To sum it all up...

CSR 309 is one of those classes that I'll never forget. Not only did we learn about leadership, but we learned how to apply it in school, the job market, and in our personal lives.

Will they follow me??
During our first couple of classes, I thought this question was sort of menial. Of course they will follow me. I'm smart, creative, and I always thought that I had excellent leadership qualities. However, I recently went into a huge job interview and while preparing for it I learned that I needed to find a way to put this into words. When interviewing for jobs, we have to remember that these people have NEVER met us before. They do not know the first clue about me, my accomplishments, or the skills that would make me their best choice. CSR 309 taught me how to explain this to an interviewer. How to best show that I am a great leader, and the one that they should choose.


Leaders have a vision.
What good is a vision if the group members do not have the same mission, or even know what it is? A good leader helps formulate a vision with the input of the group members. They decide goals and lifestyle decisions for the organization. A vision is only as strong as those that believe in it. Half way through the semester we were asked what our vision was. My group did not even know what it was at the time. We had to discuss what we wanted to get out of the class, and pull together to decide the common objectives. A vision helps to provide a bigger picture that the group is working toward.

Look for the opportunity
Always keep your eyes open, because you never know where the next greatest opportunity is going to show up. I cannot explain how many times one door has closed, and another has opened. Having faith in my life has helped me to realize that sometimes I'm meant to fail so that I can succeed in something else. I'm constantly seeking my next opportunity to do something great.

Leaders are optimistic.
People need excitement and enthusiasm in their lives. They want to feel like their leaders are cheering them on. Members of an organization want to feel supported. They believe in their objectives, and in remaining faithful to them, keep an optimistic mindset. Who wants to follow someone that is negative? People need the enthusiasm to make them feel like their work is appreciated

Leaders deliver.
Leaders keep these promises of visions, opportunities, and excitement. They show their members that they are honest people by giving the members what they have promised them. Leaders show results. People want to feel like their work is appreciated and like they have contributed.

Leaders sell passion.
People will work harder and do it more enjoyably if they know what is in it for them. Leaders not only explain this to their members, but they make their members passionate about their line of work. If a member has an innate passion for their line of work, they will succeed. This passion is what gets them through the rough times.

These are the most important points that I have learned over the course of CSR 309. I hope that I demonstrate to others that I am a good leader. I hope that I give them good reasons to follow me. I believe that I have the passion and the vision for myself, but I also hope that I can communicate this effectively to my followers.

I have truly enjoyed the class, and I hope that it will continue to be taught in the same fashion. Thank you!!!!!!

Class Mon. April 13

Never send an email when you're mad. Write it, sleep on it, wait 48 hours. If you're still upset then you can send it.

Women are just as good as men in the workforce. If they stay at home and look after their kids, they're just as good as a woman in the workforce.

Today we watched a video about the various racism issues that have been going on on different college campuses. It was really sad to see how ignorant people can be. It was also amazing to see how many educated people were committing these horrible acts. We would think that if one is enrolled in secondary education, then they should be smart enough to know right from wrong. This is also not to mention the diversity we are exposed to once we begin our college careers. One thing that I have loved during my 4 years in school is my exposure to this great diversity. I grew up in a small Indiana town and went to school with people similar to me...from my ethnicity to my religion. College has opened my eyes to the differences of people, and I have fully embraced this great opportunity.

On this note, we further discussed peoples' pain. I got the chills each time I read a different one. I only want to add good to others' lives. I know that this may seem cliche, but it is very true. It can be hard to do this sometimes, but it is something that I make a conscious effort toward each day. Good leaders bring a sense of purpose and with this fulfillment, to their teams' lives.

Class: Wed. April 8

Movies

Today we discussed the magic behind movies. Some make you laugh, some make you cry. Movies are just entertaining and fun. They make you feel good. I don't really know what it has to do with leadership, but it was still a fun class.

Since we were discussing movies, we learned that Netflix is the largest user of the U.S. Postal Service. The company has become a leader in their field. They offer a great product, at an affordable price, with the right distribution. People don't want to have to go into a movie rental shop each time they want a movie, and even ordering a new one on Pay per view is pricey. Netflix just makes sense.

Class: Mon. April 6

Today we discussed the importance of making decisions.

