Ryan Kwapniowski's FLP Portfolio

Leadership Models Reflection

It feels only right that as the Freshman Leadership Program Service Executive that I would display only the slightest bit of Servant Leadership. Servant leadership to me is the ability of a leader to put the needs of others first in order to help the good of the group. Servant leaders are passionate about what they do, but use empathy to understand where others are coming from. For me, a servant leader is someone who is bold enough to stand up for the little guy. This is also someone who genuinely cares about what they doing and doesn’t mind getting messy working hard to serve others. During my time as an executive in this program, I made it my personal goal to go out of my way to get my hands involved in as many aspects as possible. First semester, I attended service at Children’s Respite Care Center, a daycare for disabled children, which was very different from the first time I attended service there. As the exec, I tried my best to work as a team player to excite the group about the work we were doing at the respite center even though it wasn’t the most glamourous jobs or what we thought it was going to be. As a freshman, I wrote about Grandma Verna because we see this leadership style in Grandma Verna from Precious Memories Daycare, she listened to the community, saw the need for assistance. She had empathy for families that need help and accepted and recognized the importance of her actions within the community. Grandma Verna strives to create a community that fosters love and brings a sense of belonging that aims to give everyone a brighter future.

I also used a lot of my followership which was a very different role for me. While I was technically “in charge” of service, I really only set it up then allowed each group to run with it. I was very trusting of the mentors and other execs that they would relay any pertinent information to me as needed. While I wasn’t able to interact directly with the freshmen as others, I was able to create relationships that were engaged and loving. I felt as though I was a follower in the program because I was taking and receiving directions and applying it to the program and responding to situations as needed. Other leaders trusted me to get things done. As I wrote freshmen year, followers have to have active care and concern for others feeling and well beings. The leader trust them and rely on them to get the task done so one must keep their promise and use honesty when approaching the leader.

Lastly, I like to think that I used some of my transformational leadership. I feel as though I try my hardest to be a transformational leader at all times. I want to care deeply about people and for them as an individual before working as a group because I feel the best way to effectively work as a group is through support. Self esteem support and self actualization support are extremely vital for the good of the group to make everyone feel at home and realize their true potential. I utilize this transformational leadership style in my Summer Preview team. We recently hired 28 new guides for our program and have started the training process. I believe that they will have the physiological and safety needs covered, but I believe that it is my job to make them feel belonged in the group, to give them a reason to love themselves and realize their true potential. I believe that my top strength is my empowerment to others. I make every attempt to make sure everyone feels involved and encourage them to participate and become really involved in their work as a new student orientation guide. I feel as though this is extremely important quality as much of the team needs inspiration and love to pass forth and embrace the new students. One of my weaknesses would definitely be creativity, and not just I’m at a road block and can’t figure out where to go, like I actually have zero creative bone in my body, but I often utilize my group and play off their creativeness—that usually brings out my wild and crazy side. This sometimes plays in my favor and allows me to open up even more and bring others into my circle and embrace them and empower them. As a freshman, I discussed transformational leadership as Living and breathing by who they truly are and their inner core values, these leaders take criticism lightly and filter it in and apply it to helpful growth. They have several different aspects about them, but they typically stand true to their core spiritual values, have a clear and inspirational vision, use respectful and empowering relationships with others, and has creative, innovative, and courageous approaches to everything they do in life.