leadership studies: final portfolio
End Reflection Essay Pt. 1 I’ve been blessed to be raised in a family with two strong leadership icons doubling as parents from the start. Both have had such influential careers and I have learned a lot about what I think of leadership through them. I would hear my mom on a conference call and listen to the way she talked to her employees, or talking to my dad about how to approach a problem at work. I would visit the office with my dad and pay close attention to the interactions. But as a child, my understanding was relatively warped. Oftentimes, I saw the strong firm bosses and not often did I see the compassionate sides they would provide their teams when one on one. Therefore, growing up, I thought being firm and strong was the way to success. I thought the glass ceiling was due to women’s softness and empathy. It made sense to me, as my mom can often be a hard ass. Growing up when I was assertive I was told I was a leader. I became captain of my volleyball team and yearbooks editor-in-chief. I had a stereotypical idea of “leader” qualities through socialization even when I enrolled in the minor itself. I remember being shocked when their were introverts in the leadership class, something I’m quite embarrassed about now. I thought leadership was masculine, and although women deserve to be leaders, they would have to hide their femininity to get the job done.
Through my studies within the minor, and the three required electives, I’ve learned leaps and bounds about what true leadership looks like and the ways to achieve true leadership, as well as undergone extreme personal development. All the material I have learned through the minor has shaped me in a way I didn’t initially think to be possible from a leadership minor. What I learned through this class created a sense of vulnerability to learn, propelling the experience far past any math or English class.
table of contents I. Diganosing the Situation
a. perspectives
b. second floor balcony
c. social justice/privilege
II. Managing Self
a. values
b. habits
c. grl pwr
d. self discovery
III. Energizing Others
a. starting where others are
b. toxins
c. positivity
IV. Skillfully Intervening
a. the “why�
b. embrasing failure
d i a g n o s i n g the situation
Perhaps the biggest, and the most reoccurring, was the idea of different life experiences leading to their current perspective. Everyone rationalizes why they think or believe what they do, and it comes directly from their past experiences. The idea that all the advice to ever been given has been autobiographical, is powerful. When there is a common goal, everyone is just trying to help. The real challenge is that everyone tries to do so in different ways. I really grasp the concept that I think the way I do in situations not just because of my personality but also in part by how I’ve been raised, just like others around me do. This leads to the idea of privilege and social justice. I never thought too much about privilege because of my younger life. Although I grew up in an urban setting, I grew up relatively sheltered. Although close to downtown Denver I was raised in a nice, safe neighborhood. I went to a private Catholic school primarily with other upper class, white children. My high school was private and Catholic as well. Once reaching college I joined, yet again, a white, upper class sorority. My parents never purposely isolated me, but rather sent me to schools with top education and pushed extracurriculars. However, it didn’t change the fact that I lived in a bubble. This leadership minor has opened my mind to my privilege and life experiences, which has helped me in my analysis of perspectives.
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second floor balcony
“Let’s say you are dancing in a big ballroom. . . . Most of your attention focuses on your dance partner, and you reserve whatever is left to make sure you don’t collide with dancers close by. . . . When someone asks you later about the dance, you exclaim, “The band played great, and the place surged with dancers.” But, if you had gone up to the balcony and looked down on the dance floor, you might have seen a very different picture. You would have noticed all sorts of patterns. . . you might have noticed that when slow music played, only some people danced; when the tempo increased, others stepped onto the floor; and some people never seemed to dance at all. . . . the dancers all clustered at one end of the floor, as far away from the band as possible. . . . You might have reported that participation was sporadic, the band played too loud, and you only danced to fast music. . . .The only way you can gain both a clearer view of reality and some perspective on the bigger picture is by distancing yourself from the fray. . . . If you want to affect what is happening, you must return to the dance floor.” -H, G, & L
The second floor balcony is a concept that is arguably the most important piece of knowledge within adaptive leadership. The ability to separate yourself from the situation in such a way, where you see yourself as a piece of the situation but fully comprehend every other affected individual’s role as well is not easily done. Understanding each persons hidden allies, fears, and motives-and then backing away to view bigger picture as a whole is vital to a successful process but it requires a genuine heart and ample time. Learning to view even the most rudimentary situations from both the balcony and the dance floor is something I have worked on doing since I was introduced to the idea. After eight classes revolving around the minor I think I finally have a beginners grasp on the concept. Now, whenever there is a problem, I make sure to give myself time to reflect on the second floor balcony before I begin attempting to intervene.