This is something that I have always struggled with. In fact, I would say that one of my biggest, if not my biggest, is my inability to make a decision. I am so scared of making mistakes and picking the wrong choice that it inables me to make decisions. The sad thing is, I know that good leaders have to make decisions.

Feinberg said that leaders will get in their groups, talk strategy, discuss options, make a decision, and then stick by it. Who cares if it is unsuccessful? You'll deal with those things when they come. We cannot predict the future. We don't ever really know if the decisions we make are good ones. However, this should not paralyze us from making them. If we screw up, good leaders know how to fix it. I love the quote that was said last week in a video that was played in class. Donald Trump said, "Hire great people, and then listen to them." Do not be afraid to listen to someone else and make a decision from what they said. Good leaders hire good team members, and then listen to their decisions.

One decision that I have to make is between 2 jobs right now. One has offered me the position, and I am headed to the final interview for the second one next week. Although I do not have to make a decision right now, I am hoping to be offered the job and then obviously be forced to make the decision. I am struggling because the retail world is so tough right now. How will I know if I am choosing a company that will fold in the next year? Yes, they are both billion dollar companies, but wasn't Macy's when they filed Chapter 11? One thing is clear--I cannot predict the future! I need to make a decision based on the information I have. If I make a decision that turns out not to be my best option--I'll go from there. Good leaders know how to problem-solve.

Class: Mon. March 30

Today’s class we discussed 2 way communication. There was an exercise done at the beginning where we had to draw shapes according to what a girl in another room was telling us. At first I did not know how Dr. Feinberg was going to relate the experiment back to the leadership topic. Once 2 way communication was integrated, almost every person in the class drew the figures correctly. We were given 2 ears and one mouth because we need to listen twice as much as we speak. Each person in the class listened to the instructions on what to draw closely, and then asked a few questions in order to make sure we were drawing it correctly.

This experiment also demonstrated the importance of active listening. We were so engaged in the exercise that we wanted to listen to directions, and ask questions. I think that I am one of those people that asks a ton of questions. Sometimes I think it probably gets annoying, but I am the type of leader that wants to succeed in all that I do. I want to make sure that I have all of the information and that I am completing my assignment correctly.

I liked how we were taught that there are not 2 sides to every story, but rather we should think of it as a circle. Each thing that is said affects the next. Words can get changed around as they travel through the grapevine, so it is important for members of a team to clearly (and actively) listen to one another.

Finally, we discussed the importance of reviewing what you’ve heard. I thought that Feinberg just gives us 10 points of extra credit sometimes to help us out. While I am sure that this is true, it is also his way of verifying his teaching methods. He wants to make sure that he is getting through to us, and getting his point across. I think it’s great that even though he has been teaching for a long time, he still wants to review his effect on his students. A great leader never stops learning or improving on their method. It is just as important to review the lesson as it is to teach it.

Pain

This morning we received an email with an attachment about the pain that people wrote about earlier in the semester. To be honest, I had actually forgotten about the exercise and quickly scribbled something down when we were told to do it. As I began reading the excerpts, I got the chills. I could not believe that people have gone through such terrible things at such young ages. I would have thought that the people writing these things were in their 60's, not early 20's. I got tears in my eyes when I read a few of them. It's weird to think that I see these random people in my classes each day, and I never think that they have had such painful experiences in their lives. I say hello to people and don't think twice about it.

I liked how at the end it was written, "and you want to add to someone's pain?" I try each day to be a truly nice person. I will now try 150 times harder. It reminds me of a quote that I once heard that goes something like, "Be kinder than necessary to all those you meet. For each person is facing some kind of battle." So true! I never think when I meet someone that they have other things going on in their lives. As humans, we tend to forget about others. I want to add to someone's happiness, not take away from it.

I thought it was interesting that all these quotes were from people that are in a leadership class. Great leaders have to overcome huge obstacles to get places in their lives. These are the leaders of tomorrow. These people will overcome their personal hurdles, as they have done before. These people have chosen to go somewhere with their lives by enrolling in college. While many would be stopped in their tracks and just quit, these people haven't. I say a prayer for each person that they may have strength and continue on their own personal paths to success.

Class: Mon. March 23

In today's class, we spoke about one's expectations within an organization. These range from what an individual can expect from the organization and what the organization expects from the individual. How can we perform at our best if we never know our goals? We need purpose to our work.

