Running Head: SERVICE LEADERSHIP

Service Leadership
Theresa Bashiri-Remetio
Northern Illinois University

Running Head: SERVICE LEADERSHIP

The experience I chose to reflect on is the leadership opportunity I was presented when
elected to serve as Chapter President for Oakton Community Colleges Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)
Chapter. The chapter I took over was barely surviving, having over one hundred members on
paper, but only four active members; the officers. Being new to the student organization at the
time, I did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions. I identified weaknesses in the structure
and worked towards providing a solution to fix the problem. The structure of the (officer) team
didnt coincide with the structure of the parent international organization so it was difficult to
map alignments. I did an inventory of the talents and skills of the officer team as a whole and
moved them into positions, many with newly created titles, which were better aligned with the
strengths of the individuals and the organization, as well as the goals of the group. Since there
were vacant positions once that was done, we filled the open positions via a special election. The
new officer team took over at the conclusion of the spring semester and firstly determined how
hard we wanted to work and how much time we wanted to devote to this endeavor. Being
amongst strangers, I was skeptical of others and their capabilities so I made sure that all goals we
set, I was able to accomplish on my own or work around. Our main goal was to be more visible
on campus and to reach out to the student body as much as we can, while attending to the needs
of the students and community. We focused on the people we wanted to reach and the impact we
wanted to have.
With a culturally diverse leadership team, and a much larger culturally diverse student
body, we decided that uniting the international students and learning about different cultures was
one thing we wanted to accomplish and promote as a group. In connection with this, Oakton
Community College takes pride in its vast health careers program so we integrated this into our
focus.
When the chapter officers realized that trust and teamwork were key factors in us
reaching our goals, we promoted fellowship and integrated teambuilding; allowing us to enjoy

Running Head: SERVICE LEADERSHIP

each others camaraderie. In August, the chapter went to a Chicago Fire soccer match where we
were able to tailgate and get to know each other on a more personal level. We had a great time
eating homemade sandwiches and just talking about the semester ahead. When we entered the
stadium, we were to observe teamwork among the players and the leadership provided by the
team captain during the game. Chicago Fire lost that day; but our team one. We learned how
harmful selfishness can be to a team. And that sometimes, no matter how hard one person works,
one person cannot carry the whole team to victory. We learned that enthusiasm alone does not get
the job done. This truly helped the chapter realize the importance and difference of team spirit
and teamwork.
In December, our chapter hosted a fellowship night at Orbit Skating Rink in Palatine,
Illinois where we invited neighboring chapters to attend. We were able to speak with other
chapter officers about their experiences, triumphs and struggles this semester in which we
exchanged tips on how certain situations can be approached. It was a great experience for all of us
to get to know other Phi Theta Kappa members as well as learn new leadership strategies.
In addition to events we coordinated, the membership also attended college hosted
leadership workshops throughout the semester. With a vast array of workshops provided, the
membership learned about managing school schedules, keeping a balanced check book and
money management, how to settle classroom conflicts, establishing college clubs, and much
more. Many of our chapter members are also active officers for other Oakton organization so it
really brought us all together.
Our most significant accomplishment was helping others. We promoted camaraderie
while leading several projects aimed to promoting awareness, wellness, confidence, leadership
and service. The variety show alone combined all these virtues in to one project. While promoting
the event Show Me Your Jalwa, we were able to awaken the community to the harsh realities of
domestic violence. One of the causes of domestic violence relates to a families financial stability.
With unemployment rising at the time, it is expected that the stress brought about diminishing

Running Head: SERVICE LEADERSHIP

liquid assets would cause an increase in domestic violence cases; making it crucial that we all
help each other in any way possible as support comes in many shapes and sizes.
The event itself was a learning experience all on its own. How to plan wisely was a
crucial lesson we learned from this. The director planned and organized a program of 17
performances and coordinated sound & light displays while keeping tab on the backstage
personnel. More than 50 people came together that night, making the event a true success. With
over 150 tickets sold, $700.00 was donated to this worthy cause.
Rebuilding the chapters leadership structure made me realize how crucial information
and knowledge was when becoming a leader. Prior to the conclusion of our term, the officers put
together a handbook of definitions, tasks, and resources to pass on to the new officers to help
them as they transition into their new roles within the organization. I also created a Leadership
Training Module to promote and enhance the leadership skills of the officers and members. The
key points to be highlighted in the module are: plan, designate, nurture, and acknowledge. These
were my key learnings as president that made our year a success. Although this was a couple
years ago, I continue to use these key learnings in hopes of becoming a better leader.
When I first became the student organizations president, I was a skeptic and self-reliant
leader. It took a long time for me to learn to be trusting of others. The biggest thing I had to, and
continue to, work on is communication. Communication played a key role in learning to plan and
designate. Early in the term, it wasnt uncommon for me to have a plan and timeline in mind, but
it only existed there; in my mind. It took me awhile to communicate the plan in a manner that can
be easily understood and executed. Due to my trust issues, it was hard for me to communicate and
delegate tasks to others as well. To go even further, although I didnt expect acknowledgement for
the things that I did as president, an important thing I learned was I needed to acknowledge the
accomplishments of others. I believe my personal expectations were high, and my expectations of
others were just as high. This became problematic because I expected a high volume of work, at

Running Head: SERVICE LEADERSHIP

high caliber, but didnt really think through the notion and importance of recognition and reward.
Some viewed this as lack of respect, which caused cultural conflicts in the beginning.
A good leader is one that learns from mistakes. A great leader knows how to give the
credit but take the blame. But I believe the best leader knows when and how to say sorry. If a
leader stops learning, they stop leading. This being said, there is plenty for me to learn. In the past
couple of years, I believe I have come far; but there is still a long road ahead to becoming the
leader I aspire to be. A leader instills values, fosters culture, and empowers others to be the best
they can be. There will always be work to be done, things to learn, and people to empower.