Leadership

Leadership - 5/4

2013-05-05T01:21:59Z

Previous Week:
Leadership is the acts of self and team reflecting in order to identify group and individual beliefs, values, and goals. Identification of qualities results in an improved environment that promotes growth and provides change that results in optimal performance.
This Week:
Leadership is the acts of self and team reflecting in order to identify group and individual beliefs, values, and goals. Identification of qualities results in an improved environment that promotes growth and provides change that results in optimal performance.
Analysis in the similarity in definitions:
Given the readings from the current week, I didn't alter my definition because I felt that both readings purpose was to create an image for the importance of communication. Both readings describe an improvement in relationships when communications improve which is implemented in my previous definition in the portion that states a promotion of growth is a result of the identification of qualities. I also connect with this definition because throughout the semester with my reading assignment group, we've continually become stronger at communicating, resulting in stronger relationships among ourselves along with improved trust.
Bibliography:
Saphiere, D. H., Mikk, B. K., & Devries, B. I. (2005). "Factors Affecting Communication Style: Starring acts in the circus." 47 - 82.
Sessions, L. F. (2010). How offline gatherings affect online communities: When virtual community members 'meet up'. Information, Communication & Society, 13(3), 375-395. doi:10.1080/13691180903468954

Leadership - 4/27

2013-04-27T15:35:03Z

Leadership - 4/20

2013-04-20T18:09:30Z

Previous Week:
Leadership is the acts of self and team reflecting in order to identify group and individual beliefs, values, and goals. Identification of qualities results in an improved environment that promotes growth, yet adaptability and critical thinking is needed to prevent judgement and sustain a credible and comfortable environment.
This Week:
Leadership is the acts of self and team reflecting in order to identify group and individual beliefs, values, and goals. Identification of qualities results in an improved environment that promotes growth, yet adaptability and critical thinking is needed to prevent judgement and sustain a credible and comfortable environment.
Analysis in the similarity of definitions:
As you can see, this week, my definition was unaltered. The reason I decided to leave my definition the same was because after the Komives and Yoon readings, the message that stood out the most between the two was that leaders must be able to understand different types of groups, and I believe my definition had already included this aspect in the "reflecting" and "sustaining a credible environment" portion. Nonetheless, what this weeks reading did teach me that I can apply to my own life are the aspects of structure, time, and purpose. These three aspects were aspects that I hadn't completely thought about when considering my groups, specifically the time aspect within this class' weekly reading group. As the Komives reading stated, "Time-limited groups with short time frames must quickly establish rapport, establish common purposes, and engage members rapidly to be active and focused on their role", and I believe this is part of the reason we struggled early on within our group assignments, as we didn't focus on our role or our common purpose.
Bibliography:
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.
Yoon, S., & Johnson, S. (2008). Phases and patterns of group development in virtual learning teams. Educational Technology Research & Development, 56(5), 595-618

Leadership - 4/13

2013-04-13T22:11:40Z

Previous Week:
Leadership is the acts of self and team reflecting in order to identify group and individual beliefs and goals. Identification of qualities results in an improved environment that promotes community growth, while adaptability and critical thinking is needed to continue growth in unfamiliar territories.
This Week:
Leadership is the acts of self and team reflecting in order to identify group and individual beliefs, values, and goals. Identification of qualities results in an improved environment that promotes growth, yet adaptability and critical thinking is needed to prevent judgement and sustain a credible and comfortable environment.
Analysis of the differences in the definitions:
After the previous weeks readings, it was evident that in order to succeed outside of ones environment, challenges, sacrifices, and adaptability are needed because of the changes. This week, my perception of leadership was slightly altered because of the impressions that the Warren Harding Error and Defining Racism readings made on me. I added my belief that we must be adaptable and critically think about our surroundings in order to prevent the judgement and unfortunate stereotypes in our communities.
This definition is applicable to my life due to the commonality of stereotypes regarding myself and my culture. As a Pakistani, I've realized that there are several immediate judgements regarding my culture. If individuals were able to critically think and not associate stereotypes upon the hearing of ones culture, our environments nation and worldwide would be comfortable places. Instead, to this day, there are several places and occasions in which one must hold back their heritage in order to prevent hostility.
Bibliography:
Gladwell, M. (2005). "The Warren Harding Error: Why we fall for tall, dark, and handsome men." Blink: The power of thinking without thinking (pp. 72 - 98). New York: Pushkin Enterprises.
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.
Kezar, A. (2000). "Pluralistic Leadership: Incorporating Diverse Voices." The Journal of Higher Education, 71(6), Nov. - Dec., 2000, pp. 722-743.

