Still Becoming: Embracing the Journey of Impactful Leadership

My name is Elosy Mwendwa from Kenya. I am dedicated to creating a lasting impact in people’s lives and contributing to their growth by encouraging them, giving back to the community, volunteering, and inspiring them through my journey. After reading the book Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell, I gained an immense amount of inspiration, motivation, and encouragement about what it truly means to lead.

Right now, I am building a powerful community at a young age while still pursuing my undergraduate studies. This is a community designed to help the less fortunate, orphans, and those who are in need of support. Beyond that, I have joined different communities that contribute to the growth of young children who do not have access to technology, teaching and educating them in digital literacy skills.

It was not always this way. When I was 15 years old, my passion to help was already there, but I thought I could not lead an initiative. I was afraid because I believed I lacked the skills to lead. However, because my vision was always to give back to the community, I kept telling myself that I wanted to build my own initiative to impact lives. The words that came out of my mouth every single time eventually became my greatest encouragement.

The interest was there, and the passion was there, but I still felt incapable. When I joined the university, things changed. I started speaking up, reading life-story books, and developing my confidence to communicate with others. A good leader should be confident to speak in front of others, and working on this contributed massively to my personal growth.

During this journey, I wrote a quote that guided me: "No one was born a leader. Leadership is a skill. You learn it, you develop it, and you become one."

After going through the Aspire Leadership Program (ALP), I learned even more about leadership. Sharing this with you will have a great impact because so many women think they cannot lead, that they are incapable, or that only men can lead.

To break down those misconceptions, here is what leadership truly is – and what it isn't:

It is a decision, not a birthright: Leadership is a state, not a genetic trait. No one is born a leader; you choose to learn, develop the skills, and step up to lead.

It is a social science, not a physical metric: It has nothing to do with a person's height, background, or physical attributes. Anyone can learn it.

It is about influence, not a title: Leadership is not defined by a formal position or authority. It is defined by vision, and the ability to inspire and guide others.

It is about purpose: True leadership is rooted entirely in creating meaning and making a positive impact.

Don’t just be a leader. Instead, be a leader of impact who values those around you, making their work seen, worthwhile, and acknowledged.

We often struggle with leading communities and projects because we lower ourselves. In this arena of technology, women sometimes find it hard to lead a group, do a presentation, or even speak up when we are drained with work in our workplaces. Remember that you are a human being too. No one can replace you, but your work is replaceable. Prioritize your mental health and stay positive about what you want to achieve in this life.

When you truly want to achieve something, the universe will conspire to help you achieve it. Do not lower yourself, do not think you are incapable, and do not limit your inner knowledge. Take the lead and build the person you want to be.

So far, I have planned, led, and executed at least five community projects. I treat my teammates with respect, viewing them as valuable in my eyes, and everything has gone successfully. I was not born a leader. Instead, I became positive about it, made the decision, learned the skills, and created meaning in everything I did.

I am still becoming. I am still embracing the journey positively.

Don’t just be a leader. Instead, be an impactful leader. Create meaning. Create impact.