It’s been almost 3 years since I joined Young Minho Enterprise. Back then, in 2013, I had just arrived at Minho University in order to learn Software Engineering. Truth be told, I had absolutely no idea what my degree was all about. In fact, I had neither programmed nor knew what it was like. However, it was a sweet surprise when I understood what I would be doing for at least the next three years. I could go on about why I chose Software Engineering in the first place, but that is off the point.
Yet there was a feeling that I just couldn’t shake off. A lot of what I had practiced thus far would go to waste! Public speaking, debating, music and acting were some of the skills that I had entwined recently. Not to mention that despite having had 12 years of education, only part had been about the subjects required for my degree. For that reason right off the bat I wanted to be a part of something, to learn more, to do more, to make the most of what some call the best time of their lives. My life.
It was not hard to find a few alternatives, but none came across as what I needed.
- “Praxe” - I suppose hazing would be the translation but it is seems harsher than what it is. Despite that, within the first 5 minutes I knew that it wasn’t for me. Just a few minutes where, as I looked down, I envisioned all the things I could be doing instead of that.
- Choirs and Tunas - 5 years of my life had been in music and had been more than enough. It was also just a subset of what I wanted.
- Newspapers - While it seemed fairly interesting, it demanded writing articles and I, thus far, have been scarcely praised for that. It is also quite clear that I do not enjoy writing all that much, even these blog posts take ages even though half of the content is in bullet points.
- Radios and TV - No, thank you.
So, after all, what was it that I required? What made my blood boil? It is not like I could recognize a nice journey from a brochure, but I had been learning how to be a leader, how to conquer my shyness, and when to take risks. I did not what to throw any of it away, not yet, when it was imperative to raise it further.
As a matter of curiosity, we are all introduced to these options when as soon we enroll whether we want to or not. That’s why, when one day, I saw this poster of two disney dogs, with a slogan similar to this:
Dynamic Junior enterprise looking for
dedicated and ambitious students for a serious relationship Recruitment at Young Minho Enterprise
I smirked.
It was bold, captivating and original. Not long afterwards, I applied for it. That’s how, in November, I joined a junior initiative. Indeed, an initiative, not an enterprise, it still wasn’t part of JADE Portugal) as a fully blown junior enterprise. It would come soon, and I would be in the front row.
Oh wait, I almost forgot! What is a junior enterprise? A junior enterprise is an association of students that organizes itself as a enterprise. Despite being non-profit it aims to sell services to other enterprises. With this, preparing its members to the outside world. After all, lack of experience is the major flaw for those who just got a degree. At JADE’s website you can probably find a more in depth description.
Human Resources
To many, the contrast between the professionalism during recruitment and the environment in the team caused confusion. However, I had jumped in with no expectations whatsoever. It was a blank page, an opportunity, or several of them. I had the time, the dedication and the creativity. Marveled as I was, I tried to contribute in any way I could.
The following 6 months and parallel to my first steps as a wannabe developer: I got to be a part of the Human Resources department, revamping and applying an evaluation process based on 360-degree feedback; Join the Breakfasts@Enterprises team and visit some of the most important enterprises in Braga; Learn about entrepreneurship on a project sponsored by a city council where we helped teams get from idea to pitch through the Business Model Canvas.
Above all, working with students from all sort of fields, with different backgrounds and each with their own aspirations.
All of this was only possible because of some incredible people that lead the way. They guided people such as myself, to find their own paths.
During that time my goals were:
- Challenge myself;
- See the results of my effort;
- Get to know more people;
- Gain new skills.
As a sum up, I learnt the importance of real collaboration.
Presidency
Embracing opportunities
One day, at a meeting, we were tould that a national junior entrepreneur conference would be held the following week. It was called Jenial 2014, and I decided to go. I did not know what to expect so I chose not to commit the entire weekend, the president represented the enterprise the whole conference, while I went with the vice-president which could only go to the last one. Out of over 20 people, only me and the presidents would be going, I didin’t really think much of it at the time.
By then, everyone knew that both of them would resign yet, beyond that, I think no one put more than a fleeting thought to it.
Perhaps I was naive, but it did spark my interest. Who would be the next leading the way then? Would it bring many changes? Could it become any better? Or perhaps it would be catastrophic?
When we arrived the scheduled had been delayed. So we waited, and I was eager for my first experience in the junior entrepreneur network. So I could not stop thinking about YME, out of curiosity I asked the vice-president with no other intention other than to break the silence, who would replace them?
“Why not you?”
Well I had never thought of it, at all, really. Why not me indeed, why me, Y ME. Ah, see what I did there? By the way, that is indeed how we spell it.
But then I did, weighted all the options, during the following two hours or so, my brain boiled. In my mind the reasons as to why I was not suited kept growing, but somehow it did not worry me too much.
It is not like I had a lot of time to think about it, not long after I was being introduced to several other junior entrepreneurs, presidents, directors, founders. The day before we had officially been accepted as a junior enterprise, or was it that very same day? Details get fuzzy, I had “Why not you?” ringing on my head, but I kept pushing to the backburner. There was a job to be done, make the most of that event. Absorb everything that I could, so that I would be able to process it afterwards.
I knew I wanted to take the risk, but… Had the window been opened or was I just looking at glass? Could I, no, was I ready to peek what was on the other side? Or should I just dive right through?
