CSR 309 Leadership

4/15/09 - Last Class/Wrap Up

2009-04-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

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.

4/13/09 - Everyone's Pain

2009-04-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

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.

4/8/09 - Movies & Men and Women

2009-04-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

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.

4/6/09 - Decision Making

2009-04-08T07:33:00.000-07:00

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.

4/1/09 - The Survival Experiment

2009-04-02T12:10:00.000-07:00

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.

3/30/09 - Communication and Listening

2009-03-31T11:41:00.000-07:00

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.

3/25/09 - Group meeting

2009-03-30T11:39:00.000-07:00

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.

3/23/09 - Spring Break Leadership

2009-03-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

Considering that I was still recovering from my Study Abroad Spring Break trip to Colombia, I was unable to make the class on Monday. Spring Break, however, was full of leadership issues though. I took a trip to Cartagena, Colombia with around 19 other students and a professor that we all liked to call "Debbie (Downer)." "Debbie" showed us so many leadership flaws throughout the trip.

The first problem we faced was her outright comment that we could not make any suggestions. She said, "This is not a group of leaders." She told us that we had to do everything she said whether we liked it or not. Everyone was furious. We are not five-year-olds who need our hands held. We are twenty-somethings who have great ideas and will willingly follow if given a good reason to. That comment made us resent her for most of the trip. One time, I just asked her to repeat something so I could be clear on it, and she snapped at me. She did the same thing to other people for simple questions. Followers do not want to be blind and deaf to procedures! Let them in on it for crying out loud!

Another issue arose with "Debbie" giving conflicting commands. She would also tell us that she told us something when she never did. One problem came up with our journals we had to write. One student wrote his on a computer instead of in an actual paper journal. There was never anything that said he could not do that. When she found out, however, she had a fit and told him he could not use it. There was never anything to tell him otherwise though. No syllabus, handout, nothing. Yet she said that she had told us a hundred times that it had to be hand-written. At the same time, none of us remember her saying that. A good leader should communicate more effectively, and when in doubt, write it out.

Our group had the hardest time keeping up with her latest command. Since she kept changing her mind about things, we were never sure what was happening. One issue came up with drinking on the trip. Alcohol in Colombia is a huge part of their culture. It is included in so many events and activities. One such activity was a bus tour of the city at night. In the tour, it includes in the price rum and cokes for a celebration. One of the local trip leaders told us it was an amazing tour and that he would not let us drink too much yet "Debbie" said no. Earlier in the week, however, we had wine at a dinner, a champagne toast when we first arrived at the hotel, and even a happy hour provided by the hotel one night. We were so confused on the policy. We ended up getting to go on the tour if it was on our own instead of a school function. (Side note: everyone decided to go).

The leadership on this trip was so difficult to live with. We would have graciously followed her if she would have given us a reason to. Her conflicting policies, commands, and rudeness turned us off to her leadership throughout the trip. She was so unpredictable that we ended up always being on pins and needles when around her. I almost had a panic attack one day because she was constantly barking orders at us, and we had no idea how to do those orders. I thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Colombia, but the poor leadership added an unfortunate stress to what was supposed to be a lovely Study Abroad trip.

3/11/09 - Time Management

2009-03-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

Time is one of the most valuable things on the planet. Everyone is confined to it, it is perishable, and you cannot get more of it. The lecture on time management made me realize how much time I waste each day doing frivolous things. Am I really doing the most important things first? Do I really make the most of every moment?

When Dr. Feinberg asked what would we do with an extra hour a day, it was to prove the point that we would do what we value the most. I expect that half of the class, if they were being honest, would sleep. I think the better question is "How SHOULD you spend that extra hour?" Thinking about that question, I realize that I should spend that time strengthening my relationship with God. I could read the Bible, pray, go talk to others about my faith, or memorize verses. That is something I value very highly, but unfortunately, sometimes goes on the back burner. This class made me realize that my time should be spent on the things I value the most. Also if it is not right now, I should consider changing some things around.

