End of CSR 309

Today was the final day of CSR 309! As sad as I am to be done I am very grateful for the lessons I have learned. I have walked out of this class with a greater knowledge of how to succeed not only in college but throughout my lifetime. I understand what it means to be a successful leader. I also know how easy it is to be a poor leader.
At the beginning of the class I was super frusterated and had no appreciation for class. I thought Dr. Feinberg was a terrible professor and had no point to his lecture. Now that is the last day of class I am so thankful for the lessons I learned. The three actions I will take every day from now on are .....

Laugh
Love
Inspire

If I can make a small effect on those above me, equal with me, and those i am leading I will feel accomplished. I will do this through making those above me look the best they can. I will work hard and be a team player to those equal with me. Lastly, I will reward those bellow me and establishe clear and reasonable expectations.

Like Dr. Feinberg, I may not be the smartest, but I am confident that I can communicate and establish relationships better than may of my peers competiting for the same jobs and positions.

Thank you Dr. Feinberg! CSR 309 was the most valuable class I believe I will ever take at Purdue University!

Pain Lecture

Class Monday was one of the most influential lecture I think I will ever attend at Purdue. The topic of pain was shared through our anonomous statements. The most common pain statements were:

1. pain from having divorced parents
2. being abused
3. being overweight
4. addiction to drugs/ alcohol
5. feeling unworthy and useless

The most important lesson gained from these statements was the importance and influence parents have on their children. It was obvious that parents created the majority of the pain discussed. Even at the ages of 20 + we look so carefully at our relationship with our parents. As a parent it seems you must do 100 good things to counter act 1 bad thing. The effort and attention I will give to my children will be with love and lessons. I will protect them from abuse, broken relationships, and pain suppressors.
During lecture I was sitting next to a fellow classmate who's pain statement was discussed. It was specifically in reference to being abused as a child. Just discussing her pain statement created great emotion and pain once again. Uncontrolably she began to cry. Post lecture she asked if we could sometime discuss class. I said absolutely. During this talk i will sit and listen. I will not provide advice I will do my best just to be a support system I believe she has been lacking for many years.
Dr. Feinberg, is talking about our pain a coping mechanism or does it create more damage?
Overall, what was the point to the lecture? If I had to guess it would be to understand we all have pain and it is more intense than we portray in addition to how to be an excellent parent or oppositely, what not to do as a parent.

Easter Church Service - Religion and Leadership

As an out of state student I went home with a friends family and observed a church service for Easter weekend. I have never sat through a church service and specifically paid attention to the leader. The leader at the front of today's service was a priest. He stood in white gowns with two assistants that sat behind him. He was the only individual facing the church at all times. All the parishoners were facing the front. I found myself asking myself is this effective leadership.
He commanded great attention and was very powerful. I was attentive and listened. It is an interesting concept church. Is the priest the leader in the minds of parishoners or is god? Who are they really their to listen to? Is church spiritually driven (within oneself) or speech driven (by the priest).
It is interesting that I write this blog. Although I am religious and I am spirtually driven, I do not publicise or discuss my thoughts outloud. However I think it is something that should be addressed within an organization and leadership because it does have an effect on many peoples daily decisions.

Conducting an efficient meeting

Last class Dr. Feinberg shared how to conduct an effective meeting. As President of my sorority we have an executive committee meeting each week. I have always been go about starting promptly on time with an agenda. However, I kept this agenda to myself. From now on I will send this agenda out to the group prior to the meeting and I will state what issues I plan to talk about. This will give them women time to prepare and come with thoughts and questions.
The last thing I will implement is dismissing the group early if possible. We often tend to linger and create new issues. These do not have an agenda and pull us off track.

What have I learned in 309?

It is nearing the end of 309 with Dr. Feinberg and it seems impossible that I will know everything I need to know about leadership for the rest of my life. Now if Dr. Feinberg read this comment he might say .. duh! ... but at the beginning of the semester I thought there was no way a leadership class could be more than three weeks total.
A leadership journey is never ending. It is something we each embark on as a small child. How we treat our selves and others can measure part of our success. The way we grow and adapt to change indicates ones ability to learn.
Thus far I have collected a variety of resources through lecture and through observation and reading to create a leadership folder. I plan to continue adding to this folder after class. I will attempt to use this in my professional career. When I enter the work world I will be at the bottom and I will use the resources primarily to excel individually. I will challenge myself to achieve the task at had above what is expected. As I grow as a professional I will utilize the leadership lesson for my team or group I am managing.
The most valuable lesson i have learned thus far is being an excellent leader makes all the difference. Pick your team wisely, share expectations, be the best boss and your team will not fail you. Trying to conquer a task meant for many alone will result in nothing more than basic achievement.

