Final Post

As I read the final chapters of this book, I try to reflect upon all that I have read. But that is difficult for me to do, as all I view the final section -part four- to be the most meaningful and important to me. Courage is something I need a lot of work on. I always want to jump into things, and then I contemplate and analyze them until I scare myself out of doing it. For example, I have been expressing interest in positions in Gamma Phi, but eventually let my fear of messing up or doing a sub-par job get the best of me.

 I learned a lot from the chapter that discussed how hard leadership can be and how it is a humbling experience. I can visualize that. I can see myself realizing all of the hard work my current e-board does and saying to myself, "it's a lot harder than it looks". However, I disagree somewhat about how the higher up you go, the further you are from the base, where you started, and therefore it is harder to stay humble (coming from the word humus, meaning down to earth). I honestly can see myself being more humbled by a position, realizing its importance and the effort it takes to support and maintain it. However, there are occasions where I look to an eboard member and know she has lost some of her humility because of her position. I think, then, it really depends on the person.

I think everybody in the history of forever must read the chapter about failure being an option. Failure is never an option for me. In fact, good is never an option for me. I always feel the pressure to be great. But that's just it. It's pressure. From teachers, from parents, from friends and peers, from employers, from sisters, and from teammates. I want so badly to be able to venture out and try new things, but I know that if I do not succeed, I will be punished. That shouldn't happen. To Anyone! And if every leader from now until forever would read and understand this chapter, so much more in this world would be accomplished. Reading about Jeff Daniels and "The Squid and the Whale" reminded me so much of the time I was cast as Rizzo in my high school's production of Grease. Never in my life have I been a less-than-modest, loud, rude, mean woman, but the time had come to act like one. It was scary and new, but I tried and and succeeded with flying colors (so I'd like to think, at least...There are wose things I could dooo...).

The final sentences really drove home the point of the chapter for me. "Our challenge is to stay focused on the difference we want to make". This is so right. You take a leadership position in order to create change, in order to make your organization better. If you just stay focused on that, you will succeed, make a differene, and leave a leader's legacy.

It was awesome working with you all and I hope that I have the pleasure of working with you again in the future.


Jen Herzog

Last Posttttttttt

I was quite sceptical when I got to the chapter that was titled something about failure always being an option.  I read it and immediately knew that this would be the chapter I didn't agree with.  For me, failure is not an option, but at first I related it to school.  In regards to class and courses taken at school, failing is not in my vocabulary.  Being academically driven is sometimes time consuming and obsessive.  Getting a C in a class, is the same as an F for me basically. So when I saw this chapter about failing, I was ready to counter everything that the author said with my own opinion, but as I read on, the chapter was more about trying and trying again until you succeed. It was about the fact that you can't always get it right the first time, although it would be very convenient to get it right the first time, it doesn't happen like that at all.  There is always a chance that you will succeed it's just about how many tries it takes to get there.

LOVE ERIN :) 

Last post!

Agh! I can't believe that this is my last post for GLAD! I feel like it just started, and now all of the sudden Wednesday is our last meeting. It's been a great experience being involved in GLAD. I've met a bunch of awesome people and learned so much that will help me become not only a better leader, but a better person all around as well. I would definitely recommend that anyone that has to opportunity to should do GLAD. (:

This last section had pretty great timing- it's not the first time this has happened either! Right now I have the opportunity to do something that I've been daydreaming about for a while. The only things that are stopping me is my anxiety and my fear of failing. With that being said, a few sentences from the book stood out to me. The first one I came across was: "It's not about being fearless so much as it is the ability to control fear." This immediately stuck in my head because it's fits perfectly to my situation, including everyday life.  Having courage and fear are like having peanut butter and jelly (or fluff). First, you have fear, whatever that may be. Then, you find the will to look past that fear, focus on your goal, and come out successful. Has many different meanings though. You can have a goal and accomplish it- a pretty common view of "success". Or you can have a goal, not accomplish it, and learn something new- something that a lot more people should take into consideration. "Failure is always an option." The title of Chapter 20 says it all. We can't be afraid to try something new just because there is a chance of failure. There is always a chance to fail, but as the book says " there's always a 100 percent possibility of success. It's not about failing or succeeding. It's about doing. The more attempts, the more chances to get a hit."

Part 4 Courage

Out of all the sections in the book this has to be my favorite one of all. I liked that the book ended with talking about having courage, and how it is not always about those life or death moments or overcoming huge odds against you to come out on top, but those small moments that really test you every day. Courage does derive from something small you are afraid or uncomfortable with but you choose to not give into the fear and instead rise above it. I liked when courage was broken down into three parts; little acts can have huge impacts, one person can make a difference, and courageous acts flow from beliefs. These all are very true. I've seen people make huge changes just by asking the simple question "is this ok?" Whether it is asked in the context of where funding for the SGA is going and someone asked if that is ok that we are giving so much for something such as just a celebration, or in someone's daily life if it is ok to try something new or if the consequences are too big, even asking in your own organization if something that has been done forever is ok to do still, or is it not what you really stand for anymore. It is hard even with small acts of courage like asking "is it ok?" because consequences can be huge, it can cause arguments and fights. I've been witness to this in many different organizations I have been in. But the way I see it is that questioning isn't bad it takes a lot of courage to be the one that questions the status quo even if it is not always seen as being courageous. As long as you believe in what you think and you are willing to defend it, I believe you should stand up and as if it is ok. The second part of the list is my personal favorite, that one person can make a difference. It is true when one person is brave enough to stand up and say something or do something it can make all the difference in the world. This sentiment is even where my favorite quote stems from; "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."

Andy Belmore part 3 - Aspirations

Dear Blogary,

The third part of my epic adventure through my leadership book has yielded unprecedented results. Aspirations are more important then I first believed. Having something to strive for will affect the work of the present in profound ways. People are much less likely to follow someone who does not know where they are going. This is why I have taken it upon myself to pick a dream. Something to aim for above all of my other activities and projects. I have decided that once I have my dream selected, I will make leaps and bounds in my ability to lead others. Sooner or later, the world will be mine.

-Andy

Part 4 Courage

Courage is a trait that is hard for people to understand. Having courage is not about being afraid of nothing, its about being able to do things that many would not do. Courage is a word I know because when I learned Martial Arts courage is one of the seven codes of bushido. Courage is a trait that is misrepresented in the media. The media portarys courage a lot when it comes to a hero trying to overcome impossible odds, or doing an act of heroism. We all do an act of courage every single day in our lives. We all have the courage to get up everyday and go to school and try and make a living for ourselves. We may fail sometimes but we can not succeed if their is no failure. There is also no learning without first making mistakes. We all have courage the tough part is just learning how to show it. We are all afraid sometimes to be brave, to be courageous we overcome obstacles everyday because we have the courage to try.

Part 3: Aspirations

This chapter made a lot of sense. A leader has to be forward looking, they need to inspire others, they need to listen to ideas from others, and they are not always seen as the leaders of the organizations they are part of. The two things that always seem are a problem for leaders is taking time to stop, listen, and observe before looking forward to new things, and understanding the ideas of others. The first one I have seen be a problem for people because as the book said it's really hard for leaders to look forward a year, or three, or five. This doesn't just apply to Greek life, when I read this I thought more of my time as a Delegate in SGA. While the budget did go into the next year, we never really thought of huge things to do in the future for SGA, we only thought in short term goals. The second statement about understanding the ideas of others isn't because I don't think the leaders don't try; I think they try very hard. I have just seen people not understand because of lack of prior knowledge or different points of view because of life experience. This is just something that the best leaders I have seen have been able to work out how to understand others over time. Long term goals are something I think everyone should use, and that everyone needs.

