Leadership Through Growth

Coaching Call Learnings

Leadership is an inherent part of growth –– while it may come naturally to some, it is essential to determine key strengths and weaknesses in order to grow as an individual and team member. During the coaching call my team and I had last Friday with Richelle and Alina, we were able to learn about the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Essentially, leadership is the lid on one’s potential. Anything an individual accomplishes will ultimately be maximized or minimized by their ability to lead.

The North York team graded themselves for each trait on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the lowest, and 10 being the highest. In the end, we totaled up our score and divided the final answer by 21 to determine our leadership lid. I received a 6.1, which lies on the average end of the spectrum. There were a number of key takeaways I gained from this coaching call. The first thing I learned was that leaders are not born overnight –– leadership is a lifelong learning journey.

Illuminate Impact

When I was first started high school, I was a tense and timid bookworm who clung to the familiar sense of security that laid within the tower of science fiction books in my room. Sure, I had some leadership opportunities that strengthened my interpersonal skills, but I was never really pushed outside of my comfort zone until I stumbled upon Illuminate’s regional lead application form.

Industry professionals? Leaders at Deloitte, CPA Canada, and Concentra Bank? I was used to working with students in small teams, but this was new territory for me. I took a deep breath and watched the screen as the cursor blinked in and out of existence. Why do you want to join? I wanted to strengthen my leadership skills. I joined the program in December, expecting it to be just another extracurricular to boost my resume –– and don’t get me wrong, it does look good on a resume –– but I truly gained so many valuable skills and knowledge that I will carry with me as I enter university and the workforce in the upcoming years.

From learning how to write a professional resume and cover letter, to having the opportunity to speak to Linkedin Top Voice speakers and professionals at the University of Oxford, it has been an incredible few months. I have learned so much from my mentor @ Alina. She not only taught me the skills I needed to raise my leadership lid, but she has also been a guiding hand when I inevitably felt nervous or overwhelmed while preparing for meetings.

Final Words

The knowledge that I have gained from this coaching call will undoubtedly be beneficial in the upcoming years. I will continue to lead the North York team as I take into consideration the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Thank you, Richelle!