Kristen's Blog tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2012-01-18:/dusse001/definitionofleadership//15532 2012-04-18T03:10:26Z Movable Type Enterprise 4.31-en Definition of Leadership Week 14 tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2012:/dusse001/definitionofleadership//15532.351520 2012-04-18T02:52:00Z 2012-04-18T03:10:26Z Last weeks definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example, serving others, and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his... dusse001 Last weeks definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example, serving others, and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

This weeks definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example, serving others, and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

I enjoyed this weeks readings, especially "Factors Affecting Communication Style" by Saphiere and Devries. This article uses a circus metaphor to describe the differences and complexities of people's communication styles. While I was reading the many examples and stories that these authors provided, I was reminded of my experience studying abroad for a semester in Italy. I remember experiencing many different uncomfortable and frustrating situations due to misunderstandings because the Italian culture is very different from the American culture. The author explains context as "the circumstances in which an event occurs, that is, the aspects of communication situation that can be readily identified and described" (Saphiere & Devries). This reminds me of when I had to go to the Italian hospital after I injured my knee. It was a frustrating experience for both my Italian doctor and I because I had expected my experience to be somewhat similar to my previous experiences at American hospitals, which was a big mistake. The doctor was frustrated because he could speak very little English and there were a lot of miscommunications between the two of us. Constraints and language were two components of context that we both misinterpreted, which made our interaction with each other fairly irritating and ineffective.

Source:
Saphiere, D. H., Mikk, B. K., & Devries, B. I. (2005). "Factors Affecting Communication Style: Starring acts in the circus." 47 - 82. Retrieved from http://www.download-it.org/free_files/Pages%20from%20Chapter%2003%20-%20Factors%20Affecting%20Communication%20Style-c2c273a32b32ce590fe42518fa48db05.pdf.

]]> Definition of Leadership Week 13 tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2012:/dusse001/definitionofleadership//15532.350394 2012-04-10T00:42:15Z 2012-04-10T00:52:46Z Last Weeks Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example, serving others, and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his... dusse001 Last Weeks Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example, serving others, and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

This Weeks Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example, serving others, and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

This weeks article, "An Overview of Intentional Change" by Boyatzis, was a bit confusing at times, however it made an excellent point on how desired change that is sustainable can be achieved at all different types of levels. It stated that with intentional efforts and identified goals, people can make positive changes in their lives. As I examined Boyatzis' theory of self-directed learning, I thought about the changes I will be making over the next few months as I graduate with my degree and start working my first job. As I desire to become a leader and an effective employee, I will have to analyze my "ideal self" and compare that to who I actually am. This article helped me realize that I can make positive changes if I take the time to identify my strengths and weaknesses and proactively create goals by leveraging my strong points. I always thought change came with learning, but this article points out that I must be willing to acquire knowledge and take charge of the path I want to take in order to achieve my goals.

Source:
Boyatzis, R. E. (2006). "An Overview of Intentional Change from a Leadership Perspective." Journal of Management Development, 25(7), 607-623. doi:10.1108/02621710610678445

]]> Definition of Leadership Week 12 tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2012:/dusse001/definitionofleadership//15532.349926 2012-04-07T20:01:57Z 2012-04-07T20:12:45Z Last Weeks Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example, serving others, and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his... dusse001 Last Weeks Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example, serving others, and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

This Weeks Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example, serving others, and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

I really enjoyed reading this week's reading, "Interacting in Teams and Groups" by Komives, Lucas, and McMahon, as it describes characteristics of groups and teamwork. I was particularly interested in this article because I have been involved in groups my whole life. From Girl Scouts when I was a kid to a sorority now in college, I believe that being a part of a club or group is an essential part of life. These authors describe the two types of roles that groups depend on, which are group-building roles and task roles. I enjoyed comparing these roles to my sorority, which I believe is a very successful and efficient group. Our group accomplishes most of our task roles at a meeting that is scheduled every Monday night, where we discuss weekly goals and activities. Our group-building roles take place when we attend campus events together, put on fundraisers, and elect members to hold positions. This is how we develop relationships and appoint members to become leaders of our group.

