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.