Atlas Corps volunteers are essential to the organization for making sure things run smoothly. Today, we would like to talk more about Atlas Corps Group Captains. Our Group Captains facilitate monthly peer coaching groups as part of our new Virtual Leadership Institute, an online learning community for global social change leaders from around the world.
Since launching the Virtual Leadership Institute, 40 leaders became our Group Captains helping Scholars create a productive environment for co-learning, develop leadership projects, and guide discussions about leadership and social impact. Today we talk with Lotus, an excellent Group Captain for the Atlas Corps x @america: Indonesian Public Sector Leadership Initiative.
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Name: Lotus Josiah Home Country: United States Current Organization: Craytek, Inc. and The BGRP Group Social Issue/Interest Area: Social and Economic Equality, Education, and Human Fun fact: I’m the Group Captain of Scholars from the country (Indonesia) my mom grew up in |
Why did you decide to volunteer for Atlas Corps as a Group Captain?
One of my parents grew up in Indonesia, and previously I reviewed applications for Atlas when it was small scaled. When I received an email for the Atlas Corps x @america: Indonesian Public Sector Leadership Initiative Group Captain I jumped on the opportunity to share my experiences in leadership development trainings, and policy development with Scholars from my mom’s homeland. But foremost, I believe in the impact of the program based on previous results.
How has volunteering with Atlas Corps impacted you?
It was a humbling experience; I’ve learned so much from my peer Scholars in connection with my own background in public services and cultural competencies; in the Western world we often believe we can seamlessly implement our values and customs unto others without the sensibility of those who have their own and different cultural experiences. At the end of the day, I discovered we have much more in common than we are different!
The role of these new leaders encompasses so much more than just ensuring compliance and managing expectations and growth. In the case of leadership, the ability to leave a positive imprint on society and make a change is of utmost importance and as a result, these leaders need a specific set of skills and traits to get things done. To be part of this experience meant that I had to be vulnerable and open to different perspectives from a new generation of leaders. As a group we had to think outside of the box as COVID-19 had such devastating impact on the Scholars, their projects, their country, and their families.
What message would you like to send to individuals who are thinking of volunteering with Atlas Corps as a Group Captain?
Leadership is about using the greatness in you to achieve and sustain extraordinary outcomes by engaging the greatness in others. The leaders we work with are inherently role models. They’re goal-oriented, they’re decisive, they build others around them up and they embrace change and contrast. The leaders I’ve seen in this program are multi-dimensional, and their effectiveness depends on certain traits that are proven to engender success. It’s an honor to be part of something much bigger than yourself. It is profound; you are allowing yourself to have an impact and be impacted by the Atlas Corp programs—a once in a lifetime experience.
Atlas Corps Scholar Beni (Cohort 7, Indonesia) shares, “I am humbled and pleased to be selected as one of the Atlas Corps Scholars, given access to the helpful tools and resources, and network with many peers and global Scholars. I have been working on energy and climate change in Indonesia and Southeast Asia for more than ten years. However, the knowledge, experience, and exposure I gained from attending the Virtual Leadership Institution shaped my thinking in defining a better approach to building public concern on these critical issues. Beyond the technical part, Virtual Leadership Institute also helps me grow as a better leader, a leader with integrity, emotional intelligence, generosity, self-awareness, and most importantly, the capability to navigate cognitive bias in today’s challenging world.”
Thank you, Lotus and our hundreds of volunteers who help achieve the Atlas Corps mission every day. Learn more about becoming a volunteer at volunteer.atlascorps.org.
On November 20, Atlas Corps celebrates 15 years of engaging social change leaders. Join us to honor our legacy of service with more than 1,100 leaders from 110 countries at the Atlas Corps 15-Year Anniversary Gala. We will convene friends of Atlas Corps from all sectors and regions of the world to reflect on 15 years of engaging social changemakers and inspire towards our future. Join to connect with our community, meet Fellows, and celebrate Atlas Corps!
Photo from Lotus’s personal archive
