Looking For Leadership Slowly
On August 26th, during class I learned that leadership is meeting the needs of other people not the wants. Leadership is an imperative skill in which individuals should embody in order to improve their communication with peers and leaders. To develop as a leader one must work on their knowledge, appreciation, behavior, relationships, and their reputation as a whole. Your behavior and the example in which you set out for individuals to follow, such as morals and values, play a significant role in being a good leader. Also, the relationships you form tend to help improve your reputation which is a necessity in being a leader. The knowledge you bestow on to your students is a major factor in exemplifying your true leadership skills.
Upon analyzing the portrait of a young black woman with a distinct, beautiful afro, bright eyes, bold lips, and a prominent posture, it is evident that she exhibits the qualities of a leader. It can be inferred through this portrait that this young woman is valiant yet subtle. Based on her posture and stance, it is discernible that she is a confident individual who is well aware of her values and her worth. Her motives are to be accepted, well established, and perhaps to become a well-known model.
I would recruit this young lady to spread a message to young black girls that although they may face harsh judgment from society, they should always remain confident, knowing that they are gorgeous in their skin. I believe that she would be extremely helpful in getting this message across due to the fact that she is a young black woman proudly displaying her natural roots without any major alterations to her appearance. She may, however, come across challenges where people may attempt to belittle her and tear down her character being that she is young. I presume that I would exhibit the same leadership skills as the young lady in the portrait considering that I am also a young black woman who is bold and self-assured. Similar to her, I am confident in my natural state and I am aware of my worth. Therefore, I am capable of helping others around me to also acquire these qualities.
A leadership skill that I would find challenging for me to obtain is regulating my emotional and psychological states to be what the situation calls for. Based on the situation or how confident I am, I can become impulsive which in turn causes me to act solely based on my emotions. It however is not challenging for me to recognize bad behavior of ignorance as well as making decisions with a view of the well being of the community rather than for myself. I am aware that failing to acknowledge the effects of decisions on the community can definitely hinder your position as a leader. Another leadership skill that I presume to be challenging for me is forming networks and regulations to solve problems. Despite the fact that networking is effective in accelerating one’s success, it can become very difficult and uncomfortable for me. Although I possess numerous leadership qualities, there are still a few components in which I need to work on in order to become the best leader of my ability.
On Saturday August 29th, when I read Chapter 2 on Kallion, I learned that menos in Greek means mental strength. In addition, it was interesting to me how the english word mentor, came from Athena trying to help develop Telemachus’s leadership skills so that he can be ready and prepared to be the head of the Odysseus household. Moreover, as I continued to read the story of Odysseus I felt there were a lot of lessons that could be token away. In Passage one, Athena gets Telemachus to call out the suitors who is supposed to marry his mother Peneople and who is also reponsible for devouring their food. She gets Telemachus to call out the bad behavior/ ignorance of the suitors and address his people’s needs which is behaviors of a leader. Before Athena came Telemachus was not acting like a leader and did not take the heir to his fathers kingdom, but thanks to Athena installing the skills and connections he needs, Telemachus will end up asserting dominance over the house hold. As I continued to read I noticed how Athena used the method of story telling in passage three to model “proper behavior “ . The first story was about Odysseus’s journey to get poison for his enemies . I interpreted this story as Athena’s way to hint to Telemachus what he needs to do get back at the suitors. The second story is about one of the heroes of the Trojan War an his commander who returned home to be murdered by his wife’s suitor named Aegisthus. His son then avenged his father’s death by killing Aegisthus. With this story I made a connection with Telemachus’s mother who is being pursued by many suitors who want to kill Telemachus and his father. I questioned if Telemachus would show the necessary courage and resourcefulness to prevent that from happening.
Athena gives Telemachus detailed instructions on how to get back at the suitors which was to be clever, creative, and ruthless. Taking these instructions Telemachus finally asserts dominance over the house, telling his mother Peneople to get back to doing work , in Passage four. This passage was the turn over from Telemachus’s previous character into the birth of the leader Athena has been trying to adapt. She then “ seals the deal” by sending him to Sparta and Pylos to meet the two greatest kings of Greece, in the Epic World and veterans of the Trojan War. Nestor in Pylos and Menelaus in Sparta, who will increase Telemachus’s kleos, which means reputation in Greek. At the palace of Nestor in Pylus, Athena gives Telemachus instruction and confidence on how to converse with the wise king. Ultimately, aiding Telemachus how to become a powerful king with powerful friends.
In todays class, Septemeber 1st, there were a few things that stuck with me. When my classmates and I were talking about some traits, attitudes, and motivations that help someone activate the best in others there was one response that I agreed with. Being honest and open with others so that they know and understand what they need to work on to elevate to the next level. Like the professor said, someone who is good at activating others potential, knows how to activate criticism in a way of uplifting them. There is a difference in giving someone constructive criticism vs. being rude and blunt. When we broke up into smaller groups in the beginning in class, one of my classmates said that impartiality, putting your own personal opinions and bias to the side, is needed to activate the potential in others. Another one stated that in order to activate the potential in others you have to have confidence and be well groomed yourself. If you can not take care of yourself then you can not take care of others. Lastly, I learned that kratos means domianace or power in Greek.
To reflect on everything I learned in class so far I can say that up till now I would assume that I have been a pretty good leader. In high school, I went to a predominantly white and Jewish school who did not have the many traditions and norms that I would see at neighboring Afrian American high schools. We did not have a football team , no pep rallys, homecoming, nothing that I was interested in . No cheerleading teams, dance teams, even step teams, so I took initiative to make my own. I decided to run a dance/ step club, which I named Umaja, meaning Unity. This team was open to anyone and definetely a mixture of girls joined. From different backgrounds, ethnicities, and races, it did not matter we all came together in Unity and had fun. I choregraphed dances, while my co captain choreographed steps, and by December our name was out there. The principle himself came and spoke with me acknowledging his gratitude and enjoyment with our performances. Because of my club, my high school extracurricular teams were finally getting more support. There was an inflation of attendance at basketball games, and support for other teams. Even though being on the floor, doing what I love to do, dance, was electrifying, the behind the scenes definitely changed me and my leadership behaviors.
Being a leader to your fellow peers and friends was a challenge for me . I learned that sometimes being too nice will cause people to walk all over you so you have to be stern. I also realized that it is okay to call out bad behavior, and it is a necessity to ensure that a pattern is not built on bad behaviors and norms. Additionally, I now understand the importance of forming networks to solve problems. I was faced with the task of completing everytask for my team by myself. I designed the uniforms, handled the financial aspect, traveled to pick up the uniforms, and I was so overwhelmed. It was not until I reached out and formed networks that I was able to not only receive help but advice, encouragement that pushed me to keep going.
By the end of this semester I hope that I can develop as a leader and maybe even learn some skills that I can use to activate others to lead. I also hope to learn how to regulate emotional and psychological states to be what the situation calls for. Right now at this very moment I would describe myself as an okay leader. To me, it depends on the group. I am have no problem leading and aiding the younger generation, maybe because I feel as though they look up to me, and actually care about my knowledge. Compared to my generation, who sometimes have a hard time showing respect or authority to their peers, because in their eyes were equals. I also want to learn how to sound more professional and lead more professional. Also I want to develop the skills and “ tough skin” needed by leaders so that I do not to become stressed over things and situations that I have no control over. All I can ask is that I become a great leader, and that I receive a flock that wants to led and guided.
