Developing Leaders &
Community Ties
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I’ve had the privilege of holding multiple leadership positions while serving in the National Guard and while attending USC. One of the most rewarding leadership experiences I've held was in Army ROTC where I served as the Gamecock Battalion commander and was directly responsible for the Army ROTC programs at multiple Universities such as: The University of South Carolina (Columbia), Morris College, Benedict College, Allen College, Francis Marion University and Coastal Carolina University. This meant that I was responsible for the development and training of over 250 future Army officers. Coordination, communication, and disciplined initiative was key in leading the Battalion. However, the most important part of the developing process was instilling a sense of belonging and camaraderie within the Battalion.
Gamecock Battalion Shield
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Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
The importance of belonging within an organization is a concept first developed by an American psychologist named Abraham Maslow. His concept, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, explained that in order to reach an individual's maximum potential they had to have a sense of belonging. This was first taught to me in POLI 370 - Introduction to Public Administration, the notes I took in class led to my success as a leader. I first applied this concept by hosting a food drive within the Battalion for a local food bank, Harvest Hope. By the end of the food drive we had collected over 660 lbs of non-perishable foods to donate. The second event was a clothing drive that the Battalion hosts annually, where over 100 pieces of clothing were collected and donated to the Salvation Army. The biggest lesson learned while I was the Battalion Commander was that leaders need to know how to delegate and communicate effectively and that one individual alone will never be able to make an impact bigger than a collective group.
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This leadership lesson was reinforced by POLI 370 which heavily focused on management strategies, specifically on Neo-Classical management or people focused management. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs taught me that the key to realizing a person's full potential is by creating a sense of belonging within an organization. After multiple volunteer and community events, such as the food and clothing drive, we had a collective sense of purpose but we were still individuals working as a team. In order to establish a sense of belonging within ROTC, we decided to host social events through the fall. This included a bowling night, pumpkin carving contests, and even a movie night. The last social event within the Battalion was the Fall 2022 Christmas Party, where we had dozens Cadets and developed an almost family-like bond. The notes I took, and management styles I learned in POLI 370, specifically Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, played an essential role in serving our communities as well as developing and fostering Esprit De Corps within the Gamecock Battalion and will continue to help me lead leaders in the United States Army for the rest of my career.
Artifacts
Gamecock Battalion Fall Volunteer Efforts
POLI370: Neo-Classical
Gamecock Battalion Fall Volunteer Efforts
POLI370: Neo-Classical
| Gamecock Battalion Fall 2022 |
| POLI370: Neo-Classical Notes |