Leadership - 4/6

2013-04-06T22:20:48Z

Previous Week:
Leadership is the acts of self and team reflecting in order to identify group and individual beliefs and goals. Identification of individual and team qualities results in an improved environment that promotes community growth.
This Week:
Leadership is the acts of self and team reflecting in order to identify group and individual beliefs and goals. Identification of qualities results in an improved environment that promotes community growth, while adaptability and critical thinking is needed to continue growth in unfamiliar territories.
Analysis of the differences in the definitions:
As I learned by the Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. L. (2009) reading: identification of individual and team qualities strengthens the team environment and promotes growth. But this week, throughout the The Transcultural Leader reading along with the Ghandi and Steve Jobs readings, it was evident that team growth and environment is only a small part of leadership. In order to succeed outside of ones environment, challenges, sacrifices, and adaptability are needed because of the change in environments.
I found this weeks definition change interesting because of the application to my own life. Previously, I was focused on my own environment, and felt that growth within my Community Advisor staff and my residents lives was most important. After the readings however, it's occurred to me that there's not a common perception of our environment in my residents eyes. American students and international students have completely different perceptions of what a healthy living environment should be, and in my role as a leader I've found myself playing more towards the American standards, where this reading showed me that each resident should be tended to individually, rather than as a whole. Adaptability to each residents perceptions is needed for me to thrive as a leader in the community, hence my addition to the definition.
Bibliography:
"Ten leadership lessons from the Steve Jobs school of management." Silicon.com.
"The Transcultural Leader: Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault, Nissan" Insead.
Rushdie, Salman (1998). "Mohandas Ghandi". Time Magazine U.S., Monday, April 13, 1998.

Leadership - 3/30

2013-03-30T17:23:53Z

Previous Week:
Leadership is the act of using and evaluating ones beliefs to benefit their surroundings. Entailed in positively impacting their surroundings is: committing to the growth of their community and understanding the roles in the community.
This Week:
Leadership is the acts of self and team reflecting in order to identify group and individual beliefs and goals. Identification of individual and team qualities results in an improved environment that promotes community growth.
Analysis of the differences in the definitions:
As I learned by the Heifetz reading weeks ago, positively impacting ones surroundings is an important aspect of a leader, but analysis of the Heifetz, R. A., & Linsky, M. (2002) reading made it obvious that in order to positively impact surroundings, individual and unbiased team reflection is necessary first. Along with reflection, identification of individual and team qualities strengthens the team environment and promotes growth elsewhere, as learned by the Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. L. (2009) reading.
I found this weeks definition to be ideal because I can relate to the aspects of reflection and identification through my employment as a Community Advisor, which is seen as a role model/leader throughout my building. Both reflection and identification of my own and my residents goals and beliefs aid me in strengthening my community.
Bibliography:
Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. L. (2009). "Identifying Each Person's One Big Thing" (pp. 63 - 67). Boston: Harvard Business Press.
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.

Leadership 3/16

2013-03-16T15:57:07Z

Previous week: Leadership is the act of using and evaluating ones beliefs to positively impact their current and future surroundings.
This week: Leadership is the act of using and evaluating ones beliefs to benefit their surroundings. Entailed in positively impacting their surroundings is: committing to the growth of their community and understanding the roles in the community.
Analysis of the differences in the definitions:
Positively impacting surroundings is essential of leadership as we learned from the Heifetz reading, but the continual growth of ones community and the accountability for the roles played in a community is essential for a leader to understand as well as we learned from Astin, H. S., & Astin, A. W. (1996) and Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2007).

