Allie Myers- Personal Development & Leadership Portfolio

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What’s Inside…?

I.

Personal Purpose and Core Values Statement of Personal Purpose and Core Values

II. Leadership Perspective and Vision Description of Leadership Perspective and Statement of Leadership Vision

III. Assessment of Strengths and Weaknesses Analysis of Assessments and Feedback

IV. Development Plan Key Development Outcomes and Action Steps to Enhance Effectiveness

This past semester, I have been afforded the unique opportunity to spend time thinking about myself-­‐ my purpose, my core values, and my strengths and weaknesses. The Personal Development and Leadership Portfolio (PDLP) process has been exceptional in helping me to fully embrace my personal leadership potential. This PDLP is only a work in progress of where I am today. I hope to continue to learn about myself, and I seek to be the best version of Allie Grace that I can be. In the future, I would like to reference my PDLP in hopes that I will always be able to stay in tune to what my ultimate goals are. I hope to continue exploring and developing in order to constantly improve and enhance my personal and leadership effectiveness.

This process has been wonderful for me. At this point in my life last year, I was very confused about pretty much everything in my life. In hindsight, developing my PDLP has led me to understanding a clearer direction for my life. I am thankful to have a formal written document of where I am now, and where I would like to be in the future. Enjoy.

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Finding My Personal Purpose. What makes Allie, Allie?

About what have you always loved/cared?

People. I have always loved people. Understanding them, listening to them, and learning from them. I also love running, traveling, and doing activities outside. I like to joke that my ideal day would be running outside while on vacation with my closest friends!

What have you always known about who you are?

I am hardworking, driven, positive/optimistic, and a generally nice person. I enjoy staying busy (but am also working on taking enough time to take care of myself), being productive and efficient.

What has always felt true to you?

My parent’s love for me, in addition to my family’s care for my wellbeing has always felt true to me.

What has always come naturally?

The ability to see the best in people, situations, and outcomes has always come naturally to me. I seem to have an innate ability to find the positive in any situation.

Furthermore, the ease of meeting new people has always come naturally to me. I enjoy putting myself out there and introducing myself to a stranger-­‐ freshman year at UGA was great for me as I was constantly meeting new friends!

When have you said to yourself, “This is the real me”?

When I have been given the opportunity to interact with people who are different from myself. I enjoy spending time with those less fortunate than myself. Instead of being stressed or overwhelmed, I feel like the “real me” is present when I am doing what I enjoy doing-­‐ regardless of it is something that will help further my career or just simply for pleasure. I also enjoy mentoring and getting to help people who are struggling with different difficulties.

What do you keep coming back to again and again?

I keep coming back to my family, my desire for understanding, my eagerness to know and learn more, and my willingness to ask questions. Of course, running is also an activity that I value and hope to always be able to do.

What feels familiar and right to you no matter what?

My family. Finding the positivity and joy in the simple things. I enjoy taking the time to grow and understand.

Uncovering my Core Values.

What things seem to always motivate you and give your life meaning?

Helping and mentoring others always seems to motivate me. I enjoy getting to see another person do well. My family, my friends, and taking the time to understand other peoples’ perspectives. Being able to make lemonade out of lemons and showing my appreciation and gratitude for other people. Adding value to a conversation and being able to raise morale in a situation.

What would be really important to you, no matter how the world around you has changed?

My family, the people in my life, helping others-­‐ especially those less fortunate than myself. I have also discovered that having some sort of balance and structure has been beneficial to me.

What do you value most?

Learning about the differences and diversity of others. Understanding why people act the way they do and understanding those differences. Not being quick to judge or assume something based on one interaction with another person. Having the knowledge and ability to appreciate and respect differences.

Creating a Statement of Purpose.

Who am I really?

I am a college student who enjoys learning about others and playing a part in assisting others to reach their full potential. I am naturally very positive and optimistic, and I always try to see the best in a situation. I have been overwhelmed in the past, as I am a people pleaser; so now I am really trying to focus on simplifying my life and focusing my time and energy on what really makes me happy. I enjoy getting to take the time to let others know how much I truly do appreciate them as well.

What is my reason for being?

Quite a lofty question! -­‐ And to be honest, I am still trying to figure out exactly what my life purpose is. However, I do know that I hope to inspire others to live their life

to its fullest potential. I hope to seize opportunities and to inspire others to be awesome. I will challenge myself to always ask questions and I yearn to be a life long learner.

What is my personal mission and direction?

My personal mission is to have a lasting impact on others. I hope to be able to understand and to relate to a variety of people with a wide range of experiences and backgrounds.

Make a list of any values that have emerged from your responses.

o Adventure o Balance o Compassion

o Family

o Growth o Openness o Humbleness

o Integrity o Optimism o Curiosity

o Joy o Understanding o Community

o Development

After participating in this activity, I have come to the conclusion that my values are family, development, understanding, integrity, and joy.

My 90th Birthday Toasts.

For this exercise, I was required to select three people who I would want to speak at my 90th Birthday Party. I wrote what I would want these individuals to say about me regarding my legacy, contributions, influence, character, and contributions. This exercise was more powerful than I had initially anticipated it would be. This exercise forced me to think about what I will actually want to be remembered for 70 years from now. It guided my thinking when trying to develop my core values.

The people I chose to give a toast: o Co-­‐worker-­‐ professional life o Future Spouse-­‐ personal life o Sister-­‐ personal life

Co-­‐worker-­‐ “Allie Myers, Happy Birthday! I am so glad that I have had the

honor and the privilege of working along side you for so many years. You have had some experiences of a lifetime, and you have seized many opportunities that have come your way. I cannot even believe that near the beginning of your professional career, you were able to live and work in Germany. That is awesome! Although I did not know you yet, I have talked to your bosses and co-­‐ workers from that time, and they have said just how hard working and caring you were, as you still are today. Grant it, you retired some years ago; however, you work just as hard volunteering today as you did pre-­‐retirement.

As I was looking into your professional career, I enjoyed seeing that you were able to navigate your way into a job that you loved! You started our working for a larger, corporate company, and were able to make an impact on the people surrounding you within that job scope. But then, as you advanced in your professional career, you were able to combine a few of your passions. I loved being your partner for our very own business, where we were able to implement running and healthy life styles across cultures. You went on to be the leader of a very successful small business, and I am so proud of you for everything you have done.

Your hard work and diligence have always been exemplary. Your smile on your face have never seemed to disappear, even after working long hours and on days with early mornings. You helped create the positive atmosphere we had in our company, and I am so grateful for you. Not only were you a great co-­‐worker, but you also managed be a great friend, to marry a wonderful man, and to raise awesome kids. However, best of all, you have remained humble. Happy Birthday Allie, you truly have lived an amazing life!”

Future Spouse-­‐ “Allie Grace.” Happy Birthday! I love you, and I feel so

thankful that I have always been able to call you mine ever since we met in our 20s. Can you believe that we have been married for that long?! And guess what, my love for you has only become stronger the longer that we have been married. Allie Grace, you are living a wonderful life. We have three beautiful kids-­‐ one boy, and two girls, who had an amazing childhood and have a great mother. You are a great mom. You are just a good of mom, as your mom was to you. Over the years, you have continuously desired to become the best version of yourself that you can possibly be. And you have always wanted to help other also achieve this goal. Allie Grace, you are an amazing wife, a wonderful

mom, a great friend, a sweet daughter, and a remarkable employee. You have always taken the time to care for others. Furthermore, you have always had the ability to bring joy and positivity to everybody who you have come into contact with. Yes, we have had our struggles and have been through hard times, but through it all our relationship has remained strong, and we have been able to work together to overcome our obstacles. I cannot believe we have been married for this long, and I would not want it any other way. I love you and happy 90th!”

Sister (Ang Myers) -­‐“Al Pal! Congrats dude! 90 is a big deal. I guess that makes me 93 now. Yikes! Al Pal, I have always loved you.

Ever since you were a baby sleeping with your blanket ‘Da-­‐da’, or 20 and still sleeping with ‘Da-­‐da’, you have been the best little sister I could have ever asked for. We have remained extremely close throughout the years, and I am so glad that our kids were able to grow up together too! And we can’t forget about Pauline’s kids too! I sure have enjoyed our sister trips throughout the years. From backpacking around Europe together in our college days, to getting to experience parts of Asia and Africa together, we truly have enjoyed the adventure of a lifetime. Al Pal, I love your ability to meet people and the pure joy you find in helping to bring a smile to another person’s face. I know that our personaliti es are different, and that I am the more sarcastic one in the family, while you are the sweeter one, but I would not want it any other way. Still to this day, you boost my self-­‐esteem whenever we spend time together because you laugh at all of my lame jokes. I am so proud of you and everything that you have become. You have truly lived a full life, and mom and dad would be so proud of you. I can’t imagine my life without you, and I don’t know what you would have done without a cool big sister like me. HBD Al Pal!”

