College is undoubtedly about more than grades, getting your degree, and landing a job. Another important outcome of the college experience is personal growth, development, and maturity. Most college educators agree: We’re not simply in the business of manufacturing graduates but developing culturally conscious citizens. Inspiring this complex understanding of the world and what role you have to play in it is ultimately about leadership. In my many years working with all types of college students, I have come to appreciate culture as a leadership tool. We all have it. But too often, students aren’t provided opportunities to understand how their culture directs the way they lead. Here's how to enhance your leadership skills by examining the cultural influence of your life experiences.
Understand your cultural self
Cultural leaders constantly explore and deepen their understanding of their cultural values, beliefs, and ideologies. Cultural leaders are reflective and wise professionals who understand that the collective of their life experiences—in the classroom or on the block, in college or church, through professional networks or dysfunctional family trees—has made them who they are. And it’s strong leaders who can translate those experiences and that identity into a guide for others.
Use culture as a leadership tool
Cultural leadership draws on the cultural arts, family and community fellowship, spirituality and belief, and other creative forms of expression to create social change. Good leaders value the potential of culture to serve as a community education tool to teach the politics of survival and create a space for dialogue, discussion, action, and change. Like the family, community, or village that shapes culture, cultural leadership is a selfless act. Cultural leaders understand that leadership is not about hierarchy, position, or top-down structures.
Related: Creating Future Leaders: Spotlight on the Kaplan Leadership Program
Gain your sense of community rootedness
Great cultural leaders are rooted in their communities—for both the people and the planet we live on. Ultimately, this deep connection, commitment, and loyalty to a community is rooted in love. You should be driven by an ethical love of people and justice as well as the hope for all people to experience equality and joy; this drive aids in the fulfillment of both basic survival needs and higher emotional wellness for those around you.
Take on a critical lens
Navigating the world when you’re a member of an underrepresented cultural group often causes you to view it a bit differently than others. The lived experience of underrepresented ethnic groups teaches us that important change is made when we turn a critical eye toward persisting social norms, laws, values, and behaviors. We must embrace the art of questioning. Pursuing cultural leadership compels you to voice and act on criticisms in an effort to make the world more inclusive, democratic, and free
Related: 8 Leadership Qualities All Students Should Have
Leadership is about much more than influencing others, managing an organization, or holding a fancy title. Leadership is about impact and meaning. What are you doing with your life? What is your purpose in the world? College students need to develop the skills to lead with an understanding of community issues to make a real impact. Use college to gain a sense of who you are, what you value, and how your career, life, community, and culture intersect. You can truly blend them all to create an informed and rewarding life.
Learn more about leadership and other important qualities to hone with Our Best Advice on Building Important Skills as a Student.