Source:
Komives, S. R., Lucas, N., & McMahon, T. R. (1998). "Interacting in Teams and Groups." Exploring Leadership: For college students who want to make a difference (pp. 165 - 194). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

]]> Definition of Leadership Week 11 tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2012:/dusse001/definitionofleadership//15532.348206 2012-03-28T20:25:55Z 2012-03-28T20:37:52Z Last Week's Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example, serving others, and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his... dusse001 Last Week's Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example, serving others, and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

This Week's Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example, serving others, and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

My definition of leadership this week didn't change this week. This is because this week's readings were mostly about racism and equality, which I personally believe is an assumption to my definition of leadership. In other words, as I describe what a leader is, I believe that as I say a leader is someone that "leads others by setting a good example", I mean that they are fair, just, and make decisions that do not discriminate against others. Tatum makes a good point in "Defining Racism" as she differentiates the definitions of "prejudice" and "racism". She points out that almost everyone has prejudices against others simply because that is how we are raised. We don't purposely judge others based on skin color, however, we all inherently have preconceived opinions. I think the first step to preventing discrimination is taking an active stance to noticing it. This takes a lot of confidence and support, which are two factors that are crucial for a leader to become successful.

Source: Tatum, B. D. (1997). "Defining Racism: Can we talk?" Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? (pp. 3 - 17). New York: Basic Books.

]]> Definition of Leadership Week 8 tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2012:/dusse001/definitionofleadership//15532.343263 2012-03-07T01:46:30Z 2012-03-07T02:01:32Z Last week's definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example by serving others and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through... dusse001 Last week's definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example by serving others and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

This week's definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example, serving others, and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

My definition of leadership did not change this week. The article that stood out to me was "Get On the Balcony" by Heifetz and Linksy. In fact, I read this same article for a different class a couple years ago and it has stuck with me ever since. What really stands out to me is when he explains the balcony perspective as he states, "Seeing the whole picture requires standing back and watching even as you take part in the action being observed" (Heifetz & Linksy 52). Before reading this article, I had never thought about this concept before. It makes me think about meetings that I've been in before as I watch people getting stuck in the "heat of the moment" without stepping back and seeing how they interact with their co-workers. I think this is very important for me to remember when I start working next year and begin attending meetings on a daily basis. It is crucial to always know when to sit back and listen to the rest of the group. This balcony concept also applies to leaders that think they need to always be the person in charge.


Source: Heifetz, R. A., & Linsky, M. (2002). "Get on the balcony." Leadership on the Line: Staying alive through the dangers of leading (pp. 51 - 74). Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

]]> Definition of Leadership Week 7 tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2012:/dusse001/definitionofleadership//15532.341003 2012-02-29T19:59:22Z 2012-02-29T20:10:57Z Last Week's Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her... dusse001 Last Week's Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

This Week's Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example by serving others and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

This week's articles about serving others and society was an unique perspective about leadership. Both articles described serving others as well as being a leader in a collaborative group. After reading "Do You Have What it Takes" by Barbuto, I decided to slightly change my definition by adding "serving others" to my description of what it takes to be a good leader. Barbuto explains that there are 11 characteristics that make a servant leader including listening, empathy, awareness, foresight, and persuasion. These characteristics are required in order to be considered as a true "servant leader". I think Barbuto does a great job at explaining that leadership means thinking about how you are serving others before you think about yourself. I believe this definition comes down to the fact that a leader is not very effective if they are selfish and inconsiderate. This article was very interesting and has helped me transform my definition of leadership.

Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2007). "Becoming a Servant Leader: Do you have what it takes?" Retrieved from www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1481/build/g1481.pdf

]]> Definition of Leadership Week 6 tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2012:/dusse001/definitionofleadership//15532.339708 2012-02-22T01:42:11Z 2012-02-22T01:54:16Z Last weeks definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision and has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her... dusse001 Last weeks definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision and has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

This weeks definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision who has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

My definition of leadership did not change this week. In fact, I wasn't very inspired by Heifetz and Grashow's article "Leadership in a (permanent) crisis". I didn't completely disagree with the article, but it didn't make much of an impact on how I define leadership. One point that this article makes is that leader "must develop 'next practices' while excelling at today's best practices" (Heifetz and Grashow, 2009). I personally think that leaders need to constantly be developing better practices for their organization if something isn't working. However, if the organization is thriving, then I think leaders should sustain the leadership practices that they are using. For example, if my boss was always changing how he lead the organization because he wants to "find the best practices of tomorrow", I would probably think that it was bogus and not true to who he really is.