During my final interview with a company (that I will most likely accept an offer from), I was asked what I expect from my job. I explained that I expect to be creatively fulfilled, but challenged at the same time. I want freedom to perform on my own with the goals set for me by the organization. I understand that I will not be accepting my dream job straight out of school. I will not particularly love each and every part of my job. I do not expect this. However, I do expect to wake up everyday wanting to go into work. Wanting to contribute to the goals of my organization.

The things that I do expect from my job are things that I struggle with in my everyday life: being creatively fulfilled, but challenged at the same time. This is a difficult balance that I am constantly striving to achieve. I think that I am choosing the fashion industry as my line of work because it encompasses both of these ideas. I want to be a leader in my field. I need to feel like I am contributing. I need my life to have a purpose.

Nothing is ever certain in life. I do not know if this job will fulfill my exceptions. With that being said, it is important to take chances. I'm excited to take a chance on this company, and I hope that they meet most of my expectations.

Class: Mon. March 9

Today in class we discussed more on goal setting and vision statements. It was surprising to see that although we had discussed in class the importance of setting group goals, how many people actually got together as a group and made them. It seemed like no one had! I think that most people in the class want to get an A, if not, then a B. I think that GPA and personal satisfaction are huge driving motivators for this goal. As a group, I would say that our goals are to get A's and to become better leaders. But how do we measure if we have become better leaders? By our future habits? By our attitudes in the work place?

How do we ever really know if someone is a good leader? When it comes down to it, I believe that the production of the company is a major sign. If the company is producing strong sales, new products, and achieving other measurable goals on time...then there must be strong leaders in that organization.

A president, Joe, was finally elected by our CEO. He seems like he is going to be a good leader. I think that past performance is the best indicator for future performance. He achieved success last year in the class, and in his past career and personal lives. The other thing that I like about him, is that he is not being forced or paid (from what we know) into doing this gig. He simply wants self-improvement. A person displays STRONG leadership when they are motivated enough to go above and beyond simply for the sake of personal growth and development. This was impressive. I hope that we see great things from him, and I hope that his actions of stepping up to the plate will inspire me and my fellow classmates.

Class: Wed. March 4

Today in class we discussed the importance of goals and mission statements

The video today showed different members of organizations speaking about their job, their satisfaction level, and what they thought about the company’s goals. Many people said that they were happy with their jobs, but few of them could name the actual goals of the company. As the video continued, the members stated that they feel better when they are working for a higher purpose. Once again, WIIFM?? These individuals need to know the “What’s in it for me?” When people know that they are working for a common goal and they believe in it, they are more motivated to succeed. Good leaders in top management positions know their mission statements. They not only set goals for their organization, but they can benchmark them so they know the progress they are making. These mission statements let their employees know that their work is not going unnoticed, and creates cohesiveness amongst members so they are working toward a common goal.

We also watched the Jerry Maguire scene where he writes his mission statement. He believes that the company should take on fewer clients so that they can give them better service. This would also equal less money. This mission statement was not something that the company believed, so they had to fire him. This example showed the class that a mission statement not only needs to be well thought out and well-written, but it needs to be cohesive with the other members of the organization. Everyone needs to work toward the same goal. Everyone needs to be on the same page. Once someone does not believe in the mission statement, they are no longer working toward the goals, and thus cannot be apart of the organization.

Class: Mon. March 2

Today in class we saw several examples of leadership....

First, the spokeswoman for J.C. Penney described the qualities that the company looks for in job candidates. She explained that when she reads over a resume, she does not look for a job description. Instead, she looks for leadership potential. She will read a previous job and decide if that person displayed signs of leadership. Next, she said that she also looks for a high GPA and/or Dean's List and Honors. This shows her that the candidate was an academic leader. The activities that she looks for are also leadership positions. Was this person simply a member, an active member, or did they hold a leadership position? This presentation made me question my resume, and the adjustments that I can make to position myself as a leader in my previous experiences.

We watched a video about a woman that was in the armed forces, and was hurt so badly that the doctors had to remove a section of her skull. This horrific occurrence would stop most people in their tracks. Many people would lose the will to live. Instead of taking this route, the woman decided to be a leader. She now encourages others that are going through life threatening illnesses, diseases, or serious disabilities to not give up. There is a lot to be said about a leader that has determination.

