What are the factors in Wendy Kopp’s background that led her to found Teach for America? How effective is she as its leader?
When someone thinks of a leader, they may think of someone who possesses the qualities of an extroverted person. Wendy Kopp is an example of a leader who didn’t let her shyness prevent her from becoming a leader. Kopp came from a privileged background where her advantages made her slightly ignorant of the opportunities for those who were not as privileged as her. Kopp seemed to live a life where she was sheltered and wasn’t aware of reality outside of where she was from. Despite this unawareness, Kopp still wanted to make an impact in whatever work she chose. From her youth, she realized how important
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This freedom to explore made her become an independent individual because she wasn’t afraid to take risks. Being an independent person allowed her to have the traditional form of a leader. A family member that had such a large impact on her was her brother. Her brother and herself were in school around the same time. She was humbled because her parents never gave her praise to protect her brother. She was made kinder and had the desire to stick up for the less fortunate because she had to stick up for her brother. Seeing her brother fight made her inspired to be persistent even in the face of failure and adversity. In a sense, it also made her more mature. Despite this, she never lost her individualistic nature. However, during her time in college, she realized the importance of accommodating to the beliefs of others. This is where one can say that having the open freedom she had caused her to be in a bubble because she might have been left unaware that others don’t have that similar luxury. She decided to join the Marine Corps which had a major impact on her leadership style. She was no longer solely individualistic because she was taught to be unselfish and dependent on her group. An effective leader isn’t always independent. An effective leader is someone who can have the balance between being dependent and independent. Ann also realized the importance of keeping a balance of professional vs