What are some things I can cut out to make that extra hour? I already multi-task quite a bit, so this is a hard question. I could cut out probably a half hour of facebook alone. Sadly, there really is no point to it even though I am addicted. I do not agree that I should cut back on an hour of sleep like Dr. Feinberg suggested. Sorry, Dr. Feinberg, but unlike you, I cannot function without 8 hours of sleep a night. Sleep for me equals efficiency during the day, so I can actually do things to the best of my ability. Something else I could cut back on instead could be my primping in the morning. I take long showers and take my time getting ready. Speeding up that process could give me some extra time to do more important things.

The correct management of time can make you into a great leader. If I were to manage time more efficiently, I could make a difference in my leadership story. I might have time to work more with my church, do some community service, or come up with a new way of doing things to revolutionize a company I will eventually work for. Who knows? The possibilities are endless. I bet countless people never live up to their potential because they think they lack the time to accomplish anything. Why don't they change that? I believe that that is the difference between the true and great leaders and the wannabes. Every great leader DOES something. They make the time for it. I want to use my time so that I become one of the greats. I never want to be a wannabe leader.

3/9/09 - The Start of Change

2009-03-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

The change started with structure. We finally were told who the president of the "organization" will be. His name is Joe, and he will communicate to the CEO (or Dr. Feinberg) on our behalf. Dr. Feinberg told us that the key to a positive work environment is structure. He also mentioned that every structure needs easily identifiable goals that can be measured. These seem so obvious, yet made me think about how few of us actually incorporate those ideas in our everyday lives.

Dr. Feinberg said that without structure, you need extremely strong leaders to succeed. If you have structure, you can get by with less strong of leaders and less effort. This, at first, sounded like a cop-out. Shouldn't you always put forth the effort? Shouldn't every organization find the strongest leaders possible? Then when I really thought about it, how many people really want to go into work every day using all their energy possible? I would imagine that it is a very small percent. I know that some days I want to relax a little. When structure is in place, everyone can work more efficiently. That means that the CEO doesn't have to run around to every single employee every single day and tell them every bit of information. Structure saves time.

After we established our new structure, Feinberg stressed the importance of creating goals for the organization. This carried over from the last lecture on vision. All the members of the group need to know what the goals are so that we can all be motivated. The new president told us that he wants to improve leadership skills, keep the value on us (the students), keep accountability, and be dependable. These are all great goals for the class, but Dr. Feinberg said that they will not do anything unless he can measure them. I had never thought about that aspect of a goal before. How do you measure your progress toward the goal? I have always said I am a goal-oriented person, but it's hard to think about how I measure the progress. He challenged each of our group leaders to create their vision and the measures for it. Now I understand that without a measure for the goal, how will you know if you accomplish it or have any progress?

Establishing a structure will help any organization strive toward success. It allows for easier communication and better efficiency. Now, everyone knows what they need to do and how they need to do it within that structure. The next step is to create goals for the organization. Goals are so important because they unite everyone in a shared vision. Finally, you have to set up measures to determine if you are accomplishing those goals. Without a measurement, it can be hard to really see if anything is getting done. Structure, goals, and measurement allow leaders and followers to both flourish together.

3/4/09 - Vision

2009-03-05T17:52:00.000-08:00

How do you communicate your vision to the world? How do you utilize your vision so that others will want to follow you? These ideas were addressed in class and made me think about how I communicate my vision. This includes the vision for my life and my vision as a leader.

Watching the clip of Jerry McQuire showed the importance of a life mission statement. Everyone has their own mission for their life and their own ideas of how to accomplish it. A life mission can direct you in life and thus, create a vision. The funeral exercise in class demonstrated how what you do in life is important. After you die, what will you be remembered for? What do you WANT to be remembered for? That's where you start your life mission.

Setting those goals for your life is only half the battle. You must then DO it! Goals are only useful if you intend to accomplish them. I have began to think about what I want to be remembered for. I know that I want everyone to remember my passion, love for others, creativity, and drive. I want to live my life acting out those qualities and ideas.

Establishing a vision in your leadership role is the next step. You will never get anyone to follow you if they don't understand why they should. The example of Wal-Mart was used in class. They start every Saturday manager meeting with acknowledging that the customer and employees come first. They will also do everything in their power to cut costs. They have clearly established their vision, and they live it out all the time. They are constantly looking for new ways to save money even if it's only a few dollars here and there. Wal-Mart is a prime example of a company with a living vision.

