EMPLOYEE-DIRECTED LEADERSHIP

As a writing intern with getGFTD, I am seen differently than I have been in previous positions. Each GFTD intern has something they are good at. Individually, we all have our own thoughts and ideas about ways to share the app and website with the world. During discussions with the other interns about said ideas, we discuss how each person can contribute to that goal, whether it be our graphics intern making an Instagram post about a blog I wrote or our marketing intern using a flyer I created in a presentation. Each person on the team has a role in contributing to the goal in some shape or form.

‍

This was all very new to me. In previous positions, I’ve had a boss and a few coworkers who worked a similar job to me, but we never collaborated. I didn’t know how to ensure I was doing a good enough job within the collaborative space of the gerGFTD interns.

‍

When I discussed my worries with my boss, Nina, she told me not to worry and introduced me to her mindset in the workplace. She called it “Employee-Directed Leadership.” I’d never heard of this before, and I’m sure you, the reader, haven’t either. When I asked her to elaborate, she explained it as “skill-transferring” and “hybrid thinking.”

‍

She said that each team member has skills they are good at. Instead of working individually, each person contributes their abilities by working together to make a final product. An organization is a machine, and it’s good when individual parts function, but it’s even better when they can work together to power it. 

‍

Allowing each person to hone in on their skills, leads to each feeling empowered because they have a voice. Nina shared that “a team should work horizontally, not vertically. Everyone is equal. Everyone is an asset.” It’s interesting to see this mindset in a leader. I have worked positions where I am just another number and know that I could be replaced in a second. But here, I know I have an important role on the team. I feel seen. 

‍

In this position, I’ve had the space to explore skills and make mistakes. I have never taken a marketing or a design class, so this is the first time I’ve designed flyers and advertised an app to people. I am given the room to make mistakes and discover new tactics. 

Recently, we reached out to the Govans’ Farmers Market to discuss the use of getGFTD with vendors. Instead of me simply putting together an email and one of our graphics interns making a separate advertisement, we worked together. We made a cohesive flyer where I wrote the informational blurbs, and he created the design. 

‍

To work with interns who aren’t doing the same thing as me is incredibly fulfilling because we create products I never would have been able to do on my own. I feel excited to bring new ideas regarding the app and website to the table, even though I’m not knowledgeable about app development. 

‍

With Nina’s model of “Employee-Directed Leadership,” I feel eager to reach out to the other interns and ask for their assistance on projects. I’m no longer nervous to speak up about concerns or ideas that could bring a new light to someone’s project. 

‍

A leader with this mindset creates braver employees who are excited to branch out. This means Nina doesn’t have to worry about us being stagnant. We all have projects, posts, blogs, etc, that we are excited to work on. She gives us the space to collaborate creatively. I feel valued and recognize my purpose on this team.

‍