What does this semester really mean to us? The first part of the lecture contained a slide that stated this:
"The calendar does not lie
-105 days
-2,520 hours
-151,200 minutes
-9,072,000 seconds
How many more of these do you have to waste?"
This was how much time we spent in this class this semester. How did it change us? What will we do with the remaining days, hours, minutes, seconds of our lives? It's so much more than just sitting in class and letting the information flow in one ear and out the other. It entitles absorbing the information and learning how to apply the leadership qualities to our everyday lives.
The biggest thing I took away from this semester is that leaders need to be more than just good ideas. They have to actually DO SOMETHING! Their attitudes and actions shape the way their followers will behave. It also determines the group's motivation and satisfaction in their positions. Leaders go that extra mile for their followers. They send out thank you notes. They offer words of encouragement and praise. They offer constructive criticism and feedback. They live their life with passion and purpose. Leaders DO! This concept motivates me to follow through more in my ideas. I never want to become someone who is all talk. If I talk to someone about cheering up and having a better attitude, then I better be cheerful as well. Leaders have to lead by example, and that example better be good.
Another thing I desire to remember in my life is that life is short. I have always considered this in the past but this class helped reinforce it in my mind. I want to live my life to the fullest and continue to grow as a person and as a leader. God did not put us on this earth to be lazy bums who are only concerned about being comfortable. He put us here to learn, have adventures and big experiences, enjoy little things, and make an impact on others. He did not put us here by ourselves or in a boring environment. This world contains life, colors, and emotions. It would be a massive shame to live like that was not the case. Now, I truly want to enjoy life and leave a lasting impact on those I meet.
The last thing that really impacted me was that love is the center of everything. Before this class, I had never really considered showing love as a leader. I knew that I should treat everyone with respect and compassion but I never entertained the idea of loving them. It makes so much sense though. If God is love, then it is critical. Truly loving your followers gives your actions more sincerity and weight. People might not see it at first, but as they get to know and understand you, they will see that your actions are influenced by the love you have for them. "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)" Let your heart love.
This class helped me determine the kind of leader I want to be. I want to a leader who acts. I want to be someone who talks the talk and walks the walk. Those actions also need to be positive and enthusiastic. I also want to live life to the fullest and remember that life is supposed to be fun, interesting, and an adventure. Lastly, I always want to remember that love is powerful. I want to love everyone and treat them with great worth. That all starts with developing that love inside of me.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
4/13/09 - Everyone's Pain
Everyone has pain in some form or another. Some people feel the effects of racism. Others experience pain from divorces, breakups, death, or psychological traumas from childhood. In this class, we read the anonymous responses of what pain people felt in the class. It really struck a cord with me because so many people have gone through horrible struggles throughout their lives. That day, I was dealing with my own pain from a fight I had had with my boyfriend the night before. Everything in that class showed me that everyone has heartache.
We are all flawed. As a leader, you must realize that everyone has had a different life experience with their own pains within it. You may never know if someone had been teased every day of their childhood for an imperfection. That sticks with someone though. For example, I was teased all through middle school because I was awkward and not as pretty as the other girls. Because those people constantly talked behind my back, I still find myself trying to overhear conversations. I have to force myself to not think that they are talking bad about me. No one might ever know that about me though. That is why, as a leader, you should treat everyone with respect. Dr. Feinberg said that you should never tell an offensive joke or treat anyone poorly because you never know what they have gone through in their life. I know that now I will think twice before gossiping about someone.
We cannot change the experiences we have had in our lives or the pain that we went through. What we can do, though, is control our behaviors now. We can also sympathize and show compassion to others who are going through a rough time in their life. If a leader does not understand how to relate to someone who is hurting, then he or she will never be a great leader. Sometimes it helps to simply be there for them or listen to their story. Leadership requires more than a business face. It demands an emotional response to the people.
We are all flawed. As a leader, you must realize that everyone has had a different life experience with their own pains within it. You may never know if someone had been teased every day of their childhood for an imperfection. That sticks with someone though. For example, I was teased all through middle school because I was awkward and not as pretty as the other girls. Because those people constantly talked behind my back, I still find myself trying to overhear conversations. I have to force myself to not think that they are talking bad about me. No one might ever know that about me though. That is why, as a leader, you should treat everyone with respect. Dr. Feinberg said that you should never tell an offensive joke or treat anyone poorly because you never know what they have gone through in their life. I know that now I will think twice before gossiping about someone.
