What it Means to Be a Leader

leadership, leader, foster care rights, my rights
Resources for Teens and Young Adults

I have been a leader in many ways and settings. I’ve been a leader and a role model for my younger siblings at home, I’ve been on school club boards, and a supervisor at work. During most of my high school career and first year of college, I worked at Six Flags Great Escape where I learned the traits of a leader, and more importantly, what it means to be a leader. None of us are perfect, but good and bad experiences of being a team leader have helped me become a better person. I’ve learned qualities that every valuable leader must practice and perform, such as:

Inspiring others to achieve their career or personal ambitions
Influencing others
Being Proactive
Being Assertive
Communicating clearly
Being a good listener
Empathizing with others
Having the confidence to be decisive and express expectations of co-workers
Honesty
Holding people (and themselves) accountable
Maintaining focus and positivity
Flexibility and patient with those they lead
Providing a sense of community
Setting goals and solving problems with their team

Remember, leaders are made, not born. Leaders grow by being mentored and having team experiences.

One way leaders can grow is through leadership programs. Leadership programs help youth and young adults like you and me achieve our goals. For example, after being in foster care for nearly a decade, the leaders in my life helped and inspired me to become a college student. Now I want to “give back” by using my experiences to guide and aid others like me.

Here are a few suggestions for where you can become part of a leadership program:

About the Author

Alexandria Ramos is a 22 year old senior at SUNY Plattsburgh, majoring in Political Science and interning for OCFS. Alex was in foster care for seven years and when she aged out felt confident about being on her own because her caseworker helped prepare her.