Assignment 7: Growing Leaders

In a recent blog post, Growing Leaders by Tom Elmore, he addressed the problem of interns who are not well prepared for the world ahead. He suggested that there should be four qualities that top interns hold based on attitude rather than aptitude -- teachability, initiative, responsibility, and energy. These are reflected in interns who show eagerness to learn, look at what needs to be done, "own" what they are given, and show passion in completing their mission. Combined with giftedness and talent, a growing leader has emerged. But an internship is not a twelve-week assignment, it is a twelve-week interview. You are held responsible as an employee and are relied on for important task. Relating to the article, the one thing I found most relevant was taking initiative by looking at what needs to be done. I and maybe others are guilty of this. I often times will pretend to do something or take a long time to do a task, because I do not know what to do next or am afraid to ask what to do. In looking as to how I can reflect this article into my life, I know I can be more energetic, because at times, I show that I am tired and would rather be in bed. Instead, I am going to be lively and present myself with a smile. When I speak, I will have a joyful tone of voice and show that I am ready and excited to do anything and everything. If I can start channeling my energy at school and when I am out, I can easily present myself similar to this during my internship. This is crucial while I am interning, because if not, others may feel I am less engaged and not prepared for a real job.

Throughout my year-long interview, some concrete things I can do to make a good impression are arriving on time and always leaving the office better than it was when I arrived. To arrive on time, I am going to be at my internship ten minutes before my starting time, because it will allow me to gather myself and leave room for traffic. I can also go in and get ahead of others and be well prepared for the day. This shows that I am responsible and respect everyone's time. Although arriving early is imperative, the way I leave the office is equally respected. Before I leave, I am going to make sure all the equipment is cleaned and put back in order. I will not start packing my belongings up until after the time I am supposed to leave, because if I were to pack early, it shows that I do not want to be there and want to leave as soon as possible. If I do both and go above and beyond, I know I am going to excel and complete my interview with a lasting impression.