First, you must create a vision for your life. Then, you must create a vision in your leadership role. After you have established these visions, you can live your life accordingly. Action is so important in seeing results. No one gets anywhere by stating things they believe in; they have to live it. I want to strive to live out the vision for my life and work, so that at my funeral, they will all say exactly what I would expect them to.

3/2/09 - Cohesiveness

2009-03-04T07:39:00.000-08:00

Cohesiveness is the glue that holds a group together. It allows a group to work together to do something extraordinary. In class on Monday, we were given Chinese finger traps. These toys were able to show us just how hard and important cohesiveness can be.

In the demonstration, a group was supposed to link up using the finger traps. They had to stay attached an accomplish a task of walking to a specific point. Dr. Feinberg actually attached himself to the group and showed us how one member can ruin it for the group. He at times would not move. Another time he moved in a different direction than the group. One member can make or break the group.

In order to prevent this from happening, a group needs to communicate. It's not just about communication, however. It's about communicating effectively and giving everyone a reason to move together. The front of the line of people were trying to communicate with Dr. Feinberg but they were not giving him any reason to other than it was what everyone else was doing. As a leader, you must give your followers a reason to follow you and to work as a group. Establishing that clear goal for your team gives them a look at what you want to accomplish. Then you must tell them how it will affect them, and it better help them out!

If you can't find a common goal, use a common enemy. This was discussed in class, and you see this every day and in most companies. Representatives from JCPenney's were in class on Monday and they told us that their biggest competitors are Kohls, Target, and WalMart. When Dr. Feinberg asked the representative how often they talk about those competitiors, she answered, "Every day." That common enemy is constant motivation to work harder and be better. Everyone in your team now has something to fight for and against.

Cohesiveness can be a great thing. You do need to be careful when using it however. A leader should keep an eye out for groupthink, lack of creativity, and early agreement. Dr. Feinberg suggested to always have a Devil's advocate just to spark healthy disagreements. This will lead to more ideas being shared and better results overall. Cohesiveness is great until everyone blindly follows without thinking.

A group can do great things if they stick together. One person can mess everything up, so it's your duty as a leader to communicate the goals and give them a reason why it matters to them. When people have a common goal they believe in, they will fight to accomplish it. Sometimes the best catalyst is a common enemy. This brings your group together to be better than them. Even though cohesiveness brings a group together, a leader must always watch for ineffective cohesiveness. Disagreements can be great things and bring out new ideas. Creating cohesiveness in your group allows your team to take their ideas to a higher level.

2/25/09 - 60 Minutes Clip

2009-02-26T14:49:00.000-08:00

In class, we watched a 60 Minutes clip of KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program). It documented two schools that have a completely different approach to education. They have long 10 hour days, school on Saturdays, and school throughout the summer. The commitments they make and the way they handle the students demonstrates some huge leadership characteristics.

One thing the KIPP program does is have the students, parents, and teachers sign a contract. In this contract, they commit to the long hours and hard work involved. They also understand that they are to focus and learn all they can in order to succeed. In leadership, dedication is very important. KIPP has found a way to get the students, parents, and teachers to dedicate themselves to the goals of the school. This keeps them focused and driven to succeed. Signing a contract makes each person accountable to it. Accountability can help anyone stick to a goal. I am much more likely to study if I tell someone I am going to and then they follow up to see if I did it. In the same way, the kids at the school are more likely to be disciplined because they know that they made a promise and that the teachers and their parents will make sure they stick to it. A good leader provides a way for their followers to commit to a goal and then make them accountable to that commitment.

The teachers at KIPP handle their students differently than the average school. They strictly enforce the rules and teach the students to have pride in their work. They called their discipline style "tough love." They discipline in such a way that the students can tell that they truly care about their success and commitment. The teachers strive to keep them on track. They also work with the students to teach them to have pride in their work. They have high expectations which means the children need to live up to that. A good leader needs to be able to communicate that discipline to their followers and teach them to care about their work. A company would never prosper if there was nothing to keep structure and discipline. Without discipline, no one would come to work or do anything if they did come. A leader needs to show they care but also be firm about the rules.