We cannot change the experiences we have had in our lives or the pain that we went through. What we can do, though, is control our behaviors now. We can also sympathize and show compassion to others who are going through a rough time in their life. If a leader does not understand how to relate to someone who is hurting, then he or she will never be a great leader. Sometimes it helps to simply be there for them or listen to their story. Leadership requires more than a business face. It demands an emotional response to the people.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
4/8/09 - Movies & Men and Women
I love movies almost as much as Dr. Feinberg. I totally relate to the fact that he gets lost in movies. I love to look at movies as an escape but also as how people think and live. Movies allow us to see how society runs but also on what we value most. I, for example, will always love romance stories because I value relationships so much. I also love action movies because I sometimes long for those adventures and excitement. I believe that movies make you think about who you are and how you fit in (or don't fit in). As a leader, you can learn a lot from characters and stories in movies. Even though it is fiction, a movie can create introspection and self-analysis. Sometimes those movies and characters reveal strengths that can help you become a better person. They can also motivate you to strive to be better. Another option is to see what you do not want to become. Movies show the culture but also inspire us to become the person we have always wanted to be.
Also in class on Wednesday, we saw the comments from the men and women questions about what each wants the other to think of them. It was interesting to see that both groups wanted to be taken seriously and been see as attractive, fun, and intelligent. Even though men and women think differently and want different things, both want to be respected and feel valued in their work and daily lives. As a leader in the workplace, you have to be able to understand the differences between the wants and needs of men and women. Only then, can you effectively lead a group. Sexual harassment is also an issue that a leader needs to know how to address and avoid among their employees. The simple questions of what men and women want from the survey gives insight to so much of this. That understanding will give us a greater capacity to lead different genders throughout our lives and careers.
Also in class on Wednesday, we saw the comments from the men and women questions about what each wants the other to think of them. It was interesting to see that both groups wanted to be taken seriously and been see as attractive, fun, and intelligent. Even though men and women think differently and want different things, both want to be respected and feel valued in their work and daily lives. As a leader in the workplace, you have to be able to understand the differences between the wants and needs of men and women. Only then, can you effectively lead a group. Sexual harassment is also an issue that a leader needs to know how to address and avoid among their employees. The simple questions of what men and women want from the survey gives insight to so much of this. That understanding will give us a greater capacity to lead different genders throughout our lives and careers.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
4/6/09 - Decision Making
This whole class period was on decision making. All of us make decisions every day, but how many of us actually go about it in the most efficient and effective way? Dr. Feinberg discussed how our meetings can become more useful to helping the decision-making process through some planning, techniques, and prevention.
One thing Dr. Feinberg stressed was having an agenda for every meeting. It needs to have a structure and time element. You should know how the meeting will go before you get there. Having this agenda will give you an idea of how you expect the meeting to go. He also said to talk to some of your followers in your group and ask them what they are expecting to happen. He said if you won't like the outcome, don't have the meeting. Planning out your meeting beforehand will allow you to flow from topic to topic and keep control of where how the meeting goes.
One major decision-making technique discussed was the nominal group technique. This process allows each person to have their opinion expressed before arguing over a decision. The leader would go around the room and ask each person for a strength then a weakness until everyone has put in their opinion. Then, the group would discuss the validity of each attribute. This creates a more positive environment for everyone in the group to be heard. The only problem is that people don't usually like it at first. I could see how this could be a problem especially if you have a limited amount of time. Once the leader gets them through the process and makes it into a habit, I could see this method being very useful to decision-making in an organization.
A leader also needs to prevent unproductive behaviors and situations. It is always smart to address the potential problems beforehand. This way, these issues will be handled before getting to the major issues. A leader also needs to deal with people that cause problems. Many people play certain roles in a meeting that can hinder progress. They might interrupt constantly, have hidden agendas, or seek recognition in everything they say. A good way to handle this is to first acknowledge it and then make sure to validate each person. Making someone feel needed and important will really help the situation. Next, you should reframe them towards the goal. People have needs. Everyone needs to feel important. I know that I will try harder when a boss or someone in authority encourages me. It's so simple yet we often forget it.
As a leader, you guide your group to making important decisions. We all make decisions in our everyday lives as well. An organized, planned-out approach will often yield the best results. At the same time, you must make sure to validate your people. They must feel that they are worth something to the group and that their skills can be utilized. Depending on how you plan it and handle it, decision-making can either be a great learning experience or a nightmare.