A Formal Written Statement of my Personal Purpose.

My personal purpose is to have a life that I am proud of and happy with. In 70 years from now, I hope to experience feelings of satisfaction and wholeness when looking back. Although I do not know the path my life will follow, I hope to experience it with a positive attitude and to always be able to find the joy in even the most miniscule occurrences. I hope to make an impact on others. To me, having the ability to affect and help just one person in a positive way would be a life well lived. I always strive to express my appreciation for others and to let people know that they are not the only person who struggles with a situation or problem. I want people to realize that they are valued and important, and I hope to do this throughout my life.

A Formal Description/Definition of my Five Core Values.

My values are family, development, understanding, integrity, and joy.

Family-­‐ After studying at the University of Georgia for two years, and having time away from my family, I have had the opportunity to realize just how valuable my family is to me.

My family has always supported me and encouraged me to strive to be the best version of myself that I can be. I feel very grateful to have a family who has always been there for me, and whom I know will continue to be there for me. Through many struggles, my family has been there to pick me back up when I have fallen and to show their support for me. I look forward to one day continuing to grow my family by getting married and having children. I hope to further extend the love that my family has given to me, and to spread the love onto others that I come in contact with. Family will always be important to me, and I consider myself extremely fortunate and lucky to have a family as great as my own.

Development-­‐ Development is a very important value to me.

After initially listing many of the values that I initially thought of, I realized that development is a value that encompasses many of the characteristics that I strive to

possess. To me, development deals with the notion of always growing and becoming the best possible version of myself that I can be. Development encompasses my desires for growth, curiosity, and becoming a life long learner. Curiosity is big for me. To me, there is much merit to asking questions and seeking answers, which then lead to more questions. My boss told me once, “The more you know, the more you realize you do not really know.” This quote resonates with me because as I have matured and learned, I have had bigger ideas and have asked greater questions as to why things are the way that they are. I have pondered and thought about this for hours on end, and it absolutely fascinates me. As a life long learner I possess an eagerness to challenge myself and to constantly engage myself in activities where I will be encouraged to think outside of the box and to continue to develop my mind as the years go on.

Understanding-­‐ I have always acquired an eagerness to get to know people and to really understand their backgrounds and where they are coming from. After participating as a counselor in a program called Dawg Camp, I heard an idea that has resonated with me ever since. It is that you

cannot help but love somebody once you get to know him or her. The more I think about this idea, the more I agree with it. I sincerely try my best to always have an open mind and to not be quick to judge.

Consciously thinking that each person has a reason for why they act a certain way has helped me to be grateful for each person that I come in contact with.

Integrity-­‐ Integrity is being who I say I am. It is remaining honest and true to myself while abiding by my core values. Integrity also deals with having a full heart and remaining thankful and humble. I have always desired to act the same way around each group of friends that I have. College has been interesting for me, because I have been exposed to so many different types of people with different values and morals which they stand for. From coming to college; however, I have made it a goal of mine to first determine who I am, and then to be who I say I am. I

truly do try to treat all people fairly and equally, and it is very important to me, to do everything to the best of my ability. Honesty is important to me, and I believe that integrity encompasses this.

Joy-­‐ To me, joy comes from balance. Balance is all

about finding a healthy equilibrium between work and leisure. Balance has recently come to my attention, as I struggled heavily with stress my first semester of my sophomore year at UGA. I was extremely overwhelmed and felt as if there was no structure of steadiness in my day-­‐to-­‐day life. Since then, I have put forth an ample amount of attention to finding a healthy balance and to investing my time in activities that I possess a true passion for. To me, joy arises by having the capacity to truly be able to look around and see the pure happiness and quality in every activity, situation, and person. Ultimately, joy results from a balanced and full life.

Who I Am at “My Core.”

This semester has flown by; however; these past couple of months I have enjoyed the unique opportunity of learning more about myself, and understanding why I may act the way that I do. I have had the opportunity to not only identity my core values and to write my personal statement, but I have also been able to learn about my leadership styles, my strengths, and my weaknesses. Through all of the assessments, as well as interactions with my peers and professors, I have been equipped with many resources to enable me to truly discover “my core. “

At my core, I believe that I am a person who really enjoys helping others. I possess many skills and strengths that will help me live this out. Ultimately, my personal purpose is to be happy. At my core, I hope to lead a life that I can look back at and be proud of. A life in which I am able to influence others, while I am also learning and developing myself. At my core, I am a 20-­‐year-­‐old girl ready to take on the world. Literally. I love learning about different cultures, and seeking to understand

why people act the way they do. I have the whole world ahead of me, and I am ready to take a leap of faith in order to take it on. I feel very fortunate to possess strengths that correlate with my passions of getting to know and helping others.

I also understand that with each experience I have, my behaviors and personality will be affected. However, I hope that this will happen in the best way possible. I hope to only become the best version of myself that I can be. I also hope to always stay true to “my core.” I hope to not get caught up in money, prestige, or recognition.

Instead I hope to be able to focus on my values. After all, in my 90th Birthday speeches, I want my passion for others to be reflected.

Although after graduation, I will no longer be in Athens and surrounded by incredible Georgia Bulldogs all of the time, I will still always be a Bulldog at my core.

Because being a Bulldog is much more than just wearing red and black on a Saturday in Athens. In my opinion, a Georgia Bulldog is someone who embraces opportunities with open arms, who accepts others for who they are, and who always strives to learn and develop. I am thankful to have the opportunity to call myself a Bulldog who has been transformed during her years here in the Classic City. I hope to always stay true to myself regardless of where I live. And I know that with a little will power and motivation, I will be able to conquer anything I set my mind to. I understand that I have the potential and capacity to achieve a lot. It is my goal; however, to live a life less about achievement, and more about contentment. At my core, I want to be able to do what I want to do-­‐ simply by focusing on my passions and interest. Although I am constantly changing and growing, I hope to always remain the joyful and free-­‐spirited woman than I am today.

My Definition and Perspective on Leadership.

My Perspective:

My youth pastor growing up, Scott Huie is one of the most influential and effective leaders I have ever met. Because I am the youngest of four children, and my mom was also involved in our youth group, I was always the kid tagging along on youth group trips and retreats.

Therefore, I quickly became known as the “mascot” of our 30-­‐ person group. It was awesome. As a result, after serving my time as “mascot” of the youth group throughout my elementary school career, I was then promoted to an “actual” member of our youth group once I had graduated from elementary school.

Throughout all of my years, I had the great opportunity of spending an ample amount of time with our youth pastor, Scott Huie. Scott possesses many qualities that make him a great leader.

• Passion. While serving as our youth pastor, he truly did care about the families-­‐ especially the youth-­‐ at our church. Not only did he do a great job serving as our youth pastor, but he also has his own business. He is and agent for Christian artists. Just recently he moved to Nashville to follow his dreams of excelling in the Christian music business. He exudes passion with everything he does.

• Enthusiasm. Goodness knows how old he is; however, he has the youth and spirit of a 25 year old. Scott is one of the craziest guys I know, which made him relatable and easy to get along with as I was growing up. Scott always had crazy ideas, and would encourage us to do something out of our comfort zone. For example, at a winter youth retreat at Stone Mountain’s Snow Mountain, Scott fully participated when we dared somebody to jump in the cold pool after being submerged in the hot tub. On another occasion, we went caving in Tennessee and had the opportunity to actually sleep in the cave that night. Not only is Scott enthusiastic with activates, but he is also enthusiastic when interacting with people and including others. Scott has a special way of making every person in a room feel welcomed and appreciated.

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Confidence. Scott knows who he is, and what he wants to do. His daughter, Maddie and I, were on the same soccer team growing up. Therefore, my youth pastor doubled as my car pool driver. Although Scott has an inevitable bad habit of running late, he always knew that he would get us there on time.

He was confident, and that is important. Furthermore, Scott was confident with youth group plans and when speaking in front of groups. He has confidence about him when he walks, talks, and interacts with others.

My Leadership Vision.

Describing my leadership vision –

Where are you and what are you accomplishing?

Imagining myself 10-­‐15 years from now is a simple reminder that all of my hard work and long days of networking and studying will soon pay off. I must constantly remind myself that if I work hard and remain focused now, the opportunities I gain from my future internship will reap benefits. Also, it is a simple reminder that I am still young and have plenty of time to figure it all out.

With that being said, in my 10-­‐15 year vision, I hope to be sitting at the desk of a company in which I care about its purpose, product, or brand. I desire to be in a position in which I have the ability to inspire greatness and passion within others.

