- How have the workshops and discussions on leadership this week changed your understanding of what leadership means?
This week’s leadership workshops—especially the personality assessment and its explanation—were incredibly revealing. I’ve always had a general sense of my tendencies as a leader, but having specific language to describe them made those patterns feel more concrete. Naming my strengths helped me see where I naturally thrive, but naming my limitations was equally important as it made me more aware of the habits I need to monitor when I’m in a leadership role. I also got insight into how other people work. Understanding what motivates different personalities, how they communicate, and what conditions allow them to do their best work expanded my view of leadership because instead of thinking about how I lead, I started thinking about how people lead together. I hope to bring this thinking into future roles.
- How might you imagine applying one model of leadership during your Laidlaw summer on campus—either within the Laidlaw cohort or beyond this community? While we often associate leadership and leaders with seniority, how might leadership be modeled among individuals who are among the youngest people on campus (i.e. you!)?
During the exercises, I found myself identifying with Sam: the newest member of a team who hesitates to ask questions or seek clarification from more senior members. As the youngest person on my team this summer, it can be intimidating to assert myself or admit uncertainty. But the workshop reframed that hesitation as it opened my eyes to the idea that leadership also includes self‑leadership. For me, this means taking responsibility for my own learning, asking the questions I need to do my work well, and making sure my voice is part of the conversation. Even without seniority, I can lead by showing initiative and making sure that I don't have to be babysat so everyone can do their jobs.
Hello! My name is Abril Rodriguez Calle, and I am a student at Columbia University studying Medical Humanities with the goal of eventually becoming a doctor. My interests lie in the intersection between medicine, the healthcare system, and ethics, especially in understanding how healthcare decisions and policies affect both patients and communities.
This summer, I will be working with Dr. Sandra Lee on an NIH-funded research project exploring the ethical, legal, and social dimensions of global genomics research partnerships. The project examines how institutions and communities negotiate issues such as data ownership, privacy, benefit-sharing, and decision-making in genomics research, with the goal of creating a practical “negotiation playbook” to support more meaningful and equitable collaboration. As part of the research team, I will help analyze policies and institutional practices while gaining experience in qualitative research, bioethics, and global health policy.
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Hi Abril!
I love your point that self-leadership is also an important facet of leadership. Leading by showing initiative is such an incredible mindset to have. And, based on all that you've done as the co-chair of our cohort, I am sure that you are an extremely valuable addition to your research team as well.