One thing Dr. Feinberg stressed was having an agenda for every meeting. It needs to have a structure and time element. You should know how the meeting will go before you get there. Having this agenda will give you an idea of how you expect the meeting to go. He also said to talk to some of your followers in your group and ask them what they are expecting to happen. He said if you won't like the outcome, don't have the meeting. Planning out your meeting beforehand will allow you to flow from topic to topic and keep control of where how the meeting goes.
One major decision-making technique discussed was the nominal group technique. This process allows each person to have their opinion expressed before arguing over a decision. The leader would go around the room and ask each person for a strength then a weakness until everyone has put in their opinion. Then, the group would discuss the validity of each attribute. This creates a more positive environment for everyone in the group to be heard. The only problem is that people don't usually like it at first. I could see how this could be a problem especially if you have a limited amount of time. Once the leader gets them through the process and makes it into a habit, I could see this method being very useful to decision-making in an organization.
A leader also needs to prevent unproductive behaviors and situations. It is always smart to address the potential problems beforehand. This way, these issues will be handled before getting to the major issues. A leader also needs to deal with people that cause problems. Many people play certain roles in a meeting that can hinder progress. They might interrupt constantly, have hidden agendas, or seek recognition in everything they say. A good way to handle this is to first acknowledge it and then make sure to validate each person. Making someone feel needed and important will really help the situation. Next, you should reframe them towards the goal. People have needs. Everyone needs to feel important. I know that I will try harder when a boss or someone in authority encourages me. It's so simple yet we often forget it.
As a leader, you guide your group to making important decisions. We all make decisions in our everyday lives as well. An organized, planned-out approach will often yield the best results. At the same time, you must make sure to validate your people. They must feel that they are worth something to the group and that their skills can be utilized. Depending on how you plan it and handle it, decision-making can either be a great learning experience or a nightmare.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
4/1/09 - The Survival Experiment
Does the team help or harm us? That was sort of the underlying question during the experiment in Wednesday's class. We were given a scenario in which our plane had crashed in the desert and we only had 15 items. We had to rank these items according to their importance to our survival and chance of being rescued. The first step was to individually rank the items. Then we had to collectively in our groups decide which items were more important. At the end, we compared our answers with that of the survival experts to see if we did better individually or as a group.
I seemed to remember doing this exercise before and I knew that at least one of the items was very important. I knew that the cosmetic mirror was one of the top ones because it can be used to signal for help in the sun. Our group came to a consensus relatively quickly on what rankings we wanted for certain items. That does not mean that we did well, however. Our team averaged a 68 which was right along with the other group's averages. Individually, I scored an 82. The group definitely did better than the individual in my case. This is supposed to prove that groups can brainstorm and come up with better answers than an individual would. This exercise was supposed to show that your group would work better when they put their heads together to solve a problem. Most of the groups in the class performed that way. There were a few that were better with their individual scores.
Communication was very important to this exercise. If you had knowledge of this area, then you were expected to step up and show it. Each group had to utilize their resources of different knowledge levels on survival skills in their groups. In the same way, a leader needs to know the different strengths of their group members. They should also try to work as a team in certain situations in order to create a better result. In this case of survival, our group proved to do better in the team. This exercise not only brought us closer as a team, but also showed us that we really are stronger working together.
I seemed to remember doing this exercise before and I knew that at least one of the items was very important. I knew that the cosmetic mirror was one of the top ones because it can be used to signal for help in the sun. Our group came to a consensus relatively quickly on what rankings we wanted for certain items. That does not mean that we did well, however. Our team averaged a 68 which was right along with the other group's averages. Individually, I scored an 82. The group definitely did better than the individual in my case. This is supposed to prove that groups can brainstorm and come up with better answers than an individual would. This exercise was supposed to show that your group would work better when they put their heads together to solve a problem. Most of the groups in the class performed that way. There were a few that were better with their individual scores.
Communication was very important to this exercise. If you had knowledge of this area, then you were expected to step up and show it. Each group had to utilize their resources of different knowledge levels on survival skills in their groups. In the same way, a leader needs to know the different strengths of their group members. They should also try to work as a team in certain situations in order to create a better result. In this case of survival, our group proved to do better in the team. This exercise not only brought us closer as a team, but also showed us that we really are stronger working together.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
3/30/09 - Communication and Listening
Listening is one of the most important things a leader needs. During class on Monday, we did a demonstration on how communication works. It showed the difference between one-way communication and two-way communication. The best leaders use two-way communication with their followers. It requires more work but brings the most rewards.
