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Initiative/Leadership
- 2. Prior to beginning my internship, I was confident in my ability to take initiative and be a strong leader. During group projects in the past, I have taken on and enjoyed the responsibility that comes with adopting the role of leader. I have always believed that leadership and the ability to take initiative were key skills involved in the accomplishment of goals and in experiencing personal growth.
- 3. There were many instances during my internship in which I believed that I took initiative or adopted the role of leader. For example;
- 4. I attended a meeting regarding the publication of the ‘Policy on Gaeltacht education 2017-2022’. This report provided information regarding the government’s strategy to improve education provision in Gaeltacht regions. Additionally, it documented the reported decline in fluency and everyday use of the Irish language in Gaeltacht regions.
- 5. I believe that I took initiative when I suggested that language quotas could be brought in for media outlets, specifically radio stations. This is a common practice on continental Europe in which a certain amount of music from their respective countries must be played so as to help preserve their cultural identity. My idea was very well received and noted as an idea that could be revisited in the future.
- 6. I believed that I showed initiative when I volunteered to compose a letter that would be sent to Minister Richard Bruton. This letter provided the minster with an in depth description of the new junior cycle Wellbeing programme that is due to commence in September 2017.
- 8. In the letter I set out the reasons why the Wellbeing programme was important, what students would be taught and details relating to assessment. Provided the Minster gave his consent to the new programme, teacher training could begin. Additionally, I wrote a letter on behalf of the minister to the NCCA expressing both his and the department’s gratitude for the NCCA’s development of the Wellbeing programme.
- 9. During the final week of my internship, I believe that I showed initiative when, after submitting the finished documents for the ‘Student Enterprise in the Curriculum Award’ to my supervisor, I offered to draft a press release.
- 10. While I had no experience in composing a press release, I have read several during the course of my internship and felt confident that I would be capable of drafting one that would be of a high standard. I presented it to my supervisor on Friday afternoon and she was very impressed with the quality of my work and informed me that it would be used when the Minister launched the awards.
- 12. As part of the 4th year module ‘‘Organisation Skills and Learning’’, I became well acquainted with John Adair’s Action Centred Leadership model. In this model, Adair argues that leaders should base their decisions on three considerations; the completion of a task or goal, ensuring the development of the team as a whole and assisting individuals on the team to reach their full potential (Bolden, Gosling, Marturano, & Dennison, 2003).
- 13. With regard to the task, Adair believed that leaders should define goals, delegate work to subordinates, set standards and adjust tasks plan as required (Bolden et al., 2003). Adair put forth the idea that the leader of a team needed to encourage team bonding, strong communication and be a source of motivation and encouragement for their team (Adair, 2007).
- 14. Adair emphasised the importance of leaders assisting their team members. He believed that leaders needed to develop a personal relationship with their teams in order to understand their strengths, weaknesses and personality traits (Adair, 2007).
- 15. While working in the CAP unit, I believe that the leadership style the Principal Officer and Assistant Principal Officers adopted could be compared to Adair’s model. I believe that they worked hard to be a source of encouragement and motivation and had close personal relationships with their colleagues which allowed them to grasp the strengths and weaknesses of the CAP team.
- 16. While I was already relatively confident in my ability to lead and take initiative before beginning my internship, I believe that I have become even more confident in my ability to lead. I have had exceptional leadership role models throughout the course of my internship and believe that this greatly assisted me in further developing my personal and professional development.
- 18. Adair, J. (2007). Develop Your Leadership Skills. London: Kogan Page. Bolden, R., Gosling, J., Marturano, A., & Dennison, P. (2003). A Review of Leadership Theory and Competency Frameworks. Exeter: Centre for Leadership Studies.