To kick-off the Online Leadership Challenge we will focus on leadership from the perspective of individual growth. 

If you were to stop for a minute and reflect on your life until this point you would probably note moments of great achievement, overcoming obstacles, as well as lessons being learned. I’m willing to bet that you’ve even grown and developed in many ways in the last two years alone! At UMBC we believe leadership is a process of knowing yourself, what you contribute, and how you can best work with others to make a change in your community. The leadership learning process is about inner work and self-development just as much as it is about learning how to work with others. A pivotal tool for continual and ongoing self-development is: self-awareness and reflection. Far too often we are busy or dwell on situations rather than seek to learn from them. When you take the time to reflect on your actions, behaviors, thoughts and feelings you give yourself the opportunity to enhance your self-understanding and further propel your own individual growth.

These opportunities for reflection are occasions to learn more about ourselves, enhancing our self-understanding-- however, like stated before, we often miss these moments. Reflection can be an interactive process. In all forms, it can become a habit and a pivotal tool for continual and ongoing development. When you capitalize on these opportunities for reflection, you replenish your own resources. By reflecting on what has happened, you take time to think through your actions, think about how your actions may have affected others (even in your team), see links or connections that you may have not realized, or identify ways in which you could have shown up differently. For leaders to be effective, it is critical they must know themselves.

“Leadership development is self development.” - Barry Posner

Day 1 Challenge Questions:
What is your reaction to these ideas? What does self-awareness mean to you?

BONUS QUESTION:

What are some ways you practice self-reflection?

Now that we’re at the end of our challenge, we will go over some suggestions for practice. But first, I want to take a moment to tie the loop and talk about Emotionally Intelligent Leadership (EIL). This leadership development model combines two bodies of literature: emotional intelligence and leadership. At the most basic levels: Emotional intelligence is about recognizing and regulating emotions in ourselves and others. Leadership is about influencing others to engage in a purpose or cause.

EIL consists of focusing on self, others, and context— using these facets helped create the Online Leadership Challenge topics; self-development, feedback, identity, values, followership, partnerships and teams, and creating change. The following suggestions for practice will touch on all the topics we went over together throughout the challenge: 

1. Get to know YOU: Be known as someone who seeks out, and is open to, feedback. Exist in a continuous state of reflection.

2. Seek out challenge and support:Associate with people who challenge and support you. Seek out environments that will help you grow and that help you become your best self.

3. Nurture your relationships: Once you create a connection, you must continue to nurture the relationship so that it strengthens. The best way to do this is by listening and being present.

4. Communication is key: Consider the ways you communicate within a group or team. Do you voice your ideas? Do you build on or add to others? Do you take time to listen? Are you comfortable with silence?

5. Know that we all have a part in the leadership process:Active group members are committed to the organization and its purpose. Not only do they do what is expected of them, but are proactive and willing to fill gaps. 

6. You have the capacity to be an agent of change: It requires embracing creative problem solving, risk taking and courage. Facilitating change requires all that you do, think, feel and believe.

Day 8 Challenge Questions:

• Reflecting back on the challenge, what are three things you learned about yourself or your ability to work with others to make change at UMBC?

Reminder: The deadline to submit all answers is 11:59pm Friday, August 14th! The winner of the challenge will be announced on Monday, August 17th!

Interested in continuing your leadership learning process with Campus Life and being added to our mailing-list to receive leadership development updates and opportunities? Contact Coordinator for Leadership, Beatriz Gutierrez-Malagon at bgutierrez@umbc.edu

To access the Challenge Guidelines click on the "Download Image" button below. To provide your answers using mobile, follow and share your comments on the Challenge Day 8 posted on the Campus Life Instagram (@umbccampuslife). Visit the Online Leadership Challenge page to access all the Challenge Day posts and for more information.