KC Royals Charities Scholarship Essay

Leadership is a much contested term that is often difficult to define Whether in business, education, or in public service, leadership is one of those success-determining factors of any group or organization. Leadership is more than being a boss, but also inspiring, motivating, and empowering individuals to perform their best. During the summer before my senior year of high school I took the initiative to complete the final step of the project with the program 20/20 leadership. 20/20 leadership is a group that strives to improve the community one student at a time. The project asked that we design an event that would represent the history of the high school. During this project I learned valuable lessons about leadership that changed my perspective on what it truly means to be a leader. For the event I proposed bringing in local businesses and performers. This would not only enable businesses and performers to sell their products but get their name out into the community for free. In working on the project the definition of leadership got lost in the works. I was so excited about the potential this event could bring to bring people together and celebrate the legacy of our school. I found myself forgetting what leadership is all about. My initial thought was that leadership was about taking charge and being totally in control of the project. I was so focused on making sure everything was perfect that I did too much. I took pride in the fact that I was leading this event and worked hard to make sure everything would be perfect. As we were winding down to the final few days before our event, one large part of our project had not been completed yet: the mural. I had figured that if I put all of the responsibility on my own back, I could ensure success. But as the event got closer, I quickly discovered that this approach was to blame. This mural was to represent both the history of our school and the achievements of present-day students, and it was a critical component of our vision for the event. It was through this crunch period that I came to a vital realization about leadership. It was not just about being in charge but understanding when I needed help and how to communicate that to others. Leadership is not about doing every task oneself—it is about working together and understanding that no one individual can do it all by themselves. This, though a straightforward lesson, was an important one for me. It’s easy to get caught up in the pride and stress of being responsible for a project, especially if you want it to be successful. But true leadership is recognizing that you don’t do it by yourself; you have a team behind you. It’s recognizing when you need help and being willing to rely on others. Leadership is also about humility—knowing that the people who surround you are just as important to the venture’s success. All leaders, no matter how experienced, rely on the suggestions and talents of their staff. It’s about inspiring others to take ownership and contribute to the vision. Because of my team’s support, the event was a tremendous success. There was a huge turnout of people to support local businesses and discover the rich history of our school, which made the mural an integral part of the legacy of the event. The experience reaffirmed that leadership is not a matter of commanding or imposing on others but influencing others based on respect, trust, and collaboration. When you all work together as a group, everyone’s strengths combine and you end up with something that is more than what one person could do on their own. As I move forward in my education, I think that this was a valuable thing for me to learn. I would like to become a business leader one day, and it is good to recognize that each one of us contributes to the success and goal of a project.