Resonant vs. Dissonant leader

Resonant leaders can, listen to workers’ negative feelings, and respond empathically and supportively, a crucial skill during chaotic times. In general, resonant leaders build positive work climates, while dissonant leaders are out of synch and, creating disharmony. An example of a resonant leader in a high school students life would be a great team captain. If there was a big game an some of the players were worried that they could not perform well enough to beat the opposing team, who hasn't lost a single play off game in years, a resonant leader should rally the troops and say its not about winning its about playing our hardest and having fun. In fact this is a really situation that occurred this year for Parish's soccer team. Although it wasn't a district game our players still wanted to not lose drastically. Because of the empathy of the captains the team on lost by one point leaving everyone on the field and stands over joyed by the success of the team. A resonate leader can't just listen in my mind they must have an effective voice to comfort those they are listening too.   

my voice thread credo

http://voicethread.com/?#u2403815

Goleman

“No creature can fly with just one wing. Gifted leadership occurs where heart and head – feeling and thought – meet. These are the two wings that allow a leader to soar.”

 Goleman, Primal Leadership

When refering to the quote above I believe it is completely necessary to have a leader that is two winged. If a person only uses there head they might be to in to there activity and not in to loving what they do. But if someone is on a team and is all about enjoying what they do and having fun they may not be as successful in the competitive aspect. The same applies when talking about feeling vs. thought, a great leader cant have one or the other but needs a combination of both. A two winged leader should be leader who is invested in there work (i.e. a hard working employ) but also someone who loves what they do and is hard working. The best example in my life is my step dad. When he moved to Texas he took a job to pay the bills but later he moved companies so that he enjoyed what he did and who he was with. He was able to work harder for this company while having fun.

My Reflection on the Myers Briggs

In class we took the Myers Briggs test. Before we were looked at our results we got to choose which personality time we thought we were based on our discussion so far. I originally thought that I was a ESTJ or Extraversion, Sensing, Thinking, Judging. This person is normally logical, directive, organized and works well with others. After  we look at our results I was surprised to find that I came up as ENFJ or Extraversion, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging. This person is described as warm, supportive, friendly, and work well with others. After seeing the results I was convince that although I did have trait of both I was still an ESTJ. However after we did many of the excursive and I specifically placed myself in the groups I was put in by the test I found that I indeed worked well with these groups. There may be times that I am some of every other type of trait but my natural function is an ENFJ. As I move forward in my journey as a leader I think doing this test will help me look at ways to work with people who fall in to the same categories as me as well as those who don't.

The Me I Always Wanted To Be

When thinking of the “me I would like to be” I came to the conclusion it’s really hard to reflect on ones self like that. I would like to be remembered at least by this point of my life as a hard working, dedicated leader who can teach others in a different way, be patient, understanding, and able to challenge others positively. When thinking about this I also came to the realization that how I would like to be perceived might not always be how I come across. How I think others do perceive me most of the time is a great friend would sticks up for others, is always there, and loves to help… maybe a little too much a times. I value my self on and believe highly in family, friends, and respect for others and myself. If there was one problem around me that I would like to solve it would be when people aren’t treated with respect whether they are in a leadership position or not. Everyone deserves respect until they have proven they no longer deserve it. And if I could find a way to show everyone that, I think it could make a difference especially in a high school setting. As we talked about in class it is harder to say how you actually are now then how you would like to be looked at later on. 

How Has Your view of Leadership Changed?

