The development of a true leader begins with the understanding of one’s weaknesses along with one’s strengths. Before I was accepted into Youth Leadership Rutherford, I knew that I had immense amounts of work to do. Although I had gained a new independence and self-confidence while away at the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Humanities at UT Martin, I was still unsure of how to use my newly found tools of “self” to assert myself as a true leader. Through my experience with Youth Leadership Rutherford so far, I have come to the realization that independence and self-confidence are not tools that can be used to assert leadership, but rather aid in the development of a leader. With these tools, a leader can build a solid foundation on which to stand upon and thus create stage from which to share his or her voice and visions.

            Anybody can voice opinions, but it takes a leader to push points across effectively and to educate others about his or her endeavors and purposes. During the Youth Leadership program, many speakers, including Kelli Beam and Bruce Lund, come in to help students learn how to communicate in an effective manner. Kelli Beam explained the importance of first impressions and also introduced techniques for a confident handshake. Bruce Lund presented many different ways to promote oneself as a “business” to future employers. Their opinions and ideas were pushed across clearly and efficiently and still remain in my mind today. What I will remember most, however, is the way they presented their topics and made their purpose clear: they were there to help the students help themselves.

            By educating students on how to become better leaders, speakers like Kelli Beam and Bruce Lund help students envision a future full of endless possibilities. True leaders see more than just the possibilities of their own futures—they also see the changes they can make in a “big picture.” Martin Luther King, Jr. had his eyes set on his own “big picture” when he sought to bring change to American society during the Civil Rights movement in 1967.  In fact, he established his “big picture” with a speech starting with four simple words, “I have a dream….” Dreams and “big pictures” are the visions that leaders hope to one day merge into society. Envisioning them, however, is one of the first milestones on the road to becoming a better leader.

            I have my own visions of success and aspirations for a brighter future: a good college education, summer internships in a bustling city, and a successful and prosperous career. The path I need to get there will most likely be full of twists and turns, but I know that by asserting myself as the leader I am becoming, I will be able to get there with no problem. With my newfound independence and self-confidence, I will not be afraid to share my voice and visions. I now have an understanding of the foundation that I stand upon. Though sometimes it may be shaky, it will always be there holding me up. As I continue grow as an individual, my foundation will become sturdier with every mistake from which I learn. The skills I have learned so far through the Youth Leadership Rutherford Program are priceless and the lessons are equally invaluable—they are the tools that I need to construct a towering architectural masterpiece—myself as a better leader.

Submitted by: claudemaudetuesday.tumblr.com