Tools for Problem Solving
Critical Thinking
I believe my skills within this area are Advanced: "Evaluates alternative perspectives, contexts, and the quality of evidence in making informed judgments. Uses critical thinking to solve problems in professional settings."
One of the most challenging and frightening aspects of managing my own business is defending my decisions to clients and employees. Because I make the decisions, I am entirely responsible for the reasons behind and outcomes of those decisions. I believe this challenge has led me to be more aware of alternative viewpoints. I have to consider arguments both for and against decisions. I also have to consider how my decisions will affect me, my family, clients, customers, employees, and even my suppliers and vendors.
In class, we have discussed many different leadership theories and styles. As I approach each of these new theories or styles, I have the opportunity to consider whether or not I could apply them in situations I face in my areas of leadership.
Another situation in class that has helped me evaluate alternative viewpoints and evidence is working with classmate Wes Hancock. He and I could not be more different in our approach, nor could we have more disparate circumstances in our professions. He believes a job should be done because it needs to be done with no reward. I believe a job can be rewarded when done well. He works in concrete statistics and facts in the military and I work in abstract concepts with civilian hiring practices, focusing on instinct and gut reactions to fleeting interactions. Having Wes around reminds me to be humble, attentive, and careful about rational thought and problem-solving. I can feel confident in my abilities without myopically approaching challenges and difficulties.
I believe I have used this competency the most since starting my new position. Convincing people to buy a product (in my case, tickets to a theatrical event) takes evaluation, empathy, consideration of alternative perspectives and evidence.
I also had an in-class realization that solidified my desire to be good at this particular skill. In working with Erika Keffer, I realized that my assumptions about someone may not always be accurate representations of who they really are. I may see Erika in a certain light based on how she behaves around me. However, the light I see her in may not show the whole or true Erika. She may appear differently to those who work to see in a different light. For example, if she and I disagree on something and she reacts to that disagreement by actively soliciting votes of confidence from others in the discussion, I may not be choosing a fair perception of her if I immediately see her as someone who requires approval. I'm also missing out on an opportunity to understand her side and perhaps grow and learn from her. Conversely, if I choose to go too far towards compassion, I am easing her accountability and preventing her from growing and learning from me. There is a balance to be found and in order to use the critical thinking skills required for a transformative leader, I need to walk an important line between the two extremes.
In class, we have discussed many different leadership theories and styles. As I approach each of these new theories or styles, I have the opportunity to consider whether or not I could apply them in situations I face in my areas of leadership.
Another situation in class that has helped me evaluate alternative viewpoints and evidence is working with classmate Wes Hancock. He and I could not be more different in our approach, nor could we have more disparate circumstances in our professions. He believes a job should be done because it needs to be done with no reward. I believe a job can be rewarded when done well. He works in concrete statistics and facts in the military and I work in abstract concepts with civilian hiring practices, focusing on instinct and gut reactions to fleeting interactions. Having Wes around reminds me to be humble, attentive, and careful about rational thought and problem-solving. I can feel confident in my abilities without myopically approaching challenges and difficulties.
I believe I have used this competency the most since starting my new position. Convincing people to buy a product (in my case, tickets to a theatrical event) takes evaluation, empathy, consideration of alternative perspectives and evidence.
I also had an in-class realization that solidified my desire to be good at this particular skill. In working with Erika Keffer, I realized that my assumptions about someone may not always be accurate representations of who they really are. I may see Erika in a certain light based on how she behaves around me. However, the light I see her in may not show the whole or true Erika. She may appear differently to those who work to see in a different light. For example, if she and I disagree on something and she reacts to that disagreement by actively soliciting votes of confidence from others in the discussion, I may not be choosing a fair perception of her if I immediately see her as someone who requires approval. I'm also missing out on an opportunity to understand her side and perhaps grow and learn from her. Conversely, if I choose to go too far towards compassion, I am easing her accountability and preventing her from growing and learning from me. There is a balance to be found and in order to use the critical thinking skills required for a transformative leader, I need to walk an important line between the two extremes.
