My LiA Journey: Leadership and Networking

This is probably the most honest and scary formal writing I have ever written. No sugar-coating, no unnecessary humbleness. I will admit my strength and weaknesses in the most truthful way possible. This is also how I learned in the past six weeks. It was brutal, efficient, and life-changing.

Leadership

Being a leader is hard, and it will always be. It is not a stable role staying at the top. You need to be versatile and transform your positions to support the team and solve problems. For instance, I led the team to design the curriculum and execute the teaching. I also stayed at the frontline when I taught. When my fellow scholars faced difficulties assisting my teaching in breakout rooms, I entered the breakout rooms and solved the problems directly. Being a leader requires resilience, observation of both the whole picture and details, and problem-solving skills. Act like a leader, do not just speak like one. I have experienced both the roles of a leader and team member. I realized that how a leader acts strongly affect how we act. And it is way more powerful than words. When the leader acts confident, I also feel secure and remain calm. Well, that is scary. My every move will affect the team. That is why we need to internalize the leadership skills and practice them naturally. But how? Practice makes perfect, especially with self-reflection and listening to feedback. The weekly review vlogs, my daily and weekly reflective meetings with Timothy Smith Network, my daily feedback sessions with students using Mentimeter, all are great opportunities for reflection. I will continue the practice, even after the LiA program.

Networking

I did not expect such a strong bond with my fellow scholars. When I knew that we would be teaching virtually, I thought we would just work in our own room and only interacted when we need to. Thanks to my wonderful fellow scholars, as well as the support from Timothy Smith Network and Tufts University, we have formed a very strong personal friendship and working alliance. We had dinner, chats, and activities every night. It was fun and inspiring to learn and observe different values, cultures, personalities, and work styles. However, I did not take the initiative in forming the bond. Taking the lead in socialising was out of my comfort zone. It might be caused by my introvertism and the language barrier. I did not have much experience speaking English in a casual context, only in formal academic settings. The same happened when I networked with more authoritative figures. I became nervous and spoke unnaturally. Wait. I might have been an authoritative figure to my students in the program, and I have always welcomed their questions and help-seeking. Maybe it is the same the other way around. I should remind myself of this mindset and keep practicing networking. Practice makes perfect. Start with small talks to build a personal and genuine connection. Also, do not be shy to ask for resources and connections. This is how we expand our network. You miss all the shots that you do not take.

What’s Next?

Constantly sharpen yourself. You never know when the opportunities will come, and you do not want to miss them simply because you are not ready. Like me, I did not expect my skills in digital design to come in handy for this opportunity. I also wish I were more active in networking and spoke better English. But wishing only works in fairytales. Act now.