KIPP demonstrates a great way to get children to flourish in their school work. It gives them goals and creates an environment for success. They do this through making all the students, parents, and teachers sign a contract that promises dedication. A leader needs to get their followers to commit to the established goals in the same way. The school also knows when to discipline and how to get a student to take pride in his or her accomplishments. A great leader does this as well. They teach followers to have pride in their work and discipline when necessary. Many leaders should use KIPP as a model for how they treat their followers.

2/23/09 - First and Only Exam

2009-02-24T19:32:00.000-08:00

Well that was not fun. Let's just say that the first exam was no walk in the park. It was over A Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner. I read most of this book and still felt like I did not do well. This test required a lot of memorization and then specific application of the concepts. I felt like better leadership on the content of the test would have made it more successful for everyone.

One reason I believe this is true is because I had no idea how to study for it. All I knew was that it was over one large book and may include some applications. A great leader would have directed us to relevant materials and then would say "Know this well." I understand that leader should not need to spoon feed their followers, but direction is critical. Because I did not understand what was coming, I was unable to effectively prepare.

So many organizations face this problem. Employees at certain companies may not understand how they will be reviewed or critiqued when employee evaluations come around. Because it was not communicated, they were not able to prepare or work on skills in order to rate higher in the evaluation. A great leader will explain to them the criteria. In the same way, a great leader should have explained the criteria for the class test better. If a leader lets a follower goes into something blind, how are they both supposed to shine?

2/18/09 - Tower Building

2009-02-19T15:45:00.000-08:00

All of the groups were instructed to build a tower of basically anything we want as long as it fit into a 3 x 3 x 3ft box. Our group came together with boxes, Dr. Pepper cans, Christmas lights, red ornaments, and duct tape to create our masterpiece. Building this tower helped us learn what it takes to work together in a group to create something unique. The tower was supposed to be original, tall, strong, etc. I observed how our team worked together to not only get the job done but done well.

First off, a good leader prepares their group. That is exactly what our leader Serena did. She told us about the tower and let us brainstorm ideas. That's how we came up with the materials. When we got there on the day of class, we all were able to contribute to the tower in some form or another. One person wrote down ideas for the presentation while others helped think of ideas. Some actually built the tower, manned the duct tape, or strung the Christmas lights. Others added finishing touches, kept time, or offered opinions on how to strengthen or make the tower more appealing. Utilizing your team's skills and talents shows great teamwork. Problems arise when people believe they are useful or wanted. Our leader did a great job of making sure that did not happen.

Our presentation was great. We talked about a firm foundation of leadership symbolized by the four boxes on the bottom. We said that the lights represented how bright we are while the Christmas theme demonstrated how we celebrate every experience with our group just like we would a holiday. We showed enthusiasm. The ribbon at the top represented our leader. When a leader provides for their team, the team willingly lifts up the leader. Our tower strengthened our bond in our group and gave us confidence in our leader's ability. Not only that, but it showed us that we can pull together and create something spectacular.

2/16/09 - Self Deception

2009-02-18T20:42:00.000-08:00

Many people follow American Idol. I am personally in awe of the multitudes of people who show up for the auditions and think they are actually the next American Idol. Less than half of them have any talent at all. You would think they would understand that they can't sing. Sure, some do and just want their fifteen minutes of fame. Some, however, truly think they are good. Why is that? It's because they have been deceiving themselves! Not only that, but other people won't tell them the truth. This is not just about American Idol contestants; this is about how we interview for jobs.

Am I self-deceptive? I have always thought that I have done well in an interview situation and in some cases, that is very true. After this lecture, I began to analyze how I interview. I found that I do some things very well and some things mediocre. Since the recruiter won't tell you what you can improve on, I decided to figure it out for myself. One of my strengths is my enthusiasm during the interview. Many recruiters look for that. Another is that I am able to translate many of my experiences into desirable qualities. Even though I excel in those areas, I realized I still have areas to improve in. One thing is that I sometimes ramble. I have to make sure that I have quality over quantity. I'm sure that no recruiter wants to listen to someone go on and on. I am also trying to work on remembering more aspects of the company that I am interviewing with. From my experiences, that is so impressive to them. In one interview, I mentioned how amazed that their store was up 44% in their profits last year and the manager looked shocked. I want to work on remembering that.