Although I am unsure of what my future holds-­‐ the company I will work for, the location I will live in, and the new additions to my family-­‐ I want to be happy. I desire to obtain a position in which I can be proud. I want to have a job in which I enjoy waking up and going to work everyday. A job that I can be challenged and keep my mind active and alert. Furthermore, a job in which I feel valued and important. Furthermore, I hope to be able to inspire others to be the best version of themselves that they can be. I hope to be able to inspire greatness and opportunity within others-­‐ regardless of whether I am working within a small start up company or a Fortune 500 company.

In my future, I hope to be involved in a Professional Marketing Society. By becoming involved in this, I will be able to continue developing my network while constantly learning more about my profession. Furthermore, I would like to take after my parents and become involved in a community service organization, such as a Rotary Club. Both of my parents are involved in Rotary Club, and they both speak very highly of it.

I hope to hold a position in a company in which I have the capability to travel internationally. I will be able to go for a few weeks at a time to talk business, but also to learn about the culture of the country I am visiting. I also would like to maintain a good work-­‐ life balance. In my vision, I hope to have time to spend with my family and other non-­‐work activities.

Ultimately, I hope to hold a leadership position within my company. I would like to be able to mentor my co-­‐workers, and to exhibit good leadership skills towards those I am leading. In my vision, I will have had the experiences as young professional, but will have moved past that to hold a position in which I have the opportunity to directly impact others. I want my co-­‐workers to feel comfortable talking to me, and I also want to feel respected at my job. I want my voice to be valued and heard within my company. I look forward to referencing my PDLP in the future to see if I have been able to stick to the vision I have envisioned for myself!

What are you or will you create or accomplish as a leader?

As a leader, I hope to accomplish both small and large tasks. I aspire to perform all duties to the highest quality as well as to contribute new ideas and initiatives to my respective position and company. I hope to be a leader and coworker who is reliable and hard-­‐working. Furthermore, I plan on continuing to sharpen my qualities of drive and ambition.

How will you ensure you live by this vision?

I plan to keep a positive and optimistic mind set about my vision, future, and goals I possess. Leigh Peters told me a quote this morning that resonated with me. It is, “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” This quote reminds me that if I confidently believe in myself -­‐ without doubting myself-­‐ I will be able to open many doors and opportunities, in addition to becoming the best leader I can be. Furthermore, I plan on creating a hard copy of my leadership vision and referencing it often. I hope to always remain conscientious of my vision, and I hope to create a routine in which I can focus on self-­‐development.

Describe what accomplishing this vision will mean to you and the people you lead; and how it will impact you and others professionally and personally.

Accomplishing this vision will mean that I am living a life worth living. A life in which achievement is not my sole focus, but instead a focus of making an impact on others. It will mean that I have remained cognizant of my vision and have not lost my concentration to unimportant matters. I will be proud if I am able to truly live this life I have envisioned. Yes, I may go off track at times, but I hope to learn from all experiences I encounter when working towards my vision. I would like to leave a positive legacy that promotes my vision of being a friend to all, and an encourager to help others in discovering their dreams and passion.

My vision directly correlates with my other life goals. As written in my 90th Birthday Speeches, I want to promote positivity and joy in everything that I do. My major life goal is to be happy, and my vision definitely reflects this goal. Overall, I feel confident about my vision. It is reachable, yet it will also require me to put forth effort towards attaining it. I will need to remind myself that I am capable, and that I can do it.

My Leadership Core Values-­‐ Defined and Described.

What are the core beliefs and values about leading and work that you communicate to your team or colleagues about what is important to you in a work or leadership context?

My core leadership beliefs I hope to convey in a work context are reliability, respect, and passion.

• Reliability-­‐ I believe a leader must be reliable in order for their followers to want to be led by them. A leader must say that they are going to do a task and then should follow through and complete it within a timely manner. A leader should be able to be counted on and should not have a reason to be doubted.

• Respect-­‐ Respect refers to treating each person as a valued individual.

Respectfulness is not only portrayed through conversation and manners, but also through timeliness and punctuality. A leader should respect a person and their other involvements or commitments.

• Passion-­‐ I can personally attest that if I am not passionate, motivated, or interested about an activity or organization, I will not be as willing to participate in it, or to exhaust all efforts when doing so. Passion is what gives somebody drive and ambition to reach for the stars and to achieve. In order to be a good leader, one must possess passion for whatever they are reading.

List your key leadership values – define and describe them.

My key leadership values are similar to what I have already stated in regards to my leadership beliefs in a work context. However they also include being approachable and understanding.

• Approachable-­‐To me, being an approachable leader is key to success when working on a team within a company. I hope to remain approachable and to facilitate and promote an open line of communication amongst employees. Throughout college, I have learned that expressing your thoughts and –perhaps conflicts-­‐ are essential to effectively working within a group environment.

• Understanding-­‐ I think it is very important as a leader, to do your best to try to understand where a person is coming from. From the leadership organizations I have participated in at UGA, I have learned that all people come from different backgrounds, and that all people have very different personalities. However, it is important to do your best to try to understand others and why they may be acting or reacting in the way that they are.

An End-­‐Of-­‐Semester Reflective Discussion about My Vision and the Legacy I Would Like to Leave.

Looking back over my vision and the legacy I would like to leave, not much has changed from then and now. Ultimately, I would like to be happy in my future. I would love to be impacting people in a positive way. I have been fortunate throughout the years to be surrounded by incredible leaders who have taught me so much about leadership. One day, or maybe even now, I aspire to be a leader who somebody can look up to. Both my leadership beliefs and values still ring true to me today.

Throughout my two and a half years in college so far, I have experienced my fair share of ups and downs. Throughout this short time, I have the opportunity to learn much about myself. College has given me the chance to fill my time however I feel is best. There have been bountiful opportunities, and I have done my best to experience as many as possibly. Each year in college has been extremely different from the other; however, I have learned new things from each year. I have also learned how to be adaptable and how to adjust to what comes my way. I would not say that one-­‐year has been better or worse than the other-­‐ each year has simply given me the opportunity to learn more about myself.

When I leave Athens, I would love for my legacy to live on at the University of Georgia. My hope is that I will be able to make a difference in a person’s life, in the hope that that person will then be able to go on and make a difference in another person’s life. Also, I hope to let people know how much I appreciate them.

Before I leave UGA, I would like to be able to affirm my professors, my boss, and the other people who have influenced me, in order to let them know how much I have appreciated their support and guidance throughout the years.

Furthermore, I hope to inspire others to live a life full of passion and adventure. I aspire to provide a positive outlook on life and to pull people back up when they are feeling

down. I have a vision to be approachable in all that I do-­‐ both in my work life, family life, and social life. I hope to awaken possibility in every person I come in contact with while also reminding those that they are good enough and strong enough to accomplish whatever it is that they aspire to do.

Also, I hope to become confident in all aspects of my life, Recently, I have come to the conclusion that my voice is often times heard in some dynamics while it is not heard in others. I hope to act the same around all types of groups, and I would like to maintain my confidence regardless of who I am surrounded by. I would like to leave a legacy in which people could trust me and look up to me-­‐ and I would like to be a person who is known for always having a smile on her face J

Maintaining friendships are also very important to me, and I hope to do my best to maintain the friendships that mean the most to me. I have found that the older I get, the harder is tis to stay in touch with people who I do not see often; however, I would like to counteract this by remaining present and aware of the friendships I care the most about.

Furthermore, providing quality work is very important to me. Also, always striving to do my best is essential. Therefore, I hope to always turn in quality work that I feel great about. My vision is to be a person who can be counted on to not only be present, but to also perform to the highest standard. Although I set high expectations for myself, I know that I am only setting expectations that are attainable. I hope to be happy regardless, and to most importantly remain healthy in all aspects of my life.

In my vision, I hope to be healthy mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

Each area of health is very important to me, and I hope to be able to take care of myself and my basic needs both now and in my future. I hope to not get bogged down or overwhelmed too easily, but to instead remain motivated and excited to take care of myself.

I am very excited for my future, but I hope to also thoroughly live and enjoy each day. I do not want to rush thorough life, but to instead enjoy each moment of my day-­‐to-­‐day activities. I hope to live with little regret, but to instead learn from mistakes and to be satisfied with the choices I make. I am excited for this journey called life, and I look forward to my continuing my development and enjoying my experiences.

Leading up to my graduation from high school, my cousin Julie asked many of my family members to provide a quote about what they loved about me. I am very thankful that my cousin took the time and effort to create this for me. It means a ton to have a family support you 100%. I have included these quotes and pictures to fully emphasize some of my strengths. Enjoy!

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My Strengths and Weaknesses Identified During Interviews.

Daniel Schoon: Boyfriend and Co-­‐Counselor for UGA Dawg Camp

What are my three greatest personal strengths?