The best leaders turn their followers into leaders...

Part 3 of A Leader's Legacy is all about realizing who you are as a leader, having a vision for the future, and including everyone else's aspirations into that vision. What struck me the most was the section "Leader's Follow". I feel like we're often told to be a leader and not a follower, when in reality some the best leaders are also followers. Every leader got to where they are by learning and following others; asking for help and questioning a process isn't a bad thing, it just means you're interested in others opinions and what they have to say. I feel like leaders get so hung up in being the head of something that they are afraid to ask for help or ask for advice. However, if they seek help it is going to provide a better end product and make the people they work with happy that their thoughts and ideas were able to come out in a project. All too often leadership is thought of as a single role. To gain a leadership position, you must get help from people and slowly make your way up to that spot. I think this is something everyone in a position of leadership needs to remember. I'm going to conclude with another quote I liked...

“Until you passionately believe in something it’s hard to imagine that you could ever convince anyone else to believe. And if you wouldn’t follow you, why should anyone else?”

Aspirations

Part three of this book was about being a leader and what you aspire to be like.  This section talked about how as a leader you’re not just aiming to achieve what you want personally but rather what the group wants to achieve as a whole.  It’s really important to have the groups best interest at heart.  A quote I got this from in the book was when the author says “Leadership isn't about selling your vision; it's about articulating the people's vision." Thanks to the New England Greek Leadership Summit at Bryant University this past weekend I learned from John Holloway about how values and passion determine your leadership skills. John was an amazing key note speaker and he taught us a lot about being a leader and made me away of utilizing my strengths and setting up my goals and positive assests I can contribute to the group. Leaders have credibility and are aware of what’s going on in the chapter as well as whats going on with themselves. Good leaders are able to keep their personal feelings separated from work so that they can positively affect the chapter. In the future I hope I can positively impact my chapter the same way our leaders now have been.

Leadership is a relationship...

I've really been struggling to get these blog posts written. I wasn't looking forward to having more work to do on top of all my classes. I made the commitment to GLAD and I'm determined to make the best out of it. After finally getting to read the second section-- thank you, Sandy-- I was struck by how much I actually learned. For the next section, I suppose it would be a good idea to get a head start on the reading so I don't post the day it is due!  I'm actually really excited to keep reading and posting for section three. (:

“Leadership is a relationship” is the first line in the section and to me is the most important. In order for a person to respect their leaders they need to develop a relationship with them and know about them and what influences them. How can you respect and trust a person’s decision if you don’t know anything about them? True leaders need to be candid and open about who they are and their values.

In relationships you want the other person to like you and the same is true of leaders and their subordinates. Wouldn’t you work harder for someone you like rather than someone you hate? Although not everyone is going to like a particular leader, there will always be haters who don’t agree with a certain decision or policy, it is important for leaders to want to be liked. I love the quote in the book that says, “If people don’t want to be liked than they probably don’t belong in leadership.” I think this is really true a leader should want their constituents to genuinely like them.

These were the most important parts of the section to me. And I am now excited to say that I am officially half done with the book and my blog entries…and doing today’s wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought!

Part 3

Leaders can be defined by many different qualities. People say that a leader needs to be honest, trustworthy, dependable and forword going, etc... Leaders are thought to be driven indivduals that have a passion for what they believe in. They feel like they need to complete this task because they know in their heart thats what they want. Take the Kony 2012 campaign that started this past year to catch Jospeh Kony who is one of the most dangerous war criminals in the world. Several individuals are working to bring him to justice and find him. The group was able to have the US Government provide troops to train the Uganda army to fight. These individual were driven and determined to do what they believed in. These people are following a vision that they and other people want to happen. A leader that can help give people the vision that they want is a leader that can do well in a postion in power. Most leaders are bad because they relie more on the individual and not the group. Leaders need to understand that they need to look at the bigger picture here. Take the President of the United States for example, there are two groups that fight it out to determine who has power in the Government. Sometimes we worry about these groups more than what the people need all we ask is that they stop their bickering and arguing and just be the leaders that they say they want to be.

Strength

I truly agree that any given strength can become a weakness. Although that may sound ridiculous at first, really put your thinking cap on... you can become cocky. Think about an organization that has amazing advertising.. what happens when the PR person graduates or begins to slack off. Then that strength rushes down and becomes a weakness. Should that happen, now an organization isn't advertised properly and lacking attendance. It is important to constantly keep up with all of your strengths so they stay strong; and work on your weaknesses. Practice surely makes perfect, but only if you are willing to dedicate your blood, sweat and tears!

I Spy...

Just because I envision a change, an action or have a new idea, it doesn't mean I can solely make that happen. Although I may be the leader of that vision, I might need some help. For example, I wanted to bring Domestic Violence Awareness to campus, that was my vision and I was the leader. But there was no way, I solely make that happen.  I needed the partnership and participation of our community and my sisters. With the participation of everyone, including residents, Greek life members and class officers, it was able to happen. It might have been my idea, but I needed help to make my idea successful. If I hadn't reached out, it would have stayed just an idea.

Being Liked

So in the second section there is a chapter that talks about being liked and/or loved in the workplace and while you are in a leadership role. I have been known to say things like "I don't care what they think about me!" Actually I said it most recently while in OSIL with MB. It referred to me wearing some clothing combination that most people would not be caught dead wearing. I meant it in a way to say, it doesn't matter to me what Sally Shortbread or Johnny Appleseed thinks about my fashion style. But After reading this section I realized that I should probably stop saying things like that. Although it really does not matter to me what some random Joe Schmo thinks and if he likes me or not it does matter if those that I lead like me or not. The book put it perfectly saying "He was a real jerk, but I sure was inspired to do my best for him." I care if the people that I lead do not like me, because that presents an issue that needs to be taken care of. I know that everyone will not like me and that is something that I realized years ago when I was really starting my journey as a leader. If you are a leader of people, eventually you will have to make a tough decision that not everyone is going to like. I have accepted that fact and I live with it everyday. I know that I have made decisions in the past that some people do not like but that is usually something that we can all get past and move on with our lives. Generally the people that I lead understand that I have to make the tough decisions and although it stinks, it must be done and they respect me and my decisions in the future for having to do those things. Ultimately I want and need the people that I lead to like me or else they will not stand behind me in my decisions and they will not want to follow the rules that I put in place and the things that I believe in. Ultimately I want to be reelected for my Sergeant At Arms position in the next election so I can continue to provide the same quality of leadership and continue to shape the IFC in a good progressive direction. And the only way that I will be reelected is if they people like me and want me to be there.

Post 1: Being a Leader

When I think of a leader, I think of someone I look up to, someone that is capable of making positive decisions to lead a group down the right path. But how do you become a positive leader? Is it something your just born with or do you become a leader? Once you are classified as a leader, it comes with a list of tasks one must complete. Many of your followers will constantly come to you for advice and always look up to you. As a leader, it is crucial to remember you are a fish in a fish tank: whether you know it or not everyone is always watching.