Over the last weeks in class we have discussed traits of a leader, interviewed some one in our community and looked at whether we believe a leader is born or made. Over all my view of a leader has changed, the traits we discussed in class are very much the traits I think a good leader would need. For instance taking charge, being organized, committed and supportive are all good traits of a leader. One thing that has changed in my mind is whether a leader can be made. Before I would have said no way, people are just born to be leaders and to take charge, its in there DNA. However now I would say something different. For some people it might be nature to be a leader, like me for instance I can’t remember a time when I didn’t at least want to lead. As my mom uses to say I was a little bossy from a young age, but that was just the only way I knew how to lead. For other being a leader is all about nurture, growing up and being taught to lead. This I believe applies to everyone. Anyone who is willing can be taught how to lead. Those who are extraordinary leaders are those I believe who take nature and nurture and combined them to become a great well-rounded leader.  I now can see that with the help of my mom I was able to be formed in to a good leader I did not just show up on the planet ready to be a dance captain or be apart of a leadership group. I have learned from my mom’s mistakes as a leader as well as my own. I believe becoming better as a person and a leader is all about self-reflection and improvement not matter the circumstance or the difficulty. When I look at the people around me, mostly my peers a see a few different kind of people: those who lead, those who poorly lead because they have no “training”, those who should lead but don’t, and those who would rather fallow. At some point in time I believe every person should be given the chance to lead not matter the size of the job. This would be good for everyone to be able to experience how to be a leader. Through these past few weeks my views of leadership have changed but my view on who could be a leader has changed even more. 

Reflection on my interview with Mrs. Lyon

While talking to Mrs. Lyon she came to the conclusion of four main traits she thought she possessed as a leader: she listens, is consistent, has a vision, and is inclusive. Although she possesses these traits Mrs. Lyon believes like many that she was born to lead but had to cultivate her skills with mentors. During her 22 year career she has been able to observe how others lead, find mistakes and learn from it. This is what has brought her to where she is today. Mrs. Lyon believes that being able to continue to lead granted a lot of opportunities, but she does not believe she has had one big successful moment but a collective success. She also thinks it’s a success that people see her as a leader, and one that can be trusted. Like Mrs. Lyon I don’t think that while being a leader there is one defining moment that is ones biggest success but a building of great occurrences that lead to ones over all success. In this process there must be some failure. Mrs. Lyon does not think of her lessons as failures but as that of lessons.  She thinks not speaking up early enough about wanting to lead delayed her path to being a leader. For example she went to her own head of school half way in to career and wanted something more with her career. Her mentor said she has been waiting for her to come but knew when she was ready she would. This caused Mrs. Lyon to have a slow rise instead of being proactive and making it to the top faster. In my eyes I think those that make it to the top to fast are those that crumple and fall the fastest. This is some process in becoming a great leader and that takes time. Mrs. Lyon knows she doesn’t have all the answers but is there to guide conversations. It is not just her upper school, but everyone’s upper school, not just ones ownership, she believes everyone has the right to feel ownership. Mrs. Lyon has taught me that it’s ok to be a late bloomer as a leader but it’s not ok to stand by and not take action when you know you can make a difference. Being a leader is a process to be cherished not mocked, I believe it’s a privilege not a right.  

Direction/Alignment/Commitment

When comparing these three words to possible leaders I instantly thought of three people; Mrs Lyon my upper school head and who I have decided to interview, Dianne Johnson my old dance director, and Christa Widjaja an old friend, drill team captain, and Miss Teen Dallas 2011.

Mrs. Lyon -  When it comes to Mrs. Lyon I feel like she has a clear direction of where she would like to lead the upper school at parish. Not only am I seeing her strive to make goals happen allow for students to have more responsibilities and over all better the upper school teachers, parents and other students see it as well. I don't think any one from Parish or outside of Parish could come in and say Mrs. Lyon is not committed to her job. She is constantly there for anyone whether is it a parent wanting to talk about their child, her staff needing assistance with their program or a kid who just needs to vent or talk to someone who will understand. Mrs. Lyon seems to have a good view and handle in her new position as upper school head, and fits nicely as a leader in our community.

Dianne Johnson- Mrs. Dianne has been a big part of my life as my dance teacher and director for many years. She owns her own studio which she takes great pride in running in the best manner possible. It seems to me that she has had a clear direction for her studio for many years and has continued to live out her dreams by moving and expanding her studio. Mrs. Dianne has continued to teach all of her students more the just dance moves but life lessons and skills to help them in the future. Anything from respect to eloquent speaking. If that isn't commitment I don't know what is.

