Flickering candles and potted poinsettia set a light and festive mood for a panel discussion in the Refectory Cafe Wednesday night, but the event centered on a big question.
As part of the inaugural discussion in the Office of Student Activities and Facilities' Distinguished Leaders in Action series, Dean of Students Sue Wasiolek joined a panel of 20 students to ponder what it means to be a leader.
"That word [leadership] frightens me because it carries a lot of responsibility to do something, to be something," she said. "I'm not exactly sure what leadership is, but I know it when I see it."
In an effort to pinpoint a clearer definition of leadership, Wasiolek began by asking students on the panel to name leaders on campus. Panhellenic Council President Kate Guthrie, a senior, was cited for the way she mentors others; former Duke Student Government president Elliott Wolf, a senior and a Chronicle columnist, was mentioned for his willingness to challenge authority; and current DSG President Paul Slattery, a senior, was noted for his renowned mop of curly hair.
Although all leaders cited hold prominent positions on campus, Duke students can also lead in less visible ways, said senior Joy Basu.
"One thing I've learned after three and a half years at Duke is that you don't need a title to be a leader," she said. "Just because people know your name doesn't mean you've made a productive difference."
Wasiolek said countless books try to define leadership but added that she often finds real-life experiences more instructive.
"I sometimes roll my eyes when I read some of these books," she said. "I really find being around someone who inspires me is much more effective than reading a book."
To further the discussion, Wasiolek then reviewed several leadership characteristics defined by Stephen Covey in his book, "Principle-Centered Leadership." She noted that as a leader, she has always struggled to fulfill one in particular-the willingness to accept criticism.
"I have a hard time taking criticism," she said. "It beats me down a bit, and I have to figure out how I'm going to rebuild myself."
In response, freshman Brian Pike drew upon lessons learned in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
"Coach [Mike Krzyzewski] offers a very interesting case study on how to take criticism," he said. "[He] had a relatively bad season last year, and the whole strategy was revamped this year. He listened to the crowd, he saw that the Cameron Crazies weren't coming out with the same intensity, and he responded."
Wasiolek closed the discussion with a clip from "Sister Act," a movie upon which she said she often reflects when leading. She identified actress Whoopi Goldberg's nun character as "a reluctant leader with high expectations for her followers" and credited the protagonist's success to talent and charisma.
When Wasiolek struggled to turn on captions for the film, freshman Mark Elstein piped up to offer technical assistance.
Clapping her hands in approval, Wasiolek beamed, "That's a leader. That's a leader!"
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