At this point we’re much closer to flying out than we are to flying in, hard to believe as it is. I think I speak for the entire Pitt IIP cohort in Dublin when I say that it’s flown by, but we’re all hoping to make the most of the last two weeks and leave with no regrets. This past week has been more low-key for me. There’s still a lot of Dublin left to explore. I’ve made four trips to the movies in less than a week, and seen the Irish Museum of Modern Art, which is a bit of a hike from UCD campus but worth checking out.

Leadership is sort of an odd topic for me. I major in political science, a field designed to shape leaders among leaders. We study the words of heads of state, military commanders, and United Nations secretary-generals so that we may follow in their footsteps. However, I don’t consider leadership one of my personal skills, nor an aspirational position. The fact is, none of the figures I just mentioned could make history without those who carried out their designs. I’d much rather be executing policy than writing it. I’m grateful to have that opportunity here at the Department of Housing, even if it’s only in a small way.

Of course, leadership is inevitable. Stay with any organization long enough, and you will find yourself with new responsibilities, including people. As a retail worker-turned-intern, I haven’t reached that point yet, but I have presented knowledge at various points, which corporate recruiters tell me counts as a display of leadership. My approach to being responsible for people and tasks is largely influenced by my personal experiences and mentors I’ve had, which makes it rather difficult to change. My parents and friends taught me to view leadership as a valuable gift afforded to relatively few, and an undertaking to be treated with respect and seriousness. Professional mentors have reinforced this view, while underscoring the importance of humility. As you teach others, they often have things to teach you, even if they don’t know it. “If you treat them like idiots, the only idiot is you” I was once told. These principles are hard-set in my professional mindset, and I do not see them changing.

I would say that my time in Dublin has not necessarily “challenged” my principles of leadership. Since they’ve been extensively tested by not only my life experience, but the experiences of the people who imparted them on me, they are both resilient and adaptable to a variety of situations. This isn’t to say I’m inflexible, but rather to say I’ve found a system that works so far. Moreover, I haven’t necessarily had opportunities to show leadership at my placement. This isn’t a knock, I didn’t expect to do so, I took the role knowing it was entry-level and task execution-based, as I expected from an internship and as I plan to do throughout my career. However, I will be presenting my findings on The Report of the Housing Commission to the legal unit soon, which will afford me the chance to transfer and direct knowledge. Presenting to seasoned veterans as a newcomer is nerve-wracking, and this will be my first time doing it as a foreigner, but every time I’ve done so has counted among the proudest and most valuable professional experiences of my life. I look forward to presenting, and will report what I learn from it in the next blog entry.