Leadership is one of the most impactful skills in a workspace, and leadership is bigger than a title.
On HBCU Campuses around the nation, it is campaign season, and schools are teaching their students how to navigate their leadership goals through on-campus organizations and student government associations, but does this define a leader?
What Makes A Strong Leader?
Voting for on-campus leadership can be more profound than just friendships and connections that lead to a role. Leadership itself can take on different faces on campus other than student government.
When talking to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) Alum, current Mercer University professor Dr. Kevin B. Williams, Assistant Professor of Healthcare Leadership, Department of Leadership Studies, was asked what made him a strong leader.
He stated, “What makes me a strong leader is my ability to follow. When I was at FAMU, I was a CEO of an entertainment company (Uplift Professional Services and Management) based in Atlanta, GA.
I was the youngest person in the company, and with people I considered to be my big brothers growing up. Following their advice helped the leader inside of me come out to show what we needed for our company at the time.”
Being Teachable
Williams juxtaposes the notion that leading means eliminating the ability to follow by saying that the best leadership comes from a person who can be teachable and learn from their environment or the people they lead.
Williams also states, “The best leader, I tell my students, is a servant leader. Someone that celebrates others and propels others to be their best.”