This is an article that I have been wanting to write, on behalf of any students who’ve ever taken a leadership role in their clubs, organization, or more.

During my time at the University of Ottawa, I’ve had the great privilege of managing different teams in many contexts, such as Hack the Hill, Enactus uOttawa, The Market Mavericks, Model UN, and more throughout my experience.

I’ve taken my roles very seriously, and I have witnessed my leadership style change with time. It was clear that I would have to tailor my actions and methods depending on the person, skills, and programs. However, stepping into these roles gave me a reality check that I would have never expected.

You don’t know what you don’t know

My IB coordinator’s favorite quote in high school still haunts me to this day. You can’t act on elements if you’re completely ignorant of the situation.

It also parallels the idea that you will be committing a fatal mistake entering an environment that is not supported by your current level of personal/academic education. Such as entering an engineering organization as a social science student, or entering a more political club as an individual who is not in the social sciences.

Entering a leadership role in MODEL UN was extremely interesting. Many of our members took advantage of information that they’ve recently learned in recent news, and while I was adept at keeping up with the news too, they took on a much more powerful form at by going international and taking deep interests in niche topics that the average news watcher wouldn’t bother reading. Their critical thinking skills were also much sharper when analyzing such events.

On the other hand, it was also an interesting experience stepping into Hack the Hill, a more technology-focused environment. In order to keep up with a lot of the information that my peers were sharing, or even some casual conversations, I had to delve into the basics of some programming languages, frameworks, and other tools used to ensure that I was not lacking behind the group.

All this to say was that leaving my zone of comfort was one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve ever had. I have opened up a realm of knowledge in different domains and have changed my learning and thinking patterns to the best.

How it shaped me as a leader

Being in that situation, a question that I asked myself was “ How do I get them to trust me as a leader?”

It takes a strong resolve to trust a leader who is not well acquainted with your industry. Can you really trust a student with very little programming experience in an organization where tech is the epicenter of it all?

Throughout my journey, I found two philosophies that have supported me through this challenge.

A strong desire to learn the gaps between yourself and that knowledge gap.

Entering new horizons, you will be at a huge disadvantage and might get dizzy at all the information that’s thrown at you.

The key is to communicate with your executive team and members, that while you’re not as educated as you wish to be, that you drive the drive to learn. Ask them about basic concepts that can help you bridge this lack of knowledge. They will surely have a bank of resources to help you assist in this matter.

It’s also important to understand that if you are chosen for a role within your team, chances are that you will NOT be required to know the more technical/theoretical aspects of the general mission of your organization. However, by showing a strong desire to learn, you are emphasizing to your team that you decided to be proactive in your own learning, thereby motivating your team and leading by inspiration.

Motivating your team, sustaining your own self-growth, and proving your dedication to your organization are all assets that will follow your will to learn.

Using your own experience to shape your surroundings

Now we flip the card. Ask yourself what you can do for the team. If your team is full of students coming from an engineering background, while your program is directed more towards social sciences/business, innovate ways that you can help make your team more productive, and more efficient.

I have witnessed how students from different backgrounds have completely reshaped the team’s communication tools, financial management, and processes through the use of their different backgrounds.

One of our team members made use of his analytics skills ( NOT mentioned in his mandate) to re-assess the marketing strategies of the organization and pinpoint specific spots at the university where our recruitment would be optimized.

This led to an increase of 25% in applicants, and the individual made a name for themselves, with the executive team deciding to create a role solely fit for his skills and the advantages he’s brought to the organization.

Get rid of the misconceptions and stereotypes following your degrees. There is ALWAYS something new that you can bring to the table.

Oftentimes, it takes very strong leadership to accept the changes that you can make, however, it’s all worth the effort once you have passed this stage.

Epilogue

There isn’t much to say when you’re a leader entering new horizons.

It’s scary, it’s difficult.

There’s a prolonged period of time where you start doubting yourself and your qualifications.

However, it’s all about giving yourself the chance to learn and grow within a new environment, so that you can thrive.

A leader who takes the time to appreciate the difference between them and their members is also a leader who will do what it takes to grow.

It is ultimately one of the most commendable actions an individual can take.