The dream team.
The club was dying when the president before me stepped down at her senior year. Even though IC has existed for a long time, it's not as united. I loved my international/third culture students too much to give up though. I became the president in the midst of COVID year.
It was tough. I had to gather up some of my friends who also wanted international community to grow. We had to work together to be creative in building community with the many limitations that the pandemic set on us. The most difficult thing was to truly understand what the club was for and establishing the member qualifications; basically reviving/rewriting the constitution that was so old it could not apply to the current situation. The second most difficult thing was to decide how to gather together, build community, when we could not mingle and see physical faces due to COVID guidelines to be 6-ft apart and wear masks.
But we did it.
I giggled every single time I looked at this picture (taken at the Halloween party IC hosted during my presidency). It represented how I felt, how my fellow IC officers felt a lot of times. Many of our ideas were turned down because of the COVID-19 restrictions. I definitely learned many #interpersonal skills and #leadership skills.
#1: Giving truth with grace needs diplomacy.
There were times where my officers were nonresponsive. They were passive. They did not initiate things. I had to prepare a message to be said in one of our meetings to convey my frustration without letting my emotions getting the best of me. Turns out, crafting a speech, formal or informal, really helps.
#2: People need clear vision from a leader.
A leader does not boss around, although they have to do that sometimes. A leader guides. Without a vision, people feel at lost, people does not have a purpose. I made sure that I stated my vision and expectation for the club and its officers.
#3: A leader motivates.
We were all students. Assignments piled up. Relationships issues arose. Stress skyrocketed. I found the best meetings we had were when I evaluated each officer and specifically thanking them with one good thing they had done for the club that week. Those lifted their spirits up. They perked up enough to generate ideas for the next events and give inputs for how to further deepen the sense of family in the club.
#4: Constant evaluation improves things.
After every event we hosted, I had an evaluation meeting. I asked three things: what was good that we could continue be doing, what could be improved, how can I best support them.
#5: Being friends with the people you work with makes the organization move forward.
There was comfort, safety, and security. Honesty became easier, hard work became more natural, all because you cared for each other.
#6: Apologies earn respect.
#7: There needs to be a balance between big picture and small details.
Every time we wanted to have an event, I went back and asked how can this event be a community-building opportunity? Then, I began the list of things we needed to do. After all, the officers were essentially the hosts for the events and the members were guests. Being a good host requires attention to details to create an awe, but big picture has to be in our mindset for intentional relation-building.
I'm stepping down as the president after this year, as recommended by many mentors. Rest is much needed. I truly hope the momentum bleeds to the next semester as we welcome new international students and as the officers' dynamic shifts.
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