So today I met with my leadership group.  (I start almost every blog entry with “so”… I don’t really know why but, just get used to it).   For our final project we were assigned to interview a community leader.  We interviewed the University of South Florida’s former student body president Cesar Hernandez.

First time I laid eyes on this dude I knew he was worth something.  Not in a materialistic kinda way, I just knew he was headed in the right direction.  I’m pretty good with vibes.  I mean he looks like Fabio and walks like Hov (demands attention even if it’s not intentional).  Long story short…Dude got swag.  What I admire most about Hernandez is his humbleness.  As an undergrad student he has made so many changes within the University and worldwide.  He’s travelled from the roads of Uganda to the streets of D.C. and met Barack.

Our main purpose of the meeting was to gain knowledge on how to become a better leader.   Hernandez’s advice “One must have self- governance.”

What does that mean?

Simply put, in order to be a better leader, you have to start with you.  Ask yourself these questions:

What internal or lifestyle changes must you make to become the best you?

Is what you are doing going to be noticed as commendable when or if it’s brought to light?

As an aspiring lifestyle coach this spoke to me.   It’s as if he hit me with a textbook in my face.  He basically said in my vernacular “Shorty get real with yo’ self.”

Sometimes as college students we fall into temptation.  We do things knowing that the situation we place ourselves in might not be the smartest thing to do or smartest move to make.  We are human!  Make mistakes, learn from them, but the lesson is really instilled when the same mistake is not made more than once.

Real talk; I have to work on my self-governance skills.  My mom always used to say to me as a child “Krissy, would Jesus like if you did that?”  LOL!!! I used to get soooo upset when she said that to me…  Like, woman why you gotta bring in religion?

Seriously speaking, I do need to think twice with that motto in mind before I make moves.  How can I be the kind of leader I want to be if I don’t “watch my p’s and q’s?”  I’m not trying to be one of those hypocritical leaders.  I want the women that I mentor to know that the advice I share is real…from the heart.

So, what am I going to do from now on?

For one, I don’t regret any of the decisions that I have made in the past.  My professor said this in class this week “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice…shame on ME.”  I’m learning, I’m maturing…Experience is one of the best teachers.  However, experience doesn’t always have to be your downfall.  (I think my sister said that to me last week too…)

Readers; this post can be summed up with this Jay-Z quote:

 (Image found on http://www.leahmabel.com/)

And remember what Cesar Hernandez said

“To be a leader one must have self-governance”

Reflect on yourself…

What changes do You need to make to become a better leader/ person?