Relationships

    This section of the book relates to how important it is for leaders to allow people to know them. When you are a power figure some people find it hard to relate because they do not know much about you.  I have always believed that having a relationship with people you work for or work with will always make the job more comforatble. During my high shcool job I worked for a family restuarant who were family friends. During my first nights washing dishes I was so timid I would keep making stupid mistakes, putting dishes in the wrong spot, not loading the machine correctly, and I even broke a dish. It was the most uncomfortable night I've ever had. I did not know much about them, they were closer to my parents then with me, but it wasn't until I started asking Giovanni about his life in Italy and why he loved to cook he opened up and we became really close. I became comfortable in my work atmosphere and did so well that I advanced to waitressing. That was not the only thing that came out of become closer with Paula and Giovanni. As my graduation present I was invited to join them in a 14 day trip to Italy.
   I've learned from that work experience that sometimes it's better to go in right at the beginning and talk about strengths and weaknesses, because then it will not come as a surprise to a boss that you are struggling with certain situations or assignments.
    When I first became the New Member Educator in Gamma Phi Beta I was nervous that they would think I am intimidating or unhappy, but I could tell that all of the NM's were so nervous about me liking them that none of them were asking questions, they were all polite, quiet, and anxious. It wasn't until I did an Ice Breaker that the girls begin and laugh and talk.

Post 2: Relationships

Relationships. When relationships first come to mind, I think about a couple dating. But is that all a relationship really is? Absolutely not, I can think about the relationship I have with my family, my co-workers, my sisters and my residents. Depending on the population I am working with my relationship is slightly different. For example, I would never say some of the things I talk about with my friends to my family and I may not share my personal life with my co-workers, yet would with my sisters. But why are relationships so important as a leader? I think it is important to constantly stay true to you. Never to put on an act when interacting with a certain group, because that isn't fair to anyone. However, I think it is okay to express yourself in different ways when it comes to interacting with different populations. Being a leader and having a positive relationship with a wide variety of people will make you more open to all different types of people, allowing you to better serve as a leader.

Relationships

The chapters in the second part of the book pointed out how important it is to cultivate good relationships. Whether as a leader or not, having solid relationships with other people is essential to leading a fulfilling life. Whether in the workplace, at home, in school, anywhere at all, connecting and networking with people is tantamount to success. As a leader, it will be important for me to keep in mind how other people feel about me and the way I handle things. Being aware of the feelings and thoughts of other people is a skill that I need to master in order to excel in my future.

The Significance of SIgnificance

Reading through A Leader's Legacy, I have learned about some of the various qualities that are important for leaders to carry. It is also interesting to learn about some of the reasons leaders lead. Being considered significant is something that seems like an intangible goal; what may seem significant to some may fly under the radar of others. As a leader myself on this campus I posed the question to myself; do I feel like what I am doing here makes a difference to others and I must say that the answer is yes.

Being the associate member educator for Phi Kappa Theta allows me to be responsible for ushering in new generations to our wonderful brotherhood. They are charged to me to shape and mold into the picture of the gentlemen that we consider ourselves. Seeing the way my new brothers have changed over this past year has made me feel an unimaginable amount of joy and pride. Seeing my work actively help to develop out leaders of tomorrow is the greatest thing I have accomplished thus far in my collegiate career.

As an RA in a first year resident residence hall, I feel like my work is continuing in much the same direction. I am helping to guide the new members of this college into their futures and it is up to me to ensure that they meet their goals. I love my job more than I expected to. Everything that I do now makes me feel significant  whether I am helping one person or a group of people, making a difference is what matters to me. It's no longer about me and what I do, it's about having what I do make what they do great.

Part Two: Relationships

From the first page of this section of the reading I knew I was going to get a lot from these chapters, and I was right! I have always been the kind of person to give others the benefit of the doubt and recognize others' differences, so when I read, "People don't always see eye to eye, and people don't all have the same personality", I realized that this benefit of the doubt giving can also be directly applied to leadership positions. It's not always just letting people off the hook, though. In order to gain respect, leaders must form relationships with those who follow them.

When I was reading these chapters, I have to admit my mind did not go straight to Gamma Phi, but instead to my workplace. My bosses are very distant. They come to work, give us orders, oversee everything and check to make sure we are doing what we are supposed to be doing, then lock themselves in their office or simply leave. Though I have been working at Subway for almost two years, I know little more about my bosses than the fact that they have three children and live in Milford. I'm not saying that the reason they leave a bad taste in my mouth is because they never take the time to share about their lives or that they never let me open up, but I suppose it could be a prominent reason. As much as they drive me crazy, I realized from the book that the only person I can change is me. If I don't like the way they are doing something, then I have to change my attitude toward the situation. I can't change the way they manage the business.

My brain eventually did switch to my sisterhood, though, when I began to read the chapter "You Can't Take Trust for Granted". For leaders, trust is the willingness to be vulnerable and subject yourself to possible harm (mental, emotional, or even physical). It's a sccary thought. I want to run for eboard next semester, but I'm nervouse about giving my trust out freely, or that people will breech my trust for them simply because we are friends and they think they can slip past me. Similarly, I know I will have dificulty dedlegating and "letting my people go" because I like to have ontrol over everything. But it will be a really good learning exxperince for me if I do get chosen for another position next semester. I will have to trust that the relationships I have built with my sisters will lead to mutual trust and that both I and those who work with me will take responsibility seriously.

I am really enjoying both the book and GLAD, and I can't wait to be with everyone again tonight to discuss our strengths!

Jen H.

Part 2: Relationships

When trusting others as a leader can be diffcult for some, like if they will complete the task efficeintly and in a postitve light for the organization. The chapter's first sentence is important when trusting others since we need to value and respect others to trust them. When being a leader you need the people that follow you to trust and respect you for the decisions that are made to benefit the organization you are trying to better. When trusting a good leader it helps to know that the leader is not just trying to benefit them and their best friends in the organization, but the others sisters that are in the orgainzation that you might be the best friends with. When you have sixty five girls you are going to have drama and sisters not always getting along, being a great leader for that organization it would mean to not think about the people you do not always get along with but also put their needs into your mind as well.

By trusting a leader you must also take in the legacy that they are leaving the organization. The leader must help the future leaders run the organization so the goals that you gave the organization stay and will only get better over time. As a leader if you do not help the person that takes our position once you have ful-filled your time in this position does not give you a good legact or make you a good leader.

PArt 1: A Leader's Legacy

To be a leader is have pssion for something and the wanting to make it the best that it can be. With the passion for the organization dedication is also needed to achieve the goal of bettering your organization, because with out passion and dedication their would be no love or motivation to accomplish what is needed to be done by the leader. Once having having the passion and dedication for the organization a leader must also be a little bit self-lessness in order to scarifice other things that are important to that individual, so the other oblingations that are needed of the person can be accomplished.

To start my journey as a leader was shown different approached by reading this first chapter. It taught that teaching is a large part of being a leader not only teaching others in the organization, but to teach ourself to always have your organizationa top priority as a leader. Once you are a leader and do not have your priorities gathered in a way to hurt your organization the least, would the most harmful to the organization as a whole. Also being a leader means taking critism and feedback from others to see if there can be another efficeint way to help the organization.

