Tedx Prompt: Reviewing my Leadership
“The most important thing your leadership should be doing is serving your team — not your sense of self. Is the way you communicate, make decisions, handle conflict, set direction helping my team get closer to what they all want to make happen?” How does prompt three relate to your experiences with TEDx this year? How did you serve your team? In what ways did you need to think more carefully about others, and less about self?
My role in this year’s TedxYouth was a coaching leader, hence I had to meet up with the speakers and give feedback in order to improve the structure and detail of the speech. In our case, the goal that our team worked towards was creating a successful and enjoyable event, and both the coaching and communication teams worked hard to support the speakers as much as possible. Though what is seen on the surface are the amazing speeches by the speakers, behind them are the hours of practice and preparation put in by the whole group.
Referring back to the prompt, I feel that the level of clear communication could be lifted, as it was often unclear who was doing what and each of our responsibilities. However, on the occasion that we did meet up with a quick check-in or rehearsals, everyone was extremely engaged and ready to put in their effort and thoughts. Some even said that had they have been told clear directions and roles, they could have put in more hard work. I feel that our dedication to the project could have been further emphasized in the presence of clear schedules and deadlines, and in this aspect, I feel that my role as a leader could be improved. Given the chance to do it again, I would actively reach out to the teachers to ask for further guidance and make more of an effort to create a bridge between the speakers and coaches to create a smoother and even more pleasant experience for both parties.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed being able to be involved in this year’s TedxYouth, and though there are some things that I would have done differently looking back now, I feel that it was a very meaningful and educational experience.