Class without Feinberg

I liked class today without Dr. Feinberg. No because I don't like lecture because I do, but because we made a step in the right direction. Our group had great discussion with our leader, Sarah Pasini. We have a sound foundation for what she expects and I believe she has a better ideas of what us followers expect.
Sarah broke us into three sub groups with three sub leaders. As appointed a sub leader I have been working to keep in close contact and hold my subgroup accountable for our responsibilities.
This should have been done at the very beginning as opposed to near the end.
When is the class President going to spend time and organize the class? We really do not know him or his expectations.

Personal Leadership Expirience at Conference

This past weekend I attended a leadership conference titled Something of Value held by the dean of students and Panhellenic. Part of the conference included breaking everyone in into small discussion groups by position held within your sorority.
As President, I attended a conversation with the other fourteen presidents of large chapter sororities here on campus. What I experienced was motivating and eye opening. The level of conversation and opportunity was extremely high. I felt empowered by the group around me. We had tough discussions that were honest. During these discussions we made accomplishments and brainstormed new ideas otherwise ignored when brought up amongst other groups.
The lesson I learned this weekend is when the best and most motivated are together change can occur successfully. When Feinberg mentions leaders picked the wrong team I now understand what he means. If the best students had been selected to create one group they could blow away everyone else. Unfortunately each group is stuck with week links.
Is the saying true, 'you are only as strong as your weakest link'

Is there a top to the mountain?

Life is an adventure. We work to create a mission to achieve goals and full fill dreams. The question I ask myself is there an ultimate prize at the end of the road? Is there a specific moment in time when it all clicks and we feel self full filled?
This clip shares an example of a successful character looking for the final prize. In the clip he doesn't find the prize and wants to know if at the end there really is no real dramatic ending or if he missed it and should continue looking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERbvKrH-GC4

This same puzzle relates to our journey as a leader. Does one ever know when they become an exceptional leader? If so, how? Leadership is learned and can be taught, (purpose of Feinberg's class) but is there a climax? Can you only go so far in leadership or is there always room for improvement? This is a lot of rhetorical questions but can they be answered?

President Obama's Lack of Leadership

While watching President Obama on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno I knew immediately he had dug himself a hole. Obama makes fun at his ability to bowl well. He says he could qualify for 'the special Olympics or something'.

Obama... I am a fan, but really, you are representing America as a whole. Shouldn't you avoid labeling and poking fun at different groups. To redeem yourself I suggest you take this opportunity to support the special Olympics organization. Perhaps be a spokesperson or make a finical donation out of your own pocket.
Be a leader, not an opressor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaCcsp1D1yM

NBC's moral tactic

Every night on the evening news Brian Williams, news anchor for NBC shares the worlds news. Many of his recent broadcasts have revolved around the war in Iraq, the lack of economic stability, unemployment, natural disaster, and other stories we would define as negative news.
To boost moral and recognize the good in individual citizens they close the nightly news with a segment called "making a difference". In these segments they have ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Most are acts of kindness. They are people putting strangers ahead of themselves. Watch any of the segments and you will find a story of leadership.

Here is one of my favorites. A women that flies around the world to help a child with special needs just like her.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woeMZhpsNYE&feature=related

Oprah says its called ' having IT'

Oprah's grandmother was a great advocate of Education. Oprah embraced this thought and worked hard to create opportunity for not only herself but now hundreds of African girls. She has opened a leadership academy in South Africa that has provided young girls raised in poverty the ultimate chance. The question each girl asks herself is ... "am I good enough"? The answer Oprah answered to those who asked was yes. To believe in themselves and their abilities qualified candidates.
The most memorable story shared was of a young girl named Lesego. Lesego's mother left her at the age of four. With just her father she has grown up in a very run down hut with no running water or electricity. With very little, Lesego lives each day to learn. She says she believes she has the spunk, a flame. To recognize such a special gift is leadership. She shares her abilities to benefit and teach those around her. For Lesego I imagine it would be easy to be selfish, but she is far from it. She shares her thoughts:

"You are an individual, act like an individual, blend out".

Lesego is a true leader and I wish she knew the impact she has had on me. In my leadership journey I use Lesego's story as motivation.

This link connects to Lesego's story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THM2K3tWIzE&NR=1

My Time Management

Time Management is something I would say I am experienced in, not good, but experienced. With such a demanding schedule I feel forced to prioritize, delegate, and focus. I rely heavily on the fact that I have a very comfortable routine which prevents procrastination. I set aside Sunday evening and plan for the week. I start on important tasks that can not be left till the end.
The following ideas made by Covey's in regards to time management.

