Leadership isn’t just about being on top and having all the power and authority over a particular group, or party; it is about teamwork.

For over a period of 18 weeks, I was elected to be the CEO of a simulated company in our school for the Junior Achievement Company Program. I was proud to have earned such a position, but I was soon to learn the hard way that being on top is not as glorious as it sounds.

Every week for 2 hours I stood before a group of 22 high school students, all with individual minds of their own, waiting to contribute their ideas and thoughts to the development of this company. I felt I needed to listen to everyone’s opinions to be a good leader, but instead it made everything worse. Listening to one, I had to listen to another. I wanted to be fair.

Before long, inner conflicts began to rise and problems of the company surfaced. Such a rigorous activity like Junior Achievement needed dedicated commitment and like any other company, ours needed better communication. The process of self-improvement is easier said than done, but as the leader I had to set an example. Being CEO meant more than just overlooking the progress of each department, I had to keep everyone motivated and instill hope and creativity in the hearts of all the members, even during the hardest times.

It is no doubt that many of my friends were also part of the company; however, these personal relationships cannot get in the way. To be respected, I had to be worthy of it. Positions had to be earned through hard work, just like in the real world. This also included gossips and rumors that were ubiquitous about my performance as a CEO, my executive decisions and overall progress of this entrepreneurial business. At the beginning, these false claims got to me, and sometimes I felt betrayed, but I’ve been through that before; I had to keep standing even when members walk out on me. Instead of confrontation, I simply did better. I didn’t dismiss any of these gossips or rumors, because their existence reflected the feelings of many in the company. They were inevitable; everyone do things differently. 

We all know everyone shares different opinions, but in this world, it isn’t always a democracy. Listening, as I previously thought, may be vital, but at times executive decisions were a more practical solution. I had learned to balance the ideas and opinions contributed by the company with the power I possessed. Family and friends are still fascinated by the position I had once held, vicariously living the excitement of the power. I agree. It was an experience of a lifetime, but not because of the power. The power did not teach me how to listen to others, or keep the company motivated; it was the teamwork.