Regardless, I couldn’t do it alone. Presidency was a two man job. Who did I trust to embark on this adventure? Failing in finding someone would be the same as not being ready to take on the responsability. But the people I knew either were not ready for it, or I felt that together we wouldn’t have the vigour that the predecessors had.
Lets rewind, I joined a junior initiative, that had just been been recognized as a junior enterprise. Well, I had helped prepare the documents that were required for that to happen along with someone. She had just replaced the Head of the Communications Department and had joined at the same time I did. Although we had only worked once, we were the only ones who had helped in such a task.
Chronologically, we worked together at the start of March, by the end of March the “Y not me” question popped up. During the start of May I had to take action, so I contacted her and she jumped onboard as the president-to-be.
Later I was told that the entire process had been planned months before by the predecessors. It had been naive of me to think otherwise.
As we wanted to be up to the task, we signed up for the junior entrepreneur world conference (JEWC), submitting a workshop.
The weeks went by and I, the vice-president which had been the head of HR, and another member of HR got 2nd place in Activo Challenge. An Activo Bank’s contest that took place at the Economics and Management School. We were the only team that wasn’t studying in it, 2 developers and 1 psychologist. That meant that I spent 2 months as a marketing intern in Lisbon whilst preparing the following year of YME. And the workshop to JEWC had been accepted, so to it we went.
Managing
This has feels too much like timeline. As such, instead of going on with all my failures and accomplishments I will pick a few key values that looking back I am glad I learnt. In a way these are what I perceive to be the traits of a leader.
Communication
Fail at this, and you fail at it all.
Teams are only as tight as the relations of the humans that constitute them. I’m still trying to find a way to not make the previous sentence sound corny. Yet for me, when we know that people are the key, then we must somehow communicate. Talk between veterans, with new recruits, with other associations.
Understanding each other’s goals and aspirations, coordinating plans, allowing everyone to understand the vision. Communication can provide trust, guidance and it is vital for cooperation.
Every time I failed at communication it would be only a matter of time before it would come back to bite me.
It happened several times, whether I was unable to explain what was needed, or I did adapt my speech to a different situation. With some one must go straight to the point, but with others we must sweetly pave our way. Talk talk talk. But above all, listen. I still list it in my weaknesses. Communication is more than just adapting and explaining. It is about understanding and one can only do that by listening. I always expected those I had to report to, to listen to my suggestions and take them into consideration. Why should my opinions count for less? Than why do I, as a leader, think that I must talk a lot more than the others? To transmit orders? And now we go to the endless discussion about boss vs leader. Either way I now recognize the importance of giving space to everyone.
I cannot stress how important this is for everyone. It seems people tend to ditch it too quickly.
Dedication
I don’t think there is a need to reinforce this too much. But how the hell do you expect to have people trusting you when you have no dedication? When you have other priorities, why should the others have it as the first? Obviously there are exceptions. Such as when you have someone more experienced who is providing guidance. But again, he is guiding, he might not be the most suited to be the leader, at the time.
Yet, dedication should never be taken for granted.
Mentorship
Welcome, lets imagine now that you have shown fantastic people skills, dedication and hard-work. The next step must be to climb even higher right? Is the team ready to replace you though? Have you noticed that you are perhaps an example to all those you contacted with? Oh, before you think bad of me, I have never said I view myself as a role model. I’m just presenting an example in order to explain how utterly crucial it is to prepare the next generation.
Mentoring instead of teaching. In that you should never show your way as the only right one. They can do better than you, always. So all they need is to understand what you did, why, and what happened afterwards.
However, being a mentor is more than passing down your knowledge. You must recognise and nurture potential. Motivate your friends and mates.
Essentially you must prepare others to be raise beyond.
Vision
Perhaps the only true characteristic of a leader. Again, this is just my opinion. A manager can delegate and organise for a short time span. Yet, a leader must think about the next steps in order to guide everyone through the best path.
It’s not like he must have the final say. Nor have the power of foresight.
Why is everyone putting an effort though? What can I do in order to help them achieve their goals? Are these the obstacles that we should face?
Without the shadow of a doubt, this is the hardest to describe for me. Sure, it seems obvious, leader have the final say. However, I know great leaders that leave decisions others. It must be more than that. And I can’t quite get my finger around it. Hopefully, one day, I will fully understand what I believe to be the unique trait of leaders.
Quitting
I quit.
You wot?! Not in the middle of my term. But I did decide not to stay actively at YME the following year.
Before the end of my 2nd year of university. I was faced with a dilemma. I had accumulated responsability towards 3 groups whilst still having 3 more years of university ahead of me.
A startup, CeSIUM, YME. In each I had to take the next step. It was my limit. I had found that I hadn’t met my goals in all of those. And above all else, I hadn’t been able to focus at all in programming.
Young Minho Enterprise had given me the opportunities to get where I was. But others should take the wheel. At the same time, it was ready to survive without me. I would be around, if they asked for me.
So I quit, to focus on CeSIUM and university. In order to advance on my own projects.
I owe it to all who had taught me, and those whom I worked with. So I set sail.
Hindsight
It’s been a nice journey indeed.
I do regret a few things, I know I could have done better. I am glad though, for all that happened, learning with my own mistakes.
There’s also a lesson, that I was tould quite recently.
Creativity is born from the networking of different individuals.
Being a junior entrepreur, is embarking on a journey of obstacles. Each providing you the key to another opportunity. Embrace it, otherwise you are just missing out.