Change is inevitable, and a leader must acknowledge that to be successful. Adaptability used to be my weakness, but throughout time I have evolved to become a more adaptable leader. In this sense, my leadership style is a “ go with the flow” type, which is now one of my top strengths. During many time crunches, I have learned that I cannot be stubborn and stick to a plan that does not comply with the situation.

An example to demonstrate this is that of Godwin Middle School Workshops. The Leadership Consultants and I conducted multiple leadership workshops for middle school students throughout the school year. During the week coming up to one of these workshops, we had slacked in our planning abilities. Two days before the scheduled workshop I developed a team building activity for the students to engage in. However, we realized later on that we did not have the supplies for this activity. By this time, we were really close to the day of the workshop! My team and I promptly adapted to this situation. We reflected on the facts and sought out innovative solutions to the problem. I was not stubborn and hold onto my own idea because that would have slowed down the process. This is the moment where I became aware of what adapting to change really is.

During this change, I was very responsive to my team’s ideas, and we collaborated very well. We decided on a better, more convenient activity that still applied the same team-building concept as the one I had originally came up with.

It is important to maintain a flexible outlook while working on projects and other collaborative plans. This way, the thoughts and actions involved in the process are able to be open to new ideas and more creative than usual. Also, being reflective is necessary to contemplate how the situation could be improved. With these two factors working together, it is easy to be innovative and create the best solutions possible. One more thing to keep in mind while being adaptive is to  for those who are involved. This can strengthen the environment around you, which creates more opportunities for new ideas and more collaboration and cooperation.

My roommates and me during the 2015 CRU VMA’s. Even though two of them could not make it to the event, we successfully took a group photo.

Another example of this coming into play is with my roommates and me. Living with strangers is not the easiest process to go through, especially if the other person has a different living style. During my freshman year, I learned everything you do not do while living in the same room as someone else. That being said, I have been very adaptable to my roommate this year. By trying to see things from her perspective and being flexible, I am able to have a great relationship with her!

I continue to learn more and more about how I can think creatively and maintain an adaptive leadership style. I believe that this aspect of leadership is a crucial one in order to work with people of different backgrounds, leadership styles, and living styles.