Excerpt from Tolerance Day Pro “Invisible to Visible” LGBTQ+ A
We wanted to incite change on c be to see someone featured who knew from clubs or organization just that, invisible. You don’t kno we were hoping to do with this p certain ode to them. The idea of face on and a story on those term unseen but it doesn’t make it any crease awareness and tolerance t When we were told we would be to whirl. I am extremely passion fairness, and have learned life w the prejudice towards the LGBT the country were debating how t mother what I was missing.
oject Awareness and Acceptance Campaign, Fall 2016
campus. To do so, would require KU students. We thought, “How cool would it om you sat next to all semester? Who you worked next to at the library? Who you ns and simply had no idea they identified a certain way. Invisible identities are ow the layers of a person until you take the time to peel them back. That’s what project. Even if you just know they walk the same path to school as you share a f lesbian, gay, bisexual or transsexual can feel so abstract to people, so placing a ms humanizes them. Feeling trapped due to a religion, race, or gender may be y less real. Our hope was to bring attention and humanize these factors to into the KU community. e embarking on a Tolerance Day project with fellow classmates my mind began nate about equality, a personality trait explained through Myers-Briggs. I seek within the US often is not fair for all persons. I have always been awestruck about TQIA community. Even as a young girl, I didn’t understand how people across to vote for gay rights. Rights. You’re voting on a person’s RIGHTS. I asked my
Reflections from Marsha’s class, Fall 2016 During the heat of the Clinton v. Trump election our classroom became a place for information search. A place to speak your opinion, but also expect to be challenged for it. With so many different individuals with so many different life experiences, our conversations were dense and oftentimes, uncomfortable. I had never followed an election closely, politics were never my favorite topic. Not even close. But this election was different. This election struck a chord with me. I had always been told our country was a great country, a welcoming country called the worlds “melting pot”. Abraham Lincoln created inclusion. We made our mistakes but we were the good guys. I held the same opinion most do before research on just about everything. I spewed what I had heard my parents say at dinner parties when I was asked about my political beliefs. In a way, a large piece of my world came crashing down. Like a tarp had been shielding me from the real foundation underneath. People aren’t equal in America, and worse, many people don’t want equality. I would cringe when I heard arguments supporting Trump. I skipped school the day Trump was elected. I cried watching the inauguration. But something beautiful happened out of it, stemming from Marsha’s class. I searched for information. I watched videos from Trump supported, I researched the truth behind the platforms and I do it now. I am informed and I am determined to continue to be informed, as well as search for all different perspectives before I make my opinion.
manage self
The days of being “blissfully unaware” are gone. I am so self-aware it’s incredible. I know how I am going to react, what I need, what I want, where my blindspots are. It’s a beautiful thing, and it gives me the ability to work on perhaps what’s not as beautifully worked out yet. I place a strong emphisis on personal evolution and this class has propelled me to develop in ways I didn’t once know where possible.
MVV Phase II. Values Toolkit Sense of Belonging Contribution Healthy Environment Inner Harmony Individuality Learning Creative Personal Development Working on new areas Tolerance Variety in work Variety Working with others Wisdom Acquire Knowledge
values reflection 2/16 I put a lot of weight on the individual before the group as a whole. This may seem interesting because I am an extrovert and prefer group work, in fact I need to be in a group setting. However, I believe a lot of tension and aggression builds through underlying personal feelings or problems. I think it’s so necessary to be in harmony with yourself, hone in on your individuality and be comfortable with that and knowing your colleagues support you as you are. Perhaps it’s a respect thing. Furthermore, feel you belong in your environment and that environment be healthy for you. Comfort in your workplace is vital, I believe. This is directly reflected in my top values. After getting those building blocks set in stone, you’re able to create a positive, successful project. Now it’s time to focus on your goals and use your skills to help others. This is where the contribution, creativity, learning/acquiring knowledge, tolerance, variety and wisdom all come to play. You have to contribute what you can to better the community. Yet also I highlight personal development, because all the while this should be shaping you and helping you to grow as well. Then there are my personal needs. I’m a social person and fairly impatient as well. I hate spending too much time on the same thing, I get bored. Therefore, I need to work on many projects, new innovative projects, and with others. Compare and Contrast I think I saw column one as my personal values as I see them align with my needs. Column two is more so what I believe can be beneficial for mass instruction, it feels less personal in ways, yet very important nonetheless. In both exercises I highlighted the personal internal feelings. I think it’s vital for an individual to be comfortable in both his/her skin and the environment/people that surround him/her for a successful end result. Learning and acquiring knowledge were found on both lists, showing this is an important skill to me. I see the importance in continuous learning.
