“This training helps to conceptualize the leadership development and the skill set that is needed to improve these skills.”
Max Muratov is one of the Youth leadership Initiative Coordinators. Max’s academic background (He completed his master’s degree in political science at Simon Fraser University) made him a great fit as a lead researcher in the Youth Leadership Initiative, a youth-led initiative aiming to identify and address attitudinal barriers faced by post-secondary youth with disabilities in their job-seeking journey.
In addition to his contributions to Youth Leadership Initiative research, Max also participated in the Royal Roads University’s value-based leadership development training.
“Before joining the Disability Foundation, I did not think about leadership development and leadership in general as a skill. Not necessarily a challenge, but I have not really thought of the particular ways of developing leadership skills before the training,” says Max.
He was most interested in what contributes to one’s leadership skill development, wondering whether it results from natural charisma, experience, self-development, or a mixture of all.
After the training sessions, Max reflects that these leadership skills can be developed: “The training has helped me to think more about the specific things that I can improve to become a better leader, for instance, the importance of emotional intelligence and understanding of others.”
“Also, this training helps to conceptualize the leadership development and the skill set that is needed to improve these skills,” says Max.
Not only did the training change Max’s perspective on leadership skill development, but he was also grateful for this opportunity to get to know his co-workers virtually since the pandemic restricted in-person work at the office.
“The leadership training has allowed me to better understand my co-workers and their needs, which helped me to become a better team player,” Max concludes.
To learn about the research Max and his team worked on, you can visit https://disabilityfoundation.org/yli and read the full report.