You can't make time, only yourself, goals, and vision

Your strength is being productive and your weaknesses will be irrelevant

Empower people

This week I will challenge myself to think about how I use my time. I will concentrate on the urgent and important tasks. I will be productive and empower those around me. Will eliminating the small (and fun) tasks be difficult?

The Present

I just finished a short book title The Present by Spencer Johnson. This book discusses being in the here and now. How can be better ourselves in the current moment? John's suggests three pieces of advice.

1. Be in the Present - When you want to be happier and more successful focus on what is right now. Respond to what is important this very moment.

2. Learn from the Past - When you wan to make the present better than the past look at what happened in the past. Learn something valuable from it. do things differently in the present.

3. Plan for the Future - When you want to make the future better than the present see what a wonderful future would look like. Make plans to help it happen. Put your plan into action in the present.

Looking into the future is a problem I often encounter. As a student I write everything i could possibly have to do in my agenda and look at it almost 100 times a day. I don't want to miss anything important which could in turn make me fail. I spend a great deal of time preparing what I am going to do, how I am going to act, and what impression I would like to make rather than just being spur of the moment allowing others to judge me from my natural abilities.

A personal goal I have created is not just to phyisically be here, but be present.

Locker Room Speeches

The locker room is a fascinating idea. It is a place where players expect coaches to motivate and share emotion that is not shared on the court or on the field. It is a moment of deep concentration. After watching several locker room speeches (Friday night lights, giants vs. eagles, miracle) I came up with a list of common discussion. These topics are topics of motivation and leadership. They are words that are carried in a players heart. They are words that bring a group together.

- Time is always discussed, a short period in which everything else should be put aside.
- Fate, the idea of a greater power supporting and carrying each individual.
- Personal determination, without it your letting the team down. Without effort the ultimate goal can not be reached, winning.
- Relationship with yourself and teammates, a team is in it together. The outcome affects everyone. A special bond that can be understood from the outside is formed.
- Being perfect is about looking at friends in eye and know you didn't let them down
- Joy in your heart - makes you perfect
- Working for something other than yourself, put the best interest of everyone else before yourself. Work with others to succeed to the best of your abilities.

This link is of my favorite locker room speech, Friday Night Lights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M76lMUEX0fo&NR=1

What is IT?

I just read a book titled Fish Sticks. It is short story of a nurse trying to influence her floor to adopt and change. To create an atmosphere that is welcoming to patients and motivating for employees the author asks us to think about this idea:

If we move the source of energy inside and take more personal responsibility for regenerating our lighthearted and service oriented workplace, then we are more immune to some of the crazy things that can and will happen without warning.

Much of our motivation comes from the external forces around us. We are only motivated by quotes, pictures, tag lines when really it is the heart that is the most influential change agent. These items should be used as reminders rather than the main source of energy. To work from the inside out we must do three things.
Find It, Live It, Coach It

Hold ourselves, team, and entire organization accountable. Spark a fire inside that will keep the organization moving in a positive direction. Fish (Change) does stick if done correctly.

Who Moved My Cheese

A book on change, Who Moved My Cheese has four characters resembling four possible personalities during organizational/ group change. Two characters are mice, two are little people. This is an analysis of change within the "cheese" organization.

Two Mice - Use the trail and error method. Have little fear and are willing to move on. They enter the transition period easily.

Two Little People - Get very comfortable in their shoes. They stop looking around they do not look for signs of change. They believe they are entitled and absolutely assume someone or something else is the problem.

Hem, one of the little people consistently returns to the old organization expecting things to return to their original state. Making the personal decision to suffer rather than move on, the only transition he makes is from happy to miserable.

Haw, the second little person is hesitant. He starts following Hem and doesn't think outside the box. He conforms to the organization. After a long period of time he realizes he is wrong. With no one following him breaks from the pack and goes off on his own. With disapproval he must make his own way.

These four characters represent the successful vs. unsuccessful organizations. There are pluses and minuses to both. One must have some fear in them to provoke thought and communication. Without thought you might move on but there will be lack of organization and the end result may not be as effective. However, no thought move you nowhere but backward.

Appreciative Inquiry

Appreciative Inquiry is a four step process David Cooperrider of Case Western University has developed to evaluate and further organizational development. The four stages of this process are :

Discovery
Dream
Design
Destiny

These four steps are to get individuals to ask positive questions and heighten potential. I found in an article that this process was used by American Express following 9/11. After the traumatic national attack moral both nationally and economically were down. Individuals had lost hope and were scared. CEO Ken Chenault saw this is as an opportunity for his company. He brought in his core team of VP's and top executives. Taking this small group thought the four step processes they evaluated the current success and past success of the company. They asked themselves were they wanted to be headed and what dreams have they each individually had for the company. With these new ideas Chenault asked his team to take this information and process back to their individual departments. After several weeks of great discussion executives shared how their visions and moral had changed. AI seems like a positive process leaders can uses to create common goals amongst teams or individual members.
The article I read can be found at the following address:
Giglio, G., Michalcova, S., & Yates, C. (2007). Instilling a Culture of Winning at American Express. Organization Development Journal, 25(4), 33-35. Retrieved February 15, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1529898851).

