#LEADSTAND 2: Aggressive vs Progressive
If you were a leader, which one more effective?
Being an aggressive leader, or, progressive one?
If someone were given me this question I would like to say, honestly, I choose both! I felt both condition when I responsible as an editor in chief of Ultimagz, Student Press of Multimedia Nusantara University. My regime was taken started from 2012 until the end of 2013.
When I was in college, I believe from what Tom Stoppard said; “journalism is more immediate short-term weapon.” Being a leader of newsroom was challenging for me, especially as a woman. How come? Actually, my less confidence was an opposite sign as people might see me looked like the most confidence one in the room. I could say, my lack of confidence was a result of being bullied on my childhood time. I brought back my self-respect and faith since I started middle school. Back then, I got several experience that made me keep criticize myself. As an example, I failed to put into High School Students Council. I spent my teenage time trying to survive and graduated.
So, when I learn to know more about myself and I knew I should develop myself and put myself first. I supported myself to reach out college in journalism courses. I picked the university by myself. So, once I enjoyed it, I knew I can make it well.
Back to the topic, I started my college by read books than people usually did. I used to learn before the class started. I wasn’t spent too much time on shopping or traveling with friends. I also applied for Executive Student Board. I keep on my mind, leadership needs passion, persistence, resilience, and responsibility. Leaders always need problems to be solved. That’s why the meant of leadership for me is lead yourself properly before you lead other. You have to solved your own problem before make it true for other people.
I can state to you, readers, that, being a leader on student press wasn’t easy at all. Fortunately, my lecturers at the university build my capacity on facing future journalism. Media convergence between 2009 -2010 since Google machine expanding too much information, made our team moved to online platform. We were not only published our report on magazine version. Due the transition, I took the lead of newsroom, managed contents by spare the team into two for magazine and for online, I had to cross-checked and edited articles before it published. Besides my study hours, my job obviously took my rest time. I remembered, when I called by our rector because Ultimagz published an article about Papua Human Rights. They said it was too brave for students. I taste bit consequences then, when campus didn’t supported us financially any longer. It all was because of next published article criticize their system continuously. Chosen as editor in chief in my early stage of life successfully created me as responsible, resilient, and persistent person. It changed me a lot from someone that always look like people pleaser, becoming someone more assertive.
At some point, condition that made me assertive as a leader then can accepted differently from my team perspective. Let’s say, when I tried to finished deadline as it was promised, I insisted it to my team, they had to make it done. I was being very bossy and captious. I managed them but sometime, they said it felt like a terror. I also got angry easily when one of my team without any excuses said to exit from the organization.
For the first time in my life, I gave my best effort to my team. I tried to evaluate myself every time I knew I was crossed the line. This journey thought me about not only leadership but respecting other people. Respect means you need to be aware not only team needs, but also individual needs. You know how to taking care of each of one on your team, fairly, objectively but also full of ethics of care.
I never know that my persistence would lead me achieved a bronze medal of Indonesia Student Print Media Award held by Press Company Union on 2014. It was the first time of UMN got an award. Then, our student press acknowledged among universities. Since then, Ultimagz have been received many achievements in national scale. I could say that, I’ve reached record as the founder achievements of award on Ultimagz’s history.
To conclude, I can say aggressive is the most easiest respond that we can took when we were a leader. If it really inevitable to resist, then all you need to do are: reflect and evaluate yourself. It should be doing mutually and continuously until it become your habit. Once you know your fault and emphasis it, change your behavior, then you are one step ahead of becoming progressive leader.
Knowing yourself. Embrace challenges! Be progressive!
