By Wendy Off

Stepping into Leadership

Striking up a conversation with a complete stranger, speaking in front of groups of people, and meeting with high level executives is all part of a normal work week for me, and I don’t even think twice about doing it.

 

You would never know looking at my life today that throughout my time in college, I was shy, quiet, always felt socially awkward, and never really thought I had much to offer. I preferred to stay in the background, where hopefully I could go unnoticed.

 

 

However, our InterVarsity staff and student leaders saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself, and they often challenged me to step out of my comfort zone and make a difference. After all, playing small doesn’t glorify God, nor does it impact lives for eternity.

 

 

I saw true Christ-like leadership modeled by our InterVarsity staff and the student leaders. They showed me that true leaders are others-focused, investing time in building relationships with people, just as our Lord did. They make each person feel important and valuable for who they are, not what they have to offer. They see the gold in each person and are willing to dig through a lot of dirt to get it to shine.

 

 

Though I never saw myself as a leader, I was asked to be a Small Group Leader. The following year I was asked to be Small Group Coordinator. These experiences allowed me to grow in my confidence and forced me to develop my people skills.

 

 

I still remember how challenging it was for me to have to facilitate discussions since I often had trouble holding even a basic conversation. However, I was determined to use the gifts God has given me, so I spent a lot of time preparing for each week’s small group so there wouldn’t be long, awkward silences. Each week, it got a little easier, and I saw the blessing of developing relationships.

 

 

After college I taught middle school for eleven years and had the opportunity to try to model Christ-like leadership for my students. Today, I work as a Corporate Training Consultant for Dale Carnegie Training, and as an Independent Mary Kay Beauty Consultant. Both of these roles require me to draw upon those leadership lessons daily as I am constantly interacting with people. I now have the privilege to help others step out of their comfort zones and become leaders themselves, as others did for me when I was a student.

 

 

My goal is to make a difference in people’s lives, to let my light shine before others, that they may see my good deeds and glorify my Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16).

 

 

Wendy Off was involved with InterVarsity at Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) from 1992-1996.