March 7’s Spotlight: KSI Shockr 7
The March 2020 7’s Spotlight Interview with KSI Shockr 7!
Recently, the KSI News Team had the pleasure of interviewing KSI Shockr 7, the winner of the News’ March 7s Spotlight. From start to finish, Shockr’s answers were very insightful and tactful; Exhibiting why he’s been such an excellent addition to the KSI family. It’s plain to see why KSI Shockr 7 is worthy of his rank as a CoFounder in DM.
What is the best part of your rank? And why?
“The ability to help take care of everything. Being able to be a jack of all trades, & not having to rely on anyone else. Keeping track of the Join Section for DM, setting new member’s Discord roles, security clearing recruits, and more. I truly enjoy being the guy who’s able to get it all done, and contributing towards the betterment of DM as a whole Division.”
What experiences have you had while rising through the ranks? Any favorites?
“Looking back, one of my favorite things was that KSI Drizzle and I rose through the ranks together, even though we were in 2 different squads. It was pretty awesome to get to do that with a friend. When we first joined, we said “We’re going to be Generals one day.” Eventually we became Generals together, it was an amazing experience we shared. I’m thankful to have a good friend to share the experiences with.”
Looking back, would you do anything differently?
“Not really, I really like the way I came up. DM doesn’t just hand out promotions, everything was hard-earned. I get to help out the members of the best Division in KSI every day.”
Who was your role model as a “younger” officer?
“As a younger officer, I had two great role models. KSI MeShell 7 and KSIxROMEO 7. Meshell just had this inexplicable mix of an air of authority and friendship. She had created a very relaxed and supportive culture in Cruelty. Romeo is the heart & soul of DM. As well as an excellent leader and mentor who I view as a great person to emulate. Despite being the most country guy I know.
What is your drive to continue putting effort into the community?
“Initially, I stepped up out of curiosity. I wanted to learn more and be on the inside. As I moved up, I wanted to be able to change the little things. Making sure every member is accounted for, gets invites, and has an enjoyable experience. Eventually, people start coming to you about their lives, successes, failures and everything in between. I also travel a lot, so it’s amazing being able to pack up your Xbox and take your friends with you wherever you go. There will always things that will need to changed, tweaked, and adjusted. But I’ll be there to answer the challenge.”
What advice do you have for future leaders? Any tip or tricks?
“Keep an open mind. Preconceived judgments can really hinder you as you move up and see new ideas and different ways of doing things. So always keep an open mind, and open ears. You have to be able to listen to what people have to say. Especially those who have been around here longer than you. Learn to be like the best leaders you can find. When you speak, do so tactfully. Being blunt isn’t always the best way to do things. Learning how to approach people and talk to them on their terms is an incredibly valuable skill to have. Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for help. “Pride has no place when it comes to the mission.” You have to be able to recognize when you need help and suck your pride enough to be able to ask for it. It’s always better to ask, then it is to pretend like you know what’s going on until it bites you in the butt.”
How do you train & mentor the leaders beneath you to help them grow?
“You teach them what no one taught you. As members step up and rise throughout the ranks, you learn things that no one taught you. And then you must be able to teach them the things that you had to learn on your own.”
Having said that, what was something that no one ever taught you?
“General’s Meetings. It’s pretty simple now, but when I joined my first Gen’s Meeting, I was rather unprepared. Wasn’t sure what to expect, didn’t know what was going on. The same thing goes for hosting officer meetings & squad meetings. Teach your Captains how to be prepared for the meetings they attend and will one day host.”
Favorite KSI memory?
“The late-night parties with good friends, just hanging out and having a good time. I also have a few members who come to me about real-life issues and problems they have. It’s very humbling and an honor that they trust me enough to just have me listen to them talk about it.”
Have you ever had a moment where you doubted yourself? Or thought you would fail but didn’t?
“Plenty of times, there are times where this can feel like a second job. And you just don’t want to be in leadership anymore. But I stuck around for the members. These are amazing people that you can’t find anywhere else, and I can’t quit on something like that.”
After the interview, we continued having surprisingly deep and powerful conversation about several of Shockr’s thoughtful and articulate answers. It was easy to see why he had so many nominations for Co-Founder of the Month in March. I can’t wait to see what his KSI future holds!