Misconceptions about leadership were rife in Taylor Browning’s mind before she attended RYLA, the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy. To be a good leader, she assumed you have to be confident. To be a good leader, she believed you need to be a good public speaker. To be a good leader, she was sure you have to be strong. Then she attended a week-long RYLA event at Camp Menucha and learned she was mistaken.
Alison Stone, daughter of long-time Tigard Rotary Club members, Mike and Melody Stone, didn’t have any expectations of what RYLA would be like. She gave a run-down of the seven-day workshop she attended with Taylor.
Day 1: Ice breakers and Improvisation games
Day 2: History of Rotary
Day 3: Myers Briggs Personality Inventory. The test looks at how each person processes 4 basic areas of their life: Energy, Information, Decision-making, and Life. Alison found out she is an INTP. Taylor, on the other hand, is an INFP. The Inventory is useful in helping people understand and improve how they interact with others. Participants generally align more strongly with one type in each of four pairs: I = Introverted/E = Extroverted, N = iNtuitive/S = Sensing, T = Thinking/J = Judging, F = Feeling/P = Perceiving.
Day 4: Family Day and attachment theory.
Day 5: Business Day; finding success and passion.
Day 6: Exploring values; how to encourage groups to work toward a single goal.
Day 7: Leadership and Service.
The takeaway for both young women was the importance of giving your time, talent, and treasure to lift up others. Leadership is not really about titles. It is focusing on others and working to improve humanity.