Final Post

One of the interesting subjects for me was the topic of intuition and confirmation bias. We have all had right and wrong intuitions in different matters, but we have to be careful not to make decisions solely based on our instincts. It’s amazing that how as rational beings we make many of our judgments based on our feelings, and any evidence that supports our hunches seems credible to us automatically, as we tend to ignore any contradictory evidence. For instance, If we have a good feeling about a new system, a project or even our personal relationships, even if we get warning signs of early troubles, we usually tend to interpret the evidence in our favor and pretend like everything’s going well. A wrong intuition and overconfidence in our feelings can lead to erroneous decisions.

My favorite book was Drive by Daniel Pink. The subject of motivation is always engaging to me since being motivated to enjoy my job is a constant problem for me. I get tired of any job and task easily. Even an activity that I consider my favorite hobby at one point, will become a nuisance after some time. The introduction of this book prompted me to read the related article in the Reader more closely. What I liked about the book was dividing intrinsic motivation into three elements of autonomy, mastery and purpose. I believe at least one of these three elements was missing in all the jobs I’ve held in the past few years. Whenever I liked the task in my job, due to the supervisors' micromanagement, I didn’t have enough autonomy to perform the task the way I wanted, . When I was working as a computer programmer, I had the autonomy and purpose, but unfortunately didn’t see the capacity in myself to improve - and without enough motivation I left the field of computer science indefinitely.

The Final Post

Be honest with you, I did not think leadership skill is that important and hard to obtain before I took the class. However, through many activities, books, and lectures, I began to grasp the essentials of leadership. My deepest internal feeling about this topic/ skill is that leadership is everywhere in our lives. If we spend time carefully to examine things around us, we can find leadership is everywhere. Without the ability to recognize its existence, people would have a meaningfulness life. I like this leadership development class not only because it helps me define my personal mission, value, and goals but also it helps me realize the importance of caring others with your heart and love.

I like to thank Dr. Johnson for providing us with many wonderful activities and lectures to help each of us developing our leadership skill. I learned many great principles underlie the activities designed by Dr. Johnson. People learned things through experiences instead of pure equations and principles from textbooks. I like all the activities designed by Dr. Johnson.

As for the book, I like to recommend one called Multiplier. This book helps you define clearly about who is a multiplier and who is a diminisher. Multipliers have characteristics of helping others, listening to others, and caring for others. These multipliers receive way more benefits than they actually give away to people who need help. It is a very interesting book to read. Hopefully, you would enjoy reading the book.

Good Luck to all of you and have a wonderful life ~~

Final Post

The reading that I found most interesting and useful was “How to manage your boss”. The topic of “managing up” was really interesting and definitely something I have observed but never paid close attention to or attempted to do myself. The reading came at a crucial time for me because I just got a new boss. My new boss is completely different from my other boss and I wasn’t quite sure how to “manage” the relationship. My old boss was very detail oriented and put everything into lengthy emails, as her primary form of communication. My new boss, is a male, and sis much more concerned with “big picture” results / problems and less concerned with whether I had a bad day or not. He also prefers to communicate in person, and constantly asks me to “remind him later” about issues I bring up. This was an adjustment for me and I was reluctant to have to adapt to his style. However the article showed me this is critical to having a successful relationship with your boss, not just for me personally but for the organization as a whole to function efficiently. I was able to point out the differences in his style and personality and adapt my behavior accordingly.

The book I found the most interesting was “Drive” by Daniel Pink. This book really spoke to me about motivation and made me realize that it is important to find out what motivates you and why. I still am trying to figure out “my sentence” and I think I am getting there. The book (presentation) also made me start to think that it is important to make every day count. To continually improve, and think about your actions and the how and why of what you do. I do feel like I get stuck in going through the motions, just waiting to get off work and waiting for the weekends to come. I am hoping to purchase and read the book after this semester because I felt the material is valuable. Also in a previous posting I mentioned that I am extrinsically motivated, and I would like to work on my intrinsic motivation. This book seems like it will help me to do that.