Christa Widjaja- Christa has become a big leader in the community especially in her high school years. She has stepped up at school leading her drill team and learning when it's time to be a leader and when to fallow in line. I feel as a soon to be graduated senior Christa is now at the point of defining her direction in life. For years now she has been aligned with either her parents or dance studios rules and reputation and it's at this point like many other seniors to change that alignment to what we plan for the future. As for commitment being in a public role as Miss Teen Dallas has allowed Christa to have a great presence in her community and to do a lot more work for it then she normally would be able. She has worked hard to becoming Miss Teen Dallas and to fulfill the role that goes with the title.

Questions for Leader Interview

Interview questions:

What are some characteristics or traits of effective leaders? 

How were you trained to lead?

How do you continue to grow as a leader?

What was your greatest success or failure?

Who influenced you as a leader?

How do you work with other leaders?

Possible leaders to interview:

Mrs. Lyon - She is the Head of Upper School at Parish, my past Biology teacher and someone who as really helped me out in all areas of school in the last two years. I choose her because she has just recently moved up to a higher position where she is having to reevaluate how to lead the same group of people she was once apart of.  

Christa Widjaja - She was Miss. Teen Dallas in 2011and Hebron High Drill Team Captain this year. Christa has been a leader on drill team for awhile but has moved up on the ladder all four years of being apart of the team. On top of being a school leader she has become a community leader this past year and has had to speak and educate others on important issues and stand up before others as a leader. 

Are Leaders Born or Made?

Leadership is an observable, learnable set of practices.  Leadership is not something mystical and ethereal that cannot be understood by ordinary people.  Given the opportunity for feedback and practice, those with the desire and persistence to lead – to make a difference – can substantially improve their abilities to do so.

   - Kouzes and Posner

Base on the first line of this quote we were given in class I would say being a leader could be a learned skill. However  base on the second line I would say being a leader is something your born with, something not everyone has. As Kouzes and Ponsner continue they seem to go back to their original argument, that a leader can be made. Based on this back and forth I have come to believe that a leader is both born and made. A natural leader is just that, born with the qualities to be a good leader; but a leader that must learn or continue to learn is a great leader. Based on what we have covered in class so far no all of the attributes a leader needs to posses can be known at birth. Being a good listener or knowing how to work well with others is something I believe is based on trial and error. A big difference between being a born leader vs. a made one would be the will to continue to learn and change from ones mistakes, something I really believe in.   

Personal Leadership Experience

A leadership roll I have taken on and continue to work to improve is at my school in the dance department. Since my sophomore year I have been dance crew captain, choreographing and leading our team during pep-rallies and other performances. As a leader for this team I have tried to make our team stronger in technique and performance qualities that I myself have learned from an outside studio. I fell like I am acting as a leader by sharing my outside knowledge with others to improve not just myself but them as well. I believe that is a big part of being a leader; not just wanting to lead or teach but wanted to learn and improve ones self. Through out these three years of being a captain I have learned and struggled with being in charge of others my own age and older then myself and how to gain respect in the right sense. It is not always easy to be a leader but it is very rewarding when tasks are accomplished with great success. Lately I have learned that relationships will change over the years with instructors or friends when being a leader, and sometimes its important to realize when you need to step back and make some changes. Working with others is not always easy but it is a big component of being on a team or in a group. As a leader of the dance crew I believe that I have made a difference to the program and lead it to be more challenging and credible. I also know that I have made a legacy in the process of improving this small department in to what it is today. I think all leaders have certain understood traits, like being out spoken on opinions, being able to communicate, and being able to helping others accomplish a main goal. However I think great leaders know that being able to learn from others, make changes to themselves, and take responsibility for their own mistakes is what really makes them above and beyond a normal leader. I would hope others would view me in this way of being a great leader because I truly strive to do what is best for my team while knowing I'm not always right.