Katy

Part 2

Leadership can actually change a person's life. When a person has a place of leadership they have that postion and carry it through out their everyday lives. If your the President of a faternity even when you do not waer those leaders you still have that title on you. It may not be a big flashy neon sign that you have over your head but its a title that you have until your time is done. Not all leaders are liked but a leader wants to be liked. People may not like the person incharge because of whatever reason it maybe but if that person was voted in then there a reason why that person was chosen. A leader had to be able to comprise and come up with solutions all the time. Issues may come up but not everyone sees eye to eye as it is said. That is how come compromise was invented because their may be two different sides to every conflict but eventually common ground.
Andrew Okseniak

Part 1

What defines a leader? That is a question that was asked the 1st time when I arrived at GLAD. Reading the 1st chapter of this book A Leader's Legacy to me is showing what leaders are capable of doing. I know that a leader will try to and do anything to achieve their one goal which is to be successful.I know that we all love to talk about the stories of how success helped out our organizations. Whether its getting 10+  new members or achieveing a high amount of community service hours, we all feel successful after an event. The event feels extra special for the chairman or executive board member who put on the event. They say that a leader has to be able to make sacrafices in order to achieve their goal and one of those sacrafices is time. We all take times out of our schedule to do what we do in Greek Life. One thing we learn is to be proactive when we do tasks, whether its looking for a job or planning an event, we all want to get the job done. To be a leader you have to work hard and get the job done but you can get it done if oppurtunity presents itself.
Andrew Okseniak    

Part 2

Part 2: Relationships

"Leadership is a relationship... between those who aspire  to lead and those who choose to follow".  This section of A Leader's Legacy helps to stress the importance of the relationship between the leader and the follower.  As a follower you must TRUST the leader to make the right decisions for the group however a leader can never lead on their own, they need the followers as much as the followers need the leader.  This section talks about how without a relationship, people will not follow.  I think this applies in my organization because although there are students who hold high positions on e-board, the sisters of my organization most likely won't follow or listen unless there is a relationship developed or trust gained.  We don't just give positions to anyone and one must uphold their position through the trust and help of other members in the chapter. Although it is thought to be better for you to not have too close a relationship with your followers, I personally believe this is not always the case.  Personally I believe that it depends on the position  you hold and the dynamic of the organization.  In our organization trust and leadership are taken quite seriously but I find that good relationships make for a better leader. Another aspect that this section talks about is the goal of trust.  "We lead our lives in the company of others, and that is where we leave our legacy". Legacies are passed down through word of mouth and keeping your legacy alive will be determined by your relationship with others.  If you are liked by your teammates then odds are they will talk positively about you in the future.  Trust is a big part of being a leader and having the best interest at heart for your group is important.

Another part of this section I really enjoyed was in Chapter 9, where the topic of trust is discussed in detail.  The first sentence to the section about taking trust for granted says "Trust is openness" which I fully believe because you need honesty and communication with someone in order to trust them.  It says "Trust is valuing other people such that you respect their opinions and perspective", which I also agree with because you have to keep an open mind and hear everyone's ideas and give respect to those who deserve it and not just ignore anyone.  There was one sentence that definately got me thinking and that was "Trust means moving outside your comfort zone and letting go of always doing it your way, or even the way that it's always been done before'.  This sentence got me thinking about Bridgewater and our Greek Life here on campus.  I know personally for our organization sometimes the alumni have trouble accepting change.  They believe the organization needs to stay the same as when they were active members.  If this were the case the organization would never grow and become the better organization it is today.  The alumni should not want to hold us back, they should want us to move forward, make changes, and make this organization better than they could ever dream it to be when they joined. 

Erin :)

Part 2: Relationships

I really loved this chapter, it's something I think we could all learn from. There was a statement that really stood out to me. "Trust is valuing other people such that you respect their opinions and perspectives. You listen to them. Trust means moving outside your comfort zone and letting go of always doing it your way or even the way that "it's always been done before" (pg 74). The first sentence I really like because that's what I think when I think about trust, valuing others and respecting what they think and feel. However, I think that a lot of people regarding the third sentence is where there is difficulty in Greek Life with trust, not just with Active members, but even more so with Alumni. I know from past experience and talking to some of our more recent Alumni whenever I or they have tried to make a change to something we have always received extreme opposition from the Alumni. The reason behind the Alumni not wanting change is because it has been a tradition or "it's always been done before". While I am not for taking away from traditions that made the Fraternity into what it truly stands for, I am always looking to make sure that what we are doing represents who we are today. I think many organizations have a hard time doing this because of the way things have "always been done". I never think an organization should take away from something if it does follow the core values of what their organization stands for (and as long as it's safe), but rather look into anything that doesn't exactly match up with those values and at least question what is being done and if it's something that can be improved upon to stand for the ideals that the organization is really about.

One of our Alumni Jen put it best when she was encouraging me to continue trying to make changes when she said that what we do now does not change what the Alumni remember from the time they spent as Active members of our chapter, but when we change something for the right reasons it should be in order to reflect who we are now, and what our organization has always stood for. The Alumni have over time chosen the people to continue on the chapter and those people have chosen us and therefore they should trust us because we all are extensions of the decisions they made. The alumni should trust us to love our chapters like they do and just want the right thing for them.

Sacrifice of Passion

When someone asks what I am passionate about I could tell them a lot of answers. I could answer I am passionate about my sorority, Greek life, my family, my friends, the beach and many more things. Something I learned while trying to become so involved on campus is that you do not have the time to do everything. How you can tell what you are passionate about is what your mind wanders too in times of decisions. In the past I have been a member of the frisbee, residence hall association, an office assistant and active in intramurals. In recent times I have had to look at where I can grow the most and build leadership and that in which I can is what I am passionate about. I have sacrificed certain activities for the benefit of others. It is not that I do not love those that I don't do anymore but it is impossible to do everything and I want to commit myself to those that I can grow. I know that the relationships I have made through those organizations still exist and that I can rely on my friends I have made but that I can no longer commit myself to the larger group because I have had to sacrifice in order to gain in other aspects of my life.

Sacrificing for the Better Good

Every leader of any organization has to make sacrifices for the ultimate good of those they lead. These sacrifices often times go unnoticed. I am fine with making these sacrifices for my group as long as it leads to an ultimate goal, or in some way bettering others and myself.  As a member of IFC E-board and an up and coming leader in Phi Kappa Theta; I am tasked with making decisions that will end up being crucial in the long run. I was voted into my position by the delegates of IFC because they saw the vision that I had for shaping Greek Life. They noticed something in me that they liked and wanted to see come true. When I accepted the position I was unsure of what really laid ahead of me. I had little experience in the field but I took it head on and am doing the best that I can, to better the Fraternities of Bridgewater State University. But when I took this position, I didn't realize the intense commitment that I was undertaking. There are countless meetings and leadership conferences that I must/want to attend to better myself and everyone. The time that I have and will put into this organization will go unseen and unrecognized by the vast majority. However I am okay with that because I know that whether my hard work, dedication and passion are recognized or not; that I am doing what is right for our community as a whole and I am making a difference that will outlast time.

Part 1- Significance

           During the first part of A Leader's Legacy it was interesting to read that the leader is invested more in others success and not their own. I've definitely gathered that being a leader does not just mean you are a CEO or manager (Greek life's can be e-board). The people who are seen all the time making progress for their chapter are also known as leaders. After reading part one I'm aware that I am a leader, I am the New Member Educator for the Gamma Phi Beta chapter here at Bridgewater and that right there makes me a leader. Although I do not consider myself a learner, I've now gained ways that I can become a better leader.
          I believe the first part of A Leader's Legacy opened my eyes to a different world of leaders and how to make progress with your leadership. By accepting honest opinions and feedback make me a better person while in my position so opening it up into my leadership position would help me grow even further.

