FUN IN ITALY - Team Dynamics & Collaboration

    While studying abroad and being able to closely collaborate with my peers through this course my view on leadership slightly shifted. We all were not familiar with the cultural way of life nor the school life of the Italian students, so we had to rely on each other for each step along the way. While having to rely on each other more than we normally would, this revealed both our strengths and areas where we need improvement. Some better operate under more loud atmospheres than others, some prefer the spotlight while others do not, and some take charge while others sit back and observe. No way is wrong by no means; they are just different. I learned that my leadership style is a little more reserved for the most part, but I will speak up when necessary. Through the cross-cultural conference, I learned that there is beauty in imperfection. I get so caught up in wanting things done an exact way and most times that does not always end well when working in a group. The conference allowed me to see things through a new lens and showed me that good effective teamwork requires everyone to be open minded and patient. I now feel much confident in my leadership abilities and am going to continue to strive to lead by example for others to see.