School leaders from all over Auckland were invited to take part in a day of seminars, with five presenters talking about their individual leadership experiences. It proved to be an inspiring day, giving our students an opportunity to network and grow as future leaders.
We spoke to Rita Shasha (Head Girl, Middlemore) and Jonathan Ta (Year 13, Peart) to hear about their experiences.
What did you learn at the Conference?
Rita Shasha: To set a goal and back yourself until you achieve it. There is nothing like hard work and you must always believe in yourself, no matter how hard your circumstances or how small your chance of success.
Jonathon Ta: Each of the presenters spoke on their leadership in their respective fields, so there was a wide range of points and ideas. Through all these, I learned that effective leadership - be it in entrepreneurship or battling personal adversity - comes through persistence and proactivity. The speakers also demonstrated that there is not one form of leadership; it varies with the person and the task they are presented with.
How do these skills impact your life as a leader of King's and into the future?
RS: The wisdom imparted on me definitely made me feel a lot more confident in myself and in my decisions. I definitely think that hard work and determination is the key to success and I will always remember to have a good attitude.
JT: The skills I've learned at the Inspire Leadership Conference reinforce the attributes I need to do my best in effecting change at the College. Hearing of the speakers' challenges and the legacy they have left showed the importance of perseverance, and I'll take that to heart when performing my duties at school, or creating new initiatives in the future.
What makes the best all-round leader?
RS: A leader that listens and serves. As we've heard in Chapel, true leadership is in service and helping others. It is important that as leaders, we remember to help those that have helped us so much, such as teachers, friends and our parents.
JT: As well as clear determination, I feel that good all-round leaders need a high degree of tolerance and patience. With these skills, leaders are able to ponder on ideas and empathise with the needs and wants of different groups of people, all while finding the optimal outcome. Paired with this would be a sense of fairness and equality. Regardless of the situation, leaders are most effective when all members of their team feel respected and equally valued.