Bibliography:
Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2007). "Becoming a Servant Leader: Do you have what it takes?"
Astin, H. S., & Astin, A. W. (1996). A social change model of leadership development: Guidebook (version III) (pp. 4 - 27). Los Angeles: University of California Los Angeles Higher Education Research Institute.

Leadership - 3/9

2013-03-10T01:35:33Z

Previous week: Leadership is the act of using and evaluating ones beliefs to positively impact their surroundings.
This week: Leadership is the act of using and evaluating ones beliefs to positively impact their current and future surroundings.
Analysis of the differences in the definitions:
After our previous weeks readings, I learned that using and evaluating ones beliefs to impact their surroundings was essential to leadership but the difference this week is that following our Heifetz, R., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009) reading, I realized that preparing for ones future surroundings is just as important as stabilizing current surroundings.

Bibliography:
Heifetz, R., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). "Leadership in a (permanent) crisis." Harvard Business Review, 87(7), 62-69

Leadership 3/2

2013-03-03T01:41:32Z

Previous week: Leadership is the act of using a set of values and beliefs to positively manage and impact ones surroundings.
This week: Leadership is the act of using and evaluating ones beliefs to positively impact their surroundings.
Analysis of the differences in the definitions:
After our readings this week, I learned that evaluating the potential results of ones choices prior to making them is essential to leadership. The difference between my previous definition and this weeks is that I realized the previous weeks definition only involved using ones beliefs rather than evaluating them as well. According to Kidder, R. M. (2003) evaluating choices and realizing that opportunities exist in which all choices can be considered justified is necessary to understand for leadership.

Bibliography:
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.
Kidder, R. M. (2003). "Overview: The ethics of right vs. right." How Good People Make Tough Choices (pp. 13 - 29). New York: Simon & Schuster.

Leadership 2/23

2013-02-24T02:14:02Z

Previous week: Leadership occurs when trust is earned and hope is evident in environments that are beneficial to individuals.
This week: Leadership is the act of using a set of values and beliefs to positively manage and impact ones surroundings.
Analysis of the differences in the definitions:
After our readings this week, it's clear that values and beliefs are essential in leadership. The difference between my previous definition and this weeks is that I realized the previous weeks definition addressed what a leader needs to spread in order to be a successful leader, rather than this weeks definition which addresses what leadership is attributed to. According to Lee, R. J., & King, S. N. (2001), leadership begins with a vision and Terry, R. (2001) shares that beliefs and values alter which type of leaders people become. Understanding both altered my view of what leadership entails.

Bibliography:
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.
Terry, R. (2001). "Deciding what you believe." Seven zones for leadership: Acting authentically in stability and chaos (pp. 20 - 40). Mountain View, CA: Davies-Black Publishing, Inc.

Leadership - 2/16

2013-02-17T01:15:02Z

Previous Week:
My interpretation of leadership is someone who can influence others to make decisions that are beneficial to his/her surroundings while doing the same his/herself. In conclusion, someone with leadership skills is able to make leaders out of all of those in their surrounding.
This week:
Leadership occurs when trust is earned and hope is evident in environments that are beneficial to individuals.
Analysis of the differences in the definitions:
After the previous weeks readings, my definition of leadership was altered to this weeks; Leadership occurs when trust is earned and hope is evident in environments that are beneficial to individuals. The Rath, T. & Conchie, B. (2009). "Understanding why people follow." Strengths based leadership: Great leaders, teams, and why people follow. (pp. 79 - 85). New York: Gallup Press reading led me to believe that these four elements being spread (trust, hope, stability, compassion) are essential for a leader to be present. Trust and hope are most important though, as seen in the reading, which is why I included them in my definition. Trust and hope are essential for leaders to grow and for followers to accept their leader.

Definition of Leadership

2013-01-26T02:01:56Z

My interpretation of leadership is someone who can influence others to make decisions that are beneficial to his/her surroundings while doing the same his/herself. In conclusion, someone with leadership skills is able to make leaders out of all of those in their surrounding.