Information Literacy
I believe my skills within this area are Proficient: "Selects and applies the most appropriate methods or information retrieval systems for accessing the needed information. Uses information effectively in a full range of academic situations."
I love computers and enjoy finding hacks for my technology. This is an advantage because I usually have a few technology tools or gadgets up my sleeve to resolve challenges. I also have a network of information I can tap when I need to find a quick method or answer. However, it can be a disadvantage because I do not always apply stringent requirements to the sources of the material I compile. This can lead to referring to information that may be incorrect, outdated, or hyperbolic.
In our last class, we discussed types of leadership related to Power. I did not test very high in the 'Expert Power' style, however, I saw a lot of value in this area, particularly as a coach and teacher of Junior High students. They are depending on my expertise and my ability to convey verified, reliable information to them in our lessons. Without that information, I would not be able to help them achieve their goals or express their talents onstage.
On page 329 of the textbook, one of the Chapter Takeaways says "To be an effective organizational leader in an increasingly global society, you will need to manage diversity. Managing diversity means taking advantage of a diverse labor force while coping with the problems that arise when people of different backgrounds work together. The goal of diversity management is to help all employees realize their full potential."
I know this quote seems more appropriate for the section on Global Awareness. However, I believe it fits in here because of the concepts and skills I gained from reading and applying the concepts within. If I treat every population that I lead as if they are diverse, I would not allow assumptions about understanding to cloud my ability to help them realize their full potential. Just because two employees are from the same city and state does not mean they speak the same language or have the same background. Even if those two employees are twins, treating them as if they had different backgrounds and therefore, different needs will provide opportunities to help them be their best.
The concept of Information Literacy goes along with that idea of 'pretend diversity' - if I approach all information as something that may be useful, I can have whole libraries available to me and those I lead. In my consulting business, I taught corporate human resource departments how to use the practices of theatre to make them better at hiring. The information seemed unrelated to the world of HR until I realized the connection between the two because I approached the information gleaned from the practice of theatre as useful for other areas. Just like diversity is a principle of abundance, living in the information age requires leaders to harness the abundance of diverse information for the good of those they lead. It is not enough to love the process of gaining information, a leader must also enjoy the process of relating and disseminating the information among followers and colleagues.
Please see the next tab 'Conclusion'.
In our last class, we discussed types of leadership related to Power. I did not test very high in the 'Expert Power' style, however, I saw a lot of value in this area, particularly as a coach and teacher of Junior High students. They are depending on my expertise and my ability to convey verified, reliable information to them in our lessons. Without that information, I would not be able to help them achieve their goals or express their talents onstage.
On page 329 of the textbook, one of the Chapter Takeaways says "To be an effective organizational leader in an increasingly global society, you will need to manage diversity. Managing diversity means taking advantage of a diverse labor force while coping with the problems that arise when people of different backgrounds work together. The goal of diversity management is to help all employees realize their full potential."
I know this quote seems more appropriate for the section on Global Awareness. However, I believe it fits in here because of the concepts and skills I gained from reading and applying the concepts within. If I treat every population that I lead as if they are diverse, I would not allow assumptions about understanding to cloud my ability to help them realize their full potential. Just because two employees are from the same city and state does not mean they speak the same language or have the same background. Even if those two employees are twins, treating them as if they had different backgrounds and therefore, different needs will provide opportunities to help them be their best.
The concept of Information Literacy goes along with that idea of 'pretend diversity' - if I approach all information as something that may be useful, I can have whole libraries available to me and those I lead. In my consulting business, I taught corporate human resource departments how to use the practices of theatre to make them better at hiring. The information seemed unrelated to the world of HR until I realized the connection between the two because I approached the information gleaned from the practice of theatre as useful for other areas. Just like diversity is a principle of abundance, living in the information age requires leaders to harness the abundance of diverse information for the good of those they lead. It is not enough to love the process of gaining information, a leader must also enjoy the process of relating and disseminating the information among followers and colleagues.
Please see the next tab 'Conclusion'.