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to Mars , build two-way w P to pro rist ve you
E xtrovert N intuitive T hinking P erciving
Excerpt from Myers-Briggs Personality Test Reflection The Process, Fall 2014-Spring 2017 “The Myers-Briggs personality test has taught me so much in the category of self-discovery. It’s been incredible in analyzing, understanding, and managing my personality type. There are things I love about my results and things I hate. The minor has taught me not just how to emphasize the positives and restrain the negatives, but also to embrace and love each and every part of myself. To have patience with both the process and acceptance. As an ENTP I struggle with the idea of patience but it’s so vital in understanding yourself and with that, embracing every part of yourself. My self-improvement and self-empowerment go hand in hand. You must love and accept yourself before you can motivate others to do the same. It’s also transferred into the idea of patience and process in all areas of my life.
Leadership as a Process, HG&L Book Lesson Reflection (cont...) Leadership is a process. Ever changing, ever evolving, much like everything is in this world. We must have the patience to engage in the process of leadership to truly make an impact. After all, the easy fix never holds long-term.”
gratituity Excerpt from FISH Activities Gratitude Journal, Fall 2015 FISH Week 1: This week keep a gratitude journal, where you make DAILY records of the things for which you are grateful! Pay special attention to the important things you may have been taking for granted, but which could disappear in a heartbeat. Do this faithfully and by the end of the week you will be in a FISH! Frame of mind. Record some of the most interesting things you became aware of being grateful for, and share them with a friend on the weekend. By the way, don’t forget to be grateful for the biggest gift of all…life itself!
2/6 Journal Entry For my final day of this Fish! I became overjoyed. I sat down tonight trying to think of what I was grateful for, and rather I couldn’t figure out how to condense my list. I have such incredible friends and family who care about me, a fantastic boyfriend, I’m receiving an education from a prestigious university without student loans, I am gaining so much from my leadership studies minor, I am coming into my own and beginning to discover my own personal legend. The leaps and strides I have made and been given, along with the opportunities I know I will be presented with in the future, is what I am grateful for today.
Exerpt from MVV Phase II. Part II. Habit Toolkit Reflection, Fall 2016 Dismissal: I’m extremely outwardly positive, but sometimes I need to work on being internally positive and open-minded. I can find myself, especially in new situations or large groups, getting negative at times. I can get shook by something little and it really affects me. Through the routine-->cue-->reward process I learned it’s more of a self-conscious problem. I honestly never really realized I was at times self-conscious because I am so extroverted but knowing the underlying problem will help me address the habit of getting shook up. The cue changes, but generally it’s something nonchalant, but makes me feel that way. My routine is to feel negatively, often becoming sharp and off-putting and the reward is my stubborn mind thinking I’ve protected myself. It’s something I experience much more in my personal/social life than in my worklife, but it’s something that I really need to work on. I have been doing better with this, during the semester, through setting specific smart goals and spending time in groups that help foster that positive mentality (getting rid of toxic relationships) but I also need to learn how to address it rather than dismissing it.
