Final Leadership Blog

So for the Final Blog, we are supposed to reflect upon what we have learned throughout the course, and how we have been able to apply it to our leadership roles in life.  Here we go...

• How have you been able to apply what you have learned about leadership?
• There have been a lot of ways that I have been able to apply what I've learned about leadership, especially in my role in my fraternity.  I have really been able to apply the idea of Understanding Change in my organization.  With our Housing Association moving forward to remodel our house for the University's Sophomore Housing project, there has been a lot of change going on.  Changes in the way rooms will be set up.  Changes in our housing rules.  Changes in the culture of the fraternity as a whole. I have really been able to use what I have learned in facilitating change, as well as understanding change on a personal level to help me push myself and my organization through this change process.
• Another aspect of leadership that I have been able to apply recently is Renewal.  Before I stepped in as President, a lot of things were done, or not done, in our organization for the simple reason that they were done that way in the past.  I have really been able to apply the Renewal process in my journey to make my organization better. Asking simple things about why we exist as a fraternity and not just a house of guys.  Letting the guys think about what it means to be a fraternity and what it means to be AGS.  From this our organization was able decide what is important to us, what new changes we wanted to make, and then how we were going to go about putting these changes into effect.  From here, I ensured that people understood that they were accountable for these new changes, but I also empowered people to take their new responsibilities and allow them to accomplish their tasks in their own unique ways.
• How are you more aware of yourself?
• I think having this leadership book, as well as interacting with other leaders of different organizations has really made me more aware of myself.  Before, I was always questioning myself about whether or not the thoughts, or actions that I was taking in my organization was leadership, and if so what kind.  Having a leadership book allows me to apply a name or concept to what I am doing.  It has also given me different ideas of approaches to issues that in the end, might result in a different, more positive outcome for our organization.  Interacting with other people who are leaders in their organizations is probably what effected me the most.  Before, I sometimes felt like I wasn't making much of a difference because of the way that people in my fraternity were responding to me.  However, listening to leaders of other organizations going through similar problems, and listening to how the are able to rationalize how what they are doing is in the end going to make a positive change, makes me feel like I'm actually moving in a good direction with my fraternity.  In the end, I guess I really have become more confident with myself as a leader.
• What things do you now see differently? How are you changing?
• I think Understanding Others has really made me view people or actions differently.  Before, when people or actions made me upset or unhappy, I just thought they were doing it despite the way they knew I would feel about it.  (if that makes sense)  Now, after reading the Understanding Others portion of this book, I view people and actions in a different light.  Instead of becoming instantly upset or disappointed, I've begun to ask myself why they are doing what they're doing.  Maybe sometimes they are doing it just to spite me? But, what if they're doing it because of something I've done in the organization that they arn't happy with?  Maybe that is the way the person has been all of their life, so maybe I shouldn't let it bother me that much?  These are just some questions that I have begun to ask myself when different issues arise. 
• I believe that I am changing a great deal in my leadership position.  Understanding others has begun to make me try and find commonalities with people, which begins to influence the decisions I make or the actions I take because I'll understand that it may make them upset, or uncomfortable.  Understanding Others has allowed me to look at a bunch of alternatives to a situation to find what will best suit everyone, instead of the one I know will work, but might not be that popular.  I have also changed in the way my friendships are.  Before, I sometimes let my friendship influence my decision making.  Now, I have really learned to separate my friendships from the "business of the fraternity", allowing me to make more clear, unbiased decisions.
• How will you continue your learning about leadership?
• I think I will continually be learning about leadership throughout my whole life.  Taking new roles in different organizations will help me to expand my views of the world and what makes different organizations tick.  I'm sure in my work place, I will end up in some type of leadership position at one time or another.  Constantly being involved in groups and organizations will allow me to continue learning about leadership.
• I will also continue learning about leadership through my leadership classes that I will take on my way to minoring in leadership studies.
• What is your own philosophy of leadership?
• I think my philosophy of leadership is quite simple.  Leadership is having the passion to make an organization, community, family or whatever you may be involved in or care about more than just another run-of-the-mill group.  Leadership is about influencing, or bringing out the best in people.  Leadership is broadening not only your own horizons, but the horizons of people around you.