Daniel Patron reflects on his experience in the Tukwut Leadership Challenge (TLC) program. He notes that prior to the program, he viewed leadership as simply directing others, but now sees that true leadership involves learning and benefiting oneself and others morally and humanitarianly. Through TLC activities like volunteering at Mountain Shadows and learning about suicide awareness, he gained this perspective. He also learned the importance of taking initiative, as activities required scheduling meetings and finding guidance independently. The TLC taught five key leadership skills: modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging processes, enabling others to act, and encouraging others. Patron believes he has applied these skills, such as modeling a strong work ethic, sharing

1. Patron 1
Daniel Patron
Nolan
GEL
November 3, 2016
Reflection on the TLC Program
My idea of leadership, prior to engaging in the Tukwut Leadership Challenge, was
simply to direct others. After being involved in what the program has to offer, however, I now
see that leadership’s largest draw doesn’t lie in leading others, but rather what both you and
others around you learn and benefit in moral and humanitarian ways. The activities in the TLC
reflect this, in that many of them were helping others (such as Mountain Shadows) or educating
oneself about pressing issues in the community (such as Suicide Awareness).
What I learned about myself over the course of the program was to take initiative. Many
of the activities required taking time out of my own schedule in order to meet and discuss
leadership skills, as well as seek out guidance on our own time to fulfill volunteer hours.
However, I knew this was necessary and completely useful in the real world when it comes to
real responsibilities. I figured so long as we practice the skills taught in the leadership challenge
now, I wouldn’t be caught unprepared in the future when such opportunities actually arise.
Early in the program, I had established with a peer leader some basic goals I hoped to
achieve as the program progressed. These included check San Marcos’ online website and
cougar courses in order to stay informed, and to eventually come in contact with the school’s
administrator for clubs to discuss another future goal I had established for myself. The website

2. Patron 2
goal was accomplished early on, something I developed as I gained more of a rhythm being in
college. The club, however, is a still ongoing process, one that will be certainly accomplished
with some of the skills I’ve acquired through the program, including the skills to take initiative.
The TLC goals discussed came with five important skills that model what a leader mush
accomplish in order to succeed within the program. These include modeling the way, inspiring
shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act, and to encourage the heart. These
skills are highly applicable to real world situations, and I’ve been able to utilize each of these
lessons in their own way.
In modeling a way, I believe I’ve been able to show others and set examples in my work
ethic to friends and family, many of such skills are ones that have been picked up at TLC
sponsored events. For inspiring shared vision, I can say I’ve been to share with others that an
even was worth attending and assisting with, such as volunteering events around my local area.
This also enabled others to act, as they went to find leadership opportunities of their own, and
encouraged hard work as a strong ethic.
For challenging the process, I underwent a huge development in creating a club for the
school to consider. While it wasn’t so much challenging an existing process, I was to take
initiative once more in order to prove such a club was worth even having on campus. Part of
challenging the process is taking risks, and being a first year creating a club with no prior
experience, this was a large risk in itself that it wouldn’t succeed. However, optimism is also a
large part in what makes a successful leader.

3. Patron 3
The Tukwut Leadership Challenge has been incredibly useful in defining a concrete
version of concepts in leadership I had already considered, but not put into execution. I know
now that a leader isn’t simply “someone who demands of others”, but someone who seeks to
learn themselves by way of new experiences, and teaches others along the way. The concepts
learned during this program will certainly see some real world application from me well beyond
my time here at California State San Marcos.