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I recently went to Washington D.C. on November 20th for a leadership conference. I was a proud representative of Onondaga Community College, and went with the future leaders of tomorrow. Here is a quick overview of the NCSL conference workshops.

Getting More and Going Further with Creativity

The workshop tries to bring creative inhibition with psychological elements. We were told to draw something that we feel we could be more creative with, and think deeply about how we could improve this.   I found the workshop to be very little help, but it was a good networking opportunity for me.  I talked to five different people that I had never had the opportunity to meet before.

Zing! Your Life, Leadership, and Legacy

When the first walked into this workshop, I didn’t know what to expect.   I thought the workshop was good at showing the effects of having a positive attitude. I realize that I have the ability to positively influence others through my values and morals that I express. We often think of people that influence others, but even the silence that we have has consequences. It’s when we raise our hands, become engaged, and challenge ourselves that we can positively influence those around us.  Zing means to change the flow-forces around you because you can bring something better to the table. I believe that Nancy Denney did a good job at showing everyone that we make a difference, and sometimes we don’t even realize it.  I realize that I need to make people feel more welcome wherever I am, and to think positively about situations.

Turn your idea into reality in 29 days

I have over 4 different projects that I want to launch, and this workshop helped me with the implementation process.  The workshop was good for those that have ideas, but my partner didn’t have any ideas. She was in the nursing program, and didn’t feel that the workshop had any value for her.  I learned that I need to express my ideas to people, and set a date that the project needs to be done by. I need to set goals for myself to make sure that I get everything done. The workshop explained that you need to set mission statements for the ideas that you have, and that you need to tell people about the projects that you want to do. These are things that I’ve been doing for years, and I find value in them everyday.

Credibility : Nick Tarant & Steve Wymer

Credibility is, “The single most missing component for student leadership organizations across the country.” Credibility allows people to believe in you, and makes you worthy of that belief, or confidence. Without credibility, there would be low membership levels, apathy among members, criticism, and a loss of power/influence. You must always be aware of where you are, and who you are speaking with. You will always need the media, but realize that they like drama.  I found this session interesting because I’ve had problems in the past. I want to become better, and do exactly what needs to be done in order to accomplish new goals. I learned that follow through is the key to success, and to always be aware of what you do.

 

Balancing How to Say It with What you Say: Influence and Credibility

The role-play session showed how people look when they do certain things.  It’s important to dress appropriate for the situation, look like you care, and make appropriate decisions at the right time. Your posture, tone, and expression all play a key role in how people perceive you. We may do things that we don’t even realize when we’re talking to people, and we need to be aware of that. There were skits of what the person might look like, and it wasn’t just information on a screen.