Captain Abrashoff

Today I finished our suggested extra credit book Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy. This book was incredible. The greatest lesson I learned was to love your team. You are a leader for a reason. Without followers there would be no need for your work. To invest time appropriately toward beneficial causes will further your success far greater than working to please my Superior. If my team performs and exceeds expectations top management will more than not approve of my skills. A specific line caught my attention near the end of Abrashoff's book:

"Leadership is not a paycheck. Leadership is a calling" (208).

This made me think of my leadership opportunities. Some days I am not thrilled. I have my moments and wish people would step up to the plate. The thing is, if I were an effective leader they would be stepping up without me having to ask. I don't have to take role as a leader, if I step down there will be someone right behind me that wants to lead our sorority of 140 women. I am privileged and should embrace my opportunity.

Group #3

As a participant in last Wednesdays class I made several observations. I was in the first group and played more of a follower. Immediately we had to many people trying to be the leader. I think this was a factor of being in front of the class. Everyone wanted to show the class they could emerge. Clearly there is something on the line for us with numbers repeatedly standing in front of the class proving our leadership. We were also the worst of the three groups. We chose to ignore Feinberg while talking to us. I could hear him and knew we had to face the class. However in such a frantic state I did not emerge and say anything.
Group two had slightly more success than group one. They turned towards the class and spoke loudly for everyone to hear. However their scribe was still a girl with good handwriting and the main leader of the pack was male just like the first.
I thought these two groups shows the "norms" in the business word. They are the typical company with the average way of leading its followers. They complete the task at hand. The difference is they do not pull ahead of the pack. They are content with their performance.
Group three came in with a completely different attitude. They interpreted the question differently sharing what are the problems of a leader (rather than list good leadership qualities) are. They were extremely unified. They came together in a very tight huddle and conversed quickly to the point. They then spread out so the whole class (organization) could see each team member. With enthusiasm they all participated to make the leader look good. By working well they look unified and intelligent. It would have only took one individual to slack and make the group look dumb.
Group three represents what an organization should be. They should be unified and goal oriented. They must listen to their followers (the class) and give them as much information as they can. They must also work hard individually. By showing your team you work hard they will follow. The last important message was praising your team. Show them your appreciation and let them see that you understand their effort.

# 32, waiting outside the classroom

Today I was one of the individuals that stood outside the class and went in individually to share with the class my leadership story. While standing outside the room I was calm and collected. I did not have any anxiety or feel pressured. I knew that I had done something right by going to the front the prior class stating I wanted to be a leader. I also knew that 35 other students were doing what I was doing. With confidence I walked down the class room to the front. Initially I moved out of the light before I was asked to stand in the light. As soon as I moved into the light I lost all control mentally. I was discombobulated and uncomfortable. I knew I had a leadership story but with a time cap, a spotlight, and 100 sets of eyes judging me I felt uncomfortable and could not speak without being nervous. This also carried further to a meeting I had after class.
After class on Mondays I go home to run an executive meeting and chapter meeting for my sorority. Our chapter meeting consists of me sitting at the front of the room with 116 members in front of me. Why was not nervous during this time? I think I remained calm because I know these individuals and have already received their approval. They voted me into my position and support me as their president. Also, I have somewhat scripted my thoughts for the meeting. I have notes in front of me and have also reviewed them with the executive committee one hour prior the big meeting.
I commend the individual that was comfortable and composed while telling their story.

Leadership in the here and now

On Wednesday night after leaving class I was more frustrated than I ever have been after lecture. I felt very unproductive and disrespected by our professor. I wanted nothing to do with CSR 309. Now, four days later I have more respect and interest in CSR 309 than I ever have for any other class. i am intrigued and curious as to how my ideas of effective leadership with evolve. The question I ask myself is what makes a good leader? Do you have to have existing knowledge and a clear cut plan or is it ones abilities and personality that makes them effective?
I have spent time now analyzing the role I played in the first two days of class. I was just another body taking up space in the room. Feeling overwhelmed I shut down and sat back. I also took little part in the group discussion as well. I followed the direction of my leader and answered the question I was asked but did not go above and beyond my assigned task. In future chaotic situations I plan to sit back observe, take time to really identify the task at hand and address the situation in a calm and organized manner. With respect for my followers and confidence I will do my best to organize my group.