We played a game with finger trap toys. People linked up and were instructed to walk out one set of doors and into the next. We witnessed what happened when one person of an organization decides not to listen. How can a real leader motivate this person? A good lead tells the members of his or her organization one simple thing: WIIFM....What's in it for me. A good leader not only verbally explains benefits, but demonstrates them with their actions. A good leader explains that they are 100% in it for the members of their organization. They believe in the work and the goals at hand.

There were several different displays of leadership in Monday's class. These 3 were just a few examples of the lessons we learned. To summarize:
1. Show leadership on a resume, not job descriptions
2. Never give up! Determination!
3. Motivate your team by telling them the amazing benefits!

Class: Mon. Feb. 16

Today in class, we talked more about leadership styles during interviews. We watched videos that showed different interview styles. Most of these were obviously meant to be funny, but there was still some truth behind them. We need to make ourselves interesting to our employers, and stand out in the best light. We talked today about how we can benefit our companies. These topics made me think about my interviewing skills. What traits do I posses that would make a company want to hire me? How can I be beneficial to an organization? These are important leadership questions that I wonder as I begin to apply for post-college jobs.

Today was also the day that our groups were supposed to be finalized by the end of class, or group members would get -50 points. I don’t really understand this concept. I mean, if I’m in a group that is complete and other slackers in the class can’t get it together, why should I be punished? I guess this goes along with the concept of any organization. If the class is supposed to represent a company, then each part needs to run in order to function properly. HR, finance, product development, sales, upper management, etc.—these parts all need to run efficiently together in order to be successful.

Class: Mon. Feb. 9

Kirk Weisler Presentation

This presentation was inspiring. Kirk began the presentation by talking about some of his life experiences. He spoke about leadership in the workplace, and in life. He gave an extraordinary presentation, and we were all lucky to have been there to hear it.

Toward the beginning part of the presentation, Kirk explained that a Gallup Management Journal survey was conducted 17% of American workers are actively disengaged. This means that they are at their job, doing it, but not completely disengaged from what is going on. Not only are they disconnected from their work, but they are going it on purpose. They mean to be disconected. He continued to explain that 54% were not engaged. Over half of all workers are not connected to their job. They're completely zoning out. Finally, he explained that only 29% of Americans are engaged in their work. These numbers were shocking. It is hard to imagine that people are so disconnected from their work.

He continued to explain that it is more important to discover your strengths than to work on your weaknesses. He asked, "What are your 5 major themes?" He went on to say that most high performers do not spend much time on their weaknesses, but instead they exploit their strengths. What a concept! Instead of thinking to yourself, "How can I better my weaknesses?" One should spend time concentrating on what they do best, and completely take advantage of these things.

The cork game was an interesting display of the need of balance. It is important to make adjustments in one's leadership style in order to have balance. There is synergy when everything is compliant and balanced with each other.

I enjoy reading, and I always love getting book recommendations. The book that he recommended that I found most interesting is "QBQ," the "Questions behind the Questions." I think this is an interesting concept for a book, and soemthing that I will look into. The book describes the six most important decisions that one will ever make. This is an intriguing concept that I will look into further.

Kirk described that there are 5 ways to say "I love you," and that a leader will use any of these 5 ways to show his team that he appreciates them. These 5 ways include: words of affrimation, gifts, time, physical touch, and acts of service. I knew that couples in relationships have different ways of telling each they're in love, but I didn't think that a leader would use one or more of these ways. It really makes you think about the way your superiors show it...

"The single greatest thing to inspire growth and development, is to grow myself."

"Be contagious."

"The quickest way to connect to a leader is to speak their language. Read what your leader is reading."

"We can make excuses or we can make a difference."

These were just some of the many powerful quotes that I picked up on. Kirk was inspiring to be a leader. He described it from all different angles. From superiors, from the followers, those looking out, those looking in. He had some powerful things to say, and I hope that I use some of his techniques in the future. What I thought was most interesting, was how Kirk got his start. He spoke about the average to below average grades that he got in high school and in the start of college. He started to figure out methods to improve. He started sitting in the "Magic T," section of the classroom. He started becoming friends with the bookworms, etc. It is inspiring to know that great leaders can come out of nowhere, just like Kirk. Now, he is getting paid thousands per presentation, and he is doing simply what he knows how to do, what comes naturally. This presentation was something that seemed to stick in my mind, and I hope to utilize the methods that he spoke of to eventually be a powerful, inspiring leader.