Significance

                 When I first signed up for GLAD, I thought, learning leadership skills? Cool, sounds easy enough I mean I feel like its something we all have permanently embedded in our brains anyways. Be a role model, learn from mistakes, be someone you'd want to look up to. But when reading this first section of the book It dawned on me, knowing how to be a leader might be easy at first glance, but what kind of leader to I want to be?
                   How do I want people to remember me? All throughout life, people judge you based on first impressions alone, and its quite difficult to break out of that impression and prove people wrong a lot of the time. This got me thinking, I go through my day not really caring about what people think of me, and just saying to myself "if they don't like what I'm doing, oh well its not their business." In reality that's a very good way to look at life; however, most of the time we all spend to much time worrying about the stupid things people could think of us "oh how's my hair look?" "do I look fat in this?" "was what I said just now totally embarrassing?" When in retrospect we are worrying about all the wrong things.
                  Worry in general is not a good way to spend you're time, but the good things to worry about are the good qualities you have in you. As said in the first section of the book, what kind of legacy are you going to leave behind? This got me thinking, how do I want others to see me? How do I think they see me now? How do I even see myself? I think all of these questions have to be answered if one truly wants to be a good leader. In order to be a good leader I feel that you have to be comfortable with yourself and how you appear to others, before you can be comfortable having others want to follow in your foot steps.
                  Before reading this section I was like all of those other people I just mentioned, I cared way to much about what people thought about me for all the wrong reasons, and none of the good. There are so many ways to leave behind a legacy, some good and some are definitely bad. I want to leave behind a legacy to where years from now after I'm graduated and moved on from Bridgewater, people can remember me with good thoughts, and I can smile at the person I had become.

Part One: Significance

The first part of A Leader's Legacy was all about significance. My favorite part of this section was the chapter about individuals being the most important leaders in their organizations. Sometimes when you are at a lower leadership position within a group or an organization you feel powerless or less important than those higher up in the group hierarchy. This chapter did a wonderful job of showing that no matter where you are within an organization you have the opportunity to affect change and influence those around you. 

Leaders are not just the Presidents, or CEOs they are also the managers, the general labor, and in the case of Greek life, the members themselves. You do not have to be on your fraternity or sorority's e-board to be a leader. All you have to do is be the best person you can be and set a positive example for others in your life to follow.

I really love this quote from page 36-37, "Whatever your role in life may be, you make a difference. There is a 100 percent chance that you can be a role model for leadership. There is a 100 percent chance that you can influence someone else's performance. There is a 100 percent chance that you can affect what someone else thinks, says, and does. There is a 100 percent chance that you will make a difference in other people's lives." I think this quote accurately describes the fact that every action you do has an effect on those around you. Whether or not you mean to, you will influence those around you with every choice you make. 

Since we all effect those around us it is important to think ahead about how our actions will reflect ourselves, as well as the organizations we represent. As members of Greek life we need to keep in mind that we're "always in our letters" and strive to be positive role models in our community. 

Part 1

I really did like this chapter of the book about significance. It seemed to make a lot of sense. It was weird reading it in more of a retrospective view of my time at Bridgewater. Overall though it seemed like most of the groups I have been a part of have done many things right from what the book was trying to say. The part about being a "loving critic" really stuck with me though. It's true not everyone is perfect but people tend to view their leaders more harshly than anyone else. I started thinking about the past 3 years with this comment and it was true a lot of people don't know how to be "loving critics", people normally receive nothing but praise. This is bad for an ego but also bad because very rarely does everything go exactly to plan, there is always some room for improvement. However on the flip side of that I know how miserable it is to get nothing but grief for just trying something new with a group to see if it will work better. I think this is one of the things that most people need to work on doing, myself included. I think most organizations would run a lot smoother if people were able to be critical about everything that is going on while still giving encouragement to the current leadership because there was a reason why those people were voted into their positions, and while they may not be doing everything the way that was envisioned they are normally doing the best that they can.

Part 1: Significance (A Leader's Legacy)

Being a leader isn’t always about dedication but it definitely helps.  Having passion for something important to you means sacrifice.  You have to sacrifice a lot of time to be a good leader.  You also have to do what’s best for the group, not just yourself.  You have to be willing to give up certain things for the positive change to your organization. Something that stood out to me was that leaders are servants.  Leaders do what the people want, and what will benefit their organization in the best way possible.  The most important leaders are not the CEO’s but rather the people we see most often.  This section was full of new ways of thinking about the definition of a leader. 

Thanks to this first section, I now know how to begin my journey as a leader.  I know why being a leader is so important and how to attack the world through new eyes.  Being a leader isn’t all about who has the most knowledge or experience, but rather who can teach.  Something from this section that caught my attention was the phrase ‘the best way to learn is to teach’.  I had to think about it for a while but I agree with this statement.  I am currently enrolled in a class where the students all teach each other. While I thought this was a very lazy and peculiar way to teach a class, I have since realized that I do retain majority of the information that I personally present to the class.

Another section that stood out to me was about giving feedback.  I personally have no problem giving feedback, but I struggle taking it and applying it to my work.  I have noticed in any organization that anonymity holds preference for students over saying something to everyone.  Staying anonymous helps the person feel protected and they don’t feel the threat of rejection.  Thanks to this section I have realized that speaking out honestly is very helpful, so I will try to give more feedback because I know how invaluable it is and I will put these words into use for future leadership positions.  This first section got my thinking about what kind of legacy I would like to leave when I graduate and what kind of commitment I need to have for the future.  I hope through the suggestions I can take from this section I can do better for my organization and help out more by being a positive asset to the group.

-Erin

Part One: Significance

As I absorbed the words written on the pages of this book, I really visualized myself putting them to use in possible leadership positions I may step into. One of the things that really stuck out to me was how they spent an entire chapter proving that having passion for something means sacrificing what's important to you. By sacrificing, leaders demonstrate that they hold a certain position ro benefit the froup as a whole, not themselves. This really helped me conceptualize what would happen if I were to step into a leadership role. What is important to me right now that I would be sacrificing? Time. Time is incredibly important to me and I know I would be giving a lot of that up for my organization. Am I okay with that? Absolutely. I'm willing to make sacrifices for my organization if it means that positive change will be born from it. I genuinely want my sisters to have the "I want to do this" mentality as opposed to the "I have to be here" one. Another topic that stuck out to me personally was when they explained that to learn is to teach, and to teach is to learn. This applies to me in a few ways. First, the position I plan to run for in a few weeks involves teaching many people new things in Gamma Phi. Second, I plan to be a teacher in the future, so I flagged these pages for future reference outside of Greeklife. Requesting feedback was another section of the book I found appealing. I know that is something I struggle with personally because sometimes I'd rather not know how I'm letting people down and just push through it. But after reading this chapter I realized the importance of simply asking, "How am I doing?". I am enjoying reading this book so far and can already feel a change of thinking happening inside my head. I already make conscious efforts to think about a situation and try to apply what I've learned from the book to it before I act. I look forward to our next GLAD meeting and am egar to learn even more! On another note, I've never blogged before so I look forward to reading other Greek's perspectives and what stood out to them.

Greek Leadership and Development 

Fall 2012 is off and running!

