Jennifer Tom

Leadership Final Reflection

From my leadership class, I learned that there are many different types of leaders and for
me, I am a relationship builder. This means that one of my strengths is connecting and forming a
close relationship with others, and finding satisfaction in collaborative work to accomplish a
shared vision. Some experiences I have had at TUN that helped build my leadership skills
include involvement in Down Syndrome Organization of Southern Nevada (DSOSN)
Developmental Playgroup, membership in Pi Theta Epsilon, and exploring and self-reflecting my
leadership strengths through the YourBrand assignment.
Through these opportunities, I learned that as a leader, it requires collaboration and many
behind the scene preparation to successfully carry out a goal. During my year-long commitment
in DSOSN, I met with my group members monthly to create play activities. From these
experiences, I learned the importance of planning, anticipating the possible outcomes, listening
to other ideas, and be receptive to constructive feedback. For instance, during the planning
phase, my classmates and I decided what were the appropriate play activities that we could use
and this was established through discussion and brainstorming in which we pitched ideas or
explained why an idea needed to be modified. We always had backup plans and had to be
flexible depending on the number of attendants we had for that month and the childrens level of
motivation and interest for the activity.
I also exemplified leadership skills in collaboration with three of my classmates as we
decided to start a food-drive around school campus after being inspired by our field trip to Three
Squares food bank. In this experience, some of the leadership skills I learned is the importance
of effective communication and delegating tasks to other members. For instance, we kept a
stream of communication prior to the start of the fundraiser as well as finding information on
how to establish one around campus to meet school protocols. We assigned tasks to each of the

members to increase efficiency. For instance, I was in charge of speaking to the activity
coordinator at school while other members were responsible in raising awareness of this food
drive through fliers and social media. I learned that as a leader, it is important to complete
necessary research and gather information in order to successfully execute a plan. In this case,
we researched how to get permission from the school, where to donate the food, and assuring
that each member would follow through with the plan.
From the YourBrand assignment, I learned that some of my strengths as a leader include
being empathic, a relator, and desire to absorb as much information as I can. This assignment
allowed me to reflect on the type of leader I am. Using the resources provided in class, I
concluded that I am a type of leader that values teamwork. Utilizing these insights, my
leadership mission statement is as follows: working in partnerships to forge new paths and
enabling others to their best potentials. This also reflects some of the values of the occupational
therapy profession as it stresses the importance of therapeutic alliance and working with the
client throughout the therapeutic process.
From the experiences I had at TUN, I learned the skills and qualities of leadership, gained
insight on the type of leader I am, my areas of strengths and areas for improvement, and
managing responsibilities. These are also important qualities I need as a future practitioner when
I advocate for my clients and the profession.