Creation: Within conjunction of the first, my habit I want to create is maintaining relationships. I think I use moving a lot as an excuse for my inability to hold such friendships. As time goes on I find my old friends and I’s conversations becoming so passive. “How are you? Good. Good.” “What’s up? Not much.” I’ve really been working on creating lasting relationships and meaningful conversations. At the beginning of the semester I was doing great, meeting a few people out for coffee each week. However, as the semester’s dragged on and work has piled up, I’ve stopped doing so. My deep, meaningful hour or two long conversations at the coffee shop have turned into short texts, if even that. I think I started to lose stamina because other things were more immediate and significant results (grades and diploma). I also think the fact that I am moving to San Francisco and won’t see many of my sorority sisters or old past friends much has stunted my motivation for these meetings. The first couple weeks were filled with old friends I really missed and now I feel almost satisfied with who I have reached out to. I don’t want to make any meeting simply feel like training for San Francisco because I don’t want to treat anyone like an object.
grl pwr
SOC 435 Reflection Fem as F*ck, Fall 2017 Through the required diversity elective, I found my passion for womens rights. The Sociology of Sex Roles class opened my eyes to things I was blind to growing up. With such a successful mother as a role model I never realized the inequity that was staring me in the face.
I have found something that lights a fire within me and I’m proud to work on. I find myself engaging in deep conversation and planning to attend events, searching the web and posting information consistently.
self-awareness My top 10 words are grateful, positive, bold, eager, purposeful, warm, open-minded, authentic, spongy and innovative. When I focus on really portray these traits, when I really become grounded in these ideas, the others around me feel it. When I am my most authentic self I don’t have to worry about balancing my work attitude with what’s going on at home. I don’t have to give myself self-checks. I don’t have to try to tell myself to be calm. When I am my true self, and I’m confident in that, my confidence radiates and I can provide the most to my teammates, family, coworkers and friends.
Excerpt from MVV Phase II. Part II., Fall 2017 Probing Questions Toolkit, Fall 2017 “Performance I am at my very best when… I feel confident, supported and respected. I am in a creative, inventive and imaginative environment. I can express myself (both verbally and artistically). I am surrounded by positivity. Situations are approached lightheartedly. I am at my very worst when… I feel I have to prove myself. I am surrounded by negativity. I am under pressure. I am hungry and tired. Passion What I really love to do at work is… Interact with people Help people Have artistic freedom Spend time in an inviting atmosphere Increase relevant knowledge Feel I am developing both myself and those around me Making something worthwhile What I really love to do in my personal life is… Find and listen to new music Find new fun places and spaces Spend time surrounded by friends and loved ones Travel Grow as a person, self-discovery Mindedness Persuasiveness Objectiveness”
Excerpt from FISH Week 6 Journal Attitude Cards, Fall 2015 “Choosing your attitude can be tricky primarily because most of us ‘choose it’ without actually ‘choosing’ it...we just experience our attitudes without frequently giving them lots of thoughts. In preparation for your greatest role---your own life, consider how impactful it could be if you actually learned to choose your attitude. To help you in this development, your assignment is to start creating a deck of cards that will help you choose your attitude. These cards will contain the name of an attitude on one side and, on the other, words, pictures, or phrases that are helpful in producing the internal state of that attitude. In other words, that help “Be that attitude.” Example...If your chosen attitude would be serenity, you might choose a photo of your favorite place like on top of a ski mountain, at a lake or on the beach. If your choice is to be more selfless and unconditional loving in life, perhaps a photo of Mother Teresa or Gandhi would work. Your assignment is to create 5 (five) of these attitude cards. Simply choose five attitudes you would like to see more in your life and start your deck of Attitude Cards (3x5 index cards work great for this).
1. Compassionate 2. Optimistic 3. Focused 4. Adventurous 5. Unselfish 6. Present”
energizing others
Energizing others is such a vital piece of successfully practicing adaptive leadership and I needed to work on this piece. One of the things I really learned the importance of is the way to interact with individuals, with regard to their personality type. It’s so important to talk to be in their “native language”. Also, using positivity to engage the person, even if the situation itself isn’t positive. Energizing others is something I am constantly aware of and believe am now strong at. I remind myself to engage and reward, whether it be with praise or literal. When others feel valued and important to the cause, it is felt.
Excerpt from In-Class Journal Energizing Others Reflection, Spring, 2015 Starting where others are, not where I am, has been the most successful idea I have used outside of the classroom so far. This concept is top-of-mind anytime I’m interacting with others. Whether it be my best friend, roommate, parent, interviewer or boyfriend I have had increasingly stronger conversations and greater results. Talking through ideas at their starting point makes every talk run smoother and connect to a clearer goal. I have held successful, positive arguments simply due to my noted understanding and observation of their starting point. It is something I will carry with me when I enter my career and build new relationships in the future.
