Being the Best

Prefect –
Accountability,
Responsibility
and Leadership
Trey Cumberbatch
What does
being a
Prefect mean
to you?
Prefect
 Praeficere – “set in authority
over”
 Leadership
 Accountability
 Responsibility
 Upholding standards
 Setting examples
 NOT just a badge; the badge is a
symbol.
Prefects,
Accountability and
Responsibility
 You will inevitability be accountable to
a lot of people:
 Friends
 Younger students
 Teachers
 Members of the public
 Responsibilities
 Helping teachers with the school’s
administration
 Being student leaders and good examples
 But what about being accountable to
and responsible for yourself?
Self-Accountability

 Establishing these standards for yourself, and answering to yourself for them!
 Self-accountability is the key to responsible and effective leadership.
 Being accountable to yourself can actually be one of the most powerful
motivators.
 What kind of person do I want to be?
 What kind of Prefect do I want to be?
 How do I want to lead?
 What does being a responsible and effective leader look like for me?
Where does self-
accountability start?
1. Self-awareness
 Knowing yourself and who you
really are.
 Taking a completely honest look
at yourself.
 Focusing on yourself
 Establishes your internal
standards and whether or not
your behaviour lines up with
them.
Self-Awareness and Leadership

 Self-aware leaders:
 Recognize and appreciate their strengths
 Recognize their vulnerabilities.
 Self-awareness helps leaders lean into their strengths while improving on
their vulnerabilities.
 You can’t hold yourself to standards that you don’t know.
 How do you know that you’re being a good leader if you don’t know what that looks
like for you?
 Always being with yourself doesn’t necessarily mean that you are self-aware.
 Self-awareness is a constant exercise!
Exercise!
Self-Acceptance and
Self-Accountability
 It’s not just about knowing
yourself; it’s about accepting
yourself as you are.
 The good and the bad – you don’t
have to be perfect to lead.
 People appreciate authenticity in
their leaders.
 People want leaders that they can
relate to.
 “They didn’t have to be perfect to
lead/succeed; neither do I.”
Self-Acceptance

 I deserve to be a Prefect.
 No mistakes were made; this was
meant to be.
 I am a leader; leadership is my
calling.
 My style of leadership is just as
effective as any other.
Tying it all together…

 You can’t lead anyone if you do not know and accept who you are.
 To maximise on a leadership opportunity, you have to believe that you, as
you are, are deserving of the opportunity in the first place.
 You must also know yourself and how you lead so that you can lead in a
manner that is authentic to you.
 You deserve the badge, and all the responsibility that comes with it.
 Once you accept this, you can and will lead competently and confidently.
Achieving Self-
Accountability
How can I become the most
effective and responsible
leader I can be?
Achieving Self-Accountability and
Effective Leadership
 Have a conversation with yourself:
 Who am I?
 What kind of leader am I?
 Why do I want to be a Prefect?
 What kind of Prefect do I want to be?
 What do I have to work on to become that kind of Prefect and Leader?
 Write down your answers and keep them someplace visible.
 Constantly monitor yourself against these goals and keep reminding yourself
of your why.
 Don’t be afraid to ask for help and input from people that you trust!
Self-Accountability
Questions to Ask
Yourself
 Is my behaviour lining up with
the kind of leader I want to be?
 Am I being responsible?
 Am I being the best example I
can be for my colleagues?
 What am I doing well? What can I
improve on?
And Remember…
 Self-accountability is both a
state and an ongoing process.
 Be gentle with yourself.
 Be kind with yourself.
 Every day, you are becoming the
leaders you are meant to be.