LLL Leadership Workshop

Saturday, the 4th of May was a cold, rainy morning, the interns rose early and made their way to Van Der Sterr, eager to set up for the day’s workshop. The event was led by the brilliant Spurgeon-Haddon Wilson, a Stellenbosch University Law graduate with extensive experience in leadership. The morning began with a thought-provoking prompt: how do we show up as leaders within our respective spaces? As we pondered this question, Spurgeon shared an inspiring quote by Nancy Kline: “The quality of everything we do depends on the quality of the thinking we do first.” This set the tone for our discussions on the essence of leadership, tracing its evolution from the Great Man Theory of the 1800s to the transformative leadership models we embrace today.

Sheets of A3 paper were handed out as we were introduced to the "river of life" activity, which guided us in understanding ourselves within this metaphorical river. This reflective process involved constructing our own river of life, identifying significant "rocks" as life-altering moments, and acknowledging the people who have shaped and guided the flow of our river. This activity quickly became a favorite among many participants, as evidenced by the positive feedback we received. Following this, we enjoyed a warm coffee break and breakfast, filled with thoughtful conversations and the opportunity to view each other’s rivers of life.

The morning's energy remained high as we moved into the next segment of the workshop, which was a lively conversation about culture, which quickly zeroed in on the culture in Stellenbosch, becoming a hot topic of discussion. Spurgeon reminded us that culture cannot be changed through a leadership imposition; instead, it can only be transformed through deep learning, achievable by maintaining a growth mindset. A fellow LLL’er shared a poignant observation: “As someone in positional student leadership, these conversations can be quite demotivating as you realize that students need a greater platform to be heard. The inputs from various students—in positional and non-positional leadership—made me realize that there is a way to lead without having all of the power or authority to make decisions. It is called collaboration and innovation—that is where student leadership is most effective.”

In the final segment of the workshop, we focused on cultivating a growth mindset. This process involves developing purposeful leadership, which entails inspiring the need for change, as well as for leaders themselves to practice what they preach by undergoing personal transformation. Additionally, the crucial role of collaboration was highlighted; involving more people in the processes for change can significantly accelerate progress. Overall, the LLL workshop was exceptionally well-curated and interactive, sparking engaging discussions on leadership, fostering a growth mindset, and advocating for change, even when lacking complete autonomy.

As the workshop drew to a close, we were encouraged to reflect on the day's lessons and think about how to apply them in our daily lives. The final discussion centered on the importance of continuous learning and adapting as leaders. The session ended on a high note, as attendees left the workshop feeling inspired and equipped with new tools to make a positive impact within the LLL community, as well as the other communities in which they serve.