Head Girl of Sujatha Vidyalaya, Yohara Ranasinghe’s key to success is getting the fundamentals and basics correct. Perfect Prefects features Ranasinghe who has simply adopted time-tested values coupled with her correct attitude.
Her school provided her with the platform and the incentive. She just made use of it.
“From my youngest days, my school has provided me with so many opportunities to grow as a person. I took full advantage of that and participated in a lot of competitions, and through that achieved much. Through school, I got the chance to participate in external competitions and within the school, my leadership qualities were brought out by being appointed to positions of authority. Receiving those positions enabled me to develop my leadership skills over time,” said Ranasinghe.
Strategic planning
Ranasinghe understanding that the world does not halt its progress for anyone, has done many activities realizing that time is valuable. By doing these activities she has become proficient in many disciplines.
“Swimming enabled me to develop my stamina and chess is all about Strategic planning and netball is all about teamwork and being a team player. I was also in the Interact Club, I have been involved in the Mother Sri Lanka project. I also completed Girl Guiding and got the President’s Guide award in 2016. I was in the Drama Club and Leader of the Western band in 2014,” stated Ranasinghe.
Ranasinghe points out that too often in this world we see those in authorities trying to intimidate their followers rather than being diplomatic. A leader needs to take into consideration everyone’s opinions. That is what she does.
“A leader should be respected but not feared. You need your team to work with you. They should not be afraid to ask questions. You have to earn their respect but not be feared. That is very important. Always get others opinions when working, because making your own decisions in a huge team as the Prefects Guild of Sujatha can cause conflicts sometimes. So you need to be careful about your decisions and not make them alone. Always work with the team, and as much as possible try and take all of them with you forwards so no one gets left behind. That is also very important,” said Ranasinghe
Ranasinghe is doing her A/Ls in biology right now. The main goal is to become a doctor. No doubt Ranasinghe has the correct temperament for a doctor. She is adamant that responsibility is important in any position of leadership. A leader cannot shirk his or her responsibility.
Team player
“To be a good head boy or head girl you need a sense of responsibility. That is very important. You also need to be a team player. You have to work with your team and you cannot do this alone. You have to be humble. It is very easy for this position to get to your head,” added Ranasinghe.
As a leader, you need to be like a rock. Yes, you need to be diplomatic and flexible, but you need to be unyielding when things get difficult.
“You have to be strong even though you might have problems. This is because your team depends on you. You have to keep up the morale of the team. I admire Nelson Mandela who is a very great leader. I also admire Martin Luther King Jr. and Michelle Obama. Obama is someone I admire a lot. Michelle Obama is a strong female and all of her speeches are really empowering and through her words, you can feel her confidence. She also believes in what she talks about. Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. both fought against racism. Their leadership and their ability to make a difference in the world is something I admire a lot and their legend lives on. I feel when leading a country your main concerns should be the concerns of your people and that you should be fair and just. Adhere to the law of the country yourself. Build bridges between communities, bridging the gap between poor and rich,” pointed out Ranasinghe.
She is a good head girl because of the support she has received from her parents and teachers. But credit must go to Ranasinghe since she has made the correct choices in life.
“A head girl must definitely be an example to others. She should adhere to the rules first before telling others to follow the rules. She should lead by example and not just give advice. One issue in the world I feel strongly about is gender inequality. That is rather a big issue in the world. I think in society we need to eradicate hypocrisy. I am doing my part as much as possible by not being judgmental or hypocritical,” said Ranasinghe.
Overwhelming task
Sometimes we all feel nervous especially when facing problems that may seem overwhelming. But as the leader, you need to stay on until the very end and see the task through. You need to handle the situation from the beginning to the end. You need to stay on top of things.
“When facing a nervous situation, if you know that you have done everything in your power, then you will feel much better. As much as possible try and save the situation. But don’t stress about it, because stressing about it will not help at all. So stay calm, do what you can and hope for the best. Anticipation and planning beforehand can solve a lot of problems. Thinking ahead is important, so when something happens we know what to do. If it is unexpected, work according to the situation with the logistics you have at the moment,” explained Ranasinghe
Ranasinghe stressed that it is important for you to remember what you learnt in school. The experiences you gained are invaluable. The advice your teachers give you is also important. Those things really matter a lot.
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