My last week's experience

Last week I was part of the incredible, the unexpected, but the truly believable. Last week I had the most intense week of the past few years (can't say my whole life, because I can't actually remember all of it). Last week I attended Leaders School 7.

I must say, with complete honesty, that the last 5 years of university worked up a feeling of sadness in me, together with the vision of futility in what concerned my expectations on the involvement of my generation in the change that should happen in Romania. It felt pretty much as a lost cause, when I looked around me and saw 45 people solely interested in their own good, not being able to see the greater picture. It felt bad, and maddening, and frustrating, all put in a mix that shouldn't even exist. Last week I got one of my first shots of antidote.

I found out about "Leaders School"- a training initiated by Leaders Foundation- last year. When I saw their web-site and their speakers, I said "I need to go there!". Unfortunately I couldn't do that in the spring of 2010, but that only made me want it more, and it seems that the saying is right: if you want something hard enough, it will eventually happen. This year I received a full scholarship offered by Adobe, and I was able to live my last year's dream.

What exactly is "Leaders School"? My personal definition would be: a training that teaches young leaders how to become great ones. After participating in this project, it is the personal choice of the participant on what he/she wants to do next: remain a common fellow, or become a great one. The key is given to him/her during the 5 days of intense training, but the door is his/hers alone to open.

What makes this program so great? Exactly what makes every idea great in this world: the people behind it. Created and delivered every year by a team of extraordinary and dedicated people, supported by true leaders of our nation (nation that still needs so many things to become decent, not to mention great), Leaders School is the living proof of the power of perseverance. The project brings together the past, the present and the future- the young leaders of their times, the great and the young leaders of NOW, and the most important element, the future great leaders to be. In the past week I had the chance to meet my generation in a new light, and it gave me such a feeling of optimism, that it almost wiped clean the past 5 years of frustration and bitterness.

But I learned at least one more important thing last week: you can't be a true leader for others unless you are a true leader for yourself. That is what every speaker said, from his/her own experience (and here I can easily mention Mr. Balaceanu Stolnici, academician,Mrs. Alexandra Gatej, former presidential counselor and others),that is what our trainer, Rares Manolescu, underlined in every session delivered to us, and that is what was confirmed to me during the whole learning process that happened in "Leaders School 7".

I could write here for at least 2 more hours, about the extraordinary team I had (thank you Alex, Alexandra, Alexandru, Madalina and Paul), the mind-blowing experience of meeting living legends like Roland Hermann, or the both terrific and terrifying exercise of trying to sell your idea to the investors. I could also throw in some pieces about the kick-ass party that we had in the last evening, with the "Smashed Mosquito", or the funky business exercise during which Marius Ghenea coached us in selling Bio dairy products in the center of Brasov. And even if I would tell you about all of these, I would leave so much out, that I don't think anyone could get even 10% of the true feeling of being there.

So I will stop, and tell you that if you ever have the chance, just be a part of it, and if you don't, then think wisely and do the best of being a leader in your own life first, and then consider leading others to a better cause. Find a model, and live up to it. Read good books, and make the most of them. Travel as much as you can, and let the places you see put their mark on you, and dream BIG! That's the only way you won't feel sorry if you can reach only the half of the way.

Thank you, Leaders Foundation!