One book that I have read that I think is really important, but it may not be appropriate for the class as a whole since it is for women, is “Nice Girls Don’t get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make to Sabotage Their Careers”. This book definitely relates to our leadership class particularly for women in “observing” yourself and how you act, dress, talk; overall impression management. The author makes the argument that women engage in their own self-defeating behavior that prevents them from moving ahead at work. For example; smiling too much, being overly apologetic, taking on additional tasks all the time. The author discusses how women should act in meetings (power positions etc.) and even gets down to personal appearance: dress, too much makeup, not enough make-up , too much flashy jewelry, age-appropriate hairstyles. This book was really important for me because the author talks about how we are raised to be “nice girls” and that acting too “nice” all the time at work and engaging in demeaning behavior gives the impression that you are not a good fit for higher positions. The author lists in 101 mistakes and even though most women do not engage in all of them I think that a lot of women, including myself, make at least about 1/3 of the mistakes at some point or another. It is a great book with valuable insight and I recommend it to all my friends.

The Final Blog

The Final Blog= It is Just the Beginning

Why I chose This Course
Walking into this leadership course I was cynical about the possibilities and benefits of this class. I had very specific questions and a deep desire to learn about theoretical, academic leadership. Yet my limitation was my inability to see how the course generalities and possibilities could develop my “own” personal leadership style. I focused so much on the 30,000 foot flight above it all, that I found trouble landing my plane in the moment of the” here and now.”

My Personal Road Block
My cynicism and sharp criticism kept me from information processing on a relational level; meaning I had little value or understanding of the simplistic, applied view of leadership presented in class. I added this course because essentially I was captivated by the theory of leadership and not the practice of leadership. I guess you might say that I was looking for the theoretical approach to explaining leadership complexities and not how to implement them. My personal failure was that I did not see myself as a leader although in many many ways I was. Now that I think of it, it was ignorant on my part not to think of myself as a leader, when I was responsible for the total operation of a bookstore that paid my mortgage and put food on my children’s table. I am not sure how much more of a “bread and butter” leadership issue that could be.

What I Learned
Thankfully I learned from the course that there are many ways to finish the sentence “Leadership is…” I learned leadership could be viewed subjectively because the definition of leadership is as fickle as the type of people drawn to leadership roles. Throughout the semester we engaged in innocuous activities which evolved the leadership process. Each week, each activity, we found linkages and connections that allowed us to define our “own” personal interpretation of leadership. Dr. Johnson acted as both a guide and a facilitator of leadership in action. Thank you Dr. Johnson.


Memorable Activity
My most memorable class activity was choosing survival tools. I enjoyed the activity because it called upon my role as an influence and motivator. Having a medical background allowed me to call on my previous learning and not behave callously.

What Books Would I Suggest?
Bookstore shelves are filled with popular books about leaders and everyone I meet is mesmerized by the idea of leadership. Just a few weeks ago I left the book, Leadership Defined, published by Insight Publishing, (ISBN 0970620861) on a table at the Fourth Street Café and it was picked up in under five minutes. I strategically placed the book on a table and watched from a distance as five individuals timidly thumbed through the table of contents. Finally one last individual, overcome with interest, came along and just procured the book thinking no one would notice.
This is a silly but thought-provoking marketing gimmick that I use when deciding which hot sellers might work well in my bookstore inventory. I can’t tell you how many books people believe they have stolen from me, when in fact they have been considered by my business as advertising tax deductions.

I stumbled across an excellent read, Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way, (ISBN 0735203245) and fell madly in love with a stunning woman who loved America deeply. For me Eleanor Roosevelt transformed the world with her leadership and weaved her story into empowerment and goal setting. I can’t think of any other woman singularly that I respect and admire more. It’s Your Time, (ISBN 978 1439100127) by Joel Osteen is a magnificent warm holiday re-read for those of you who don’t mind the religious focus or tone. I enjoy that he uses practical tools for moving forward and realizing one’s dreams. Now how could I forget, Why We Make Mistakes, by Joseph Hallinan, (ISBN 9780767925052) I could not put the book down for lack of a better word. The book takes an interesting stab at how most of us desire and believe that we are more than average. This premise is researched and connected to both our strengths and weaknesses. In conclusion the class is a valuable addition to the MBA curriculum for anyone who is insightful enough to want to discover the tools to empower themselves.

