Reflections on Leadership: The Importance of Relationships

“We are all one family in the world. Building a community that empowers everyone to attain their full potential… makes the world a better place to live.” – Saint Pope John Paul II

This year, I sought to challenge myself by saying ‘Yes’ to the opportunity to serve as a Student Leader at the University of Notre Dame Sydney, namely, as the President of the Education Society. It was a great experience—the journey culminated in our Society winning the ‘Club of the Year Award.’ This opportunity has taught me a lot about leadership that I will now reflect on herein. At the heart of what I have learnt is the idea that authentic human relationships are the key to human excellence, whereby it is the role of leadership to inspire communities of love.

1. Building Relationships with the Education Students

I am deeply influenced by the view that teaching is a relational craft, whereby success in the profession is built upon relationships. I really wanted to reflect this relational aspect of teaching across all our Society’s activities. Moreover, our team wanted the pre-service teachers whom we were journeying with to feel connected, valued, and important. So, at the forefront of all our decision-making was the chief goal of gathering education students together. A highlight that comes to mind was our ‘Dinner & Drinks Night’ which saw pre-service teachers from Early-Childhood, Primary and Secondary Education come together to celebrate the end of Teaching Period One. Throughout the year, our team also sought feedback from the students, caught up with them over lunch and dinner, and delivered to them personalised educational gifts. We showcased their many talents on our social-media platforms and empowered students to even make important decisions concerning our Society’s activities. In fact, one of our most successful social events was coordinated by an education student who pitched to us an idea that would become a collaboration with the Education Society of ACU: we organised a community fundraiser that saw staff and students come together to raise a total of $1,900 to support an educational charity. Our Society also collaborated with the Education Societies of UNSW, USYD, and UTS, in an online Trivia Night during Sydney’s 107-day lockdown. The Trivia Night saw over 70 pre-service teachers from across Sydney come together to connect with each other during a time of uncertainty (many of us at the time had our teaching practicums cancelled, or courses extended, due to the lockdowns). I daresay that the Trivia Night’s massive turnout helped us to realise that we needed each other, namely, that we are all on a journey together as members of a larger community: the Australian Teaching Profession. Upon reflection of these highlights, I would say that the most rewarding aspect of leading the Society was the joy of seeing so many different people come together in a community that I hope made them feel connected, valued, and important, namely, loved. Hence, as a future educator, I hope to create classrooms—learning environments and school communities—that help every student and staff alike to know that they are loved.

2. Building Relationships with Staff

The English writer, G.K. Chesterton, is known to have said that “when it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” I like to think of myself as a person who errs towards the latter; therefore, it was of great importance for our team to regularly express our gratitude to the staff of the School of Education. Gestures such as ‘Thank You’ emails, speaking well of the School to our peers, or surprising staff with personalised gifts were some of the ways that we expressed our gratitude. In turn, staff grew even more generous with their time and support—a salient highlight that comes to mind are the many staff members who actively involved themselves in our activities, including by being present at our on-campus ‘Movie Night,’ attending our ‘Bake Day Fundraiser,’ and humouring us by participating in our social events run for education students. Upon reflection of the ways that the School’s many staff supported us, I think that it is incredibly important that I too, as a future educator, imitate and replicate their kindness to all my students. Hence, in the future, I intend to develop authentic relationships with my students precisely by being involved in their lives through the life of the school community: this would be my way of expressing my gratitude for the privilege of being a student’s teacher.

3. Building Relationships with Our Team:

Finally, his Holiness, Pope Francis, teaches that “leadership must enter into service, but with a personal love for the people.” Our team’s slogan—which we repeated in our meetings, social-media posts, and conversations—was ‘to inspire each other to become a truly excellent educator.' The slogan was our constant reminder that our Society’s activities were not merely for our own interests, but rather, for the benefit of the whole education community at Notre Dame. We were a close-knit team who understood each other’s gifts and talents (and hopes and dreams) so we organised tasks for each person according to their unique abilities. Upon reflection of how we all worked together as a team—in solidarity with each other—it is without a doubt that all our achievements this year were the fruits of teamwork: we supported each other and aimed for excellence in everything that we did. Hence, I would like to believe that it was the calling of service that inspired my movements as the President of the Society, and this made all the difference because it was done with love.

To conclude this reflection, I have learnt a lot about leadership this year. At the heart of everything that I have learnt is the idea that authentic human relationships are the key to human excellence. Therefore, I hope to grow into an educator who is committed to inspiring communities characterised by love, thereby contributing to the Church’s vision of a ‘civilisation of love.’ I will now conclude this reflection with the same quote that I started it off with, echoing the words of a man—my spiritual hero—who called every person of goodwill to make the ‘civilisation of love’ a reality:

“We are all one family in the world. Building a community that empowers everyone to attain their full potential… makes the world a better place to live.” – Saint Pope John Paul II