“Happy. You are always smiling and laughing. You always have a smile on your face. You find joy in most everything you do whether that be running, going to a braves game, or even doing homework. You always maintain a positive outlook and attitude when doing tasks.”

“Hard-­‐worker. You are always studying and making a schedule of things you need to get done. You try to do everything to the best of your ability. The first time I met you, you were hard at work studying for a final. You are very consistent throughout the week/month with studying and looking over materials.

“Personable. You can literally talk to anybody and become friends with anyone. You are really good at relating to and connecting with others.”

How will these strengths help me be a more effective leader?

“These strengths will enable you to bring joy to anybody’s day. Also, when in a position of leadership you will be able to set your mind to something, and then get the task done. Your ability to interact with others while also maintaining focus, will serve you well in leadership roles. “

What are my three greatest personal weaknesses?

“You should try to be more considerate. You sometimes put your needs and desires above the needs and desires of others. Last Friday when there were two different birthday parties to go to, we went to the party you wanted to go to instead of the party that I wanted to go to even though I really wanted to go to it.”

“You do not know what you stand for. You are unsure of where you stand on big political issues such as abortion. Not knowing what you believe in can be harmful

because you do not know what you stand for. For example, with politics you are not sure whom you are going to vote for in the upcoming presidential election.”

“You struggle with making decisions. You should work to improve your decision-­‐ making skills. For example, it took you a long time to pick out what kind of planner you wanted to purchase.”

How will these three weaknesses impact my leadership effectiveness?

“A leader is someone who is able to stand strong in good situations or in hard

situations. Furthermore, leaders should be able to make decisions. If you lack some of these skills, it could be difficult to successfully lead a group of people. Continue to seek your passions and to discover your values-­‐ then you will become an even more effective leader.”

Summary of Interview:

Overall, this interview made me feel a variety of ways. Looking back, I was not mentally prepared to hear constructive feedback. If I were to do this interview again, I think Daniel would have pointed out completely different weaknesses. Our relationship was in a unique stage a couple of months ago, and now I think we understand each other better and have developed a much stronger foundation. This interview; however, was very good for me to conduct. It was very beneficial for me to learn how to deal with constructive feedback, while also forcing me to actually consider some of the weaknesses he pointed out. Our relationship has become much stronger now that I have been able to work on some of the weaknesses that Daniel pointed out.

Lauren Sigler: Best friend and Past Roommate

What are my three greatest personal strengths?

Friendly. You are very friendly in the sense that you can talk to anyone and not just talk to him or her but really enjoy talking to them and hearing about them. You love to know people, and it’s really cool to see how your face lights up when you’re re talking to someone, and you get to hear about their life. You can really tell that you have an interest in others. You are friendly but also approachable.”

“Determined. You are determined in the most positive sense of the word.

Whenever you want to get something done no matter how later or early you have to wake up, regardless of how much stuff you have on your plate. You are determined to do your best and to serve others in the best way that you can. You feel bad excluding people, and you really care about others and how they are feeling. You are determined in a lot of aspects including making sure that people feel their importance and value.”

“Adaptable. Your optimism is refreshing and ties into the previous two. You are able to persist and adapt well to situations wherever you are. Whether we are in Athens or New Zealand, you use your optimism and adaptability to thrive in a variety of settings.”

How will these strengths help me be a more effective leader?

“You will be able to adapt and stay calm when harder situations come your way. You will also be a friendly face in the crowd, and a person others can look to for comfort.

Furthermore, your determination will contribute to very effective leadership because you will be able to set your mind on something and then do it.”

What are my three greatest personal weaknesses?

“Time Management. You often times are working up until the last minute to turn in assignments. However, this goes with you having a lot to get done without enough hours in a day.”

“You take on a lot. You sometimes spread yourself so thin to the point where it adds excessive stress. You take on a lot, and you are constantly busy. For example, freshman year, neither of us was ever in the room because we were always running from meeting to meeting.”

“Active listening. You sometimes struggle with actively listening to someone else.

Active listening is being able to understand and remember what is being said. You know sometimes when you're in a conversation and you're "listening" to someone, but not really? I think you've mentioned that you've done that before, and I think it's something that everyone can work on because we do it without noticing.”

How will these three weaknesses impact my leadership effectiveness?

“Try to make sure you are not taking on too much to the point where you get overwhelmed and stressed out. That could contribute to you being a less effective leader, and negatively impact the organization. Also, active listening is something that we all should work on. Try to listen to other people full idea, and that will lead to you being a more effective leader.”

Summary of Interview:

Lauren knows me very well, and I really enjoyed doing the interview with her.

Because I lived with her my freshman and sophomore years, as well as spent 5 weeks traveling in Australia and New Zealand with her, we do know the ends and outs of each other. Each of the strengths and weaknesses that she pointed out, I agree with. I have been doing a lot to work on my weaknesses in an effort that one day they will not be weaknesses of mine any more. I really love Lauren’s friendship, and I am going to be sad when she is studying abroad in Oxford next semester.

Eric Johnson: Boss at the Visitor’s Center since November 2014

What are my three greatest personal strengths?

Wholehearted. Your default state seems to be marked by a refreshing innocence and optimism. You never seem cynical or jaded. I regularly see you with shining eyes and hopeful enthusiasm. When you pursue something, you seem to be genuinely “all in”. Even cynics appreciate a leader like that. When you applied to work at the VC as a freshman, the crew here that was involved in Freshman Forum were unanimous in their high regard for you and were all convinced of your potential to make an impact here the way you had in that organization. “

“Kind. You have the respect and affection of your peers in large part because you are remarkably kind. I never hear you speak ill of anyone. I love seeing you walk in from a tour excited about the connection you made with a student. You are eager to encourage others and spread love where you can. When I met our mutual friend Jennifer at Publix last year, she immediately referenced her friendship with you.

She’s only a year younger than you, but she spoke of you with true admiration. She saw you as a role model. Your kindness was especially meaningful to her.”

“Earnest curiosity. I particularly appreciate your adventurous mind. You are not content with easy answers or hand-­‐me-­‐down ideas. We had a memorable conversation last year about your discontent with answers to big questions that others were content with. It takes courage to question and explore, especially when you go against the flow. I want a leader I follow to have that sense of curiosity and be willing to question and challenge the status quo. Your love of a quest—whether it’s a trip abroad or an intellectual pursuit—will benefit you as a leader. People will follow you.”

How will these three strengths help me be a more effective leader?

“ Your wholeheartedness, kindness, and earnest curiosity will take you far in life.

Always remember who you are and whom you want to be, and your leadership will not fail. Others will look up to you and aspire to be like you.”

What are my three greatest personal weaknesses? / How will these three weaknesses impact my leadership effectiveness?

“Honestly, I can’t identify three distinct challenges you need to address. A key for you, though, will be to keep life from tamping down your natural enthusiasm.

You will need to find a good fit for your inclinations and temperament and talents.

Stay vigilant with your pursuit of what truly delights you. And keep looking for ways to offer something uniquely your own and make a meaningful contribution where you can. “

Summary of Interview:

It meant a lot to me that my boss, EJ, spent so much time with this interview. I know a lot of people asked him to do this, so it means a lot that he was able to examine each person’s strengths and weaknesses so thoroughly. EJ is extremely wise, and I know that he does a lot of introspective thinking. I look up to him, and I value everything that he says. I completely agree with the strengths EJ identified for me. I especially like that he pointed out my strength of “earnest curiosity.” Often times, I wonder if my curiosity is a weakness, but it is very affirming that asking questions and not always going with the status quo is a good thing.

Barbara Myers: Mom since 1996

What are my three greatest personal strengths?

“Perseverance. This is one of your biggest strengths. You don’t give up, but you always keep on moving forward. You might have a bad day or few hours, but then you are very good about thinking about it, making your mind up, and then deciding what the best thing to do is to move forward.”

“Big Heart. You genuinely have a good heart and care about people and what happens to them. This comes through in your genuineness. You are not afraid to share your authentic self. When people meet you, they see the real you. You don’t have a fake front.”

“Hardworking. You are extremely hardworking and produce an excellent product.

Whether it be on the running trails or in class, you push yourself and challenge yourself to be the best that you can be.”

How will these three strengths help me be a more effective leader?

“People tend to gravitate towards you and your kind heart. Your perseverance is very effective because you will not give up. As a leader, it is necessary to follow your dreams and to not give up easily. Your impact on people is incredible, and you effectiveness as a leader is only increasing.”

What are my three greatest personal weaknesses?

“Taking on too much. In the past, you have taken on too much stuff; however, you have figured that one out, and I don’t think you’re doing that as much anymore. You have realized it and identified it.”

“Indecisiveness. You have worked on this one a lot too. You are continuing to improve your decision making skills and making decisions confidently.”

“Anxiety. You often times worry when you’re not sure of the direction your going.

