The Value of the Authentic Leader
A reflection on leadership.
In the reflections from a recent Student Government election at my school, I have had no choice but to look back on the memories made during my 5 year journey in leadership.
Freshman year, I ran for President of the 2027 Class Board at my school, and had a fierce opponent who was passionate about winning. Initially, many had doubted my ability to pull out a win considering that the person had much more name recognition than I amongst the class.
Considering dropping out of the race, I had consulted with friends on what I should do. I then heard something that had reignited my passion for the win, “Don’t forget the underrepresented.” Though a simple statement, it made me realize why I was running in the first place: Constantly, I have fallen into a group of under — or flat out — unrepresented people.
I thought of my great grandmother. She grew up in Roanoke, Virginia in the 40s and moved up further north to DC in the 50s and participated in the Civil Rights movement in the 60s. She grew up in a place where she was told where she had to live, who she could interact with, and had to grow up in a place with a history of brutal lynching, rioting, and violence against the African Americans that lived there. Due to the racism of the former capital state of the Confederacy, she received an education up to the 7th grade, which was almost good for nothing as time went on.
She resisted, however. My grandmother resisted by moving, starting a family with her husband who would eventually teach auto mechanics at the University of Maryland once their racist barring of African Americans was lifted, purchased a large house in a beautiful neighborhood in our nation’s capital, and had 11 children who ended up almost all starting families of their own and have blessed her with many grands and great grands.
She often tells stories of how much has changed in her life and how important it is to continue the progress we’ve already made. I did not understand what she was saying when I was young, but as I grew up, it made even more sense day by day.
When I look around, I see young black boys, even in my own community, dying at the hands of senseless violence, I see thousands of cases of racism — not just to people who look like me, but to different types of races, nationalities, and creeds. In my own community, I see negative assumptions made about the only majority black high school in Howard County, Maryland; “They are so uncivilized,” “Do they have any sense?” “This is why I hate redistricting,” “Where are their parents?” “I hate that school.” The list continues on. The issues that my grandparents and great grandparents faced are continuing to be issues affecting my own community.
There are parents that have actively opposed redistricting their children to Oakland Mills in the name of “Property value” when truly, they want to mask the idea that their child may have to be in a school of African Americans, asserting that they are even “fearful” of their child’s safety.
I am continuously disappointed, which is why I ran.
I believed, and still do, that equal opportunity comes from equal footing. Oakland Mills High has been on anything but equal footing. From mold that is quite literally eating the school, asbestos found in the building, and lack of many key resources, we are constantly placed at a significant disadvantage.
As part of one of my duties this school year, I attended the Maryland Association of Student Councils’ annual convention in Ocean City. Looking around at the counties of higher opportunity, I saw middle school student government associations. At my own middle school — Funnily called Oakland Mills Middle — There was never a student government association. Quite frankly, the idea of a student government was advocated for by nobody except myself because no one saw the importance in having one.
In protest of the lack of student government presence, I joined the Howard County Association of Student Councils and served as one of the persons on their appointed staff. My time there was a true stepping stone in my experience in leadership because it showed me the importance of the authentic leader.
The Problem with “Part of”
Many people join something to say they did it. Not because they have intention of making change, not because they stand for anything, and certainly not because they want to do good things for other people; Many simply want a check mark.
That is stupid.
Many persons in leadership speak of their personal accomplishments. Although there is importance and meaningful recognition in personal accomplishments, the issue is that we perpetually look onto the past which is not productive when in leadership. Although, reflection can be good, it should also be meaningful. Receiving an award or being on a committee does not show anyone that you have personally made strides towards the betterment of their life, but instead that of your own.
The authentic leader, in my view, has the ability to see outside of themselves, and into the shoes of others. When I served, I often thought of the students at Oakland Mills High whom depend on the food from our school as a primary source of meals throughout the day. When schools close due to snow days or other extraneous reasons, I worry about them; Students in my own classes would possibly have to go the day hungry, while the many of us with the luxury of food, celebrate school closures.
