In the past, I’ve written about getting involved, I’ve written about why it’s important to be a visionary, I’ve written about representing the students and I’ve written about student organizations that are making a difference. For this week’s column, I’d like to write about what it means to lead with authenticity — what it means to be a part of an organization where authenticity is important to being successful.

It’s been almost a year since my first day in office as the Student Body Vice President. Since the beginning, I’ve had the opportunity to represent the students in a variety of situations that mattered.

I was able to be a part of the committee that was responsible for interviewing and selecting the builders of the next housing facility. I’ve had the privilege of being able to meet with key administrators who have a huge say in things that directly affect the lives of each and every student that attends Oakland University. I’ve been able, along with a great team around me, to assist in bringing events and initiatives to campus that undoubtedly will have a positive impact, even if it won’t show until five years from now.

The point that I’m trying to make is that I’ve been able to have the opportunity to be in a situation where my opinion was valued and mattered significantly. And there are people around me who have these opportunities too. In those situations, I believe that it’s best to be authentic. It’s best to be the best you that you can be.

If an administrator is asking for your opinion and you aren’t 100 percent honest about what you really feel, you aren’t doing yourself any justice and you’re disadvantaging the student body in the process.

If you’re faced with a decision and it ends up being the wrong decision later on down the road, people will remember you more if you act with a sense of humility and even vulnerability. To me, those are the hallmarks of what an authentic leader, a learning student, and a human being encompasses. If you’ve mastered the art of being yourself, there will be more people who want to support you as a leader.

With that being said, I urge all of you reading this to be yourself. It’s so important and so simple to just be the person that you are right now in your life, even if that person is different a month from now or a week from now. I truly believe that saying that goes “the true character of a person is what they do when nobody is watching.”

To me, a true leader is someone who cares not about what they are given credit for, but for what they are doing that is going to make a difference, even if nobody notices. Here at Oakland, there are leaders—students, faculty, staff—who are great leaders. But the best of them are those who are the best version of themselves and don’t care who credits them with the work that they’re doing.

Robbie Williford is the Oakland University Student Body Vice President. Email him at [email protected]