Self-deception leads to stagnation. A leader HAS to GROW! I will chose to not be like certain American Idol contestants whose world is rocked when Simon tells them they are awful. I want to prepare, learn, and have an accurate view of myself and the world.

2/11/09 - Final Leader Selection

2009-02-12T20:03:00.000-08:00

We finally have class leaders. After going through the 20 second interviews and the assessment center exercise, the top 15 candidates are now the class leaders. When you select someone to be a leader, they have to be compelling. Many of the potential leaders were far from that. We talked about being compelling when applying for jobs. Most companies will not take you unless you show them a good reason why they should. Harnessing what makes you compelling and then communicating that gives you a huge edge in the job market.

I attempted to prove that this was true in the recent career fair on campus. I showed the retail companies that I was looking at that my experiences can directly benefit them with better sales, strong customer service, and fresh ideas. I shall see if it pays off. I did, however, get three interviews.

Sometimes you need to script out what you will say to a recruiter. Feinberg called them "life scripts." Before one of my interviews this week, I thought through some points that I wanted to make sure I mentioned. I rehearsed some ideas about my experiences and how that relates to their company's goals. Because I did that, I found myself going right into those thoughts during the questions in the interview. Being prepared kept me focused.

When going into an interview, you have to prove that you will be the leader they are looking for. We could see this demonstrated in our leader selection in the class. The people selected were compelling, prepared, and interesting enough to get our attention.

2/9/09 - Kirk Weisler's Leadership Workshop

2009-02-12T19:38:00.000-08:00

One word: AMAZING. I could seriously write pages on the things I learned during Monday's leadership workshop. Kirk Weisler spoke that night and taught us many things about how to be a great leader including love, culture, and passion. We must always be looking for opportunities to take something from good to great. This can be done by doing just a little something extra.

Kirk talked about the 5 love languages during the workshop. I had heard of those before and actually have tried to figure out mine. The languages are words of affirmation, gifts, time, physical touch, and acts of service. As a leader, you should strive to show the people you work with the love they need. One thing he said to do was write thank-you notes because those notes are incredibly impactful. I have a note from a friend from the beginning of this school year that I plan to keep because it means so much. Showing love is so important to being a good leader.

You should strive to have a positive work culture and not a negative one. If you're in a negative culture, change it and don't let it change you. Kirk mentioned that it's a day-to-day process to keep the culture positive, but that's your job as a leader. This ties in with love. A leader commits to a culture of trust, vulnerability, and connections. That, summed up, is love! The culture needs it to be prosperous.

Passion is contagious. A leader with passion is someone everyone will follow. Kirk said, "Seek to be a leader to inspire, not require, to seek the results you desire." You inspire when you demonstrate a passion for life and the organization. It is so true that you cannot motivate someone. They can only motivate themselves. You can, however, teach them. I see this in a club I am in right now. I cannot motivate my members to come to the meetings, they have to want to. I can show them the benefits of coming and make it worth their while when they come by offering important information there.

This leadership workshop was full of amazing advice and information. Kirk stressed that you must be continually growing. We're never done growing our minds, so why pretend like they're done growing? I will, for sure, take what Kirk said about love, culture, and passion and start to apply them to different clubs I am in and the experiences I will have.

2/4/09 - Phase 2 of Leadership Selection

2009-02-08T17:31:00.000-08:00

In Monday's class, we observed the first step in selecting the class leaders. It included a 20-second speech on their leadership story. In Wednesday's class, we observed how the prospective leaders worked in a group. It was good to see this selection process since many employers use this in their recruiting process. During what's called the Assessment Center Technique, they give you a task and then watch you attempt to complete it. I learned that it is not necessarily the actual completion of the task that they look at, but it is the way in which you present yourself during the event.

There were a total of three groups. Two of the groups did very similar things while one far exceeded all of our expectations. The first two groups made the fundamental mistake of forgetting that the class was evaluating them. They instantly went into a huddle and started discussing the task amongst themselves. Bad idea! How are we supposed to observe and rank them if they don't let us in on it? A good leader communicates effectively, and the first two groups made that fundamental error. We were looking for someone to make a good impression and that did not happen in those groups.

