The First Leadership Blog; my value and enthusiasm

 Hello, I am Sakura, who is an exchange student from Japan. This is my first blog entry, so I am not sure how to write. Thus, I would like to explain why I chosen to study OSU and study leadership with what I learned through this week’s readings. 

The turning point of my life is experiences in my high school. I met a lot of friends whom I have never seen before, I mean, most of them spent parts of their lives outside of Japan. At first time, I was a conservative person, so they looked brilliant because they were not afraid to break harmonized atmosphere if they felt there were something wrong. I thought I would like to be like my friends, so I had tried to challenge difficulties in order to raise myself higher standard. My values, which I presented in the first class as roots of trees, came from my friends’ influences. Studying abroad is one of the biggest, longest and most tough challenges for me, and I am on the way of challenging, which includes many obstacles and difficulties. However, I appreciate I am here because the happiest things to me are challenges against difficulties and endeavors what I cannot do now. 

Enthusiasm to the leadership study also came from my experiences in my schooldays. I was often named as leader—for classes, committees and club teams. I could do that, but I was always frustrated to be because members never returned what I pursued, which was enthusiasm. I did not understand why I tried to behave “correctly” as a leader—like to lead people, manage the time and make decisions. I could think only in the way that leadership myths indicate in the textbook in the chapter 1. I recalled my arrogant days now, and I was aware there were my faults. Therefore, I study leadership in order to be a good leader and to know how valuable the good leadership. I believed that leadership could achieve many things; to encourage participants (I love this expression of followers because it can show leadership is not only for “leaders” but also for members.), to achieve the goals (sometimes, they might be higher standard than it had set) effectively and to improve team (not only individuals). After I read by chapter 2, I found shared leadership theory includes some common parts what I had thought. Leadership is valuable because participants holding it can reciprocally enhance each other. I think “mutual learning, heightened understanding, and positive action” (Komives, et al.  2013, p 78) is important in the team. Moreover, it indicates participants should have leadership regardless of their positions.

My purpose of the course is to learn the leadership is and how it works in the team. Also, I would like to understand leadership needed to every participant has. I am convinced that my purposes come true through the courses.

Bibliography

Komives, et al., Exploring Leadership for College Students Who Want to Make a Difference, 2013. Third Edition.