YLDP 2025: The Impact of Leadership on Me and My Community

Leadership has been an age-old virtue that is regarded with high standards of smiles because it comes with bravery, teamwork, risk, perseverance, etc., that develops an inner fire to drive with purpose, and great leaders become pillars for the community and society to grow as well. This is what I witnessed from the sessions in YLDP (Youth Leadership Development Program) and the pages of the Harvard Business Review (HBR) book On Leadership.

With numerous guest speakers I had an opportunity to meet and connect with, I got to see that they were visionary and strong in their ethical bases, and they displayed leadership in fine manners throughout their presence and the tone they set for the room. I had the privilege of being in programs including visit to Harris County Civil Courthouse, Judge Monica Singh, Brian Greene President/CEO of the Houston Food Bank, Dr Hardeep Singh speech, the life story of Bob Patel, financial literacy from the representatives of Bank of America, and many more. This sets out the branches leadership has to accommodate, with values like ethics, volunteering, inspiration, financial understanding, etc. at the core.

One of the most memorable topics about leadership that I received was the elevator pitch lessons, which helped me develop my resume, work on my interpersonal skills, look for opportunities, and learn to present a development of personality and skills in an engaging manner professionally under a minute.

Studying through the HBR book, I realized that exploring the nuances and complexities of this subject matter of leadership was tricky, but valuable. An important lesson that is reiterated many times in the book is for a leader to overcome vulnerabilities from within while showing them outside in a controlled way as well, to make the team comfortable and connectable, which is covered under emotional intelligence. Important blocks like self-awareness, trust, and fostering a culture of open communication and continuous learning are kept at the forefront to achieve effective leadership really quick, as discussed in the book.

The impact of leadership seen in communities comes in different forms, such as improved organizational performance, employee well-being, and productivity boosts that are important to leverage. I too hold a desire to be able to utilize my personal growth in leadership to contribute towards the society and economy’s innovations and well-being with technological advancements in AI and moral values like righteousness that need to revive, with a smile.