Last night we held our first GLAD meeting of the semester. We have a great group of 21 students from 7 chapters. Our first session was an opportunity to get to know each other, go over the schedule, assign GLAD buddies, hand out of the book we'll be reading (A Leaders Legacy) and discuss our collective blog! The end  of each GLAD session is dedicated to journaling, in the least creepy way I could, I snapped a photo of our BSU Greek leaders busy working!

Be sure to follow their leadership journey this semester!

~Maribeth

The eve of a new class of Greek Leadership and Development

I'm really excited for Greek Leadership and Development to begin tomorrow night. I made the decision to move GLAD to Fall semester based on a number of things...the spring semester is always over programmed  but perhaps more importantly I have found our members come back to campus in the fall eager to jump in and get involved with developing their leadership skills and waiting until the spring semester just seems like a waste of precious time!

I'm excited for you all to read their posts and reactions to the book we read and the topics we discuss. It's great to be Greek at BSU and what better people to learn from than our up and coming leaders! We hope you will follow their journey this semester!

~Maribeth

Part 4; Courage

When people think of courage, leadership is not often associated with it. I was one of those people who did not make the connection between courage and leadership, but after reading this last part of the book, I learned that you need courage to be a good leader. Kouzes and Posner state it perfectly, "Leaving a legacy is all about making a difference. We can only make a difference when we take stands. Every one of us is capable of taking stands on things that matter. That's what it really means to live a courageous life." (132). Being courageous or having courage does not mean that we all perform these grand heroic acts, instead we prefer the smaller acts that come onto our paths of life. Leadership is all about are work that often involves suffering on the part of the leader. If a person wants to change anything they need to have some courage because without it they may not be able to handle the resistance that they encounter. Not every person in our organizations are going to agree with what we have to say, but we need to be willing to stand our ground and fight for what we believe in much like Rosa Parks did in 1955 when she refused to give up her seat. Courage is a true act of leadership and anyone of us is capable of it. To be a good leader we need to be willing to take a stand when our values are challenged or offended.

Courage is also very important when it comes to failure. We can't be afraid to fail because it is these failures that we learn from on how to do better or be better. Personally when I joined Delta Phi Epsilon, I was very afraid that we might fail at recruiting for it when there were only 15 of us after the original bid day in September 2010. I thought this because being on a campus were there are already two deeply rooted sororities, that no one would want to join the new one. Ultimately with the help of nationals and the support from the Greek community on campus we were able to recruit double the number of people from the original bid day. Needless say I was wrong. Yes, there have been a few bumps along the road, but it is because of these bumps we have learned how to become a better organization and better individuals within an organization.

My favorite quote about courage does not come from this book, it is actually from a movie (A Cinderella Story). "Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game". This quote basically sums up what I got from this last part of the book. Don't be afraid to fail. Failure is part of life and if you are afraid to fail then you will miss out on so much in life.

Part 3: True Vision

For me, the Chapter entitled, “It’s Not Just the Leader’s Vision” really stood out. More often than not people view leadership as a clear cut path of one individual that everyone else must follow. Yet, this is far from the true of the matter. Leaders should look to the future but not already with a predetermined “my way or the highway” state of mind, but instead with a mind open to all the possibilities the future has to offer. They should not only have this open mind toward future endeavors but also when it comes to working with others and listening to their ideas and concerns, to ensure the end result is the best version it can possibly be. One page 108, it states, “What people really want to hear is not the leader’s vision. They want to hear their own aspirations. They want to hear how their dreams will come true and their hopes will be fulfilled.” This perfectly expresses the idea that in order to be a successful leader, you have to include other’s ideas and ambitions. If all members are involved not only will everyone be more involved in the execution of the goal, but also they will feel a greater sense of accomplishment and pride in their work. Moreover, when people feel a connection to what they are working on the end result comes out better because their dedication shows through to their work. Next time you are faced with a leadership position, just remember it is not just you, who has an effect on the project; every member has just as much power over the outcome. In a way it is like present-day monarchs, at first glance they may seem to have all the power but they are just the glue holding it together while everyone else helps to ensure the forward advancement of the country.  

Part 4: Courage

The final section of A Leader’s Legacy deals with courage. Initially, when I read the topic I was skeptical on how this relates to being a leader and leaving a positive legacy behind. As I read the first chapter I began to understand exactly why the indeed are related. When you ask people, “what is courage?” some of the first responses may include superhuman feats, life-and-death struggles or overcoming impossible odds. This is, in fact, incorrect. Courage is defined to be, the ability to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear or being deflected from a chosen course of action. The word that stands out the most to me in that definition is “fear”. Everyone has something different that they fear. For example, a common fear in young adults is public speaking. Some people just don’t like to talk in front of a group of people especially if it’s a group of their peers. While others love expressing themselves and have no problem getting up in front of others.  Courage is acknowledging ones fears and facing them. So for someone who hates public speaking, it would take them courage to make a presentation in front of a class. Everyone can show courage in everyday situations. When people take a step out of their comfort zone to better themselves or to be there for others, that can be a moment of courage.

But being courageous isn’t always easy. “If they were easy, they wouldn’t require courage.” A lot of the time, situations that involve courage is a back and forth decision. Its when people use the “what if” scenarios to help them make an overall decision.  The book talks about how they asked people to think about a time of courage. I wanted to think of a time that I displayed courage. It was hard at first but then I realized that being a leader in my sorority has brought out some of my courage. For instance, when I was first nominated for a coordinator position I was so excited. But then I was thinking that all eyes are on me and how all my sisters are relying on me to do my job in order for our chapter to succeed. I kept thinking, “What if I do a bad job?” or “What if nobody likes my ideas?” but I took a leap of faith, ran for the position and got it! Now I try my best everyday to for fill my tasks and it is really paying off. My sisters really see my efforts and its giving me the confidence to run for even more positions and take on more leadership responsibilities. I realized that life goes on. I decided to go for it and be courageous and it as allowed me to grow so much more. “Fear and Courage go Hand in Hand.”  If you didn’t fear it, then it would never of took you the courage to overcome it.

One of the chapters discusses how “It Takes Courage to Make a Life.” It takes courage to have a meaningful and significant life. This interested me because I never considered myself a very courageous person, but after reading this it made me think about all the life changing decisions I made and how it has helped me grow over my life. I also took the time to think about what my life would be like without those life changing decisions. I thought about “Would I be as happy as I am now?”  But my life wasn’t easy and still isn’t. I work hard for what I have and what I have accomplished. But I wouldn’t of been able to do so if I wasn’t humble.

The final thing I took from this last chapter was about failure. People as ways say things like “failure isn’t an option” or “get it right the first time” but those two saying are just wrong. If it wasn’t for the mistakes in our lives then we would of never learned how to fix them and how to grow. “The reality is that despite the probabilities, professionals (leaders) believe in the possibilities.” This has become one of my new favorite quotes becasue it is so true. If you are not optimistic about overcoming obstacles then how do you plan to succeed in anything challenging?

Part 3: Aspirations

One of the most important messages that I got from this part of the book is that when you are leading others you have to not only think of what you want to achieve but what the group as a whole wants to achieve. There was a quote that I liked that fit the message of the entire part of the book: "If we are to leave a legacy that means something to others, you have to think about what they want and what they aspire to achieve. Leadership isn't about selling your vision; it's about articulating the people's vision."

After reading and rereading part three in A Leader's Legacy I finally understand that in order to be a good and effective leader we need to know our own values and passions before we try and force them on to other around us. In order to do this one needs to know their own aspirations because if you don't know you aspirations than how can you expect to be a good leader.

