I can't believe that this is the end. This semester was great. I've learned so much and and am really glad that I took this class. Thanks for being an amazing TA Audrey! Our first blogs were just our thoughts on leadership and now I will define what leadership is to me. I wonder how different it will be from the beginning of semester.
Leadership: To me leadership is everyone's responsibility. There is always some was that you can lead. You don't need a title or position to be a leader. You should always be leading by example and leading yourself into a better you. Leadership is the act of taking the reins, taking control, and taking matters into your own hands, rather than sitting back and letting others do all the work for you. Leadership is being an example for other to follow and want to follow. Leadership is having a purpose in life and working for that goal. Leadership is not being bossy, demeaning, and having a big head, but rather being full of love and compassion. Leadership is not one man on the mountain looking down on all below, but helping everyone make it to the summit and stand on the peak. Leadership is not always easy. It can be difficult at times to make the changes necessary. There in no one way to lead. every situation is different and as such, requires different leadership. Leadership is taking charge and making changes to yourself and your life to better serve others, not trying to force others to change to benefit your life. Leadership is using what you've got in the best possible way. Most of all, leadership is action, making the difference in the things you do. Leadership is not typing up this blog post, but living by the principles in it and all the ones we've learned about all semester.
I think the thing that impacted me most this semester was that in order to be a good leader I would have to make most of the changes to myself, not to a program or the people, but myself. I cannot really lead others if I do not have a good hold on who I am and making sure that that is who I want to be. It's ok if I'm not perfect as long as I keep moving forward and strive for perfection. Only then can I be a good leader. As soon as I stop and say I am a good leader as I am at this point, I start to diminish the good I can do.
I have really enjoyed this semester with you guys. I'll miss it and all the cool movie clips. :D In all seriousness, thanks for all the insight that you have given me and good luck to you all in your leadership endeavors.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
Leadership for Change
Aside from being a bit uncomprehensible, there were some good points to the lecture. I liked the point about setting goals for change that were SMART-Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevent, and Time bound. In looking back on my goals over my life I have realized that the ones that I have failed to reach have had missing parts of SMART. If it was not time bound I felt like I had all the time in the world and never did it. Often they were just too far out of reach, unattainable, and I knew it, but forged ahead into failure anyway. Ambiguity is probably the wost of them all for me. Now that I know all the things to look for I think that I will be better able to make changes.
The concept about the vital behavior was also a good point (even if I couldn't look at the slide for fear of passing out at the sight of the worm). It was like what I discovered when I was reading my leadership book. When you fix one small thing you can solve a larger problem. If you try to think of a positive aspect about a person that is getting on your nerves you will have more love for them, more tolerance, and be in a better mood that will make you less likely to get annoyed again so easily.
Leadership really is all about change, trying to make things better. The best kind of leadership is a selfless one where you try to change yourself and processes so that others benefit and things are better. You can't force others to change but you can influence them to change themselves. If it is done in love and with real concern for their well being it works so much better than when you try to force change upon them. In fact forcing only makes them more stubborn in their position to not change at all. I liked the quote she had on her first slide: "I haven't the slightest idea how to change people, but I keep a long list of prospective candidates in case I should ever figure it out." -David Sedaris. Sometimes we wish we could change everyone to our benefit, but a more appropriate and attainable goal is to change ourselves, our own perspective and behaviors.
I can understand the three areas of influence that are: personal, social, and structural and all the importance of using them all when appropriate. At times we need to connect to someone on a personally level, connect to the things that they can do and what they believe in to make changes and at other times more influence is need by social and peer groups that are looked up to. Structural has always been my first thought when it came to change, but I now agree that rewards and discipline should not be the first line of defense, but the last. There are other and better ways to make change-having people want to change on their own for their own reasons. As Eisenhower said, "Leadership is the knack of getting somebody to do something because they want to." I hope that as a leader I can inspire people, including myself, to make good changes in life that benefit others.
The concept about the vital behavior was also a good point (even if I couldn't look at the slide for fear of passing out at the sight of the worm). It was like what I discovered when I was reading my leadership book. When you fix one small thing you can solve a larger problem. If you try to think of a positive aspect about a person that is getting on your nerves you will have more love for them, more tolerance, and be in a better mood that will make you less likely to get annoyed again so easily.
Leadership really is all about change, trying to make things better. The best kind of leadership is a selfless one where you try to change yourself and processes so that others benefit and things are better. You can't force others to change but you can influence them to change themselves. If it is done in love and with real concern for their well being it works so much better than when you try to force change upon them. In fact forcing only makes them more stubborn in their position to not change at all. I liked the quote she had on her first slide: "I haven't the slightest idea how to change people, but I keep a long list of prospective candidates in case I should ever figure it out." -David Sedaris. Sometimes we wish we could change everyone to our benefit, but a more appropriate and attainable goal is to change ourselves, our own perspective and behaviors.
I can understand the three areas of influence that are: personal, social, and structural and all the importance of using them all when appropriate. At times we need to connect to someone on a personally level, connect to the things that they can do and what they believe in to make changes and at other times more influence is need by social and peer groups that are looked up to. Structural has always been my first thought when it came to change, but I now agree that rewards and discipline should not be the first line of defense, but the last. There are other and better ways to make change-having people want to change on their own for their own reasons. As Eisenhower said, "Leadership is the knack of getting somebody to do something because they want to." I hope that as a leader I can inspire people, including myself, to make good changes in life that benefit others.
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