Before this experience I always was a good leader. I was blessed with the ability to be positive and encourage the people around me. The intangible skill that has improved my leadership ability is planning. I have become a much better organizer and planner over the years and this trip certainty has helped. In the end, one will have to take a leap of faith and push themselves outside of their comfort zoon. This is what being a good leader is, pushing the limit for the people around you so they can comfortably cross the line at their own pace. I am becoming a better leader because I am more confident of myself and my abilities. The skills and the unique characteristics of each individual hold value and weight. If you can start to acknowledge and trust yours you’ll never look back. At a young age I thought being a leader meant that you had to be the loudest person in the room. This is not true, but what my intuition was trying to tell me was the leader has to speak up for his people when its time. A leader will always be the one to deliver the hard news, the bad messages that no one else wants to share. This trip has taught me to be more patient and observe my surroundings more. It is entirely safe for one to trust their own assumptions as long as they are in wise and kind faith. A leader does not have to know the answer to every question; a leader does not have to speak at all. Your kind heart and desire to help others will always push you to great heights. That is what a true leader is, one who puts others first at all times.

Lucas Carrillo McGrann