Final Blog Topic

We've reached the end of this part of your leadership journey - and hopefully you are ready to continue on your own! In this posting, please write about what activity, topic, or reading you found the most interesting and useful. It may be interesting to see how others saw the class and what they found of value.

Also, please briefly describe which book - other than your own - you think was most useful to learn about and if you know of other books that you think would be useful for a future class, please provide the title!

Blog Topic #7 Perceptions

Just fill in the blanks
Every ethnic group is plagued by inaccurate stereotypes. First things first, let’s be real honest about one thing: we all stereotype. For example, say you’re running late to attend a conference and you get lost. You see two groups of people walking by in the hallway. Who would you rather stop to ask for directions to the conference? Most you ask directions from someone who looks like you. One benefit stereotyping has is to simplify our lives by helping us make split-second choices. It’s snap mental shorthand for making decisions. When you have run out of the necessary time to make an educated decision about something you rely on stereotypes to fill in the missing ingredients; in this case it is information.
Our classroom activity regarding two truths and one lie played into this very concept of snap judgment. From an evolutionary viewpoint, a bias toward the negative makes perfect sense. When we see a warning sign in something we are unfamiliar with, we learn and remember what is safe from what is unsafe. Science has shown that people are able to pick an angry face out of a crowd of happy faces faster than selecting a happy face out of a crowd of angry faces. As a means of self-protection we want to be alerted to danger so that we are primed for action.
When I told my lie I primed and laced it with a grain of truth, and used the stereotype of class and ethnicity in my favor. I peppered my lie with the belief that African American women are always angry, and if given an appropriate opportunity can react violently.
So stereotypes can work as an advantage for those who understand how to use them as a competitive advantage. A “stereotype" simply is a generalization about a person or group that we know very little about. In the case of the classroom activity we were perfect candidates because we knew little about each other; outside of the visual obvious. We cultivate stereotypes when we are unable or unwilling to obtain all of the information we would need to make fair judgments about people or situations. When the "total picture,” is missing stereotypes in many cases allow us to "fill in the blanks."
Yes, I have worked as a nurse and statistically patients are more likely to injure nurses as opposed to nurses injuring patients.

Roles and Leadership

I would say that my leadership style is always changing depending on what situation I am in. In the classroom, I tend to sit back more often than not because I feel that others in the class have more real-life experience than I do in the business world. In my fraternity I am constantly taking leadership positions. I am very well known and have been around for awhile, so people respect my opinion and take what I say seriously. I am usually a different leader depending on what group it is since each situation requires me to act differently. This past weekend I went to Southern California and stayed with my family for a little bit. Even in my family my leadership style changes. When I am with my parents I would say that I always fall right back into the middle son role. But depending on the situation, I can break out of that mold a little bit. My dad was a police officer and doesn't know nearly as much as I do about business, sports, and a variety of other things so I often speak out on more topics now that I have the knowledge.

Power Blogging Topic #6

Power is such a loaded word…Often the word communicates images of something negative or harmful. Yet in a broad and simple expression, power means having the capacity to bring about change. Power can take on many forms, and take place in many places, and can be measured in many ways. It is not as simple as saying; power is who has it and who doesn’t. Examining the strict meaning of power I would say, yes I do have the capacity to bring about change. Yes, I have brought about change. In many ways through self discovery and self development I am seeking to change my leadership style from coercive to participative. I am seeking to create change by developing a working environment which “espirt de corps” is in effect. This kind of power is considered integrative power in which neither force nor trade is going on; instead the organization operates with agreed-upon rules and expectations.
These agreed upon rules or expectations are created in agreement because each member is on board for a common agenda. This kind of integrative power not only relies on action but action in concert.
As we discussed in class powerful looks, poses or dress are superficial at best and in time become transparent revealing a lack of real essence. I have spent too many years of my life watching superficial leaders come and go, I am ready for change and that change can only be guaranteed if I am that change.