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I thought of the students at or below the poverty line in Howard County. Students that had to — and many still have to—provide not just for themselves, but for siblings, grandparents, and even their own parents. I constantly struggled with the question, “What can I do for them?”
The authentic leader knows their limits on power, however. Many people state that they will do a certain thing as a way to receive more votes, when truly they may not even be certain of how exactly they will accomplish such act. I can stand on the fact that I did not attempt to make promises I could not keep, because the authentic leader can be honest with their constituents, and true to their people.
Although not always having the power to do a certain thing, the authentic leader shows that they made an effort to create change, even if it was not accomplished during their tenure.
I am often reminded of the story of Moses in the bible. Moses led the slaves of Egypt as far as he could to the “promised land” (which was a paradise given to them by God), and when it became clear that he could go no further with them, he gave authority to Joshua to continue what he started; leading the people to the promised land.
What is so poetic about this story of the old testament is that although Moses did not personally get to see the promised land in his mortal state, he wanted to ensure that the others did; The land overflowing with milk and honey. There truly is power in continuity.
Currently, I have taken the position of Moses where I must yield power to a Joshua, and I truly hope this Joshua will lead the class to our promised land.
Leadership Comes with Hidden Costs
Not tangible costs such as money or giving up personal items, but personal cost. During my tenure, I endured some of the worst personal experiences of my lifetime. Often ridiculed and called names, false assumptions made regarding my character, giving advice, and being told truly disturbing matters that occurred.
This was taxing on my mental and physical health. I saw a deterioration of my skin, a loss in weight, sometimes going more than a day without eating due to having to consistently dealing with new matters, and even finding multiple gray hairs on my head.
I wouldn’t have stopped, however. I couldn’t have stopped because in my mind I knew that although there is sacrifice associated with the job. That sacrifice could not hinder my ability to lead the people to greater heights.
The next cost of leadership is the legacy left behind. Depending on how well you lead, people may remember you personally a certain type of way. A decision you make can easily lead someone to think you are kind or selfish, or selfless, amongst a boatload of adjectives.
In certain sports, disrespect is not associated with the individual player, but simply how they play. People often do not perceive a player a certain way simply how they talk on the field or how they interact with the opposing team. This is not the case in student government. One wrong move, a bad call, poor judgement, or even phrasing something poorly, can be the demise of ones perception in the public eye and with their constituents.
For me, I think people are continuing to absorb the legacy of my time in student government and many have one word for it so far, “lackluster”. This is another important part of the authentic leader. I do not seek praise or recognition for the things I did in office. All I can do is hope that someday people will look back on my service and will remember the positives and the love that I had for all people.
The Takeaway
I lost re-election. As the class stands on arguably the most important time during high school, I lost re-election. Many were disappointed, and some were over the moon that I was gone. No matter what, I immediately did what I have always done best, I prayed.
I prayed that there would be easy continuity in the new class board, that people would continue to be involved in the Student Government Association, that we would continue to see success and see it in abundance, and above all else, I prayed for people to show love and compassion for one another.
In the community, my name has quickly disappeared like water vapor. There is much less mention of me now, and some even going out of their way to no longer talking to me. It doesn’t bother me at all however, because I know that there is still work to be done. Leadership isn’t glitz and glamor, and the authentic leader doesn’t lead for fame or approval, but instead they would like to see a brighter future for everyone.
Many have indicated thoughts or their recommendations that I run again in the following election. To that I say I currently have no desire to and I am keeping my options open. I have served my time, and the authentic leader knows when it is their time to go.
Calvin Coolidge was a fierce example of this idea. When it came time for the next election after his first respectable win, he stated that he intended to not run for re-election. Coolidge was a very popular president and would have certainly won re-election, but he had an understanding that the best thing a leader can do for an office is leave it. Coolidge was truly what I would have considered the authentic leader, and someone I continue to strive to become.
A songwriter once wrote, “The rest is still unwritten.” Indeed, the rest is still unwritten.
