One of my ongoing goals from my Leadership Development Plan is to further shift from a “power over” leadership style to a “power with” approach, as inspired by Mary Parker Follett. This has been a key insight for me, especially in my role as portfolio manager in the Degroote Finance and Invesment Council. I’m working on creating space for more discussion and collaboration rather than jumping to solutions. A practical goal I’m currently pursuing is to facilitate more idea-generation sessions where team members contribute analysis before I give my own view, with the goal of improving both engagement and our stock pitch outcomes.

I’m also aiming to apply for an executive position on DFIC, where I hope to bring my experience leading under pressure (from both S&T and athletics) and continue building inclusive, high-performing teams. If selected, I want to focus on helping newer members gain confidence and skills through mentorship. At the same time, I want to learn how to lead cross-functionally, working with people in marketing, operations, and sponsorship, which would push me outside my usual finance bubble.

Finally, I want to continue refining how I balance decisiveness with transparency, a skill I began developing during my S&T internship. I’ve learned that you don’t always have time for consensus, but explaining your rationale openly can still build trust. I’d like to apply this more consistently, especially when I have to make calls quickly in leadership settings like team boxing or pitch competitions.

These goals tie together what I’ve learned so far about adapting my leadership to different contexts while staying grounded in the values of growth, inclusion, and trust.