The last group made an amazing impression. Instead of just going through the motions of attempting to complete the task, they ran out into the classroom and did a skit on a "leadership revival" among their teammates. True leaders capture attention. Next, they showcased each person and shared the spotlight with each other. The best leaders don't hog the attention. Finally, they completed the task in an unconventional way by doing a role play. The most effective leaders think outside of the box. Everyone in team 3 received a high score from me because they all showed enthusiasm and captured my attention in a positive way. Impressions are so important. Leaders have to utilize all of their resources in order to be truly effective.

2/2/09 - Superbowl Commercials and Leadership Selection

2009-02-04T10:12:00.000-08:00

Superbowl commercials are usually the highlight for me with each year's Superbowl. They are always so amusing, creative, and interesting. I never really thought about finding leadership principles within them though. After showing several in class, I was able to learn a few things about leadership.

The first thing I learned was from the Universal Studios commercial about finding your inner hero. It showed a little boy going around and flexing his muscles. It then cut to the man who was remembering that feeling. That commercial really drives in the point that a leader should strive to never lose that inner hero. So many people just live a stagnant life. How can you be a hero for yourself and others?

Another commercial was one for cars.com. It showed a man who had been confident all his life. He was able to negotiate a later bed time, ask out an older girl, and even do open heart surgery with a ballpoint pen. Even though he had all that confidence, he was still nervous trying to buy a car. Everyone has aspects of their lives where they are confident and other parts where they lack it. To be a great leader, one must embrace the strong parts and be aware of their weak ones. In their weak areas, they must know when to ask for help.

The class was not all about leadership applications from Superbowl commercials. It also started the process of leader selection from among my classmates. Several students had signed up to be a leader and were given a number. They were to run up to the front of the classroom and give a 20 second pitch on their leadership story. The rest of the class was to rank them from 0-10 with 10 meaning that we would completely follow them. I was amazed by how few people I wanted to give a high score. They were NOT convincing me. I began to understand that being a leader that people want to follow takes a lot of work and motivation. The best ones had confidence in their words, said something worthwhile, had a strong personality and presence, and looked excited or happy to be up there. The worst ones told us a shortened version of their resume (We don't care!), stumbled over every word, looked freaked out, lost their credibility through the things they said, and mentioned few things of quality. That event helped me understand that one must not only work to be a good leader, but also have a quality of confidence and sincerity to them.

1/28/09 - Leadership Theories

2009-01-29T15:56:00.000-08:00

There are four major theories on leadership but not all of them are as plausible as the others. The theories mentioned were the Great Person Theory, Great Time Theory, Attribute Theory, and Person x Situation Theory. All are theories however. One theory that actually makes more sense is the Transaction Theory. This talks about how leaders and followers are both important. It's in their transaction and interaction that creates a fair and sustainable relationship.

It was asked in class, "Which one is more important - the leader or the follower?" Clearly, neither is more important since they rely on each other. Followers must be able to trust and want to follow their leader. Leaders must compel everyone to follow them in one way or another. I have seen this happen in one of my clubs I am involved in. I am the treasurer of the Cheer and Stunt club and have seen how you have to show that you are compelling enough to lead the group of cheerleaders. The first semester of school, all of the officers struggled to find that. We tried being super nice, providing incentives, appealing to reason, and finally threatening those who were not consistent in their attendance. We knew something was wrong with the leadership. This semester, we got it together. We found what everyone was longing for - a clear mission and structure. We did this by getting our music finished for the routine, starting to teach the routine, and changing our attitudes to one of passion for the club. Our "followers" wanted to see us do this and rejected us until we did. Followers do have a lot of power but they want the leaders to step up.

Talking about the Transaction Theory in class really made me think about how much this applies to my club. Neither the leader nor the follower was more important but both were extremely vital to motivate each other and accomplish the goals. Theories are theories until you can put them into practice. Then they become personal success stories.

1/26/09 - First "Real" Lecture

2009-01-27T12:37:00.000-08:00

There were several things different about this class. 1) The Professor was in the front of the room. 2) He actually showed a Power Point presentation about the point of the class. 3) There was some direction to the agenda. The past classes had been far from the typical, and even though this class was in a normal format, there were some differences. The professor told us that he plans on being the worst leader until we have learned something from it. He explained that we should be prepared to live with terrible leaders after we graduate, and then to avoid those behaviors for ourselves. That lesson was carried out in this class.