One-way communication was demonstrated by one girl going into a closet and trying to communicate a picture that the rest of the class must draw. She could only tell us how to do it with no input from the class. Needless to say, only a small proportion of the class got it completely correct. One-way communication is quicker but creates misunderstandings in the followers. No one can be completely sure if they are completing the task correctly. Feedback is so important and is absent in one-way communication.
The next demonstration was on two-way communication. Another person went in and described the picture that we had to draw. This time, however, we could ask questions and he could make sure we understood the directions. This two-way communication took much more time and even had more frustration, but in the end, produced a better result. Most of the class got the drawing correct this time. Providing that open communication and feedback will give better results.
Communication is extremely important to a leader. You must give clear instructions but also be an active listener. You will never know the needs and wants of your followers without it. Even though two-way communication requires more time and energy, that interaction will yield the best results and better long-term performance.
One-way communication was demonstrated by one girl going into a closet and trying to communicate a picture that the rest of the class must draw. She could only tell us how to do it with no input from the class. Needless to say, only a small proportion of the class got it completely correct. One-way communication is quicker but creates misunderstandings in the followers. No one can be completely sure if they are completing the task correctly. Feedback is so important and is absent in one-way communication.
The next demonstration was on two-way communication. Another person went in and described the picture that we had to draw. This time, however, we could ask questions and he could make sure we understood the directions. This two-way communication took much more time and even had more frustration, but in the end, produced a better result. Most of the class got the drawing correct this time. Providing that open communication and feedback will give better results.
Communication is extremely important to a leader. You must give clear instructions but also be an active listener. You will never know the needs and wants of your followers without it. Even though two-way communication requires more time and energy, that interaction will yield the best results and better long-term performance.
Monday, March 30, 2009
3/25/09 - Group meeting
In class on Wednesday, our group met to discuss goals. We were to talk about if we felt that our group was on track and all on the same page. We talked about the group's structure, our strengths, and what can be improved upon. This way, our group can be that much stronger for the rest of the semester.
We decided that our group structure is currently completely lead by Serena (our group leader) with a few others that have stepped up. We felt like this had been good at the beginning but that now we should all be stepping up. One way to do this is to assign more specific tasks to each person so that everyone feels personally responsible to the group. That way, we will be more efficient and all feel like we are contributing to the group.
Our group is great at communicating. Everyone at the meeting said that this was one of our strengths. We decided that in order to make this strength even stronger, we should remember to send out ideas and other information to the whole group every time. This will let everyone in on the communication of the group and who is asking or suggesting what.
One area we want to work on is getting everyone in the group to do well. Some of the group members are excelling while others are not. This is difficult because none of us can force the others to become motivated to do better. We did decide to have each person in the group submit their work to our group leader and then she would pass it on to someone else in the group to proofread. This will, at least, get another set of eyes on their paper. This will also create more accountability in the group.
Overall, our group has been effective in getting our work done and communicating with each other. There is always room for improvement, however. I believe that it is important to take this analysis of our group in the middle of the semester. This way, we can change things that need to be changed and recognize strengths that have developed.
We decided that our group structure is currently completely lead by Serena (our group leader) with a few others that have stepped up. We felt like this had been good at the beginning but that now we should all be stepping up. One way to do this is to assign more specific tasks to each person so that everyone feels personally responsible to the group. That way, we will be more efficient and all feel like we are contributing to the group.
Our group is great at communicating. Everyone at the meeting said that this was one of our strengths. We decided that in order to make this strength even stronger, we should remember to send out ideas and other information to the whole group every time. This will let everyone in on the communication of the group and who is asking or suggesting what.
One area we want to work on is getting everyone in the group to do well. Some of the group members are excelling while others are not. This is difficult because none of us can force the others to become motivated to do better. We did decide to have each person in the group submit their work to our group leader and then she would pass it on to someone else in the group to proofread. This will, at least, get another set of eyes on their paper. This will also create more accountability in the group.
Overall, our group has been effective in getting our work done and communicating with each other. There is always room for improvement, however. I believe that it is important to take this analysis of our group in the middle of the semester. This way, we can change things that need to be changed and recognize strengths that have developed.
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