Capstone Sa

What?

 

This is the social change value I have practiced the most and the one which I enjoy the most. As a firm believer of the power of education, citizenship to me means contributing to all communities, especially those which I have embraced throughout time, such that people can enjoy better quality of life, services, and especially more equal conditions. Citizenship deals with the level of commitment one has towards his or her community and to which extent they collaborate to the community through leadership action.

 

We all experience citizenship on a daily basis, it is on the care we have towards keeping our grass trimmed, in saying good morning to our neighbors, or in choosing well the politicians who represent us in the law making processes. Citizenship involves responsibility and active care all of which are essential for good and effective leadership practice. Leaders are expected to set the example to others as well as they are to work for the improvement of life in society all of which demonstrate the connection between leadership and the societal value of citizenship.

 

So What?

 

Actively caring, the main idea behind citizenship, is important not only to cause changes in one’s day to day life but also to improve the overall quality of life in society. In leadership activity, citizenship accounts for this sense of caring, good leaders know and care for the wellbeing of their followers, of their communities, and they are able to maintain the common goal as their main focus. Furthermore, citizenship reminds both leaders and followers of the importance of their work and the potential impacts of it which fosters curiosity, creativity, and passion.

 

Citizenship is also important because it relates directly to responsibility. Leaders are expected to guide followers towards change, towards improvement and this comes at the cost of great responsibility. Those who set forth efforts towards the betterment of any condition about which they are passionate are under a great deal of responsibility exactly because of their due diligence of acting in good citizenship. Thus, citizenship holds leaders accountable for their work and reminds us all the effects of our actions, as leaders and followers, in life in society.

 

Now What?

 

I plan on continuing to learn more and more after I finish this minor. My objective is to improve myself as a leader which walks hand in hand with improving myself as a citizen. Citizenship, to me, starts with the little action such as not littering or not honking the horn as much while driving and those little things are important to me as I would like to become the change I want to see in the world and I am confident that this is a good place to start.

 

Citizenship recognizes the common purpose of any leadership work and it reiterates the importance of it. Moreover, this societal value acknowledges the interdependence between people regardless of whether their ideas coincide or not, it reaffirms the importance of working for social justice and change which is my ultimate goal as a leader and as a citizen.