Out of this chapter I also began to understand more that even a good leader needs both help and advice from the people around them. If a leader believes that they can do everything on their own, without the assistance from others will most likely fail in what they are trying to accomplish. Being in a Greek organization means that you have to be willing to work together with others and help each other grow as leaders because if we don't do this our organizations will not be able to reach their full potential.

GLAD has really helped me understand what leadership is really about and how important it is.

A Leader's Legacy Part 3

Part 3 of A Leader’s Legacy, deals with aspirations.  It gets in detail the goals of leaders and how to accomplish those goals. Chapter 11 brings up Leading from the inside out. To be honest, at first I wasn’t sure what that meant. I was always told not to let your heart get in the way of positive decision making, but then after more reading I realized exactly what it meant. It was about finding yourself, your morals and passion. Before becoming a leader, one must find it within themselves why they want this position, or how important this means to them. For example, in a sorority we have many leaders. These are the people we count on as sisters to make sure our chapter runs effectively and smoothly. With that being said, the most desirable leader is one that is passionate about what they are leading. A genuine leader must find that excitement within themselves first in order to let that enthusiasm set free for the followers to see. Once they see how hard and dedicated you are as a leader in what the team is trying to accomplish, it will make them motivated as well. One man who described his new found realization was Mike Sullivan who said, “I realized that passion inspires me to lead and that I will need to make manifest in my work those things I am passionate about in order to want to lead and to emotive and empathetic with my constituents.”

Forward-looking is a leadership prerequisite is the title of the next chapter. It discusses the importance of leaders looking to benefit the future of their work or organization now. One statement that I love was, “They are the custodians of the future, and it’s their job to make sure that they leave their organization in better shape than they found it.” Nobody and definitely no group is perfect. They can have good times, but everything can evolve to get better. This concept, I feel, is important because even if it’s your first year or your last, it is vital to improve your followers to make the best results. However, one person cannot do it alone. They need support from various people in order to make the needed changes and achievements. This leads into chapter 13; it’s not just the leader’s vision. Being the leader means all eyes and decisions are on you. This job can become very stressful if you don’t have the right team behind you. Also, one person doesn’t know the answer to everything. By having support, these people can help brainstorm different ideas to go about situations. Leaders are like a coach. They make plays and motivate others but they don’t know what it’s like on the field. Sometimes having a player give a suggested play could be beneficial because they know what’s going on first hand. Not only is the coach being relied on for a victory. Everyone has a leader within them that needs to shine. Leaders are followers too.  

"A Leader's Legacy" Part 1 & 2

Part 1:

From part of “A Leader’s Legacy” I think the most poignant quote was, “We guarantee that what people will say about you will not be about what you achieved for yourself but what you achieved for others. Not how big a campfire you built but how well you kept others warm, how well you illuminated the night to make them feel safe, and how beautiful you left the campsite for those who would come after you to build the next fire.” (19)

This quote really stuck out to me because it states the truth about being a leader. Being a leader is not about what you achieved but how your achievements helped others or benefitted others. To be a leader one must look out for the best interest of the whole and not just themselves. If a person is able to look at what they do and how it will affect the future, than they are a good leader and are not selfishly thinking about what will put them ahead of everyone else. I hope that in my lifetime I can become this type of person because I have yet to master thinking completely about how my actions and achievements affect the people that I surround myself with.

Part 2:

I think that part 2 of “A Leader’s Legacy” is one of the more important parts of the book because it talks about the important of relationships. The relationship between the leader of a group and its other members is really important because without a good relationship it is hard for the leader to show authority. To build a good relationship within an organization, people need to let others get to know them and what their talents, strengths and weaknesses are because without these qualities we would not be human. One thing that a leader should never do is show favoritism to certain people because this can cause distain within the larger group.

Form this section one quote really stuck out to me, “No matter how much formal power and authority our positions give us, we’ll only leave a lasting legacy if others want to be that relationships with us.” This quote shows the true power of a group. If others you and others are not willing to create a positive relationship than it will be hard to function as one cohesive group. It is difficult to have a completely cohesive group because there is always the chance that people within the organization are not a fan of the person who is in charge of the organization. I think that even if the leader of the organization and certain members cannot get along, they can still function and still respect each other enough to not cause issues that can affect the entire organization.

Part 1: Significance

So after reading this first section of the book A Leader's Legacy by James Kouzes and Barry Posner, I feel as if I've gathered a good understanding of why being a leader is so important. It has nothing to do with what organization you are a part of, or what you have done within that organization. It has all to do with what you can teach people. Leaving a legacy is such an important aspect of being leader; there's so much more to it than just "What have I done?".

As I was reading, one section that I found really interesting was the section on feedback. This is always something that I have struggled with. Not so much giving feedback, but taking it and implementing it. Starting off by asking "How am I doing?" I feel would be so much more productive. It might take a while for people to actually say anything, but odds are if they do speak, they've got something really good to say. Getting honest feedback is so hard sometimes especially when in a group of 65 or more women. I also found it very interesting and true that people will say anything when anonimity is involved. Saying the feedback without that cover makes it really hard for people to speak out because of that fear of rejection. We've all been in those situations where we have something to say yet no one says anything for fear of the attack that we could get in return. I know that that is something I need to personally work on and now that I've read more about how important it is, I feel as if I might start giving feedback more often.

Another section that I found to be interesting was that the most important person in an organization isn't necessarily the CEO. In actuality, it's us -- the people who report to higher ups. If our bosses do not show what it is like to be a leader, it is our duty as employees and leaders to show the right way. This can be said in any organization in life. If we want something to be done right, we need to show people how to do it. I see this so frequently that we say one thing and do the thing we said to not do. It's human nature. However, to really make a change, we have to do what we say we will do. I feel as if people sometimes forget that people are always watching and its when a comment is made that we remember that we just complained about what we were doing 5 minutes before hand. If I don't want people to have side conversations, I cannot have side conversations. It's basic rules about life, yet people seem to forget it all the time.

I found this section really captivating because it reminded me of why I like being a leader and the importance of it. If we all just reminded ourselves about the reasons as to why we wanted to be a part of something then tasks will go so much smoother; things won't seem as tedious. Quite honestly, this whole section got me thinking about my actions and what the legacy is that I want to leave behind. It makes me want to do better for my organization and I'm starting to realize where I can begin on this journey.

~ Kara

Leadership is a Relationship

Part 2 of “A Leader’s Legacy” discusses the importance of relationships. As stated in the first paragraph, “No matter how much formal power and authority our positions give us, we’ll only leave a lasting legacy if others want to be in that relationship with us.”(p.48) This quote holds true for many leadership roles. Being a leader involves two things, the leader and the followers. I believe both jobs are almost as equally important. It is the job of the leader to delegate tasks in order to complete the overall project, however, if it wasn’t for the hard work of the followers then the tasks will never get done and result in no end product. As a leader, it is your job to make your followers not only respect you but trust you.  In chapter 6, “Leadership is Personal”, the author talks about how to earn trust by ones followers. He explains that leaders should take the time to show others who they really are including their strengths, weaknesses, talents, hopes and more. Even though very good points were made, I would have to disagree on a few of them. While I think it is very important that leaders take the time to open up and be friendly with their followers, I also think it is equally important to stay neutral. In my opinion, one of the worst things a leader can do is to create favorites. Even though that isn’t exactly what the book says, I believe by opening up, a leader develops a risk of favoritism. As long as a leader can share personal information to everyone and keep that neutral mentally, then I believe sharing stories or going out to dinners can be a very good thing for the success of the group. When the leader and those who follow are liked and respected by one another, that’s when the most proficient work is accomplished.

