When I took on the role of program director for CU GOLD (Gaining Opportunities through Leadership Development), the program had been struggling to live up to its mission of developing strong leaders in our community. Our student participation was low, our executive board felt isolated from each other, and our program was unknown to most people on campus. Over the three semesters that I was program director, CU GOLD saw a record of over 300 student participants, multiple leadership recognition awards, and an empowered executive board. As I come to my final semester as a student at CU Boulder, I want to impart the 3 lessons I learned that transformed CU GOLD into one of the most successful leadership development programs on campus.
- Greatness Starts with a Vision
It is hard to hit a target if you don’t know what you’re aiming for. As program director, my vision was to make CU GOLD a successful program with an empowered and tightly knit executive board. From there, I worked backward and began developing the steps needed to achieve this vision. To empower the executive board, I moved our meetings to be in-person, added more paid positions to our team, and allocated some of our program budget to executive board social events, like going out to dinner. Decide on something in your life that you want to achieve while at CU, maybe it’s to get straight A’s this semester or find a community on campus.
Whatever it is, start with the goal and then reverse-engineer the steps needed to achieve it. Remember, if you want to be great, start with a vision!
- Don’t be Afraid to Lead the Way
During my first semester as program director, the Center for Leadership (CFL) was hosting its Fall Leadership Summit. My goal was to get CU GOLD’s name out there. When I attended the Summit, I was surrounded by people who have been in leadership positions longer than I’ve been alive. It was a nerve-racking experience to be the youngest and least experienced in the room. At the end of the summit, each organization had the opportunity to present their program to the entire room, but nobody volunteered. Even with anxiety creeping in, I came into this summit intending to increase our program's visibility. As the youngest person in the room, I volunteered to speak about CU GOLD to the entire summit. By taking the initiative and overcoming my anxiety, I was able to achieve the goal I set out to do. As a result, CU GOLD collaborated with many of the organizations that attended the summit. Many of us are afraid to take action because of the fear of being mocked, rejected, or failing. Those who find themselves succeeding in life are the ones who let their ambition guide them to act. Don’t be afraid to take the initiative and lead the way!
- Be a Relationship-Driven Leader
Relationships are the key to a successful organization and a successful life. When leading our program, I was a relationship-oriented leader. My main focus was on supporting, motivating and developing individuals and teams through collaborative work. I structured our executive meetings in a way that would help facilitate interaction between each member. I supported the development of each member by giving them responsibilities that played to their strengths. I even made sure to create a meeting space where everyone’s voice could be heard during our decision-making process. By being a relationship-driven leader, you will nurture an environment where people feel valued.