Duvall Leadership Statement

Rachel DuVall Leadership Statement 1
Leadership Statement
Rachel DuVall
University of Memphis
Introduction
Before this week, I had not spent a great deal of time thinking about leadership in the
abstract. Leaders and followers exist on a continuum. I have been both experienced both, and all
of it has a significant influence on my leadership perspective. My outlook also has a lot to do
with growing up and leading a loud and "bossy" existence. My favorite quote about this is from
Amy Poehler, "To me, bossy is not a pejorative term at all. It means somebody’s passionate and
engaged and ambitious and doesn’t mind leading.” While this particular quote is not from her
book Yes Please, it encapsulates her mantra which helped me through an intense professional
time. Her ideas on relationships with work, supervisors and coworkers shaped my professional
leadership investments. In my opinion, leadership works best when it is transparent, organized,
and supportive. Also, to lead, you have to have a lot of fortitude. The mental load is massive, and
the responsibility to your followers is paramount. That is my perspective on leadership.
Key Leadership Experiences
As I am in the first decade of my career, most of my crucial leadership experiences have
been that of a follower viewing the leader. In my opinion, I am a very adaptive follower. I can
get along with people leading and in power. I also need to be liked by authority figures. These
characteristics led to a situation where the people I worked directly for were labeled as mean
girls, and I was marked that along with them. This was a strange lesson where I was penalized
for being amenable to project supervisors and leaders. Then at a later time, when I stood up for
what I thought was right against the same women, I was penalized by them with
microaggressions. They were eventually fired while I continued working for the organization,
but it was the first time I realized what it was like to listen to my internal leadership compass.
After leaving that job, I went on to work somewhere for two weeks because I had honed that
listening skill, and I knew I was not a good fit with the person who would be my supervisor. As I
think back on it, learning how to listen to that voice is such a relief. It solidified that there is
nothing wrong with being strong and opinionated, but it has to be matched with empathy and
guidance. It decides what is right for you and what is not.
Those experiences also helped me understand that you often have to worry about how
you are perceived from a 360-degree perspective as a woman in leadership. You have to carry
your responsibility toward others and other’s feelings towards you. It requires a lot of mental and
emotional grit, and in my opinion, it is often a heavier weight to bear for women. Men do not
have to be as worried about how their leadership style is perceived. They are able to move along
a more linear trajectory, taking on increasingly important leadership roles. Meanwhile, women
often have to adjust and backtrack to fit into the box they are assigned instead of being included
in a functional redesign of the often outdated box. It can mean that what you do is important, but
what you won't do is just as important. People will perceive you how they want, so you have to
stay extremely strong.
Decision-Making Paradigm
Like most people, my decision-making pattern is heavily influenced by my experiences.
When it comes to working, I like to make decisions based on data, observations, shared history,
research, and desired outcomes. Where I have to answer to authority, I feel more comfortable
relying on the facts. In recent years I have learned the value of benchmarking, joining
professional associations, and attending conferences. I don't know if that constitutes as
traditional data, but these things are now what heavily inform my decisions. For decisions
specific to me and my career track, I tend to go with my gut instinct. In my personal choices, I
feel comfortable trusting my internal reflexes. I truly understand that the only person that has to
be happy with my decisions at the end of the day is me.
As a team member, I like to continue the decision-making based on mined information,
previous knowledge, and most heavily on the input from the people participating. These
decisions should be broad, planning decisions. I think that you have to give people the history
and inner-workings of an organization, but also the freedom to reinvent, retry and innovate. I
believe there is nothing more frustrating than not giving people the space to try things. Even if
you are hesitant to let your team attempt something as a leader, it is counterproductive to shoot
down their ideas. If they are successful, then that is great and the outcome you were hoping for,
if they are struggling, it is a growth opportunity that ends with a more attuned employee who
feels supported in striving to achieve new heights. Group input on decisions helps establish big
picture goals and outcomes that everyone on the team is invested in accomplishing.
I think the importance of individual decisions is focused on how questions. I am a
proponent of people needing to know precisely what needs to be done and then leaving it up to
the individual as to how they accomplish it. People take pride in their work if they are allowed to
shape the process. Because of this, I am not a fan of micromanaging or being micromanaged.
When you give people the tools they need to be successful, they feel empowered. Deadlines and
milestones are important, but the creativity in between is what makes things genuinely
innovative.
Conclusion
My experiences and beliefs, as mentioned above, influence every aspect of how I make
decisions. Nothing we do exists in a vacuum. Leadership is abstract, but I think it evolves from
personal experiences and the things that leave a mark on our souls. That is why it is easy to point
out things that make a terrible leader, but the characteristics that make up a good leader almost
seem ephemeral. The elements work only in certain people at certain times. There is no universal
definition of what makes a good leader. In the end, you have to feel like you do the right thing
for yourself and others.

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Rachel DuVall Leadership Statement 1

of it has a significant influence on my leadership perspective. My outlook also has a lot to do

leadership investments. In my opinion, leadership works best when it is transparent, organized,

the responsibility to your followers is paramount. That is my perspective on leadership.

Key Leadership Experiences

As I am in the first decade of my career, most of my crucial leadership experiences have

guidance. It decides what is right for you and what is not.

stay extremely strong.

Like most people, my decision-making pattern is heavily influenced by my experiences.

professional associations, and attending conferences. I don't know if that constitutes as

be happy with my decisions at the end of the day is me.

As a team member, I like to continue the decision-making based on mined information,

I think the importance of individual decisions is focused on how questions. I am a

for yourself and others.

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