APS343 instructor Professor Reeve and I: “Leadership is a process.”
When you hear the word “leadership,” what is the first thing that comes to mind? For me, I originally thought it only involves managing groups to perform a set of tasks to achieve a common goal. After spending two months in a course titled APS343: Foundations of Engineering Leadership, I’ve learned that self-awareness was critical to being an effective leader.
In the first lecture, the instructor, Professor Reeve, asked everyone, “Why did you take this course?” I answered by saying that I wanted to learn more about myself, and applying that to discover how I best lead teams. I felt that by doing these two things, I would become a better leader and a better engineer. Exploration and self-reflection in discovering one’s leadership style are among the goals of this course. Here are some ways that I’ve developed my own self-awareness through this class.
Professor Reeve remarked in lecture, “Leadership is a process that influences others to make positive change.” It sounds like a broad definition, but the thing that struck me is the word “process.” Reflecting on this thought, I felt like I’m always part of a continuous process where I learn more about myself through varying experience, and using that to empower others to create positive change. At the end of each day, I often asked myself, “How did my day go? What went well or badly? What could I have done differently? How can I improve for the future?” I learned that having self-awareness is crucial towards influencing change.
Another important thing Professor Reeve said in lecture is, “All leading begins with values.” During tutorials, I had the opportunity to discuss my three core values, which were achievement, commitment, and diversity. From there, I related those values to ways I do my work. For example, I demonstrate the value of achievement because I always push myself to go beyond what is expected of me. What I learned through class activities is that values have a strong influence on my personality and my approach to leading others. This knowledge would help me in my future career as an engineer because I can determine what kind of environment I would best thrive in.
In one particular tutorial the class took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which is a reputable personality assessment tool. I learned that my MBTI was “ESFP” (which means that I am generally extroverted and and expressive), and I learned about the various strengths and weaknesses associated with it. This gave me an idea of what I am great at doing, and especially the things I need to improve on. For example, I am active and involved in immediate experiences, but I am also sometimes overwhelmed when under great stress. This is important knowledge because knowing my strengths and weaknesses would lead me to understanding the kind of person I am, and how I deal with a variety of situations.
If I were to give advice, it would be to take the courage to tackle new challenges and experiences, as well as to fully immerse yourself in everything you do. The things you learn about yourself that you never knew will surprise you. This course is a new experience for me because I had the opportunity to tap into my inner persona. As a final thought about what I’m learning in APS343, leadership always starts with self-awareness, and with this you can create meaningful change.
-Kevin Saludares