Leading Together: Propose Your Ideas

Interested in improving your leadership skills, practicing public speaking, networking with other students, and sharing your experiences? Then consider proposing an idea for Leading Together! Why not seize this opportunity to shoot your idea and present at the conference on January 12, 2019? Not only can you gain invaluable experience to add to your resume, but you can also learn lots, meet new people, and hopefully have fun! Here’s some tips for shooting your shot: 1) Be yourself - what is it like to be you? What are your ideas, experiences, and stories? 2) Draw from experience - what ideas would you like to share and how does it relate to your experience(s)? 3) Relay your knowledge - how can you relate what you’ve learned (whether in school, work, or in everyday life) to the ideas and experiences you’d like to share? And can your knowledge be shared to help others? 4) Use your imagination - think about how you want to tell your story. Do you want to present it outside the box, inside the box? Maybe there is no box? Use that creative mind of yours to bring your story to life.

5) Stick to your values - what matters to you, and why does it matter? Sprinkle all that TLC (tender loving care) of yours into what you have to share. 6) Assess your boundaries - what are your goals and how will you achieve them? What is comfortable, and what is challenging? 7) Collaborate with others - do you want to present alone? If no, then why not co-present with someone else? Propose an idea with a friend or colleague. And even if you decide to present your idea independently, the Leading Together team is ready to support you with training, practice and feedback. 8) Just go for it - whether you have a sliver of an idea or a full-blown master plan, why not propose what you have? This is NOT your traditional research/grant proposal or personal statement. The process is completely informal and open to all. There’s no need to write an essay, just spit out those ideas, and hit submit. If you need some inspiration for specific ideas, here’s a list of some themes and past presentations: Potential Ideas for Themes: • International experiences • Self-care, balance, and wellness • Communication and team dynamics • Representation of different identities in leadership • Shaping different leadership styles • Pushing boundaries and entrepreneurship Past Presentation Titles: • "There's an Elephant in the Room" (group tension/conflict) • "An Introvert's Guide to Leadership" • "Let's Talk About It" (sex & consent) • "Life After Undergrad" • "Hacks 101: Networking Game" • "The Creative Academic" • "Difference as Power" (different identities in leadership & power hierarchies) Fill out the Leading Together proposal form to submit your ideas. If you’re not interested in presenting at the conference and would just like to attend, registrations will be open in December on CLNx. For more information and event updates, you can follow the Leading Together Facebook page. If you have any questions, email leadership@utoronto.ca