Reflection: Leadership Map and Portal

These last two assignments where definitely helpful to process and put together all my knowledge and thoughts about leadership. It helped me create a more concrete defenition of leadership and how to use it succesfully. It was also fun using our creativitiy to create a visual that represents our views on leadership. I know know that I lean more towards situational leadership and how important it is to build trust within your team since day one. I have also realized that i place a very big importance on leading with values, which have been instilled upon me since i was young. I am confident that after this class I will be ready to take on my first leadership role with optimism and confidence!

AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP

This contemporary leadership theory is the one that stood out to me the most. The reason is because it involves leaders leading with their core values, which is definitely a recurring topic in my blog.  I discovered this theory through a website named leopard-learning.com. I then continued my search and stumbled upon a book by bill George; Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value. He points out that authentic leadership involved commitment and leaders that make “a difference in the lives of the people they serve.” I liked this theory because it incorporates a few of my favorite leadership theories which as: transformational, and moral/ethical leadership.

Authentic leadership was invented to meet the new ideas of the 21^st century. Everything in the world is constantly changing and so it is very important to keep up with new ideas of leadership that fit with the time period we are living today. Historic leadership theories are still important because they are the foundation of all the innovative theories that have been invented in the present. Authentic leadership focuses on developing people’s strengths rather than focusing all the time on trying to eliminate all their weaknesses. It also involved some basic principles such as being dwelling (being a present leader), freedom (empowering, make choices), justice (equality), participation (acting), love (creating relationships), and responsibility (taking responsibility for actions). It also explains how leaders lead because they like to do so, not because their job status gives them the power and the right to lead. This leadership involved taking off that business suit and briefcase that gives people status and power and lead with their inner values.

http://michaelhyatt.com/the-five-marks-of-authentic-leadership.html. This article by Michael Hyatt was also very interesting to read. It talks about how authentic leadership involves vision, innovation, influence, impact, and integrity.

PAPERCLIPS

This is the trailer for a documentary named "Paperclips." I think it is a great example of how leaders are found everywhere on a day to day basis. Leaders are passionate and inspire change. In this case, a simple  class project turned into something huge and inspired many followers to set goals, reach them, and do good in the world. This video is a perfect exmaple of a how good leader can reach thousands of people if they set their mind to it. Those students are going to be great leaders of our future.

PERSONAL RELFECTION ABOUT LEADERSHIP

          Watching and learning about leadership has strengthened my views about leadership. I never contemplated the fact that there are many paths leaders take when it comes to leading their team. The main question is? Do leaders (especially historical leaders) lead with a certain type of theory because it comes naturally to them or is it something they learned and decided to use because they knew it would be most effective? For example, did Ghandi know he was using transformational leadership to influence his followers? Did Adolf Hitler know he used his innate traits such as charisma and confidence to make believe a whole group of people that those who weren’t blond with blue eyes should be exterminated? Students in the present are learning about all these different leaders and how they have succeeded in life. They have the option to choose which type of leadership they want to go by

This class has also made me realize how there are a thousand different ways to lead a group of people. Personally, I have gone through several theories in different stages of my life:

         The first example is when I was about 16 years old and I was a volunteer counselor for my community’s youth group that met every Saturday from 1-4. My co-counselor and I were in charge of 8^th grade girls. This particular group was very problematical and did not get along at all. My partner and I without knowing used path/goal theory to motivate the girls to discard their differences and learn to get along. We had a vision that by the end of the year, the girls at least respected each other and tried to get along. This vision and goal was very well communicated since the very beginning of the school year. Every Saturday, my co-worker and I organized activities in order to influence and motivate the girls to learn to get along. By the end of the school year, the group of girls did not end up becoming best friends but at least they did not hate each other. 6 years later, I ran into two of the girls that used to bully each other at an event. They went up to me and thanked my co-counselor and I for all the hard work we put in trying to bring the group together because in the long run, it worked. I am confident that using this type of theory with certain situations will help me achieve success.

