Over the past week, I attended two key events, the WACTSA Student Lobby Day in Olympia and the ACCT NLS Conference in Washington DC, which served as the culminating experiences of my internship. At both events, I collaborated with fellow students through WACTSA as well as with peers from other institutions, and in navigating the various team dynamics I’ve been reflecting on what it both means to be in a team: when to step back, and when to step up.
At Lobby Day, being part of a team like WACTSA meant presenting a unified voice. Meeting with legislators to advocate for student priorities required preparation, coordination, and trust. Each campus had different strengths, priorities and values. Some were comfortable leading the conversation, others were skilled at sharing personal stories, and some were better at tracking policy details and answering technical questions. I learned that being in a team does not mean competing to be heard. It means recognizing where you can contribute most effectively and making space for others to do the same.
At the ACCT National Legislative Summit, the scale was much larger, but the lesson was similar. While I’ve had the privilege of working with many of the same people from Washington, being surrounded by students and leaders from across the country meant I had to quickly adapt to new personalities and working styles. In some moments, I stepped forward to help organize talking points or clarify our goals. In other moments, I listened closely and supported from behind the scenes. Stepping back for me was an intentional choice to prioritize the team’s overall effectiveness over individual recognition.
What I have come to understand is that being on a team requires a balance of humility and confidence. Humility allows you to listen, to accept feedback, and to trust others. Confidence allows you to speak up when something needs to be said and to take initiative when leadership is needed. Learning to respect this balance is a key skill I’ve been developing both as an intern and a student leader on campus. These experiences reminded me that leadership is not always about being at the front of the room. Sometimes it is about ensuring everyone else has what they need to succeed. As my internship concludes in twenty or so days, I am leaving with a deeper appreciation for collaboration and a clearer understanding of the kind of teammate and leader I want to be.
