Stage 1, Missing clip- Forming

At this stage the group is just beginning to form and come together.  Members learn of their tasks and things are civil and simple for the most part.  This clip, also from Remember the Titans, shows the forming stages of a new team.  Members are newly introduced to one another and what some of the team goals will be. 

Stage 2, Clip 3- Storming

“Im ganna look out for myself”

This clip is representative of when the going gets tuff and things among a group start to get difficult.  In these times of struggle it can be east for a group to fall apart like this clip demonstrates.  People become focused on themselves and loose track of what is really important.

Stage 3, Clip 1- Norming

This stage represents a team coming together.  This stage is all about identifying with others in the group and helping to contribute something for the better good.  We see this in the clip from Coach Carter when one of the players steps up to do pushups for his fellow team member.  This causes a chain reaction of positive teamwork. 

Stage 4, Clip 4- Performing

Teamwork= Success.  This clip, from Finding Nemo, is the prefect example of what can be accomplished when people choose to work together for the success of the team.  Everyone does their part in this clip, the pelican and the fellow fish all work as a team to insure Nemo’s safe return to the ocean.  With some trust in one another, they succeed. 

Stage 5, Clip 2- Adjourning

Although this clip starts with the excitement of being free, it is soon followed by a sense of sadness that comes from having to leave the group (sense of loss).  Aladdin and Genie realize that after all that they have accomplished they will miss one another.  Throughout the film they have formed a relationship and, although their goals have been achieved, this is something they will always have and be able to return to.

Communication is an undeniably critical part of being a leader.  In order to get your ideas and values known you must have the ability to tell others about them and get them to CARE about what your saying.  All of this and more can be achieved through strong communication.

            Before you can communicate with anyone you must know what message your trying to send.  What points do you have to make? Why should they care? What do you need from them? Understand this before you attempt to communicate it to others. 

            When talking to someone or a group, it is important that you know your audience.  A message can be much more successfully received if the leader understands how the audience interprets things, what interests them, how they learn, etc.   I recommend that every good leader attempt to learn this information about their audience.  Also, understand that your way of communicating my not work for everyone and its important that you are open to change.  For instance I realize that, in some instances, my methods may be too aggressive or straight on for some people.  In that case it’s all about adaption.  Remember you are the one trying to spread the message so do it in a way that’s best for the receiver. 

Communicating to an individual is very different then attempting to get a message across to an entire group of people! Some tips to remember may be…

1) When speaking to one person it is important to take into account how they best receive information and what their personality type is. 

2) Be in a comfortable setting where both of you can hear and better understand one another

3) Make sure that you communicate the information in a conversation, not just a one way information streak

4) Be sure that you are aware of the message your trying to get across and understand what you are trying to say.  No one will be able to truly understand you message until you do

5) Stay in communication.  Be open to questions later on and follow up conversations.

Finding ways to communicate among a large group of people can be challenging, but personally I enjoy it just as much or even more!  Keep in mind that…

1)  Be confidant!  People don’t want to listen to others who do not seem confident and secure in their message.  Relay your message and information to others in a strong way, make them pay attention. 

2)                 Explain your message clearly and informatively

3)   Encourage discussion to make sure the ideas are clear

4)  Keep people informed through facebook, text, email, etc.

5)  Use body motions, voice fluctuation, visuals or whatever you need to make people stay interested 

Over time I have been able to learn a lot more about my self and attempted to understand my thoughts and ideals.  What makes me who I am today? What experiences have shaped me? Who are the influential people in my life and why?  It is after evaluating all this that I am able to take a step back and realize how truly blessed I am and how grateful I am for the opportunities I have been given.  Considering this, I am able to determine that my biggest beliefs circle around love, respect, and compassion.  These are traits that I myself always try to exhibit and things that I expect to see in others as well. 

These three traits tie in very well to the experience I had while journeying through the tunnel of oppression.  It showed me how much our world can be lacking in some of these categories.  How harsh words can be, and how damaging peer pressure is.  However, what I loved most was walking “into the light” at the end of the tunnel.  Seeing all the good that people do and all of the kindness in our world is what gives me hope.  This is what proves to me that love, respect, and compassion still exists out there.  We need to show this! The tunnel was a great way to come face to face with the oppression that is all around us but also with the hope that surrounds oppression.  

ESTJ!

 

 "When we put people in boxes where they can only be one or another, we miss the opportunity to see people as diverse as they are"

In many ways this statement is very true in today’s society.  By literally “categorizing” people we do just that.  We look at entirely different personalities and attempt to compare them to one another so that we can better understand.  HOWEVER, I believe that, in a way, being categorized allows for people to develop further within those realms and better understand themselves because of it.  For example, because I now understand my categorization to be ESTJ, I know a lot more about who I am.  Not only that, but how I behave and things to watch for and improve upon in the future. 

I think that the MBTI very well described my personality in most of the categories; in fact it was almost eerily perfect.  However, two of my category descriptions were very much on the edge and therefore I feel as though I fall a little bit into both.  Before the test I believed that I would be categorized as a feeler instead of a thinker because I have many characteristics that fit both. The test also addressed helped me realize and focus in on some of my strengths.  A few of these are my outspoken and talkative qualities, being organized, keeping on top of things, being a model citizen and role model, and thinking through things logically in order to arrive at the best decision.  The test very well categorized these strengths and made me more aware of what it is that I do well.

The Leadership Challenge

Out of all of the leadership theories that our class learned about, the one that I feel like I connected most with was the Leadership Challenge.   This is a theory that has been explored by my other business classes and one that I have really taken too.  I feel like it is very applicable to all aspects of leadership yet it is also extremely straightforward and easy to comprehend.  The five practices that make up this theory are encouraging others, modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process and encouraging the heart.   These practices can all be applicable to my own life and leadership journey! I love that any person can integrate these ideals into their own life.  A student would be just as successful with these as a company CEO.  Any great leader needs to be able to do these things in order to be successful and respected as a person and a leader. 

            The only problem I can see with this theory is its simplicity.  However, who doesn’t like simplistic things! Not only this, but it is still a powerful and straightforward theory that encompasses many of the necessary traits that a leader should embody.  


Social Change Model
To describe the social change model I choose this picture of a team engaged in a activity.  I feel like teamwork and collaboration towards working on a common purpose are the most important pieces of the social change model.   This is what leads to the accomplishment of different activities and helps to get things done.  I like how everyone is working together and accomplishing things as equals. 

Hello, my name is Ashley Gustafson and I am a first year student at Santa Clara University in the heart of Silicon Valley.  Currently I am enrolled in the Business school there and will emerge with a Bachelor in Business Marketing.  I have always had a passion for the business industry especially public interaction in sales and marketing.  I come from a tall, fun, loud, funny, and involved family of four; I am the oldest child.  In high school I was very involved and participated in everything that I could and had an interest in.  Basketball was, and still is, my passion.  I played all four years in high school and lead my team as a captain during this time.  In addition, I was the founding member of an on campus counseling and support group called Peer Advocates.  We spent our time improving conditions on campus, presenting to our peers and providing counseling sessions to those who needed to talk.  From being involved in my school leadership class I learned a lot about leading large groups of people and how to reach the masses.  I love to lead, but I also love to follow and believe that there is always something to be learned from following and supporting others.  I cannot wait to learn more about all the wonderful and inspirational people in my Emerging Leaders class and develop more as a person!