Heifetz, R., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). "Leadership in a (permanent) crisis." Harvard Business Review, 87(7), 62-69. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=keh&AN=41997981&site=ehost-live

]]> Definition of Leadership Week 5 tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2012:/dusse001/definitionofleadership//15532.339098 2012-02-18T18:41:10Z 2012-02-18T18:57:34Z Last Weeks Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone that influences others through his or her behaviors and actions. A leader is also someone who... dusse001 Last Weeks Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone that influences others through his or her behaviors and actions. A leader is also someone who has a vision and clearly communicates their vision to others.

This Weeks Definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone with a vision and has the ability to influence and motivate others through his or her behaviors and actions.

This week my definition of leadership changed slightly, however, it didn't change drastically from last week. I enjoyed reading this weeks articles that focused on ethics in leadership. The article that stood out to me this week was "The Function of Ethics- and its Main Independent" by Paul and Elder. What really made me think was when he stated "in human nature a strong tendency toward egotism, prejudice, self-justification, and self-deception" (Paul & Elder). I think its true that all people think of themselves as being fair and honest at all times, but the truth is that people have the tendency to think that the world revolves around them. This matter is especially important in leadership because people have a tendency to focus on wealth and money rather than the overall benefit for their followers. It made me think differently of egotism and human nature combined with the leaders of today.

Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006). "The Function of Ethics -- and Its Main Impediement." Understanding the Foundations of Ethical Reasoning (pp. 4 - 36). Dillon Beach, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking.

]]> Definition of Leadership Week 4 tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2012:/dusse001/definitionofleadership//15532.337490 2012-02-08T02:57:16Z 2012-02-08T03:17:01Z Last weeks definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone that influences others through his or her behaviors and actions. This weeks definition: Leadership is guiding... dusse001 Last weeks definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone that influences others through his or her behaviors and actions.
This weeks definition: Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone that influences others through his or her behaviors and actions. A leader is also someone who has a vision and clearly communicates their vision to others.

After reading this weeks course readings, my view on leadership has remained the same but I have added a sentence to my definition. After reading "Ground your leadership vision in a personal vision" by Lee and King, I felt like I needed to add something to my definition. One sentence that stood out to me was how personal vision is connected to leadership as the authors describe a leader as a person who "inspires people to make the vision reality" (Lee and King, 31). I really liked this definition because when I think of my best bosses from the past, I would describe them as being great communicators and goal-setters. I think someone that can influence others with their vision for the future is someone that has an impact on their followers. This article did a really great job at explaining how someone needs to be in touch with their personal life and goals in order to be a truly effective leader.

Reference:
Lee, R. J., & King, S. N. (2001). "Ground your leadership vision in a personal vision." Discovering the Leader in You: A guide to realizing your personal leadership potential (pp. 31 - 54). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc.

]]> Definition of Leadership 2/1/12 tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2012:/dusse001/definitionofleadership//15532.336319 2012-02-01T22:06:18Z 2012-02-01T22:20:28Z This weeks articles and learning materials gave me a new perspective about leadership. They didn't quite change my definition of leadership, however one of the articles I read this week I thought was particularly insightful, which was "Leadership That Gets... dusse001 This weeks articles and learning materials gave me a new perspective about leadership. They didn't quite change my definition of leadership, however one of the articles I read this week I thought was particularly insightful, which was "Leadership That Gets Results" by Daniel Goleman. This author did research on executives and CEOs and based on his results he said that there are about six different styles of leadership that can be identified. He stated, "The most effective leaders switch flexibility among the leadership styles as needed" (Goleman, 2000).

I thought this was interesting because I began to think about my style of leadership. I would say, based on my personality and past experiences, that I am an affiliative and democratic leader. I agree with this author that leaders need to be flexible with their styles, however, I disagree that people need to change his or her personality to lead "effectively". I feel like if someone is trying to possess a certain "leadership style" that they don't currently have, it might take away from focusing on the work that needs to be done. Overall, this was an interesting article and I enjoyed looking at how different styles affect the productivity of a team or business.


Source:
Goleman, D. (2000). Leaders that get results. Harvard Business Review, 78(2), 78-90. Retrieved from https://moodle2.umn.edu/pluginfile.php/166453/mod_label/intro/Goleman.pdf

]]> Definition of Leadership tag:blog.lib.umn.edu,2012:/dusse001/definitionofleadership//15532.331841 2012-01-19T05:36:38Z 2012-01-19T05:37:42Z Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone that influences others through his or her behaviors and actions.... dusse001 Leadership is guiding others by setting a good example and taking on the responsibility of the group. A leader is someone that influences others through his or her behaviors and actions.

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