The job prob
How learning to lead can help you succeed
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The federal election is almost a year away, but people are already buzzing about who might be our next Prime Minister. We all know that leadership is a profoundly important resource in both civic and professional life. And even if we’re not headed for politics, we’re all headed for the job market.
In the context of your future career, you might be wondering:
- What exactly is professional leadership?
- What will leadership skills mean for my career?
- Which personal characteristics are the most important for leadership?
- What if I don’t have a “leader’s” personality or skill set?
- How can I gain leadership experience as a student?
- How can I present those skills to future employers?
For stories of two students who developed their leadership skills in different ways, read further.
studentvoice
“Lead by example.”
Katimavik
Ashe MacLean-Arsenault, 21
Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario
Major: Physics
Program
Katimavik, which means “gathering place” in Inuit, is a program run by the Canadian government for youth aged 17–21. Participants spend several months living with others in the program, while volunteering, including organizing events.
Before
After graduating high school, Ashe was feeling lost. Her friends had left for school, and her parents were upset with her decision to take a year off before university. “There was so much change going on around me that I wasn’t sure which way to turn.”
What & why
“Katimavik was the hardest thing I have done. The program involves living with 10 other people. We had to coordinate bigger projects while trying to deal with different personalities. I learned that there are many ways to complete a project, and it takes a combined effort.”
After
“I’m more patient with others. I’ve learned that I am unique in my thoughts and that there is always more than one viewpoint.”
New goals
“I want to be able to help others through tough times and give them direction, like I got from Katimavik.”
Advice
“Lead by example by always being kind. People have minds of their own and will know a true leader.”
Leadership is a two-way street.
International Student Mentorship Program
Kaladhar Battepati, 31
University of Manitoba in Winnipeg
Degree: Masters in Social Work
Program
The International Student Mentorship Program (ISMP) at the University of Manitoba matches new international students with more experienced students who serve as their mentor for the first term. Mentors meet with mentees weekly to provide personal, academic, and intercultural support.
What & why
“I needed to overcome many intercultural challenges [myself], not to mention trying to survive the coldest Winnipeg winter! But I knew I wanted to get more involved.
“This program has given me the opportunity to lead students, provide them with the required support needed to get accustomed to our city, and make the whole transition process easier for them.”
After
“This learning journey is a two-way street for both me and my mentees. The program has [made] me a better person, boosted my confidence, and increased my passion to contribute to the community.”
New goals
Kaladhar plans to empower those he’s working with by focusing on the importance of teamwork and a common goal.
Advice
“Find the courage, the passion, and the inspiration to achieve your goals.”
Which qualities do you most admire in our national leaders?
“I admire people who do not strive for fame but work hard fighting for human rights and equality.”
Dana G.*, fourth-year student at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
*Name changed for privacy
“Assertiveness, positivity, and encouragement. Also someone who is funny yet serious enough to get the job done.”
Chelsea S., University of Manitoba, Winnipeg
“Someone who is respected and respectable. A person that takes interest in the individuals within the country as well as the country as a whole.”
Miranda M., Athabasca University, Alberta
“The ability to be confident and passionate in what you are representing, and engaging others to participate with you to achieve goals. It’s important to be trusted by those who you are representing and [to be] honest with them. You want to have people that look up to you as a successful role model.”
Jennifer G., University of Manitoba, Winnipeg
Which Canadian politicians do students most admire—and most despise?
Most admired:
- Jack Layton: Late Leader of New Democratic Party
- Justin Trudeau: Leader of the Liberal Party
- Stephen Harper: Prime Minister
Most despised:
- Stephen Harper: Prime Minister
- Justin Trudeau: Leader of the Liberal Party
- Rob Ford: Mayor of Toronto
Student Health 101 survey, October 2014. 300 students responded to this question.
Students’ top leaders: dead or alive
- “My mother”
- Nelson Mandela
- Emma Watson*
- “My father”
- Jesus Christ
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- Pierre Trudeau
- Barack Obama
- Dalai Lama
- Mahatma Gandhi
Student Health 101 survey, October 2014. 354 students responded to this question.
*The survey was conducted in the aftermath of Emma Watson’s speech on feminism as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador in New York City.
Which personal qualities do students rank highest for leadership?
- Confidence
- Communication
- Honesty
- Ability
- Organization
- Respect
- Decisions
- Good listener
- Trustworthy
- Empathy
- Patience
- Motivation
- Caring
- Reliable
- Open-minded
Student Health 101 survey, June 2014
studentvoice