This is not really a weakness but a natural characteristic. Getting stressed out a little bit when you don’t know what you’re going for. Last summer, you were paralyzed about what you wanted to do, simply because you had no idea where to start from.

However, you have gotten much better at managing this.”

How will these three weaknesses impact my leadership effectiveness?

“As a leader, one must be able to make hard decision’s while managing time and resources wisely. These weaknesses identified should be seen as areas in which you can only improve upon. You have been working on these three weaknesses, and I know you will become the most effective leader you can be.”

Summary of Interview:

The interview I had with my mom was very beneficial. My mom definitely knows me the best of the four people I interviewed. I completely agree with the strengths she pointed out. Furthermore, I really enjoyed the way she reviewed my weaknesses.

My mom understands that this past year, I really have been working on the weaknesses she pointed out. Because I talk on the phone to my mom almost every day, my mom has been able to positively guide me in my development.

My Strengths and Weaknesses Identified Through Assessments.

Personality Assessment

ILAD 4100 Personality Assessment Results Allison Myers agm54981@uga.edu

Results

Jungian Style Preference for ​E​xtrovert over ​I​ntrovert Preference for I​N​tuitive over ​S​ensing Preference for ​T​hinking over ​F​eeling Prefernce for ​P​erceiving over ​J​udging

ENFJ preference of Extraversion over Introversion (62%)% preference of Intuition over Sensing (34%)% preference of Feeling over Thinking (28%)% preference of Judging over Perceiving (6%)%

Locus of Control Score ­ Under 5 is considered “internal” while over 5 is considered “external”

2

Self ­ Monitoring

1.9

4.2

­ Ability to monitor self­presentation​ (out of 5), 4­5 represents ability to monitor sefl ­ Sensitivity to expressive behaviors of others​ (out of 5), 4­5 represents ability to be sensitive to others behaviors Tolerance for Ambiguity ­ Novelty​ (out of 20), 11­20 represents intolerance with higher numbers being more intolerant ­ Complexity​ (out of 45), 23­45 represents intolerance with higher numbers being more intolerant ­ Insolubility ​(out of 15), 8­15 represents intolerance with higher numbers being more intolerant ­ Total​ (out of 80) ­ 41­80 represents some intolerance ­­ the higher the number, the more intolerant

13

31

13

57

Jungian Personality Characteristics The Jungian personality characteristics are the results in which I was most familiar with prior to completing the assessment. The first time I took this assessment was two years ago in Dr. Knox’s Weather and Climate Class. Since them, my results have remained similar.

I received a 68% preference of extraversion over introversion, which I agree with. In general, I do get my energy from being around other people. I am often only alone for only an hour or two before I am ready to interact with others. I get my energy from being involved in many different activities, and I enjoy talking out my problems and seeking advice from others. As I have gotten older; however, I do think that I have come to value my alone time more. I realize that sometimes in order to get tasks done, I must sit down and focus without any distractions.

I received a 34% preference of intuition over sensing. This relates to the way in which one gathers information. My results said I am big picture oriented rather than detail oriented, and I definitely agree with this. I prefer to have the general idea of what is going on, rather than to get caught up in the small details of a situation. I am big picture oriented and focus on the meaning of events rather than the details and facts of an event.

I received a 28% preference of felling over thinking. Feeling over thinking describes how I like to make my decisions. I certainly do have a people orientation, so I tend to make decisions that I know will create the most harmony for a group.

However, I still tend to think through decisions at times, and I enjoy making pro and con lists.

I received a 6% preference of judging over perceiving. Overall, my preference for judging and perceiving are split. Judging is a bit higher, which I agree with. I do enjoy making lists and having decisions made. However, spontaneity is good at times too. I am flexible and adaptable, and I am certainly stimulated by an approaching deadline. Therefore, my personality fits in with judging and perceiving.

Locus of Control I received a low score for locus of control. I am internal which means I put more things on myself.

I had never heard of locus of control prior to taking this assessment; however, I continue to think about these results often. Locus of control is also one of the most interesting assessments we took. Locus of control is interesting because it focuses

on if you tend to blame circumstances that happen internally on yourself, or externally on outside factors. I scored a 2 on this. I do think that many things happen because I did or did not do something to make them happen.

However, I also need to be careful to not put too much pressure on myself. When talking to my mom on the phone today, I noted that looking for an internship is like a game. It all depends on how much work you are willing to search and how much time you are willing to devote. Therefore, your success of landing an internship is based on how hard you worked on it. Furthermore, when in a class or taking tests, I tend to put most of the pressure on myself. If I do not do well on an assessment, I tend to think that it is because I did not study well enough. Rarely do I blame it on the professor or outside circumstances. I do this because I am such an optimistic and positive person. I know that I am smart and that I have the capability to do anything I set my mind to. Therefore, even if I have bad teacher or have had a busy week, I just remind myself that I can still do it.

As I am writing this, I am considering the idea that it is beneficial to be right in the middle rather than acting towards an extreme. A mid-­‐range locus of control is best.

Self-­‐Monitoring Self-­‐monitoring is behavior based on cues from people and situations. It includes ability to adjust one’s behavior as well as sensitivity to others’ expressions.

I received a 1.9 out of 5 in my ability to monitor self-­‐presentation. This means that I am not the best at perceiving how others want me to act. I am more likely to continue acting the way I was already acting. I will work on developing my self-­‐ presentation skills.

However, I scored a 4.3 out of 5 in my sensitivity to expressive behaviors of others.

Therefore, I have the ability to be sensitive to others’ behaviors. I agree in that if a person is behaving in a certain way, I am sensitive and understanding to their actions.

Intolerance for Ambiguity Intolerance for ambiguity measures the extent to which individuals are threatened by or have difficulty coping with ambiguity, uncertainty, unpredictability, and complexity. In this assessment, the higher the number, the higher the intolerance.

I received a 13 out of 20 for novelty, which reflects my intolerance when dealing with new information or situations. Overall, I think this score is good and in the mid-­‐ range.

I received a 31 out o 45 for complexity, which observes my intolerance when working with multiple, unrelated information. Once again, this is in the mid-­‐range.

I received a 13 out of 15 for insolubility, which measures my intolerance with problems that are difficult to solve. I need to work on this, and develop my tolerance within this aspect of ambiguity.

In total, I received a 58 out of 80. This means that I have some intolerance for ambiguity. Therefore, I am mid range. Although some things bother me, I do not let them affect me in an extreme manner. I am happy with this score.

Do your results “ring true” or appear to be true in your experience?

How? Is there a discrepancy in perception, how would you explain that discrepancy?

My results do “ring true.” As I have taken the Jungian Style Personality Assessment a number of times, I have received similar results each time. From my experiences and the way I have acted, I do think that my results portray an accurate representation of how I act in situations.

There are a few discrepancies in which I believe I act more one way than another way; however, this may have occurred as a result of the current emotional state as was in while taking the personality assessments. For example, I believe I have a higher ability to monitor self-­‐presentation. I personally think that I am good at adjusting my behavior relative to the people I am with.

Based on these personality characteristics, how might people who scored differently than you behave?

People who scored differently will most likely behave differently from how I behave.

I have learned that everybody behaves and acts differently; however, every type of behavior is valid. Many personality characteristics lead a person to act in a certain way.

How will the information you learned from this assessment help you be a more effective as a leader?

This information will help me be more effective because not only has it helped me identify my personal leadership style better, but it has also helped me to realize that each person is unique and different. It will help me be more understanding and considerate when working with others. Also, through studying personality characteristics, I have learned that appreciating differences helps eliminate social barriers, while making distinctions creates social barriers. It is important to understand that we are all different, but we should appreciate the differences rather than the opposite.

Highlands Ability Battery

What was the biggest "ah ha!" discovered about your natural abilities and skills and how they might differ from others?

The biggest “ah ha!” moment for me was when I learned that I had made a 99% on rhythm memory. This was my favorite test of all, and I now know why-­‐ it was because I was good at it! Whenever I listen to songs, I always hear the rhythm without understanding a single word that was said. I never understood why I did this until I completed the HAB. My brain naturally can hear rhythms. Also, having a high rhythm memory means that I am a kinesthetic learner-­‐ I learn best via movement. I always enjoy doing activities in class in which we are moving because I tend to retain the information better. Furthermore, I love to run. A person with high rhythm memory has a general need for physical activity. It all makes sense now!

What three lessons did you learn from this Highlands Ability Battery assessment and learning experience that may have an impact on your leadership and personal effectiveness in the future?

I have high idea productivity. Idea Productivity influences the rate of ideas going through your mind at any one time. Furthermore, I learned that a person scoring high in Idea Productivity prefers academic and work responsibilities requiring the rapid generation of plentiful ideas. It was affirming to see that marketing is a job recommended for those with high idea productivity.

