🦊 Fox Mind: My First Leadership Experience in Intellectual Games
Role: Team Founder & Co-Trainer
Location: Komi, Russia
Timeframe: High School
Organization: Syktyvkar State University (КРЛСГУ)
🎯 The Challenge
During high school, I discovered a love for intellectual competitions — fast-paced trivia, logic challenges, and strategic thinking under pressure. With no existing team at our school, I took the initiative to form and train a new team from scratch, working alongside our coach.
Our mission: build a team that could hold its own against more experienced competitors in the region.
🧩 Building “Fox Mind”
“Fox Mind” wasn’t just a name — it was a mindset. Clever, curious, and collaborative.
Working with our coach, I led the process of:
Recruiting team members with complementary strengths (analytical thinking, general knowledge, quick decision-making)
Designing training sessions focused on real tournament formats and time-bound challenges
Developing roles and in-game strategy, including who would answer, who would fact-check, and who would handle time
Maintaining team spirit, organizing friendly competitions and feedback rounds to keep us sharp and motivated
🏆 Results
Despite starting from zero, Fox Mind became a recognized team across Karelia:
🥇 Won multiple regional competitions among high school students
- 📣 Earned praise from educators for team organization, strategic thinking, and sportsmanship
🧠 What I Took With Me
This was more than a game — it was my first hands-on leadership experience. I learned how to:
Form and lead a team with clear roles and shared goals
Build motivation and trust without formal authority
Design a system for preparation, feedback, and performance improvement
Pivot under pressure and think ahead in competitive settings
🔁 Reflection
Looking back, “Fox Mind” planted the seeds of my project management mindset: initiative, collaboration, iteration. That experience continues to shape how I lead teams and manage projects — whether I’m building a design system or organizing a sprint.
This was the first time I saw how a well-organized, well-motivated group could outperform expectations — and I’ve been chasing that same magic ever since.