Respect. Respecting someone can take on many forms. I believe that some of the biggest cores of respect come from listening, which helps create trust as well as empathy. Listening not only helps me as a leader understand, but it makes others feel heard. This is empowering and fosters growth on an individual level as well as within a team. Transparency goes along with this, and is vital for me to maintain as a leader, for it then also sets a precedent for others as well.
Language. Through this experience I have seen the impact of language. Some languages create barriers, however some are universal. The barriers can be overcome through understanding and effort, which have played out in real scenarios while abroad. I think that, as a leader, patience is needed to come to these understandings. I have also observed universal languages that transcend the barriers. Some of these are a smile or head nod, even while wearing masks through the pandemic.
Establishing Goals. I included this in my leadership philosophy because I believe that establishing goals helps to create purpose and therefore drive on both the individual and the team level. Goals are dynamic benchmarks that can change and grow, as should the individuals for whom they are set.
Importance of retaining learned information I learned a lot in the course taken before heading to Europe for the minor, but it was almost two years prior to when I was in the classes abroad. That really caused me to realize how important competencies and theories (such as the step ladder theory and the four types of leaders) are to keep at the forefront of decision making and leadership, especially in teams.