Ironically, I think the most important things I learned about leadership during the Laidlaw Research Summer would superficially not be seen as having much to do with leadership at all. In fact, I think the most important learning about myself as a leader this summer has been learning more about the community of which I am a member. In particular, I think learning more about the dark side of Oxford and how it had a hostile and often parasitic relationship with the towns people. This experience taught me the importance of understanding context, especially the context of institutions of which we are a part. Often, being a part of an institution like Oxford, which has a very good external image, often means that you fail to recognize the hidden bits that are not so attractive. 

The lesson about leadership from this is the importance of being aware about the organizations we contribute to. I think as a leader, we should not get carried away by the prestige and importance of our post, and should instead be conscious of the impact that our work has on the wider community. We need to think deeply and hard about the hidden dark sides of the institutions we serve and lead. Only in those cases can we make meaningful change.

Going into my second year of Laidlaw, I want to bring this awareness with me. On leadership in action projects, I want to make sure that I see both sides of the coin and not just be glad about the institutions or people I am working for just because they are well known in their field. I am looking to join many well-known institutions such as universities and think tanks but this does not mean that they are without flaws. In short, I want to make sure that as a leader, I am conscious of the impact of my organizations and work to ensure that my work does not result in inadvertent harms.