Class: Wed. Feb. 4

In today's class, we assessed the quality of leadership among the individuals that stepped up to be leaders. The first couple of groups displayed extremely poor leadership. They huddled up, and each time they were asked to speak to the class since we were the onces ranking them, they went back to being quiet. Not one person in the first group stepped up to be a leader.

The second group did a better job, and one girl stepped up to be a leader. She listed all the qualities and spoke about them. Another kid was trying to speak loudly enough so that the class could hear him. Again, leadership strides were initiated but not completely followed through with.

Finally, the last group displayed tremenous leadership skills. They were confident, enthusiastic, loud, organized, and just overall great leaders. They understood the project that was assigned and really tackled it head on. It was impressive. I hope that I am in a group with any one of the team leaders that were in that group.

Class: Mon. Feb. 2

Today's class presented more leadership ideas. The commercials demonstrated ideas about knowing when to take a step back, take initiative, etc. It was interesting to see that there were many people that claimed they were leaders, but when questions were asked to spark discussion, no one raised their hands to speak.

The 20 sec. leadership pitches showed strong and weak leadership styles. I found it important to give examples with specific with numbers in order to make valid points. It is easier to visualize someones leadership progress when I am presented with numbers. I liked when people fully utilized all 20 seconds. If they finished sooner I wondered why they did not keep going. What would it say about a leader that did not use every asset given to them? Also, I liked it when people had something different to say. Give me a reason to want to pick you. Be specific. Be likable. Give me a reason to want to work for you.

Class: Mon. Jan. 26

Our CEO has arrived!



Finally, our CEO showed up and tought class. It is amazing how much easier and more comfortable class was with a leader present. We learned what was going to be expected of us, and more on how the class was going to be run. The class was almost completely silent. Everyone listened closely, and it felt like we finally accomplished something. I hope that these leadership qualities continue to be present in each class throughout the course of the semester.

Class: Wed. Jan. 21

Our CEO was absent yesterday, and I hope we finally get to hear him speak on Monday.

The TA showed excellent leadership skills as she immediately silenced the class and gave specific instructions for the day.

We watched "The Queen," video, and we are supposed to write an Individual Memo on the movie, explaining leadership styles and examples. I can see different leadership styles beginning to form from the portion of the movie that we have already viewed. The queen shows a conventional, fair, method of leadership. She rules with an iron fist, so to say. On the other hand, her son Charles is more moderate, and has a more modern approach to leadership. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the movie goes.

Class: Wed. Jan. 14

Wow, what a class....

Our instuctor sat toward the back of the room and barely spoke the whole time. We were supposed to stand up and be leaders. Take charge of the class. Didn't happen.

Some attempts were made by people but most of them failed. Kudos on their efforts, but it made it even more boring listing "What makes a good leader." I think I did that in 5th grade.

Matt Pettigrew stood up and seemed to capture the attention of everyone in the room. Obviously a good leader needs to be charismatic, attention-getting, clear speaking, and most importantly--a LEADER! Take charge of the situation!

I think that overall we failed at our primary task, "To study leadership in the here and now." However, I also think over an hour is much, much too long to discuss that topic. I think that we kept getting off task because you cannot possibly discuss one sentence for over an hour.

This task was also to demonstrate how frustrating it is when there is no leader present. Once again, nothing gets accomplished. I hope that leaders will emerge and show us what to do.

A

Class: Mon. Jan. 12

I've never blogged before, so please bear with me! I am going to try to blog after each class (twice a week), but if I get a little behind it may be just once a week. I also understand that this assignment requires that we incorporate leadership into our blog, since this is a leadership class. So here it goes....

Monday, January 12, was our first class for the semester. Our teacher, Dr. Feinberg did not show up. I thought this was really odd, considering most instructors are there for the first day. Secretly, I think he was observing to see what our class was going to be like.

About half way through the class, we were not told if we could leave or not. I think that someone was supposed to step up and be a leader. Someone in the class needed to make an executive decision if we should stay or go. However, this never happened so we many of us sat until the end wondering what would happen next.

Since there was no leader, no objectives were set, and obviously none were met. It is frustrating being in a situation where there is no leader. Nothing gets accomplished and I hate being unproductive. I only hoped that it would get better next time.

A