         The second example involved situational leadership and deals with my experience as a student at San Diego State. We all know that we have had many group projects in our HTM classes. In group projects, I usually like to take a leadership roll and make it easier for the group to complete the assignment.  Looking back, I have realized how I have used situational leadership in order to cope with the different groups that I have encountered throughout my student career. For example, in one occasion I was in a group with only foreign exchange students. I used the “telling” method to lead the group. Since I had more experience with the English language than my group had, I tried to guide and direct them in what each person had to do to complete the project. In another situation, I was in a group where we where all on our senior year and had lots of experience. The group still needed a leader and I decided to be the main communicator. This leadership behavior I used was participative because the capacity and maturity level of the group where both very high. I used my spirit of optimism to encourage the group to get to the finish line but the major decisions where made unanimously.

         One of the wonders of today is that leaders have the ability to shape their leadership style to people they admire.  If someone really likes Oprah and the values she leads with, that person can learn to lead like Oprah and create a positive change in the world. However, this can also be dangerous and go the different way. If someone who is bad and wants to cause damage, that person can simply learn how Adolf Hitler influenced a huge group of people to exterminate the lesser races.  Personally I believe that a leader should lead with strong values. Having a strong set of morals and a good sense of ethics will lead people to create positive changes either in the workplace or in life.

LEARNING THROUGH FILM

Watching a film about leadership definitely allowed me to get a better grasp of what these leadership theories are all about.   I found that it was much easier trying to find the right scenes that matched the different leadership theories after I had a very good and thorough understanding of each and every one of them. The movie I watched, Mona Lisa Smile, mainly dealt with transformational leadership.  It depicts perfect examples of how a leader inspires a follower in order to make a change that will generate something positive in both of their lives. 

The most significant part of leadership theory that I learned from the movie is that many times, during the process in which a leader is trying to motivate change in their followers, they actually encounter sort of this epiphany where they see a change in themselves that they had not seen before.   In other words, many times leaders may be using their leadership style not only with their followers, but also with themselves, without even noticing. This can be seen in Julia Robert’s character and how at the end, she realized how she was the one that needed to go out and see the world and create new adventures in her life. This all happened because that is exactly what she was trying to inspire her students to do instead of marrying and becoming housewives. This also made me think about the fact that being a leader does not mean that you have all the answers. It is a never ending process where through experience, leaders learn on a daily basis different ways to learn and self develop.

This movie also strengthened my positive thoughts about behavioral and situational leadership in the way that it shows how different types of leaders act in order to get what they want or to reach a certain goal. Let’s take Betty for example. She is the stuck up, mean leader that uses her power and manipulation skills to get things done her way. On the other hand, Giselle uses her inner nature to “flow against the current “along with her high confidence to influence her classmates to think differently. Ms. Watson chose to be innovative and creative in order to communicate to her students the importance of opening their eyes to the world and stepping outside of their boundaries.  All these characters used certain behaviors that classify how they act in order to lead, influence, and inspire in certain situations.

MIDTERM

Making Change Happen

-James McGregor Burns (born August 13, 1918 in Melrose, Boston) is basically the father of one of the most popular type of leadership theories, transformational leadership.  Being and thinking differently is something he has been doing since he was a child.  For example, out of his whole family, he was the only one who had a liberal mindset. He made leadership philosophers and psychologists think about leadership in terms of a leader and followers working together for a common goal that will bring a positive change to either their lives or their organization rather than leadership being about the traits and behaviors of certain leaders.  This new type of leadership delivers integrity, trust, and value.
He has won the Pulitzer price and the national book award for his outstanding biographies.

-Some of his most famous works are:

 Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox (1956)

 Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom (1970)

 Leadership (1978)

 Dead Center: Clinton-Gore Leadership and the Perils of Moderation (1999)

The Three Roosevelts: Patrician Leaders Who Transformed America (2001)

“In real life, the most practical advice for leaders is not to treat pawns like pawns, nor princes like princes, but all persons like persons.” -JMB

I think this video is a good example of transformational leadership in action. Robbin Williams is practicing "inspirational motivation" with his patients. He uses humor and laughter to create a very calm and optimistic environment given the circumstances the children find themselves in.  He uses his charisma to help the children acheive a common goal which is simply being happy and enjoying life.  Williams deffenitly created a positive change along with his followers who in this case are the children.

