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Nicholas Hoffmann
Peer Leader Honors Reflective Essay
Fall 2014-Spring 2015 Academic Year
There are several meanings for the word leader. There is the classical
definition referring to someone who tries to make a difference in the world.
There is also the positional leader, or someone who has a title, like
supervisor, manager, or director (Komives, 1998). At the start of my Peer
Leader experience, I perceived leaders as outspoken individuals who are able
to motivate people to action with words. Honestly, I think this is how many
people feel. We see the president and celebrities make speeches or
comments, and we look up to them as leaders. Something I never considered
was that someone like myself, who is quieter by nature, can be just as an
effective leader. In Taoist writings, it is said that, the highest level of
leadership is virtually invisible. The Quiet Leader is a concept that was
completely foreign to me. Discovering this leadership philosophy and
comparing it to my own style has shifted my traditional view of leadership. A
quiet leader is someone who bases success on thought and action, rather
than words, and finds ego and aggression to be counterproductive
("Leadership styles", n.d ). This essay will reflect on how I discovered my
quiet leadership style and how my style helped me as a PL.
Coming into the Peer Leader role, my ultimate goal was to push myself
outside of my comfort zone and develop my own leadership style. Taking on
this type of leadership role never seemed like a possibility for me. Honestly, I

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didnt think I had the self-confidence or the leadership skills to be a good
Peer Leader. At that point, I had tunnel vision on the traditional view of
leadership. However, I still applied and was accepted for the position.
Throughout the year, I faced challenges with some of the six roles of a
Peer Leader. Among these, the facilitator, connector, and leader aspects
challenged me the most. My facilitation skills were weak when I began my
Peer Leader experience. I was unsure of how exactly to facilitate the
meaningful discussions that were pivotal to LC activities. I also wasnt good
about keeping activities on-track. I think this happened partly because I was
unsure how to facilitate, and partly because my students had yet to buy
into the Learning Community experience. As I moved through the first
semester, I picked up on several tricks to keep discussions and activities ontrack. Two things I found really helpful were keeping everything laid-back and
having a sense of humor. In addition, when my students discovered the
benefits and advantages of the LC experience, our discussions and activities
began to flow naturally.
I was also weak in the connector role. I feel, as a quieter person, it is
sometimes harder for me to network and put myself out there. I resolved this
by simply pushing myself to connect with other students in other
organizations. Although it was uncomfortable, I am glad that I pushed myself.
Now, I have a network of connections and the necessary skills to be a
successful connector later in my professional career and life in general.

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The leader role was also something I struggled with. Like I said, I
always looked at the charismatic, outgoing, and outspoken individuals to be
the true leaders. I can honestly say that I didnt see myself as a leader (nor
did I think I would ever become one) as I entered into the Peer Leader role.
But, every aspect of the experience the planning, the LC meetings, the PL
meetings, and the various FYE events has helped shape me into the
successful leader I am today. I also attribute my success to my Peer Leader
Captain, Rachel DeLord. She had a big part in helping me see myself as a
leader. Rachel is similar to me in that she is also a quieter person. She gave
me someone to look up to throughout the entire experience, considering that
I had never really worked with a quiet leader before.
I feel that I did very well with the co-worker, mentor, and learning
coach roles. While these were less of a challenge for me, I can absolutely say
that I grew upon the solid foundation that was already in place. In the real
world, you can never stop growing as an individual, co-worker, or leader,
considering that interacting with others is a large part of most professional
careers and life in general. In terms of mentoring, I feel that I am very strong
in one-on-one settings, which served me well during my one-on-one
meetings with my students. In fact, my one-on-ones were some of the best
memories I have of my Learning Community. Finally, being a learning coach
came pretty naturally to me. Having taken all of the courses previously, I felt
very confident creating activities and giving advice to my students.

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Throughout the experience, I had many successes and challenges.
While most of the PL role was a challenge, there is one that specifically
stands out to me. One of my students continually missed LC meetings. While
I tried several times to reach out to him throughout both semesters, I feel as
though he just had a tough transition to university life. Like myself, he was a
quiet person and I feel that he struggled making new friends and handling
the stress of the classes and the new environment. At times, I felt like a huge
failure to this student. I honestly wish I could have done more. If this
challenge has taught me anything, it is that no one is a perfect leader.
Sometimes, it is best to let go and hope for the best. And for that student, I
really do hope for the best, and I also hope he knows that my door is still
always open.
Along with the challenges, there were many successes throughout my
PL experience. One of the first was reading all of the feedback from my
students each semester. It was nice to see all the positive comments, and
the constructive criticism really helped me grow as a PL and as a leader in
general. The second success was being selected as PL of the Week for
week two in spring semester. I was so proud, especially considering that I
never thought I would ever be considered a good Peer Leader. The
confidence I gained propelled me to continue to better myself as a leader,
which in turn benefitted my students. Finally, the most memorable success
was receiving an email from one of my students after the last day of LC. Here
is a short excerpt: I just wanted to take a minute to let you know how much

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I appreciated you and our learning community this yearit was always the
bright spot in my weekOver the course of this year I truly began to think of
our group as a family This email solidified the fact that becoming a PL was
one of the best decisions I have made as an undergrad. I am so glad that I
was able to make even a small difference in a students life. This experience
has been one of the most memorable of my undergraduate career.
Before I conclude, I would like to give some advice to future Peer
Leaders, especially those like myself who question their abilities as a leader.
The first piece of advice I can give is, Dont sell yourself short. Throughout
the year, I would remind myself of this and I would also tell it to my students.
Coming into the PL experience, it can seem scary and overwhelming. Push
yourself outside of your comfort zone; make new connections and work hard
to make your students first year experience awesome. The position will be
very rewarding. My second piece of advice is that leadership can be taught.
If you have the drive and the desire to take on new challenges, you can be
an outstanding Peer Leader.
As I look forward to next year, I am very sad that I will not be able to
serve as a Peer Leader again. I have said many times that I enjoyed the
position so much that I would do it for free. Sadly, due to my clinical
practicum, I will be unable to return. However, I have learned so much about
myself, and I have made lasting friendships with my LC and with my fellow
PLs. Moving forward from here, I feel that anything is possible. I have gained
confidence, leadership skills, and my own leadership style. At the beginning

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of the experience, I did not see myself as a peer educator; I did not have the
self-confidence or the drive to put myself out there and make a difference. I
never saw myself as a leader. I now understand that there isnt just one type
of leader. It doesnt matter whether you are outgoing and opinionated, or
quiet and introverted; anyone can be a leader as long as you actively work
towards making a difference.
I have no doubt that my newfound desire to take on new leadership
roles and challenges are due to my PL experience. In the upcoming years, I
hope to use my knowledge and growth to tackle new challenges. I am
considering applying for a Nationally Competitive Award, like the Fulbright
Scholarship. I am also beginning to think about the next steps in my
education, like where I would like to apply for medical schools. I am confident
that the Peer Leader experience and the leadership skills I gained will be
used throughout my academic and professional careers, as well as the other
facets of my life.

Leadership Philosophies Referenced

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Komives, S., & Lucas, N. (1998). An Introduction to Leadership. In Exploring
leadership: For college students who want to make a difference (pp. 331). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Leadership styles. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2015, from
http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/styles/leadership_style
s.htm