As a student, it's easy to get lost in the daily grind of classes, assignments, part-time jobs, hobbies, or worries about the future. However, when I heard about She Leads, a leadership workshop specifically designed for female students, the desire to step out of my routine and explore something new was sparked. Little did I know that the small step of registering for She Leads would lead to a path of transformative experience, reshaping my understanding of leadership, teamwork, and self-awareness.

What is She Leads?

Our facilitators, Roisin Macartney and Deirdre Lynskey, during the four half-day sessions over the course of 8 weeks, helped us delve into leadership in a way that was both interactive and deeply personal. Each session began with a different icebreaker which set a comfortable tone for the rest of the day.

Find out more about She Leads

Sessions were highly interactive. Roisin or Deirdre would start by briefing us on topics, encourage opinion-sharing, and then delve deeper into the subjects. They allowed time for discussions, leading the cohort to collective conclusions. The two-week breaks between sessions provided ample time for us to reflect, complete questionnaires, and return with renewed energy for deeper curiosity for next.

Small Cohorts, Big Connections

As someone who tends to be introverted, the small cohort was perfect for me as it allowed for more one-on-one conversations. Teams were serendipitously chosen by picking different coloured pawns and it helped us form stronger connections and learn from each other in meaningful ways.

Exploring self discovery and team building topics

We explored topics like values at work, elevator pitch, limiting beliefs, team behaviours, 16 personalities, personal preferences, power types, and character strengths. Although I had taken the 16 personalities test before, this workshop helped me see it in a new light—not just as a tool for self-reflection, but as a way to understand and interact better with others.

Why did Queen's students choose to participate in She Leads?

Deirdre introduced us to the PowerTypes, a concept that highlights distinct leadership energies like the Lover, Queen, Sorceress, Warrioress, and Mother. While one PowerType might naturally be more prominent in you, the key is to cultivate access to all these energies, allowing you to draw on the most suitable one in any given situation.

A Lesson in Collaboration

I could not have asked for a better team. My teammates came from different degrees and levels of study, which enriched our discussions and broadened my understanding of balancing academics, part-time jobs, and extracurricular activities.

The 2024 cohort

Personal Reflections

1. Limiting Beliefs: One of the light bulb moments for me was about limiting beliefs. I once believed I wasn't good at teamwork, but this workshop showed that I just needed the right, motivated teammates. This insight was a turning point, transforming my approach to collaboration.
2. Facing Presentations Fearlessly: In the final session when the teams had to present about the self-chosen topics regarding female leadership, I was completely fearless for the first time ever. I had prepared post-its with key points in case I went blank, but I didn’t even need to use them. This gave me the confidence to speak in larger rooms later in my student life.
3. Traffic Lights analogy: The green, orange, and red traffic lights analogy guided us in deciding what to start, continue, or stop doing. It encouraged me to say "YES" to new opportunities, continue reflecting, and stop doubting my abilities.
4. Healthy debate and respectful disagreement: The structured discussions allowed for diverse personality preferences to have healthy debates to be expressed and understood, fostering growth and collaboration among differing viewpoints.
5. The Value of the Cohort: Most importantly, learning from the cohort is invaluable, no matter where it is. My favourite insight from a fellow She Leader was, “If you say yes to this, what are you saying no to?”

The Road Ahead

She Leads has been more than just a workshop; it’s been a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. I’ve gained new skills, built lasting connections, and most importantly, discovered a leader within myself that I never knew existed and I intend to continue with this. I continue to view Deirdre and Roisin as my mentors and draw immense inspiration from them. If you ever have the chance to participate in She Leads or a similar programme, I highly recommend you to seize it—you might just end up surprising yourself!

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Sai Sree Kurra MSc Management | Postgraduate Student | India Hello fellow students and passionate readers!! I'm an enthusiastic cinephile, cynophile and bibliophile. Watching and occasionally participating in sports gives me immense joy, with cricket being my favourite. I am extremely passionate and devoted to mental health awareness. Volunteering for significant causes makes my heart feel full. Coming to my professional background, I'm an ambitious student pursuing a Master's in Management. Former perfectionist, now striving to balance ambition and passion with compassion and self care. My professional interests include Leadership, Marketing, Strategy, and Business Consulting. As a lifelong learner, I constantly seek opportunities for learning and development and love to challenge myself.