I have a midrange generalist and specialist personality. Therefore according to HAB, both the big picture and the details are important to me. I tend to think about this often and find myself noticing it in my everyday life.

I have low observation ability. I am not always able to notice small details or subtle actions. Because I know this about myself, I will be sure to remain extra cognizant to detail when leading a group of people.

How will this feedback information help you in your academic and leadership endeavors in the LLSP Program going forward?

I will most likely keep my HAB feed back for a long time. It is very useful to be able to see my natural innate abilities, and it will help me focus my time and energy better. Furthermore, my score on certain tasks will help me when determining why I act the way I do, and where my strengths are. In general, it is beneficial to understand myself better. Furthermore, after attending the Highlands debrief, I realized that many people in our class have very different personalities from my own. It is good to understand this, and to be grateful in the idea that each person brings something new and unique to every class discussion.

Emotional Intelligence

What are your greatest EI strengths? What appears to be your greatest area for EI improvement?

Strengths:

Self-­‐Control (100/100)-­‐ I am very skilled at disciplining myself and have determined a healthy balance between school, work, and fun.

Striving (100/100)-­‐ I am very ambitious, and I always try to do the best that I can do in all that I attempt.

Coping Skills (96/100)-­‐ Overall, I am very skilled at coping and grasping an understanding as to why things occur.

Greatest area for improvement:

Assertiveness (34/100)-­‐ I need to be more assertive in situations. Often times I do not want to disappoint others, so I do not put my foot door and stand by an opinion.

However, in order to improve my overall leadership, I should be more assertive.

Does this feedback “ring true” or appear to be true in your experience? How? If there is a discrepancy in perception, how would you explain that discrepancy?

Yes, this feedback is accurate. For example, I struggle with putting my foot down and getting onto others. However, having the skill to do this would be beneficial in leadership positions. Furthermore, I know that I rely heavily on others advice. This can be good; however, relying too heavily on others’ advice will not let me practice my own decision-­‐making skills.

What are the main challenges you think you might face in your professional and personal leadership experiences that might require you to call upon your emotional intelligence?

I will probably face challenges with interpersonal relationships. As a marketing major, I will most likely be placed on teams with many different types of people.

Maintaining good self-­‐ control and a skill for striving will allow our team to be successful and efficient in the work place.

How will the information you learned from this assessment help you manage your emotions more effectively as a leader?

As a leader, I will be able to recognize that I have many different emotions, and that I have different skill sets when handling each type of emotion. As a leader, if I know I am not good with a particular emotion, I will take the necessary measures to step my game up, or to appoint another person on our team to be the assertive one and so forth.

In light of what you have learned from your EI feedback, what two areas/dimensions of emotional intelligence do you want to focus on to enhance your personal and leadership effectiveness?

I want to focus on being more independent. Because I am a people person, I rely heavily on the feedback of others. However, I want to be able to make decision on my own and to feel confident about the decisions.

I also want to focus on emotional reflection. Therefore, I want to work hard to understand my emotions. I have been taking the right steps by completing these assessments and then following up with essays. I want to be comfortable with emotions and reflecting on why I feel the way that I feel.

Stress Assessment

ILAD 4100 Stress Assessment Results Allie Myers agm54981@uga.edu

Results

Type A Personality Score*

4.9

Perceived Stress Scale

14

­

Low stress = 0­13.

­

Moderate stress = 14­26

­

High stress = 27­40

Wellness Test** + 51 to + 75 You are a self­actualized person, nearly immune from the ravages of stress. There are few, if any, challenges likely to untrack you from a sense of near total well­being.

62

+ 25 to + 50 You have mastered the wellness approach to life and have the capacity to deal creatively and efficiently with events and circumstances. + 1 to + 24 You are a wellness­oriented person, with an ability to prosper as a whole person, but you should give a bit more attention to optimal health concepts and skill building.

0 to ­ 24 You are a candidate for additional training in how to deal with stress. A sudden increase in potentially negative events and circumstances could cause a severe emotional setback. ­ 25 to ­ 50 You are a candidate for counseling. You are either too pessimistic or have severe problems in dealing with stress. ­ 51 to ­ 75 You are a candidate for major psychological care with virtually no capacity for coping with life's problems.

*Assessment from Marcic, D., Seltzer, J., & Vaill, P. 2001. Organizational Behavior: Experiences & Cases. 6th ed. United States, South­western Thomson Learning.

**Adapted from High Level Wellness: An Alternative to Doc, Drugs and Disease by Don Ardell)

What kind of stress are you currently facing? Is this stress likely to get in the way of effective leadership?

From my stress assessment results, as well as my overall feelings, I am glad to say that I have been in the process of learning how to most effectively manage my stress. I was happy to see that my stress assessment results came back with the results that I am on the very low end of being moderately stressed. Overall, I am content with this score. Although junior year is one of the most challenging years I have had academically, I believe that I have learned how to manage my stress effectively.

The types of stress that I am primarily facing are time stressors. Junior year is full of homework assignments, and then if you add the job search process on top of that, it can get to be a lot. However, I have been able to approach my time stressors in a positive manner. Therefore, I am currently facing eustress. Eustress is allowing me to focus and to get this essay done. I am motivated and have been given a burst of energy.

Personally, I am very proud of myself for learning how to manage my stress.

Throughout my college years, I have learned some helpful techniques that have helped me manage stress.

Keeping in mind the cognitive appraisal model of stress, how can you better manage your stress? What are three to four primary, secondary and tertiary stress management techniques that you can implement in your life?

Primary prevention: How to handle stressors 1. Say NO-­‐ I do not have to say yes to everything that a person asks me to do. I can consider my prior commitments and then should be able to feel okay saying “no” if necessary.

2. Have a place to work uninterrupted-­‐ I have recently determined a great place to get tasks done. The Attic of AOII is a great place to get work done without interruptions. I have seen my efficiency increase rapidly from this new study place I have discovered.

3. Save best time for important matters-­‐ I am currently working on this preventative measure. I often times end up prioritizing purely based on deadlines. However, if I can plan my day out well enough I will best use my time. In the future, I plan to set aside a specific time to check and respond to emails. Often times I open my inbox at random times during the day, and I know I would be better off if I set aside a specific time every day to complete a task.

Secondary techniques: How to deal with the stress response

1. Emotional labor-­‐I can focus on managing and regulating my emotions as to not get too overwhelmed, but rather to tackle the tasks that is causing my stress.

2. Emotional contagion-­‐ I can do my best to surround myself by people who have positive and uplifting attitudes. I should not surround myself by people who are constantly negative and stress, but rather by people who handle stress in a positive way.

3. Self-­‐Regulation-­‐ Self –regulation is the ability to monitor and control our own behavior. By taking note of the way I am acting and reacting, I will be able to control my behavior in a healthy and positive way.

Tertiary techniques: What to do when you feel negative consequences of stress 1. Focus on people’s work demands-­‐ By focusing on people’s work demands, I can identify the key priority that needs to be completed without overcomplicating the task and overwhelming myself.

2. Focus on ways to reduce distress at work-­‐ By focusing on ways to reduce distress at work, I can identify my work stressors and then remove them from my work environment. As a result, I can eliminate the things in my life that are negatively impacting me.

3. Most organization prevention is primary-­‐ If I can really focus on primary prevention and setting myself up for success while eliminating stressors, I will be able to eliminate the feelings resulting from negative consequences of stress.

Strength Development Inventory

Are the SDI results valid for you? Overall, does this SDI assessment instrument depict your true motivational value system -­‐ blue, green, red, hub, etc. -­‐ accurately? What is your “evidence” that this color is “you” when calm?

Overall, I think the SDI accurately depicts my true motivational system. I value helping others, and I enjoy seeing others benefit from the help I can provide to them.

I can think of a time when my boss asked me to pay attention to what really made me happy. After giving out cookies to random people at Tate, I was in the best mood that I had been in in a while. It was because I was getting to make someone’s day just a little brighter. My blue-­‐ness is very evident in this scenario! However, I also

believe that I possess some green in my personality. Because I value people, I really enjoy getting to mentor them. Furthermore, I have always enjoyed taking on different leadership positions and checking tasks off of a list.

What are two strengths of your color that you think will contribute to your leadership effectiveness? What are the downsides/drawbacks if you overuse these behaviors in conflict?

Strengths Identified:

Supportive-­‐ I give encouragement and help others. This is beneficial because it maintains morale within a group.

Trusting-­‐ I am comfortable placing my faith in others. This is beneficial because a leader cannot be effective if they cannot be trusted and a leader should also be able to trust those they are leading.

Downsides/Drawbacks:

Supportive à Self-­‐Sacrificing-­‐ I am overly supportive, to the point of giving up one’s own interests and wishes for others.