Another focus I’ve had is removing myself from toxic relationships. I had friendships that only brought me stress, anxiety and struggle. I had friends that weren’t true friends to me and it made me feel even more alone than having no one. It was hard for me to realize because my personality type does propel me to have many relationships over quality ones at times. The minor reminded me of the importance of positivity and a strong support system. I am more myself and proud of my surrounding friends today than I have ever been. My day-to-day has been increasingly stronger and my overall mood and happiness has skyrocketed. I am surrounded by incredible allies and confidants and I am so grateful to graduate with people I trust and root for me, by my side. After all, you become most like those you spend your time with.
positivity
At Home Journal Reflection Sometime One thing this class has taught me is to remain positive. To hold that constant beam of light in any situation. I’m naturally positive, but sometimes can struggle to be internally positive in certain situations. This class has taught me to always make the most out of everything and that mentality switch has become revolutionary for me.
Excerpt from FISH Week 3 Journal “Introducing Play” Fall 2015 Throughout the week generate a list of at least 10 ways you could introduce “play” into your organization and your leadership roles. Observe individuals who lighten the mood the minute they enter a room...and learn what they do. Think of simple things you could do to make a situation more playful and enjoyable.
1. Start our organization meetings (chapter) with a lightweight interactive activity to break the ice. 2. Start my video committee meetings with an unrelated creative activity to get the group opened up and imaginative. 3. Each time an idea is conceived, write it down and put it in a jar, have a weekly drawing and the person’s idea that is drawn gets some sort of prize – also to stimulate creativity. 4. Create a “quote” board in our room, featuring inspiring positive, day-making quotes. 5. Write a note and put it on each of my roommates desks just wishing them a happy week 6. Pick up my boyfriend coffee on my way to studying at the library with him so he will lighten up before his big test. 7. Crack a joke at whole house dinner, you never know what kind of mood people are in. 8. Hold the door open for as many people as possible coming in and out of the journalism school on my way to class. 9. Compliment people I see on something they’re wearing or doing out of the blue on the KU campus/around Lawrence 10. Offer to drop off/pick up any of my house mates to and from class.
skillfully intervening
It’s the reason we do it. All the above work comes down to this. The intervening is build by the past competencies but it’s where you get to show off your hard work. I think the greatest lesson I’ve learned is connecting to the why. I’m such a dreamer and I often get carried away with my own, spontaneous, imaginative thoughts. I am constantly reminded to focus back on purpose through this class. This is also where I’ve learned to embrace the most ambiguity, experimenting and failing. It’s such a beautiful way to look at the approach of intervening and it’s something I find motivating now.
why?
Excerpt from Legacy Project ‘Our why’ Spring 2017 “There’s a stigma with men who care about beauty products and we’re working to break that. The feminist movement is almost a trend right now, I consider myself a big feminist, and the whole goal is making men and women equal. So maybe leading my example, and working to make men seen as equal in the beauty industry will help create equality. I’m entering the beauty industry upon graduation, and it’s a primarily female saturated market. My dream is to eventually achieve full equality within that community. Locally, our ideal goal is men feeling comfortable wearing makeup in our community (KU), if they want to do so, but with starting where they are we’re going to work with a strong skin care regimen.”
Excerpt from Tolerance Day “My Why” Worksheet, Spring 2017 “I’ve always been passionate about equality for the LGBTQIA community, often getting extremely emotional in playful debates. But shamefully I’ll admit, I was a silent ally. I often shied away from campus clubs and organizations because I didn’t know what to right role of an ally was. I didn’t want to overstep boundaries but I did want to get involved. This inclination was propelled when conversations of this year’s election began. Once Donald Trump began making significant strides I became more fearful about the safety of invisible identities as well as the perceived stereotypes people around me had concerning the LGBTQIA community. I was shocked to hear people close to me make unfair generalizations and harshly criticize the group. With the transitions happening today and our nation splitting on conversations such as gay marriage, the heat is high surrounding the LGBTQIA community. Many individuals on campus are very opinionated one way or another. Due to Trump’s platform playing into these stereotypes and generalizations, now is the perfect time to tell these individuals stories. People often fear what they don’t understand. The majority of our population is not trained to embrace ambiguity but rather fight it. Tolerance starts with education and the access to information. It starts with individual stories breaking down a singular stereotype. The surrounding social climate is what drove me over the edge. I knew I needed to do something, I just wasn’t sure what. The Tolerance Day project was a great way for me to build relationships and harness trust with those invisible identities so I can further affect change down the road. Taking pictures may seem straightforward, and I was more than happy to offer that skill to the cause, but it was a big step out of my comfort zone. When appearing at the first Spectrum meeting I was nervous. Very nervous. I didn’t want to come off a certain way or say the wrong thing. I wanted to show I was a true ally and not just a privileged identity looking to feel good about myself. I really care.”
