personal mission
Whenever we imagine a leader we create a mindset and limited idea of a person with power and potential to do things and gain advocates during the process. In general, it might be a conventional definition of a leader, but there is a face that nobody looks at, and this is the way why a person decides to become a leader, and how this goal is achieved. From my perspective, we all have a natural potential to become leaders. This trend is observed through the way we interact with others at different environments: home, school, friends, college, work, social media, etc. This behavior leads us to discover the areas we feel more comfortable with (our strengths), and the spaces we feel more vulnerable with (our weaknesses). Similarly, we discover the factors and mediums that influence positively the growth our strengths and weaknesses (our opportunities), and the environments where these abilities and drawbacks can be affected negatively (our threats). Understanding this behavior, we can realize that we all have opportunities to become leaders, but the circumstances and mediums how we achieve our leadership commitment and the motivation behind this intend are singular and unique for everyone.
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Analyzing my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats based on personal experiences was fundamental basis why I decided to become a leader. In addition, factors related to my area of study and its interpersonal interaction requirements fostered me to take the decision of enhancing my skills to interact with others, contribute to problem-solutions, promote mutual understanding, incorporate innovative ideas, and grow in my inner personal motivation to become every day a better person and professional.
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Becoming a leader requires planning, execution and control of milestones that will serve as an instrument of accomplishment. The planning phase responds to the need of growing in personal competencies that will ensure my progress as a leader and these have been set according to my personal life project. These competencies are listed in Fig. 1, and represent the basis of this journey towards my personal and professional development. Similarly, the executive phase is represented by a set of goals that will facilitate the completion of the competencies aforementioned. These objectives will be completed by gaining new experiences related to each of the competencies within the UIUC community and its surrounded environment. Finally, the controlling phase is a requirement to measure my progress, and some evidences have been set to verify the extent I am accomplishing my leadership growth. This parameters will serve as a reference to what I have done, and what I have to do.
The experience at the Illinois Leadership© Certificate Program has enriched my academic experience by providing me more mediums to succeed at my personal and professional life during school time, and after graduating. In addition, it has served as motivation for other fellows, to become leaders in their potential skills and explore the incredible things that a person who is a Leader can achieve, learn and share.