SAIL

Like a few others on Piedmont 2nd, I went to AIDS walk in DC today. When I arrived, I was shocked by the sheer number of dogs present! Big dogs, little tiny dogs that I was in fear of tripping on; there were all types, and they captured my attention. But none caught my attention nearly as much as one Weimaraner (that a fellow LLC member so kindly pointed out!) named “Handsome”.  I was drawn to this dog in particular because I myself have a Weim at home, named Darcy. I must have talked to Handsome’s owner for the next 45 minutes.

During that 45 minutes, I realized how excited I was, just talking to another young woman about our dogs. And through that realization of happiness, I think I want to do something with my career based on canines.  It may not hold the same prestige that a doctor, or lawyer, or editor, or fashion designer have- but working with dogs would bring me more happiness than I can really begin to explain.

I know that there are careers out there that work with canines, but I never could imagine myself working in that field because I didn’t think it was “good enough”.  People, myself included, sometimes judge others based on what they do for a living.

Coming to terms with part of the assignment from last week- our critical life incidents that have made us who we are- I decided that it doesn’t matter if someone else doesn’t like what you do. You should find something you’re passionate about and make a career of it. I’m proud of my parents because they’ve both managed to do that: my Dad loves airplanes and works for the FAA, and my mom is super creative and likes to make things with her hands, and she’s an interior designer.

A job is a job- either way it will make you money. But will it be a chore that slowly drains you over the next 40 years, or will it be something that you’re going to genuinely look forward to and get fulfillment out of? Please share your thoughts!

I was looking at articles about leadership and I came upon this. The title of the article is Walk the Talk: Four Tips to be an Extraordinary Leader. The article is more business orientated. It still applies to almost all leadership positions. I agree with his opening statement. He says that there are 2 types of leaders. There are the ones who speak, and then there are the ones that do.

The next tip he gives on leadership is about how leaders should put their followers needs before their own. This is a good idea because to lead you need followers. Leaders have to keep their followers happy.

Anther point he talks about is that that leaders should show that they care about their followers. This is good in my opinion because everyone can say that they care about a person but never show it. A way that the author gives is by listening to their opinion and valuing it. That is a very important concept that should be used.

Lou Holtz is one of my favorite people in the whole wide world not just because he is one of the greatest football coaches of all time. It is because he knows what it takes to succeed through all types of adversity. Coach Holtz talks about a lot of key things in this video that are relevant to not just being a great leader but overall being an amazing person. As leaders our job is to form a team. Forming a team is not all about putting play makers in good positions or having the right strategy so that it fits the talents and limitations of the individuals on the team. A team is a group of people that have come together for a common goal and are willing to do anything for each other so that they can reach that goal. When working towards that goal as a team, the team should be ready to give help an individual so that every member of the team can make an equal contribution.  As leaders I feel that we should take that concept into consideration when we use our leadership talents to manage others. Every chain is as strong as its weakest link, every door is as strong as it hinges, every rope is dependent on its fibers, and every family is as strong as its craziest member.

Hello everyone! I was reading an article online titled Matthew Sails, the story is about accepting known differences among people. Matthew, in the story is a special needs student who has cerebral palsy which afflicts his breathing, talking, and laughing. He and some of his other class mates have the same disability. But for Matthew, it strains his movement and speech too such an extant that he had to point to letters on a chalkbord, making words, in order to be understood by his peers and teacher. Read the rest of this entry »

Some people are natural born leaders while others seem to cultivate important leadership characteristics. Whatever applies, I feel that it is important to exercise leadership skills. A lot of times people underestimate themselves or they convince themselves that they are not good enough or that someone is better than them in a specified area. However, I feel that it is essential that everyone use their leadership capabilities for the betterment of their communities and society as a whole! I have a question for everyone…Is being a leader a responsibility or a privilege? By book definition a responsibility is the ability or authority to act on one’s own without supervision while a privilege is defined as special advantage, right, or benefit granted to or enjoyed by an individual. So what is it? Personally, I feel like it is both. If naturally, you are given the talent then why not use it? Furthermore, if authority is used in the wrong manner it can be taken away.

What can you do to make sure this does not happen to you?

• Whenever you can be of service to someone or the community, DO IT!
• NEVER take advantage of authority, Be grateful for being elected into your position!
• Do not forget why you became a leader to begin with, because like most things in life-they can be snatched away at any moment and you do not want to be left with “what if” situations.

Ultimately, we are the decisive factors in the way we choose to lead, and first we must lead as an example.

 

That’s my take on leadership as a responsibility vs a privilege..

Thanks for reading!

Tediah Grant

I think a lot of problems associated with leadership today is centered around perfectionism. We all strive to be perfect in what we do, whether it’s leading a team or a various organization. Although perfection is what we all strive for, we all know that that is an unrealistic goal. Instead, leaders sometimes need to take a step back to refresh our minds and readjust to various circumstances that are presented before us. So, in the name of the leadership, I’ve provided a few helpful tips for leaders:

• When a situation is stressful, don’t overwhelm yourself insisting that it’s solved instantaniously
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help- it does not make you look weak or incompetent
• Know when to take the backseat- DON’T BE POWER HUNGRY!
• Recognize the strengths of individuals on your team and utilize them

Being a leader is often a daunting task, but it is nothing to feel inferior to. And if you don’t believe me, follow these rules from Colin Powell:

Until next time,

Keilah Sutton