Writing this, I am officially halfway through my LiA. While I don’t know quite how that’s possible, (I feel like I started yesterday!) I’ve loved getting to know everyone here and I am excited to begin filming my final project soon!

What went well?

One of my favorite projects this week was building a training on visual storytelling and graphic design for the youth apprentices. With guidance from my boss, I created a powerpoint to explain the concepts they were learning, designed practice activities, and taught the lesson. I was nervous at first because the workshop was an hour and a half and I was worried I would run out of content. Instead, the conversation flowed naturally and it was a perfect amount of time. My favorite part of the workshop was the end, where youth apprentices got the chance to show each other their work. Seeing their creativity in the photos they took, designs they chose, and captions they wrote was incredibly exciting. We are even looking at turning them into Instagram posts for the organization and giving our apprentices credit. 

What could have been done differently?

I am realizing that I should have started the interview process earlier because scheduling for this project has been pretty difficult. Initially, I was hoping to complete the interviews in week 3 and 4, but instead I’m not going to start them until next week and I likely won’t finish them until week 5. This gives me less time to get feedback from the organization after I’ve edited a first draft. It will also mean my last week will be primarily spent editing rather than working on other projects I’m interested in.

What did I learn about myself when working with others?

This week, I got to work with others at our monthly Community Advisory Council meeting. On the last Wednesday of every month, our staff, youth apprentices, volunteers, and community members gather to get feedback on new Bikes Not Bombs initiatives. This time, we were talking about a project called Wheels to Wellness, which looks to offer affordable indoor-cycling classes to marginalized communities in greater Boston. When we were broken into small groups to discuss, I was surprised that I was confident in being a leader, even in a group where most people were older than me. To me, I realized that this does not mean talking the most or even sharing the best ideas, but encouraging everyone to contribute to the discussion. When I started Laidlaw, I don’t know if I would have been comfortable taking on this role, so it was cool to see my growth. 

What did I learn about leadership?

This week I got to speak to some of the youth apprentices about the traits they valued in the people leading the apprenticeship program. One thing that consistently came up was the importance of enthusiasm. The apprentices really appreciated it when their instructors came to work excited to teach the material and see the apprentices’ progress. They also mentioned that when their instructors were enthusiastic, it made them more interested in mastering the material. I think this is an important reminder that leadership is not just about what we do or say, but also the attitude we bring to the table.  

What do I want to develop next?

Next week I am looking forward to leading another workshop for the youth apprentices and being a part of the monthly full staff meeting. I will also begin interviewing people, which is super exciting because I’ve been waiting a while to get this part of the process started. I’m looking to develop my time management skills so I can keep calm while I reschedule out the final 3 weeks of my LiA.