Thursday, March 11Featured Harvard Student Leaders
Lianna E.G. Karp
Co-Director, Room 13; Co-Chair, Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy Group
Lowell House, Class of 2010, Psychology
Hometown: Paradox, New York
Other Groups: Storytime Players, Mental Health Liaison, Theatre
Previous Position: Staff Member
When you think about strong leadership, you likely conjure up images of an animated politician at the bully pulpit or the star quarterback calling out plays in the heat of a big game. Nonetheless, a critical aspect of leadership that is often overlooked is the art of listening. As Co-Director of the confidential peer counseling group Room 13, and Co-Chair of the Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy Group (MHAAG), Lianna Karp knows well that striving to be an active listener is not simply a leadership style, but a way of life.
“Always on Call”
Lianna came to Harvard from a small town in “Upstate-Upstate” New York with an estimated population of 25 people. Having grown up in an empathetic environment where she learned to appreciate having someone to talk to during hardships, Lianna felt that the College lacked a dedicated space for listening and openly talking about issues. At a place where students tend not to be well versed in failure, Lianna views personal setbacks as a means for growth through a refinement of one’s goals and strategy.
Both as a counselor and as a leader Lianna highlights that, “you are always on call- you can’t just ignore problems.” To be an effective leader is to be responsive and to value every opinion with the goal of weaving individual views together to form a collective vision.
But, Isn’t Listening Soft?
A common misconception of empathetic leadership is that listening to those you lead is a “soft” style. Lianna contends that there is nothing “soft” about knowing what your peers need. For Lianna, two-way communication is a “must”; moreover, it is about being available and approachable to her members and fostering a feeling of mutual trust so her peers and colleagues are comfortable being open with her. As the team leader, the onus of any final decision lies with you at the end of the day, but finding ways to get buy-in and dedication go a long way towards organizational efficacy and sustainability.
Similarly, Lianna views delegating as a collaborative process where she tries to balance the needs of group and with the needs of the members. Reflecting upon her time as a soccer team captain in high school, Lianna stresses that it is not enough to just tell people what to do: “you must do it with them or even more.” The objective is not to place undue burdens onto others but, instead, to create a way to get things done through mutual support. By airing every factor out in the open she can approach issues with the mindset of: “hey, this is what I need from you, and this is what I can give; let’s figure out where we can meet.”
Counsel for the Counselor
As in any endeavor that requires a lot of time and energy, leading student organizations while balancing academic and social life can be taxing. Lianna is conscientious to avoid a common leadership pitfall by acknowledging that she has needs as well. It can be hard to follow one’s own advice, but Lianna says a key to leading without becoming stressed out is to recognize when to ask for help. Lianna points to her relationships with her co-chairs as well as to role models at the BSC and Lowell House Tutors as examples of sources of support.
Taking breaks with friends and doing activities you enjoy can go a long way toward preserving your mental health. By allowing diversions to prevent burn out, you will likely remain an accessible leader whose passion energizes those whom you lead.