Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to President Obama, stressed the importance of passion and bravery in shaping current and future leaders in an address to about 200 students Wednesday.

“What sets leaders apart is their perseverance and courage, coupled with a really good sense of humor,” Jarrett said in her talk, which was part of the Marver H. Bernstein symposium on government reform.

The lecture, which aimed to foster a discussion of the trials and opportunities facing the U.S. government, was hosted by Georgetown’s department of government in the Fisher Colloquium.

Through vignettes grounded in her own experiences and those of Obama, Jarrett emphasized the importance of leadership in a rapidly changing and uncertain political and economic environment.

“It was an inspiring, optimistic outlook on Georgetown students’ potential impact on the world in light of the great adversity facing us today,” Kyle Zhu (SFS ‘14) said.

Jarrett also stressed personal engagement and ultimate devotion to one’s goals. She said she learned through six unhappy years as a lawyer that pursuing other people’s ideals does not necessarily lead to fulfillment. Jarrett instead turned to public service — she is the chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls and directs the Offices of Intergovernmental Affairs; Public Engagement; Urban Affairs and Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport — and encouraged all students to consider this as a career path.

“From my very first day, I knew I was exactly where I belong,” she said.

Jarrett further called on students to maintain their hard work ethic when they find themselves in challenging situations, particularly when attempting to create a consensus or compromise. This, she said, was a key component of leadership.

“If you cannot motivate people to work towards a common goal, you are merely an expert, not a leader,” Jarrett added.

This push for unity is integral to Obama’s platform of “winning the future,” she stated. Jarrett argued that Obama has firmly adhered to his goals, despite inheriting economic, education, health and energy crises.

“After listening to all perspectives, leaders are prepared to make the hard decisions and take everybody’s pain,” Jarrett said.

Jarrett added that Obama is now committed to increasing federal efficiency and passing comprehensive immigration reform.

“There’s still hard work ahead, but we have every reason to be optimistic,” she said.

Jarrett also stressed that the Obama administration has been willing to battle public disagreements and lower approval ratings in order to implement important measures.

“If you’re transformative, then by definition it’s controversial,” she said.

Jarrett concluded by reminding students of their role in mitigating the polarization that can seem to define political discourse.

“You have to understand the power you have.”