Trusting à Gullible-­‐ Overly trusting and readily believing in people or things one should not.

What is your conflict sequence according to the SDI? How might your conflict sequence help you as a leader in times of conflict?

How might it “get in the way”?

Blue-­‐ Green-­‐ Red. With this sequence I want to keep harmony and good will. If that does not work, I will want to disengage and save what I can. If that does not work, I may feel compelled to fight.

This sequence will help me in that a priority is to create harmony. I deal with conflicts in a positive manner and would like for all involved to be in a good mood by the end of the conflict.

Unfortunately, this is not always realistic. In some conflicts it is necessary to attack the conflict and to cut straight to the problem in an aggressive manner. My conflict sequence would not be beneficial in this scenario.

What is the most important insight you “got” from this assessment?

This assessment helped me to understand my inherent personality as well as it helped me put into context my conflict sequence. I believe that overall this

assessment is accurate, and it has helped me understand why I act and feel they way that I do.

Conflict Management Styles

ILAD 4100 Communication and Conflict Assessment Results Allie Myers allie.myers13@uga.edu

Communication Results

Typical Response Styles

­

Question A

DEFLECTING

­

Question B

ADVISING

­

Question C

DEFLECTING

­

Question D

REFLECTING

Conflict Management Style

Default Management Styles

­

Forcing/Competing

6

­

Accommodation

17

­

Compromising

18

­

Avoiding

16

­

Integrating/Collaborationg

13

What kind of conflict management style does the assessment suggest you primarily use? Do you agree with the results? Please give examples.

I primarily use the compromising conflict management style. However, accommodating as well as avoiding are frequently utilized by me also. I do agree with the results. Often times in a situation-­‐ perhaps because I have been identified as a blue by the SDI-­‐ I want to make others happy. Therefore, I enjoy facilitating compromise. In my opinion, compromising gives both parties the opportunity to gain from what they want. The downfall with compromising is that both parties must also give up part of what they want.

What criteria should you consider when choosing a conflict management style? Do you? If so, please give examples? If not, how can you begin to do so?

I do not always consider criteria before I choose a conflict management style. Often times I just go to my default conflict management style. Now, that I am more aware of conflict management style, I will take some time to assess the situation before I just into a conflict. I believe there is real value in taking time to think about a situation before you jump right into the situation. I will assess the situation and who is involved. I will also take into consideration what kind of a problem it is, and how big of an impact if will have on my day-­‐to-­‐day life and my overall well being. If the conflict is a big deal, I will be sure to not give in or compromise. Sometimes I do just give in and then I get over the situation. However, I should be able to hold my own, and I want to work on having the ability to actually go for something and fight for it before just compromising or giving in too easily.

Summary and Discussion of the Strengths and Weaknesses Identified from Assessment Instruments and External Feedback Interviews-­‐ An Introspective Discussion of Observations.

Perseverance and hard worker were common themes that arose many times. I agree with these results. I do believe that I am extremely hard working and do everything to the best of my ability. I do not give up but instead keep going. I have reached many bumps in the road; however, from the hardships I have become better at getting back up instead of feeling bad for myself. For example, I was under a lot of pressure to complete this essay as well as to interview in Atlanta. However, instead of feeling bad for myself, I just decided that I was going to focus and get it done. That is exactly what I have done!

I enjoy motivation quotes and books. I am always looking to be the best version of myself, and I think this stems from my determination and hard work ethic.

Another common theme was my ability of treating others well. I especially agree with this. I value people a lot, and I make it a goal of mine to understand where people are coming from and to not be quick to judge. I enjoy working with others, and understanding their passions and values. While at UGA, I have done my best to become involved in organizations, such as Dawg Camp, that allow me to do this.

Dawg Camp is an extended orientation program that focusing on helping a student’s transition between their senior year of high school and their freshman year of college. The organization also focuses on helping a student determine who they really are and how to be comfortable in their own skin.

One of my favorite quotes is something we say within Dawg Camp. It is…

“You can’t help but love someone once you know their story.”

This statement has given me a new outlook on the way that I interact with others. I truly do believe that each person is unique and has something important and special

to bring to the table. It makes me happy that others can identify my compassion for others within me. The interviews as well as assessments have helped me hone in on my personal strengths and they have encouraged me to fully embrace my natural personality.

Furthermore, one of the most memorable results of my Highlands Ability Battery is that I have 99% rhythm memory. I find it especially interesting that this translates to needing physical exercise about five times a week. As mentioned in my interviews I am very hard working and driven. Running is a major way that I am able to drive myself to perform the best that I can. It is interesting how my assessment confirmed the feedback that the people I interviewed gave me.

A common weakness is that I tend to take on too much. I completely agree with this.

However, I identified this weakness about eight months ago now, and I have been doing my best to cut down on my involvements and to instead focus and invest in the organizations that mean the most to me. My mom pointed out to me that this semester I have done a good job of focusing my involvement and scaling back in order to be the best leader that I can be in the organizations in which I am already involved. Less truly is more, and I have come to understand this more each year.

Furthermore, the assessments pointed out that I struggle with assertiveness. I believe that taking on too much and lack of assertiveness are directly correlated. I often times do not want to be assertive and say “no,” and therefore, I end up taking on more than I can handle-­‐ which my interviews also pointed out to me. Because I am a people pleaser and a BLUE according to my assessment, I do not want to disappoint others. I am working on this; however, and I hope to remain cognizant of this weakness in hopes of being able to overcome it.

Another common weakness is that I struggle with making decisions and worrying. I also agree with this weakness. According to the assessments, this is common for my personality type in that I tend to want to create peace and harmony within a group.

This weakness was particularly true and reflected during my sophomore year of college when I was unsure about my future. Since then, I have paid special attention to my mental well-­‐being and have implemented many new strategies into my life to help with combatting stress. Because I have been able to identify this weakness, I have been better able to work on overcoming it. I have made a point to create pros and cons list for big decisions, while at the same time trying not to stress too much about small decisions. Of course, I need to remain aware of this weakness in hopes of improving my decision-­‐making skills in the future.

I really enjoyed receiving feedback from both the interviews and the assessments.

From it, I have been able to learn more about myself. I hope to continue to receive feedback throughout my life, and I hope to be in positions in which I am constantly challenged and encouraged to be the best version of myself that I can be!

Visual Summary of Strengths and Weaknesses.

Strengths: • Happy -­‐ interviews • Friendly -­‐ interviews • Adaptable -­‐ interviews • Kind -­‐ interviews • Whole-­‐hearted -­‐ interviews • Big Heart -­‐ interviews • Supportive -­‐ SDI • Trusting -­‐SDI • Coping Skills –Emotional Intelligence • Hard-­‐worker -­‐ interviews • Determined -­‐ interviews • Perseverance -­‐ interviews • Self Control – Emotional Intelligence • Striving – Emotional Intelligence • Earnest Curiosity -­‐ interviews

Weaknesses: • “try to be more considerate”-­‐ interviews • “do not know what I stand for” -­‐ interviews • “indecisiveness”-­‐ interviews • “time management”-­‐ interviews • “active listening” -­‐ interviews • “taking on too much” -­‐ interviews • “anxiety” -­‐ interviews • “should be more assertive” – Emotional Intelligence • “self-­‐ sacrificing” -­‐ SDI • “gullible” -­‐ SDI

Specific Areas I Would Like to Develop.

I would like to develop my time management skills by only spending my time in areas in which I possess a deep passion or interest. Rather than taking on too much, I would like to thoroughly examine what I decide to become involved in. I would also like to develop my confidence-­‐ specifically when communicating. Lastly, I would like to develop and express my passion for and interest in others. In the next section I will determine the specific ways in which I hope to develop these areas.

After closely examining my strengths, weaknesses, passions, interests, vision, and other leadership qualities, I am now ready to set measurable goals to continue developing myself. With each development outcome, I hope to focus on a specific quality about myself in which I hope to improve upon. Although I aspire to be a life long learned and developer, I have outlined some of my more immediate objectives in order to be the best version of Allie that I can be. Each objective has specific, measurable action steps that I will follow in order to get the most out of my development objectives.

Development Outcome #1 I would like to be involved in the organizations and activities that align with my passions-­‐ the things that mean the most to me-­‐ specifically by focusing on assertiveness.

Motivation for this outcome:

Sometimes I tend to take on too much.

When I do this, I become overwhelmed, and often times feel like I am not doing enough for all that I am involved in.

Because I am so high achieving, I enjoy possessing leadership positions in organizations. However, instead of following the status quo and participating in what everybody else is doing, I hope to actively seek out the activities that I naturally care the most about or am the most inclined to.