The Power Point presentation was full of video clips and commercials that all referred to behaviors, leadership, and making the most out of life. You must first believe in yourself before you can believe and lead others. This makes a lot of sense to me. If you do not have enough confidence in yourself to go and do something great, then no one will ever see or benefit from that action. You sometimes need to take that lead of faith. In class, for example, Dr. Feinberg told us to take out our cell phones and call someone we love or care about and tell them that. That small activity of telling someone you love and appreciate them means so much. You might have just brightened up their day. I liked doing that because I love to encourage people. It felt so good to tell my boyfriend how much I appreciate him. It was more than that though. I knew that that action could make him feel happy. Happiness is contagious. Our lives are full of choices and actions but we can't just say those words for them to be true. We must choose to act.

1/21/09 - "The Queen"

2009-01-22T18:29:00.000-08:00

In class on Wednesday, January 21, we started watching the movie titled "The Queen" about the current queen of England and the British Prime Minister Tony Blair. We are supposed to look at the leadership successes and failures in the film, and I found quite a few. I won't go into deep detail here considering this is also an assignment but I will say a few things I noticed about leadership from the movie.

The British royals and the government had very different leadership strategies in the movie which took place in 1997 around the time of Princess Diana's death. The royal family's leadership qualities are based years of tradition and protocols. Those formalities they are so used to causes everyone to automatically give them respect. Because that respect is expected of the people, the Royals live life with an authoritative attitude even though their government actually gives them very little. When there is a precedent of leadership, it is often followed until someone challenges it.

The British government and Prime Minister display a different type of leadership style. Theirs is almost completely focused on the well-being of the people of the country. In the movie, they often acted in response to the people's demands or in order to prevent something worse. Their leadership is based on likability and actions. In contrast to the royals, they work for their respect instead of assuming it.

The contrast between Tony Blair and the Queen is drastic. Both are human beings who lead in one way or another. One by tradition and dignities and the other by popular actions and the people's priorities. Both are good ways to lead but in order to be the BEST leader, one must develop aspects of both. The best leader would represent the people he or she is leading and develop a tradition of fair leadership.

1/14/09 - On Our Own

2009-01-22T15:17:00.000-08:00

Coming into class on Wednesday, January 14, we found a paper on each of our desks. The paper had literally two sentences and the times the class began and ended. The task was "to study leadership in the hear and now. You will have a consultant who will help you when he/she believes that his/her intervention will lead to learning." Needless to say, we all were not sure what to do.

The class ended up containing random people trying to give us a purpose and create discussions on what we thought a good leader was. I personally thought we were doing well until the "consultant" briefly told us we had not accomplished the task at hand. The task was so simple though! How were we supposed to accomplish it?

Thinking back on this event, I can see that sometimes leadership comes in an invisible form. The leader might not be there in the room with you to direct your decisions. Sometimes good leaders provide the task and let everyone else run with it. Clearly, we struggled to figure that out. I guess we had to learn the hard way.

1/12/09 - First Class

2009-01-13T11:50:00.000-08:00

Throughout my time here at Purdue, I have not seen a class start with an infomercial video. I have heard a few rumors about CSR 309. I heard it would be hands on and intense, but I must say that the first class started out confusing. After watching the video on how to take control of your life, I did start to understand the main idea that they were trying to get across. The man in the video was trying to convey that our lives are a series of decisions and that only we can chose to change our lives. In order for you to become a good leader, you must chose to do it for yourself. Each person is different and, therefore, must find their own way to grow as a person.

I definitely understand that concept that every decision counts. Last semester, I decided to take a job here on campus. That decision helped me out more than I realized at the time. I now know many more people, have a great boss who has written me a recommendation, and have a little bit more spending money. If I had not taken the job, I would have never received that great recommendation that helped me receive a scholarship. Our decisions really do affect our life outcomes.

Not only do our decisions affect our lives but so do our attitudes to every day situations. That was explained in the video, and it really hit home. Sometimes, I have the wrong attitude when something bad, annoying, or frustrating happens. When I look back at those situations, I realize that if I would have had a better attitude, things might have went smoother. That is something I have been working on for quite some time. I truly believe that that is one major factor in becoming a good leader.