CONTINGENCY VS. SITUATIONAL

CONTINGENCY:
|kənˈtinjənsē|a future event or circumstance that is possible but cannot be predicted with certainty


Fiedler basically said, if you cant change the personality or style of leadership, then change the situation. This way, everyone and anyone can be successful leaders if they know how to effectively choose the most appropriate situation to apply to their own leadership style.  My question is: how can you change or avoid situations? There are many times where stress and chaos are going to be right in front of your nose and if someone is not the type of leader who can handle difficulties in a calm way, then how can the situation be changed?
He helped many psychologists stray away from associating leadership with traits and characteristics to styles and behaviors. He argues that a leader’s effectiveness is dependant upon two different factors; the situation they find themselves in and how well they control that situation.
He also created a test; Least Preferred Co-worker test, which reflects whether the person taking the test leans more towards a task leadership style vs. relationship.  Those who score their least preferred co-worker in a negative way emphasize the importance of the task at hand. On the contrary, those who have a high score on the test are more interested in relationships and interpersonal behavior.  Personally, I think that I lean more towards task leadership but at the same time I have good relationships with my co-workers.

Mark Testa + HTM490

When trying to apply situational leadership to one of my experiences I thought of my HTM490 class with Mark Testa. In this case he was the leader and I was the follower along with the rest of my classmates. He changed his leadership style depending on the mood , environment, and ability of the classroom.

For example:

On the very first day of class, he sensed a high task, high relationship style so he used the “selling style” to lead the classroom. At the very beginning, we were willing and confident to take on the project and assignments of the class but we were unable because we hadn’t learned anything.  Testa kept on explaining and clarifying the project and most importantly communicating the rewards of the winning team in order for us to “buy in” to the project.

"DO NOT FOLLOW WHERE THE PATH MAY LEAD,
GO INSTEAD WHERE THERE IS NO PATH AND LEAVE A TRAIL"

He then kind of switched his leadership style to “delegating” as the semester went along and the class was starting to create ideas of their own.  We now where ready to make our own groups and as a group, make our own decisions and take whichever path we felt was needed in order to successfully complete the project.

Then, the class sort of hit a “dead end” where we weren’t exactly sure what was expected of us. Testa sensed this and started directing us and fully explaining exactly “what, why, and how” we needed to do things.

By the end of the semester, the maturity level of the class was very high and there was a high relationship / low task leader behavior. This meaning that both the teacher and the groups made important decisions together such as what reward should the winning group receive, the time frame of the presentation, and things like that.

I think he is a good example of a leader that follows a situational leadership style.

Dr. Miranda Bailey + LMX

When Lory first talked to us about this LMX (Leader Member Exchange) Theory in class, I instantly connected with it because that is exactly how the bond/relationship between my manager and I formed.  During the course of 4 months, we have gone through the three stages and we are now at the point where we have high quality exchanges and most importantly, trust.

Now, relating this theory to a TV Show was not hard at all. Despite the fact that I watch a lot of series and almost in every single one you can see leadership in action, the second thing that came into my mind when I learned about this theory was Dr. Miranda Bailey from the show Grey’s Anatomy. LMX theory states that “leaders often develop relationships with each member of the group that they lead” and explains how each relationship is developed in a unique way.  Dr. Bailey went through each phase with her intern and created different relationships with each one.

For example, we can take a look at her relationship between her and one of her interns Izzy.  From the very beginning, Dr. Bailey comes off as abrasive however deep down, she does care for the good of those that surround her. Instead of being hated she is respected and is held in high esteem.  Izzy on the other hand is this very nice, caring, friendly, and sentimental intern.  As opposite as they were, they managed to create a very special bond between them based on trust, respect, and love:

Am I Really That Obvious?

For this part of the assignment I decided to take the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ).   After I took it, I decided to give it to one of my friends to answer the questionnaire according to how she perceives the way I act.  The results where very surprising because on purpose, I did not give it to a close friend yet almost all of the answers where the same if not they were off by one or two points.  I did not want to have someone that knows me very well answer the test because I wanted to see how much of my personality and leadership style is perceived in the eyes of others.

One example of a question that we had different answers was the one that says “I spend time teaching and coaching.” My result was a 1 and my friend’s was a 3.  I personally don’t think that focus my time on coaching, on the other hand, it is something that I need to work on.  My friend made me realize how I “teach and coach” more often than I thought I did.  I think I do it unconsciously.  She told me that I always share my experiences with her and especially when I learn from my mistakes and how I always tell her on the things that I should improve about myself, which is something that she should work on as well.  I think that most leaders have certain behaviors in them that they are unaware off therefore it is very important to have someone evaluate you form time to time.