By only becoming involved in the organizations and activities in which I possess a true passion for, I will be able to better allocate my time and resources to be the best leader I can be. I will also not be as prone to take on too much. This will cut down on my feelings of guilt, confusion, and anxiety that I sometimes experience when I become involved in activities that do not fully align with my interests. I hope to take time to figure out how I want to spend my time, and then to take the necessary steps to follow through with my development plan.

Making a list, journaling, creating alone time, and finding a mentor will be essential for this development outcome. I understand that each activity will only help me in my quest for involvements to fit my passions.

Being able to be assertive is necessary for this outcome. If I am able to be assertive and to actively seek the opportunity I like, while also say “no” to opportunities that I do not care for, I will lead a much happier life. Once I determine how I want to spend my time, it will be much easier to say “no” to activities that do not correlate with how I would like to spend my time.

This will lead to me becoming a more effective leader who is solely focused on the activities that mean the most to me. I hope that this action plan is just the beginning for me. Be focusing my energies on what I am truly passionate about, I will be able to achieve whatever I set me heart on. I hope to follow these action steps completely because this is a development outcome in which I feel very passionate about.

Development Resources/Support Activities

Timeline

Potential Obstacles Evidence of Progress

1. Make a list Myself, Roommate, Friends, Family of my passions and interest and take time to think about ways to pursue them.

Make the list over Thanksgiving break. Then reexamine it once a week to ensure I am staying on track.

Don’t want to take the time, may get overwhelmed by all of the options.

Myself, Roommate

Once a week on Friday afternoons or Saturday mornings

I will not have time, laziness, feel like it is unimportant

Myself

15 minutes once a day in the morning

I will feel lonely, I will feel like I am not being productive, I will not give myself time to be along

I will join an organization that specifically deals with working with others. I will be genuinely happy with my involvements.

2. Journal my thoughts and feelings

I will have a journal full o f my feelings and experiences that I w ill be able to look back on after a couple o f months.

3. Work in time for me to be alone.

4. Find a mentor who I can talk to and who will help me organize my ideas and thoughts.

Myself, an older, wiser m entor

I will feel comfortable being alone, and will have time to think introspectively about my goals and vision.

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Ask the person if they would like to be my mentor by January 1, 2017. Aim to speak to them on a m onthly basis.

Don’t want to take the time to seek out a mentor; don’t want to make the commitment to communicate with them regularly, laziness

I will possess a clearer idea of my specific occupational goals, and I will have a person who I can discuss my business thoughts to. I will be able to rely on somebody to speak to at least once a month.

Development Outcome #2 I would like to not compare myself to others, but to instead fully embrace being Allie Grace Myers-­‐ specifically by working on my communication skills.

Motivation for this outcome:

As I have become more involved at the University of Georgia, and in Terry specifically, I have found myself comparing my skills and opportunities to others.

Through this objective, I hope to be able to fully embrace being Allie Grace Myers.

Therefore, I hope to evaluate who I am at my core, and then to also take note of this as a means to not compare myself to others. I often times find myself becoming overwhelmed or stressed because I feel like I am not the person going around and hugging everybody or the one keeping up with all of the tiny details. I want to be able to appreciate that each person has their own strengths that they are able to contribute to a group. It is my hope that I will recognize that I am adding value to a group, regardless of my role or position within the group dynamic.

Specifically, I would like to enhance my communication skills. Having a job in which I speak to crowds of people every single day, it is hard to not compare my communication skills to my co-­‐workers. I would like to enhance my communication and active listening skills, while still remaining proud of my innate ability to converse with others. I understand that though I may already have developed skills, there is always room for improvement. I hope to not just talk to talk or to brag about myself, but to rather speak in an effort to provide meaningful insight in a conversation. I would like to be somebody who people feel confident in coming to for advice or for simply just joking around. I would like to be light hearted and wise at the same time.

These action steps will provide me with tangible ways to enhance my skills. After I am able to gain more confidence, I will then focus on being happy and content with my interactions with others. I will fully embrace the idea that people have different personalities and skill sets that make them the way they are.

Development Activities

Resources/Support

1. Review my Myself, My PDLP, ask strengths and others for advice weaknesses.

2. Listen fully to what other people are saying, and wait for them to finish before I say something.

Myself, others

My computer/ the 3. Listen to internet leadership ted talks about communicati on in order to enhance my skills.

Timeline

Potential Obstacles

Evidence of Progress

Bi-­‐weekly reassess how my strengths are contributing in a group or one-­‐on-­‐ one setting

Time, laziness, overwhelmed

I will feel confident about my strengths and weaknesses and be able to know them off the top of my head if a person asks me about them.

During a one-­‐on-­‐ one conversation or in a group setting. I will work on this beginning today, and I will reassess once a week to ensure I am gaining the most out of conversations.

Watch at least one Ted Talk per week starting on the Monday of Thanksgiving break

Eagerness to let my ideas be heard

I will know that I am letting a person speak and be heard before I express my own ideas. I will feel like conversations are meaningful and significant.

Time, not enough videos

Notice that the lessons I am learning from the Ted Talks I am able to use in conversations. This will lead to conversations that are more meaningful in which I can learn about a persona and their interests.

4. Shadow other tour guides at the UGA Visitor’s Center.

My boss, the Visitor’s Center, my co-­‐workers

I would like to have shadowed at least three walking tours by the end of May.

Lack of time, lack of motivation to shadow another person’s tour

I will be able to use the skills I learn from my co-­‐ workers in order to enhance my own tours. I will feel proud of my tours and feel confident that I am making a difference.

Development Outcome #3 I would like to invest more time in my relationships with others.

Motivation for this outcome:

Throughout the development of my PDLP, it has come to my attention that people are my passion. I want to make sure that I am investing time in the people who I care the most about. It is easy to become busy in the hustle and bustle of college, and to neglect the friendships that are not right in front off you. I would like to make a greater effort in making sure that people know how much they mean to me.

From the interviews as well as assessments I have determined that I struggle with making decisions and anxiety. Although it may seem minute, ensuring that I am able to maintain close relationships with the people who means the most to me will ensure that I have people to hold me accountable when making decisions and dealing with activities. Furthermore, just being able to make a decision about the people who I want to focus my time and energies on, will be the first step in developing better decision-­‐making skills.

I have recently recognized that college is such a unique time in a person’s life. In college, many like-­‐minded people surround a person. However, at the University of Georgia, one also has the potential to meet people from all different walks of life. I would like to evaluate my friendships and to be intentional about whom I am investing in and whom I am spending my time with. This will lead me to becoming less overwhelmed and to be able to feel like I am being a good friend amongst the mix of school and other activities. I will also work on taking initiative and will work on being a better leader in my friend groups as well as in other organizations.

Furthermore, I hope to be proactive in spending time with others. I do not want to take my time in college for granted-­‐ but instead I hope to enjoy every moment of college.

I hope to not only invest in friendships with those that are my same age, but I also hope to maintain friendships with those who are older and younger than me.

Furthermore, I would like to maintain close with those that are at other schools, in different states, or in other countries, than myself.

Also, through the development of my PDLP, I have determined that my family is also extremely important to me. I would like to always remain close to my family members, and to constantly remind them how much my family’s love and support means to me.

Development Activities

Resources/Support

1. Make a list My PDLP, my friends, pictures, reflective time of all of the friendships and people who mean the most to me.

Timeline

Potential Obstacles

Evidence of Progress

I will create my list Time, over Thanksgiving Overwhelmed, break, and then I Indecisiveness will look at it once a month to ensure I am staying on track

Have a completed, but also ongoing, list in my journal of the relationships I want to choose to focus on.

2.

Communicate regularly with these people via letter, cell phone, and in person-­‐ make a chart to help keep up with who I am contacting.

Myself, my friends, my planner to help keep track of when I am spending time with who.

I will contact each of these people at least every other week. I will reach out via text message to check in and make sure everything is going well.

Lack of time, Overwhelmed with other activities going on in my life.

I will make a chart and able to physically keep track of the relationships I have with others. I will be up to date on the activities going on with my friends, and will know what is going on in their lives-­‐ even if they are in another country!

3. Go out of my way to do nice things for others-­‐ specifically by supporting “Karma Koffee”

Karma Koffee Inspirational notes, myself, my friends, ideas online to help others, Pinterest

Once a day, do something nice (however big or small) for another person.

Lack of motivation, lack of time, lack of money to purchase anything. (Must rely on actions to express how much I care about another person)

Because doing nice things for others is one of my passions, I will have a good feeling at the end of other day. I will be able to see a smile on people’s face once I have helped them out.

4. Write each of my friends a thoughtful letter.

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Stationary, myself, my family, Thanksgiving and Christmas break (more time)

Be able to deliver the letter to them by December 25th, 2017.

Not enough time, laziness, I may not know their addresses.

Verbally hear that the person has received their letter in the mail.

Life is all about the journey.

May the adventure begin!