Excerpt from In-Class Journal “Failure” Spring 2016 “Being open to the idea of failure is something that took me far too long to embrace. I was so fearful of failure because I thought it meant just that. One shot, you failed. But when you look at failure not as a road block, but a simple hurdle it’s rather motivating. It will teach you to be better. It offers a lesson. No great mind was ever a great mind without a few failed attempts. Hell, you HAVE to fail to be put in the same catalogue as the greats. It means your trying. It means your out of your comfort zone. It means your making the difference.
embracing failure
summary: reflecting & looking fwd
th e o n ly w ay is u
p
Excerpt from In-Class Journal “Balcony: Personal Reflection” 9/29/165 “Leadership studies as a whole, is going well. The more time I spend, the more I realize how applicable these traits are to my everyday life and lead to the betterment of me as a person. However, it also has head a light on how uninvolved I truly am within the KU community and the groups I’m passionate about within the last four years. My classmates all have positions in organizations, attend meetings and forums, or at the bare minimum are communicating with those systems. I feel--in a sense--that I talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. How do I get involved? How do I do my part? My classmates are, or have, the resources I need. But now it’s time for me to take action, walk the walk.
Present Day, Late Night Before Portfolio Is Due Emotional, Graduating Seniors Over-Emotional LDST End Reflection Essay Pt. 2 Before I have gotten involved in what I am passionate about.
I am working at The Agency as a creative strategist, a goal of mine since
2015. I also have worked with Spectrum through my Legacy project. I’m taking a women’s studies class. I have worked with many individuals in several other organizations, helping tackle tough problems for their system. The leadership minor has opened doors for me that I never thought to be possible. We’ve made a community full of movers and shakers, determined to make a real difference within our KU community. What we’ve created in LDST will continue on with us through all our future endeavors. Throughout our future careers, friendships, and intimate relationships.
Whenever a situation is startling, I move to the second floor balcony for diagnosing. Whenever someone is upset, I look at their perspective. When I don’t understand their perspective, I think about their life experiences as well as my own to see where the disconnect is. I know my personality type, my triggers and my strengths. I know what I need and want from others to be my best self and how to ask what others need and want from me. This material is a guide book, leading the way to my own creative and powerful leadership abilities.
I’ve learned the strength of community through the minor. Without strong allies and confidants you can’t make it. You need people you can rely on and feel vulnerability with. You need to tear down the hypothetical walls. An organization is only as strong as it’s weakest link. Each and every individual is equally important and deserves the utmost respect.
I’ve learned so much in the way of social justice and privilege in this regard. Acknowledging the difference but not letting it be used as an excuse for different treatment. Knowing where you stand in the system and what may have put you there.
Each life experience has contributed to a person’s viewpoint. Experiences
shape a person; knowing and accepting this is the first step to healthy communication and understanding. These differences, if embraced, allow for a more robust, beautiful collaboration. Differences should be celebrated, not minimized. Systems are complex, and simply acknowledging the beauty in difference, or each person’s needs and wants isn’t sufficient for group success. Yet, luckily, the leadership minor has created an strong guideline for us to follow (and diverge from) and then follow again. Using the H,G&L book and the KLC Core Competencies, we can create and evolve to develop our own personal plan to face each, unique adaptive challenge.
One thing that’s for certain, however, is that we have the training to
approach each of these challenges with stride. Embracing the ambiguity, and not being fearful of failure. Rather, embracing this failure through SMART experimenting. Mistakes hold lessons, failure is a teacher. Opening yourself up in this way, accepting and utilizing your vulnerability, is something I have learned to do through this major that I hope to share with others throughout