There where several questions relating to the fact that should you or shouldn’t you wait to fix problems until they become serious. My answers to those questions where “Not at all,” and “Once in a while.” I strongly think that it is extremely easier to solve a problem or to fix a certain situation at the first stage when not so many people are involved and it has not gone out of proportion. Many times, when leaders don’t deal with issues unless they are of “extreme importance” they end up taking longer to fix the problem than if they would have just dealt with it in the very beginning.

Learning Through Others...

"Share our similarities, CELEBRATE OUR DiFfErEnCeS"

ARHETYPES+ME

 …JESTER< CAREGIVER<INNOCENT<SEEKER<ORPHAN…

ARCHETYPES+LEADERS

Archetypes -|ˈärk(i)ˌtīp|: the original pattern or model from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based; a model or first form; prototype.

Admirable Traits

  If I had to create a list of the top traits that I admire I would include the following:      

         TRUST...your team. I believe it is very important for leaders to trust their followers. This in turn, will yield empowerment and motivation...CONFIDENCE...Self-assurance is extremely importat in a leader. They have to first believe in themselves and their ideas for other people to believe in them too...DRIVE...goes hand in hand with leadership. It is probably one of the most important traits that a true leader posseses. It is the ambition and initiative that causes leaders to stand out, influence, and create changes...INNOVATION...which is derived from creativity. Leaders should be able to think outside the box, especially during chaotic situations.

These traits highly influence one another: Being ambitious shows a great part of a leader's self confidence. If leaders trust themselves, then they will learn how to trust their team a little bit easier. Finally, innovation and creativity is what will feed the leader their motivation to go on.

LEADership and Me...

If there was an award given to an institution that knows, values, and transmits the importance of leadership I would definitely give it to the school of Hospitality and Tourism Management in San Diego State University. Throughout my three and a half years at SDSU, this concept has been taught with great importance and dedication.  With the help of my teachers, I now have an idea of the different leadership philosophies that exist and how they fit into my leadership style. 

My first leadership role was when I was fifteen years old. I volunteered to be a counselor for my community’s youth group, which met on Saturdays from 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Every Saturday, my co-counselor and I had to have an activity prepared for our group of 8^th grade girls and be their leader for those four hours. It has certainly been one of the best and most challenging experiences of my life. My co-counselor and I where assigned the task of uniting this group of girls since there were many different cliques. With time, after trying several strategies and exercises to unite the group, we accomplished our mission. In addition, we became the role models of our group of girls. That is when I first noticed how powerful and inspiring a great leader can be.  I am very glad I had that experience because chances are, I will have to face a similar situation as a manager with subordinate employees. 

My ideal leader is someone who is Dedicated, Passionate, and Genuine. Leaders create changes for the good of others and not for themselves. Leaders are not selfish.  Leaders take interest in their team and help them move forward. Leaders form true relationships with the people they are leading. Leaders motivate and inspire. Leaders create room for creativity. Leaders are PASSIONATE.

Wherever my career will take me, I will always try to be a leader that LISTENS, INSPIRES, ACTS, and EMPOWERS.

Leaders I Admire...

Theodore Herzl

Neldon Mandela

Coco Chanel

Pros and Cons of Trait Based Leadership

Trait based leadership theory argues that there are certain traits that people inherit that influence their performance as leaders.  Those traits or characteristics, which are innate to a person, cannot be taught, meaning that leaders are born as “natural leaders.” Below you will find some of the pros and cons of this theory:

 Pros:

-Traits help a leader acquire necessary skills in order to bring their visions to life such as drive and motivation.                                                                                          

-When traits are classified, it makes it easier to distinguish leaders between ordinary people.            

-If leadership is based on traits, then children who posses those traits may be trained since they are little to become better leaders than what they can originally be.

 Against:

-People who don’t have those certain inheritable traits that make a leader may believe that they cannot be good leaders because those traits may not be learned.      

-Traits or characteristics are not the only things that make good leaders; learned skills and experiences also influence leadership behavior.    

-There are certain characteristics of a leader that can be learned and developed.

Special Quotes...

“Leadership is defined by results not attributes”
      - Peter Drucker

“Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality”
      - Warren G. Bennis