Unfortunately, a well cohesive group isn’t always the case. In some situations a follower may not like the person in charge. But conflict only makes people grow more. Last week we got to learn about how conflict may not always result in something negative. Sometimes there are going to be situations and daily struggles with specific people, but as long as both parties remain respectful, even in a dispute, then they will be able to grow as leaders, followers and individuals.

Being a leader can be a very overwhelming job, but if you have the right personality and ability to guide others then you can do it! One of the best leaders are teachers and that is because they are leading my example every day. Teachers have specific goals in their classrooms that they want to accomplish, and depending on the values of the student, it may be successful or not. The same concept holds true for any leader. They need to be liked, respected, educated and still hold dominance. 

Part 2: The Power of Relationships

  This section of A Leader’s Legacy helped stress the importance of relationships within a leadership position. One cannot lead if they are on their own since, “Leadership is a relationship between those who aspire to lead and those who choose to follow” (52).  Without this give and take relationship, people would have no idea who is truly in control, leaving no need for leaders at all. Yet, it is not just that need for a leader to step forward but the need for someone who cares about their team members and works with them to ensure the best for the organization as well as earning the team members' trust. Trust is extremely important, and one aspect of trust highlighted within the text that I feel is extremely important is, trust is not something that just forms and is then there forever. People have to constantly work to both gain, then build and secure a sense of trust, it is not something that is easily obtained.

 To go off of trust, leaders should also want to be liked by their team members. If your team members loathe you or feel as though you have no interest in their concerns, they will have both a harder time trusting you, as well as working with and for you. Sure, I could quote this book to death, but it won’t have as much impact as it would if I instead allowed you to place yourself in a scenario. So, how about this, you are working on a group project in two of your classes. In one class, the leader is uninterested in the project as well as the group members and just wants the project to get done, whether it is of good quality or not is besides the point to him or her, and the amount of work required of you is still unknown. Yet, in your other class, the group leader tries to actively involve each member in the discussions to try and gain both knowledge and new, unique viewpoints from each member, while setting goals and trying their best to distribute the work evenly with check-in deadlines to make sure everyone is carrying their load. Which leader would you prefer? Hard decision right? Well, I feel this is what this chapter is discussing, when it talks about the need for successful leader relationships. Everyone would prefer to feel part of the group and included in decisions being made, instead of being treated like they did not even matter, and that is part of  a successful leader's job. 

 No matter the environment or scenario: positive, stable, trusting relationships are necessary for any affirmative progress to be made. It is not as if relationships are only present in leadership positions, they are present everywhere, and are an important part of life, that people should strive to work on and excel at. Whether it be a quick smile and wave walking across campus, a first impression at a job interview, or gaining clients and team members’ trust in a leadership position, always keep in mind just how important it is to have that positive relational base.

 These are a few quotes, said by both past political and literary leaders that I feel greatly represent the message presented within this section of A Leader's Legacy.

"You do not lead by hitting people over the head — that's assault, not leadership."

                                                                               — Dwight D. Eisenhower

"The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people."

                                                                               — Theodore Roosevelt

"Trust men and they will be true to you: treat them greatly and they will show themselves great."

                                                                               — Ralph Waldo Emerson

A Leader's Legacy: Overview of Chapters 1-3

After reading the introduction, and first few chapters of A Leader's Legacy, by Kouzes & Posner, I have learned about the many different definitions of leadership.  The riveting opener in the introduction, quoting, "When we move on, people do not remember us for what we do ourselves.  They remember us for what we do for them," definitely sums up the theme and basis for this novel (10).  I do want to make a difference in the world, I don't want to live on accomplishing nothing, and being satisfied with flying under the radar for the rest of my life.  But in order for one to make a difference; commitment and self-sacrifice is of the utmost importance.  The readiness to suffer in order to make a difference in someone else's life, is a quality determined leaders must be prepared to make.  I know it's not life-changing, but I made the decision to enroll in the G.L.A.D workshop, and devote my Wednesday afternoons to learning about how to become a great leader, not only in the Greek community, but thoughout campus and throughout life.  But I must be willing to take the necessary steps, and be willing to overcome challenges in order to do so.
In the next chapter, the author(s) elaborate(s) on how the best leaders are teachers.  I definitely agree with this philosophy, and since I am considering teaching for my future career path, I know that from past experiences, the teachers I've had and the professors I have now, have impacted me positively and served as role-models for me over the years.  One must gain respect and trust from a classroom, but it is not solely given, it is earned. Every week in GLAD, we look up to the directors who present every week and look to them for advice in regards to managing our own lives.
In the final section, readers learn that credibility is the foundation of leadership.  It relates to a commitment and the willingness one is able and eager to put into a leadership role.  From a behavioral perspective, credibility is about doing what you say you will do.  If one never seeks feedback from their behavior, how will they know how their behavior affects others?  The author continues on to describe that the best leaders are in tune to what's going on inside themselves as they are leading and to what's going on with others.  Narcissism and acting conceited will get you nowhere in a leadership position.  A leader is considerate of others, not solely relying on self-absorption and their needs and desires, but what is important to others.  A leader needs to be aware of what's going on around them, and to be constanly observant.  It is a guarantee, that while leading a group of people, there are bound to be problems, disagreements and conflict.  The authors rely on setting up a system for getting regular feedback and paying attention to that feedback in order to move an organization forward more effectively so that the leader can have a positive impact on the group.
In conclusion to these sections, I have gained much more of an insight into becoming a leader, and I'm looking forward to taking more classes each week during GLAD and gaining more knowledge on the subject matter so that I may improve my everyday life and chapter as a whole in my Greek organization.

A Leader's Legacy: Part One

From the beginning, this book offered stories and examples that not only kept the reader’s interest but helped the reader delve into topics they may not have given deeper thought to otherwise. People typically correlate a leader with an individual that takes control of a situation, and gives others instructions of what to do. Yet, this is just a minuscule part of it, and after reading just the first part of this book you come to learn truly being a leader is so much more.

For instance, many people believe individuals’ ultimate goal is to accomplish their goals and objectives in their way and their way only. Although, in order to be a real leader he or she has to be willing to give back to the community or group to ensure the success of the venture. One part of this book that really stood out to me was the section that stated,

We guarantee that what people will say about you will not be about what you achieved for yourself but what you achieved for others. Not how big a campfire you built but how well you kept others warm,  how well you illuminated the night to make them feel safe, and how beautiful you left the campsite for those who would come after you to build the next fire (19).

This quote exemplifies the qualities necessary for a leader. He or she must not have just have his or her best interests in mind but instead the interests of the whole, while always looking at the big picture and future. If they are able to take away any sense of selfishness within themselves, then they can ensure the progress of their organization or company for the better while also protecting the needs and best interests of their employees and group members.

            To me, this is the most important aspect of a leader, and it is a quality I hope to possess, and master in both my time at Bridgewater State University as well as in my future endeavors. Without the ability to help others and put their needs before your own at times, the world would become a very selfish and ineffective society. One of America’s great leaders, Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough”, showing sometimes the best way to accomplish a goal is through that act of humanity and service, and not a militant approach which is unfortunately more commonly seen.