Effective leader should definitely possess the skills to handle such situations, as in them it is not possible to work effectively. I think that now I will feel more comfortable in the conflict situation as the leader, and will be more useful to the people, as I will be able to help them in a difficult situation.
The last topic, which I want to describe here, which was also very important for me, is leadership and power. I believe that every leader should understand the basis, on which to build the leadership approach of his/her choice. Knowledge of the use of power when leading people in a company will definitely ease my task of being a good and effective leader. I know now how to use my power and help people change for the better. I am sure that this knowledge will help me greatly in future.
Overall, I think that I still have to learn a lot until I can definitely say that I am a good leader. Moreover, I should gain direct experience and make my own mistakes before I understand how to behave in various situations and be professional in what I do. However, today I can say that what I have learned in this course will be of great help to me and I will surely use it in future practice.
