​Julie Kunzman

              It is hard to define leadership with its array of elements in simple words or terms. In my belief, no one is born a leader. It begins with taking the initiative to follow an instinct or passion and see it through. Leadership is mainly exhibited in action and in service.

              I believe that authentic leadership begins within the self. Before one can take leadership positions and roles in the community or in other instances, it is significant for the individual to be able to be assert their unique point of view . This is what I have experienced and believe to be the most important key to leadership. This aspect of emotional intelligence is a necessary component in leadership. When a person is comfortable with his or her self, he or she is able to assert him or her self and demonstrate self-expression comfortably and confidently.
             Although it can be argued that the characteristics or qualities of a leader are innate, discovering and developing the skills are not. From what I’ve learned in my experiences at the Girls Leadership Institute, the characteristics of a leader lies in the skills to be able to recognize and build healthy relationships,; identify, express, and respect emotions,; recognize and own mistakes; accept constructive criticism,;and approach conflict as an opportunity for change. These are skills I have worked on and to which I attribute my own leadership abilities.
        I also believe that once leadership skills have been established, leadership roles become more prominent. Once naturalized, these skills become easier to be put to use. Leadership can be seen as a person taking a role within a big group or community, or even as simple as making small decisions among a close-knit group. Possibilities to apply these leadership skills are limitless.