Blog Post #9 :A rEaL uPsIDE dOwN DeAl

A rEaL uPsIDE dOwN DeAl
Years ago I remember a patient that I cared for who was diagnosed with the big C, Cancer. She was a rather bright and beautiful graduate student at the University of Wyoming and she had a promising future ahead of her. She was a quick witted sporty intellectual, who had a “can do anything” attitude. Her smile was invigorating and refreshing; no one could look her and not want to return the smile. Her intellectual capacity was many light years ahead of her 20 year old vibrant spirit. If you were to describe her in terms of a color she would be bright eye shocking red. If you were to describe her in terms of a car she would be a sporty Mini Cooper. The only problem was she was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma a rare, rapidly growing, highly invasive variety of cancer. It is a blood-fed cancer; meaning, blood vessels grow directly into the tumor and it is typically filled with blood. A frequent cause of death is the rupturing of this tumor, causing the victim to rapidly bleed to death. We all knew that she was not able to leave the hospital alive and irrationally, she oddly was okay with that, almost at peace with that.
The most irrational part of the entire ordeal was how insistent she was on taking her final exams.
She requested that each instructor come to her hospital room with the final exam in tow and allow her the prescribed time to take the exam. The entire staff was uneasy about her request but this was her last dying wish.
We have all put aside what comes natural, what feels comfortable and easy in favor of something which is the exact opposite. As a pessimist I am optimistic that one day my belief in the goodness and wholesomeness of mankind will change. But so far the insidious Christmas time robberies leave me somewhat questioning. We say that we don’t discriminate but we do unintentionally. We have preferences about ourselves, our tribes, our groups, our clubs, our beliefs and our chosen way of life. I can’t tell you how many times I have sat down, at the Fourth Street Café, staring at people whom I believe different from me wondering why they say and do the things that they do.
We irrationally anchor: Ask someone if they believe their sudden weight gain has a direct correlation with the Thanksgiving feast that they just consumed. Why wouldn’t the fact that an excessive caloric intake prior to Thanksgiving come into mind? Ask someone if a lucky charm really has the ability to change individuals luck and they will most likely respond with a yes.
Call this irrational or is it just a rational way of understanding the world.
We irrationally see patterns where none exist: Try to persuade a basketball player, fan, or statistician that there isn't anything to the idea of shooting streak. Try convincing him that it is all random luck. Chances are it won’t be that convincing.
...such "mind bugs" extend to the beliefs and preferences we have about ourselves and others.

Leadership Style

Happily I am able to operate a seasonal bookstore which I am able to close during the last month of November through December. The bookstore is a family owned and operated bookstore whereby I find myself using command-and-control leadership as the primary management style. We began as small operation with less than 200 customers, two years later we serve over 1000 loyal customers. Our survival demanded strict consistency and conformity to customer specifications because we were a new bookstore to a saturated bookseller marketplace.
During our infancy our staff was small and inefficient and it was vital to motivate and instruct our staff to climb up a steep business learning curve in order to remain profitable and efficient. Each employee was taught one simple operational task and not allowed to crossover due to fear of inconsistency and irregularity falling outside of customer requirements. The tasks became so narrow that all workers were adverse to change or transformation even when change meant increased productivity. Because my employees are family members my leadership style changes rarely which at times can become draining.
Although we have grown and our job duties have expanded and grown I still sometimes find myself reverting to the command and control role. I assumed this role because the organization was new and required absolute accountability and strict quality control. Now that we have expanded into new product lines we require product experts who can motivate workers to make independent decisions that will increase creativity and organizational growth.
Despite tough economic conditions we are growing but I fear that our growth will become compromised if we do not become a more team motivated organization. I believe a great new year’s resolution for our business will be to address the real problem of leadership which is the organizational culture.

Another View for Leaders

Leadership is for those who are always looking for challenges and ways to improve each others’ lives. From this principle, I don’t think it is necessarily to take charge and become a leader in every group. Sometimes, being a good follower is also a way of demonstrating your great leadership skills. So, I don’t actually find there is a repeated pattern for me to fall in. However, I believe, if you want to become an excellent leader, you have to diligently spend time to observe things around you in order to make changes. For example, if you work in a company and seeking to become a manager or leaser in the future, you have to spend a lot of time to examine things in details around you and listen to others to complement your lack of experiences and skills. There is no exception for people who seek to become a great leader unless you don’t want to be a good one. In fact, people gained experiences and leadership skills from putting their passion into things they focused. It does not matter which group you are in. What matters is that how much you are willing to take responsibility in your groups instead of simply want to share power in groups.