Keith MacDougall

I consider myself a leader. As the ability to provide encouragement, maintain respect, and ensure the direction of a team, leadership is a crucial component to success both within and beyond the world of academia. In my capacity as an a math tutor, I used my leadership ability to prepare a group of struggling junior highschool students for their exams. Many of these students had behavioural challenges, leading to conflicts in traditional classroom settings. Mutual respect was crucial, and so I tailored my strategy to be more team oriented. I alternated group lessons and individual help by having students who understood a topic assist others who struggled. As a part of my teamwork strategy, I focused on maintaining a structured environment while ensuring that the students felt I was a part of the team. This combination of order and encouragement was essential, as it allowed students to focus their attention on the upcoming exam. To help, I motivated them to set goals they could realistically achieve. Due to my decisive, team-oriented style of leadership and empathetic approach, I feel I epitomize the definition of effective leadership.