In my initial application to the Laidlaw Programme I said that leadership was about being confident in your own decisions whilst maintaining an ability to emphasise with others. I explored this further, explaining that leadership means being bold enough to make difficult decisions and take responsibility for the outcomes of those decisions, and also is about sustaining respectful and meaningful relationships with fellow team members.  I still maintain this description of leadership, however I now feel that leadership also means a lot more to me. 

Taking part in the Laidlaw programme has made me realise that leadership also a lot to do with teamwork, and doesn’t necessarily mean just one individual taking control and making decisions. I now think it is ideal if each member of a group thinks of themselves as leaders respectively and acts as such. This means each person contributing their ideas equally in a project so that they can be discussed as a group and a path of action for a project can be decided collaboratively. This is the best tactic for generating new ideas.

Moreover, good leadership requires project management skills that serve as a guiding force throughout a project. This includes having a clear vision for the project, setting achievable goals, allocating resources, and prioritising tasks to ensure a successful project execution. Members of a group must work together to create a timeline of deadlines for the project, allowing for errors and unexpected challenges, which each individual can commit to and refer back to for the duration of the project.

I feel that my own leadership abilities have grown immensely whilst completing the Laidlaw programme. During both my Leadership in Action Project and my international research project, I had to make decisions and take responsibility for their outcomes. While I sought advice from my project partner, I ultimately set daily goals and determined the most effective strategies for achieving them. This process required constant reflection and adaption, honing my ability to adjust my approach when needed.

Moreover, I have enhanced my skills as an effective communicator. I developed my ability to actively listen to take detailed notes during observations and conversations with participants in my research project, and learnt how to ask pertinent follow—up questions to improve my data. Collaborating with my project partner to compile our findings into an extensive report further refined my communication skills as we had to carefully analyse our data and deliberate on the most relevant information to include.

Additionally, my project experience fostered social and cultural intelligence and awareness. Travelling alone to unfamiliar cities in Denmark and Slovenia pushed me out of my comfort zone, requiring me to quickly adapt to new environments and social norms. Interacting with individuals from diverse backgrounds in hostels allowed me to share my project goals and stimulate enriching discussions. This broadened my perspectives and appreciation of the different view-points and ideas that I could utilise when carrying out my research.

In the future, I can use the leadership abilities that I have developed on the programme in various professional and personal endeavours. As an independent decision-maker, I now feel more confident navigating complex situations. My improved communication skills will facilitate effective collaboration and presentation of ideas, whether I am managing a personal project or working in a team setting. Additionally, I now feel more comfortable navigating new and diverse environments which is necessary in an increasingly globalised and interconnected world.