Leadership

"The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant." —Max DePree

I've always said that being a leader will take you places. To be a leader, you must be courageous in the face of opposition, instill a vision to lead your people, and the heart to know when they need you.

During my last semester of college, I knew I had to hold onto those words if I expected to lead my team of account planners, media planners, customer experience planners, and creatives in the capstone class. When some of my team members would feel like giving up, I recited a quote from the movie Hotel Artemis. "You have to work with what ya got, not what ya hope for."

I feel that it was my responsibility to keep my team grounded, and let them know that if we pushed through it, we could get anything done with what was given to us. I've had countless team members tell me that none of what we did could have gotten done without me, and that makes me feel like my job as a leader was a success.

To Lead is to Care

COVID-19

No one would have to tell you that 2020 was full of surprises. In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, things changed at LSU. Almost all of our classes transitioned to online, but there were times when we had to collaborate in-person. Sometimes, it felt like we had no other choice because communicating through webinar or Zoom wasn't sufficient, and our professor wanted us to meet in-person. What else are we to do?... Adjust.

I led my team to take action, and I made sure to remind everyone to take necessary precautions before meeting in-person. I recommended everyone to get tested and quarantine until we were to meet. I also packed lots of alcohol wipes and offered them to students to wipe off their desks before sitting. Lastly, I made sure that everyone was spaced out accordingly, everyone wore masks, and everyone followed LSU's safety protocol.

I care about the people who are on my team. In this instance, our professor required us to meet. So, I made sure that everyone would remain safe, and if they didn't feel comfortable, I made sure that I filled them in on everything if they did not attend.

Hobbies and vision

Being in quarantine can take a serious toll on mental health. For the Capstone Project at LSU, I wanted to make sure that everyone was taking the time they needed in order to be in tip-top shape, both mentally and physically.

I encouraged my team to reach out to me at any point, and I would always be there to listen. I wanted everyone to know that there was more to life than just work and sleep. So, I added team members to my social media and gaming profiles so we could play games and chat with one another. I also encouraged them to pick up hobbies, like sewing and dancing, so they would be able to produce more creativity.

I also told everyone of my vision. I reminded everyone that we would all be together for graduation. We would all be able to get our diplomas, and we would all be ecstatic to know that we created an advertising campaign that would knock our client's socks off. I believe communicating a vision to a team is vital if they are to succeed.

Gregory Lasseigne

Leadership

"The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant." —Max DePree

To Lead is to Care

COVID-19

Hobbies and vision