WEEK 9 LEADERSHIP

Leadership for me is to serve different communities, not so much of getting recognitions but more helping organizations and serving organizations in my community that I believe in by understanding their purpose.
According to Tatum (1997) "Racial identity" is based on the visible and physical traits, while "ethnic identity" is more the association of cultural behavior such as "language, customs, and shared history" (p.16). When we compare these differences we can see that someone might identify more with ethnic backgrounds instead of race. To be a great leader is very important to understand these differences and be aware of the meaning of names like "minorities" might have. Leadership to me is also a language that a leader needs to be able to dominate like for example in this reading where we need to use the term of "people of color" instead of "minorities". (Tatum, 1997)
According to Rath and Conchie (2009), "The most effective leaders know better than to try to be someone they are not" (pp. 79-85). This quote is only a sentence long, however it has a tremendously meaning. Leadership is the capability to conduct people with leaders that know better, rather than faking whom they are.
"What is illegal may or may not be a matter of ethics. What is ethically obligatory may be illegal. What is unethical may be legal. There is no essential connection between ethics and the law" (Paul & Elder, 2006, 13). Leadership also have to do with ethics and the law; however it is extremely important to understand and differentiate the difference of ethics and the law.
To me personally one of the most important theme is foster adaptation to be included in my personal meaning of leadership.
Foster adaptation refers to what executives are actually facing now these days. From changing in the company's orientation to the executions from executives to excel today's best practices to develop the up comings one.
"What is so precious and central to an organization's identity and capacity that it must be preserved? What, even if valued by many, must be left behind in order to move forward?"(Heifetz, R., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M., 2009, p. 62), These questions should/may arise when for instance a corporation is considering to eliminate practices that might not be very helpful to an environment that is changing, to help distinguish if the eliminated practices would be beneficial to the corporation or if they would not be, as well as overviewing the consequences carefully if it were to happen and if practices were to be preserved.
Overall, foster adaptation encourages the development of adaptation in an environment, by helping people progress the up coming practices that will help the organization to enter an entire new world, even if the people continue to practice the best practices with the end of success. This meaning is integrated in my personal definition of leadership.

Learning about the view of the 7 C's of leadership development for social change from Astin & Astin (1996). Leadership development means to me when all of these values are displayed the individual is able to interact with the group and the community, the group is able to interact with the individual and the community, and the community is able to interact with the individual and the group in a very effective leadership driven manner; by using the 7 C's: Consciousness of Self, congruence, commitment, collaboration, common purpose, controversy with civility, and Citizenship.
Leadership is also dealing with "spousal test" (Kegan & Lahey, 2009, p.64) consisting of a possible one-big-thing. The "spousal test" doing with figuring out a problem, and discussing about it in a conversational way, in which it was going on for a really long time that I personally think I would be dealing with my entire life.

Work Cited:
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.

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

Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. L. (2009). "Identifying Each Person's One Big Thing" (pp. 63 - 67). Boston: Harvard Business Press.

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.

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.

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.