1. Describe a situation in which you used your leadership skills to influence the outcome for the betterment of a group.
You may think I'm crazy or that I REALLY don't want this scholarship, but I would like you to at least read through this and form an unbiased opinion.
I have always had a problem with this question in scholarship applications. It isn't because I am not a good leader. Do high school clubs count? I can spend endless hours counting the Beta clubs or the Honor societies. But when it comes down to it, they're just a bunch of self absorbed pricks who think they are better than everyone else -- so much that they think they can start an exclusive membership club and give people awards. What about the countless hours I spent doing community service? Is that supposed to be a redeemable coupon here? I can talk about my experiences at the food bank, or how I helped change the community by giving a homeless guy a dollar or two. Or the small things like telling my friend Mandy that she did a good job teaching a class. Small things like a smile here and there, or words of encouragement on a daily basis. How about starting a literary zine on the internet that has since come out with 8 issues of literature? Do these accomplishments somehow make me better than the average Joe who is also applying for this scholarship?
No. In fact, I don't think that leadership makes any difference at all. At least not in terms of whether or not a person is worthy. Can a person not be worthy simply because he does not possess a desirable character that "society" deems rewarding? What is it about leadership that can make people flutter with joy? What is it that makes people giddy, make their eyes dilate, their fingers reach out for the phone to call mom?
It stems from one simple misconception -- leadership is admirable. We have overrated leadership as the most desirable quality that someone can possess. Undeniably, our society is based on a leadership model in that every job has its leader. No job can be done without a leader. However, every job must also have followers. These are the people willing to put up the commitment, sacrifice the time, and understand the vision of the leaders. A good follower does not follow blindly. Instead, he questions and challenges the leader, but still supports the leader's decisions if it is within reason.
The general attitude towards followers is a negative one. Everyone has heard someone say something like "Oh, he's just a follower". This is normally meant as a horrible insult. Followers are frowned upon. Leaders are the gods.
The western world seems to relate leadership with a sense of individuality. We seem to tag on an immortal quality to our leaders, even as we make them the butt of our jokes (read : The Clinton scandals). But where is all the attention for all the followers? If everybody were to be a leader of some sort (maybe hold a political office or do something equally important) then there would be nobody left to do the equally important tasks to keep a society running. Let's face it, the secretaries, the advisors, and the gophers who support our leaders, writes their speeches, and brews their coffee -- these people are just as important (maybe more so) and just as worthy of recognition.
And even though you value leadership so highly, I'm sure you cannot deny that leadership is only a means to an end. This end is what that leader ultimately wishes to accomplish. There is no guarantee that what he is trying to accomplish is right or beneficial. Which means that leadership, like every other gift, is not good or bad alone, but must be wielded like a sword. How a person uses this leadership is what determines the ultimate nature of the person. Just as there are good followers and bad followers, there are also good leaders and bad leaders.
In fact, when it comes down to it, leadership is just a personality trait. Some have it, some don't. You wouldn't base your judgement of somebody's worth based on whether or not they are extroverted or introverted. By the same token, why would you judge the same person's worth by another equally foggy trait? Whether or not a person is truly a good person is inherently independent of personality traits that we have all been assigned at birth. Being a leader in the community is important. But being a good follower is equally important. It involves judgement and insight. It involves feeling and community. It involves a faith in others. It involves a motivation for the betterment of the group that is independent of self promotion.
On the road of life there are drivers and passengers.
Both drivers AND passengers wanted.
Question taken from Georgia Tech Alumni Association 1999 Student Leadership Awards for International Study application form.