Left-handers are the only people in their right mind!

Leadership

While reading through last night’s assignment, I was struck by how much of our class’ goals were involved. A leader must not only be passionate, but compassionate. She must be empathetic, a good listener, ethical, considerate, cooperative. It gave me the sense that leadership is a collaborative process, at least effectively—that leaders can’t sit in a vacuum contemplating and emerge hours later to boss around their people, that they need others to function appropriately.

Leadership is more than cheesy inspirational posters--although those principles are true.

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I have never seen myself as a “true leader.” Sure, I can take charge in class assignments, and I usually want to. I can (and do) boss around my little sister. But you couldn’t force me to make a decision about dinner if you threatened my life. I suppose I want “classic” leadership to be a bigger role in my life. Covey’s philosophy showed me how much of leadership isn’t actually taking charge—something I’m honestly afraid of—but understanding and responding to people’s needs. I believe I could do well under this revised form of leadership as I love helping others, and I think it’s very important for all leaders to understand the role of empathy and compassion in leadership.

Apparently leadership stretches to all parts of life and behavior, even mannerisms.

I still feel that my natural role is to lead by example. I’ve talked about this in my Nam Le discussion, but I am my sister’s role model, no question. She looks up to me, and I constantly hope that I am making a good example. My friend told me just this weekend how alike my sister and I are in ways that I never realized. He said we get excited about new ideas in the same way, argue the same way, get grossed out the same way, point out an equally absurd number of random things whenever we watch movies (like when I watched Godzilla this weekend and noticed that the way the characters were standing looked like the Last Supper!) I thought my range of influence was just teaching her superficial things, like to appreciate the Strokes. I had led her truly by the fact that we lived together for eleven years. I am both nervous and excited about this fact.

My theater director told me that I lead others simply because I am always myself. I felt so honored when I heard that. I suppose this is due to the fact that, like Covey wrote, “90 percent of all leadership failures are character failures.” (Anthology, 240) Where he gets this statistic I’m not sure, but his point is a very valid and interesting one. How can you lead someone effectively when they cannot respect you? And, more importantly, how can you lead someone else if you don’t even understand yourself? “Emotional self-awareness” and “accurate self-assessment” are listed as key leadership competencies in the emotional intelligence appendix. (Anthology 246B) This is further evidence that leadership is a two-way street, that in order to be an effective leader of others you have to effectively ‘lead’ and govern yourself.

Emphasis on the right brain in conjunction with the left is becoming greater.

http://www.abc.net.au/science/

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While my understanding of the word “leadership” has changed somewhat during my readings, the role of leadership is changing due to the emergence of the “Conceptual Age.” (Anthology 158) As Pink wrote, we have traditionally focused on the left hemisphere of the brain, where success in “school, work and business” came about by proficiency in left hemisphere capabilities: “sequence, literalness and analysis.” (Anthology 157) The Conceptual Age is requiring different, more complete standards, and placing more emphasis on the right brain specialties of “artistry, empathy, seeing the big picture and pursuing the transcendent.” (Anthology 158) In tying this discussion board to our last—and hammering our thoughts into unity!—I believe Plan II will enable us to become more competent in this growing, conceptual world. Through the Plan II program we are asked to become Renaissance men and women and become proficient in so many areas. We are still exposed to left brain rigor—my logic class is as left brain as it can come—but we are also entitled to so much more creativity than most of us probably experienced in high school. We are encouraged to carry out things our own way and become independent. To accept and look to all fields and disciplines for guidance. To even become empathetic through UT’s emphasis on becoming global contributors. As the world requires flexibility and creativity, Plan II provides!

My mission statement "becomes [my] personal constitution." (Covey, 129)

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As I’ve said before, leadership requires an understanding of the self. During my senior year retreat, we were asked to write promises to ourselves, the equivalent of Covey’s mission statement I suppose. My “mission statement” was simple. It had no roles or goals, but I believe it still adequately captures the essence of what Covey wanted his readers to express. I can only “answer for my own life,” but reading through my mission statements again caused me to reevaluate my “priorities deeply, carefully, and to align [my] behavior to [my] beliefs.” (Covey 129) I will copy my statements here:
I Promise…
· To make myself happy
· To always try to make others happy. To care for them even if it interferes with my own interests
· To be successful in whatever way that carries itself out, even if money is not a factor. (Happiness = success)
· To love my family unconditionally and constantly
· To commit myself to friendships
· To have confidence in myself around others
· To make a major positive difference in the world
· To use my abilities and talents to their fullest and for the benefit of myself and others
· That in whatever relationship I am in, I love not only the person but myself
· To always be completely and unforgivably myself
· To never compromise my beliefs and to accept new ones
· To constantly learn and think
· To understand or try to
· That who I am is who I want to be.

These promises are not complete. They really only talk about my relationships, and there are few if any that relate to my professional future. That’s not truly important. What is is that I may never compromise these promises. These rules for my life should be constant and can help me in leading not only my own life but how I treat and lead others. I would suggest that everyone follow Covey’s instruction and at least think about what their mission statements might be.

Michael Scott's take on Covey's funeral exercise from the Office:

(Michael is often an ineffective leader because he is not self-aware and does not always listen well to his colleagues.)