1/25/12 missed class/sick day

I am a very interesting person. Anyone who knows me well would probably say so. Those who know me really well know that I can keep people laughing with my crazy remarks, vivid imagination and ability to be very random. I make terrible first impressions. I always come off as shy, something that might be due to losing many friends and my mother at a very young age. It also may be due to the fact that I have been hurt by those that I thought I could always depend on. I am cautious when letting people into my life. I think that if I made myself better at first impressions I could make it farther in many things such as this class. I will work on selling myself on applications, emails, and papers that I make in the next few months. I will not come off as average but rather as exceptional. I think this will be a good goal for me. It will help me break out of my shell and people will be able to see me to my full ability.

Kouzes 3
I
1. Being active
2. Being part of a team
3.doing an activity
4. Helping others

II Caring
friendship
honesty
teamwork
love and affection
loyalty
health
empathy
determination

Values
1. Honesty
2. Teamowrk
3. Health
4. Friendships
5. caring

1/30/12

                Self-Awareness is something that I have been looking at for the past few weeks. It started when my roommate and I were talking about the situation with our other roommate and the issues we were dealing with because of her boyfriend. This discussion led to her discussing how lately she had been avoiding me. She told me that I had said some remarks that she thought were personal jabs at her as a person. I had no idea that the way I had been talking was affecting her in this way. I had no intention of saying anything rude towards her at all. It made me think that I should put more thought in what and how I say things so that I am aware of how I am affecting others. The JOHARI window will be a very effective way of becoming aware of what I am currently unaware of. I should also take to heart that I cannot argue with what they say to me. If I do argue or become angry by what is said that will cause a break in our communication. In our house we all communicate so well and I think it has a great deal to do with how open and understanding we are with each other.

      When talking about strengths I am not sure what ones I have actually acquired and actually possess. I know what ones I would like to have however, and what ones I would like to work on. I know that I work well alone and with a group and that I can be independent when needed. I know my morals and what I believe is wrong and right. These beliefs differ from others which is okay and acceptable in the world we live in today. I never thought of the importance of knowing who I am and what I believe until I stepped out on my own.

    I am not in that small group of people that know where they belong. I have already switched majors many times I would not be surprised if switched it once or twice more. I have so many interests and I am good at multiple things so it has taken me a lot of time to find which direction I want to go in.

1/23/12

I really like in Chapter One of the Leadership Challenge when they say that leadership is a process. I think that everyone should take that into consideration when trying to become a leader or a person that is seen as a leader. It will not happen overnight and you have to work extremely hard for it. This goes as well for any goal that is worth achieving. The idea that there aren’t just a few men and women that can lead also impressed me. It made me think about what leadership skills I might have and that if I just work hard and put myself out there may succeed as a person and make a difference in the things that I do. In the reading I realized that I need to practice what I preach to let people know that I am sincere in what I do. When you model the way, as said in the book you will be more likely to win people over to your side. A big example of this in my life is my religious beliefs. I was raised in a very religious home and went to church every Sunday. So a lot of my religious and political beliefs are challenged daily and when people ask questions about religion I know how to answer after having heard my grandparents and parents deal with the same situations. Now I am in college and I am struggling to clarify what I actually believe for myself compared to what I was told to believe by my family. This caused me to think out of the box on a lot of issues. I want to see for myself what I truly believe so I am confident when I am questioned by others.

It has been a huge challenge for a few girls and me to start a female rugby club. Being one of the first in the club it has been very difficult to get enough girls to come to practice. Without Michelle, the girl who started it all we would have fizzled out as a club last fall. But she kept pushing us and we have 45 girls signed up this semester. I can see that was a leader that challenged that process. When we ran out of money, she started setting up fundraisers. She is a great example of a leader.  She holds the team together and at the same time gives out all responsibility as well enabling us to act. She does not hold an office in the club giving us more power and keeping us interested and involved all year.

Collin Powell made a good point that related to me as a person. He said good leaders can discipline people and fire people if they are not getting the job done. I am always the person that gives someone too many chances and I am always afraid of stepping on everyone’s toes.

Right now I am Secretary of the Rugby team but I think that the very best time that I was a leader was back in 8^th grade when two schools near us set up a challenge with maps and compasses and puzzles. It was a two day challenge that had us doing different tasks and checking in at check points. We were placed in teams and as the leader I helped push everyone to work quickly and very efficiently. We paired up on some of the problems and divided the work to make everything go faster. I also had two twins in my group and separated them to avoid any conflict. It was a very tiring day but very worth the effort.
Kouzes

Blog 1/17/12

In the Ted Talks video I really liked the statement Sheryl made about how women underestimate their own abilities. I think that I am one of those women. In the house I was raised in I was taught that men are intellectually smarter than women. I group up thinking that men should lead the household and men should lead the country as well. I think this thinking is exactly the type of thing that keep women from rising to the top. I work really hard and I think that is what makes me deserve my success.
I also agreed with Sheryl when she talked about what men and women are viewed as when they are both successful. Men are viewed as lieable while women are viewed as a person who are only out to gain success for themselves. Even in media, all successful women are protrayed as almost evil. You can see examples of how they are protrayed as terrible bosses in the Proposal or Devil Wears Prada. Not the best examples but they are ones that come to mind.
In the discussion she has about Partners I agree that society puts more pressure on men to be succssful. What comes to mind is how society in the past has always made it the ultimate goal for a women or girl to marry, and marry well. They were courted and when married well, their parents were given money. They did not focus on educating the women with reading or writing but rather with lessons on how to run a house.