One component of PELP was that I had to attend four Lead Mary Wash Workshops over the course of the academic year. These were workshops hosted by university staff and students to help us develop specific leadership skills. Unfortunately, with my schedule, I was only able to make it to three of them. Below are my reflections for each workshop.
First Lead Mary Wash Workshop reflection: On Tuesday, October 4, 2024, I participated in the Halloween candy-themed Shark Tank workshop. The main skills that I practiced were creativity and problem-solving. I don’t often get to be creative in that way, so I enjoyed that fun aspect. My favorite part of the workshop was working with a group friends and getting to bounce ideas off each other; I think that time constraints (fifteen minutes in this case) tend to get things moving more quickly in small groups than allowing for several days or weeks.
The biggest challenge was answering questions from the Sharks because my team didn’t have much time to think of potential questions and smart answers. The on-the-spot improv was enjoyable, though, and I think it’s good to practice quick-thinking and professionalism. This workshop related to leadership growth because it made us take charge and lead a sales pitch; there are many times when leaders must give important presentations, so this was a good practice in public speaking. Leaders must also be okay with stepping outside their comfort zone. I developed that skill by showing up to a workshop without much knowledge of what we would have to do and presenting to three professionals whom I don’t know very well.
Second workshop reflection: On Thursday, November 14, 2024, I participated in the commonplace book workshop. The main skill I learned was how to effectively use a commonplace book. I’ve been journaling in the evening on and off for years, but I like the idea of jotting things down throughout the day. Usually, I use the Notes app on my phone to keep track of to-do lists, birthdays, recipes, etc., but there is something very satisfying about writing things down on paper.
My favorite part of the workshop was creating my own commonplace journal simply out of a large sheet of paper. I enjoyed being creative with the cover of my book and brainstorming some ideas of what I might like to write about in the future. Some sections I wrote down are as follows: songs I like, Christmas gift ideas, movies to watch, Spanish vocabulary, prayer intentions, and gym goals.
This workshop is related to leadership because leaders draw inspiration from their surrounding environment and should listen closely to what others say, taking note of good ideas and ways of thinking. By writing down things and ideas that stick out, leaders can engage in intelligent self-reflection and improve their leadership skills.
Third and final workshop reflection: On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, I attended the Lead Mary Wash Workshop titled “All the World’s a Stage” led by Emily Burke. Burke’s main goal of the workshop was to get us thinking about our personal presentation when it comes to thing such as job interviews or a professional environment in general; there are many things we cannot control, but we can control our body language, our attitude, and our response to difficult situations.
I enjoyed the activity she walked us through where we had to demonstrate different body language based on energy levels as well as certain example situations. It really emphasized the power of open body language and being receptive to other people around you, especially in a work setting.
The section of the workshop that related most directly to leadership was the discussion on the differences between actors and directors. We talked about how actors know their one character very well and are mostly focused on bringing that character to life and letting that character be seen. A director, on the other hand, has a vision of the bigger picture; a director is less concerned with the way each individual character comes across than they are concerned with making sure the characters come together in a cohesive way that lets the overarching message of the show shine through.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed my time at the Lead Mary Wash Workshops. I especially had fun at the Shark Tank one and liked opportunity to work with friends and practice thinking on my feet.
