Nowadays we live in a world where things seem to have gone a bit wrong: we’re talking poverty,hunger and political and economical instability. All these issues (and many other) are gaining ground in our societies, yet some of our leaders seem to have lost interest in their people.
But that is where AIESEC steps in: we believe that the youth united can build the pillars for a new society. And because we know that believing is not enough, we also chose to act.
The concept of leadership has changed throughout the years so much. If one thinks about it, a leader was always someone who represented the people and ‘lead’ them to a better living. It was someone who did their best for the prosperity of the community. Because they believed that, if the community thrives as a whole, each member of that community will benefit from it and flourish as well. Such simple thinking back then. Well, how about now? Our species is supposed to have evolved, are leaders nowadays (not only on a large scale)? People dedicate themselves to their leaders, but where do they lead the people to?
Anyhow, it’s not only about leadership. Day by day it seems more difficult to develop oneself because of the environment we live in – the world constantly gets more confusing. What is my place in the world? Such situations make one question him or herself, not to mention their skills. This proves there is always more to it. That is why AIESEC offers a unique way to develop, both professionally and personally. Our programs aim for a different type of approach when it comes to gaining experience in the work field.
Nevertheless, the journey AIESEC proposes also a personal, inner journey – finding the work field most suitable for you, or finding a new field to work with. We believe that this kind of focus proves most effective for a work experience: understanding your own self (that is sometimes eclipsed by society) in order to develop and improve professionally. Only when being utterly self-aware will one be able to use their talent and grow.
As said before, this world needs new leaders. But people should not wait on a knight in shining armour; they should realise that they don’t need titles to be leaders. What AIESEC does is help them decide what kind of leaders they are. As Gandhi once said: “The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problem.” Of course taking action can be hard and difficult. But nothing can be done without action, so take responsibility over your legacy: go for AIESEC. Decide the type of leader you are and lead.
Author: Ioana Voineag
