Tim Coffin Week 3
I read Tim Coffin’s blog and I resonated strongly with the phrase, “When we immerse ourselves in nature, and begin to fully appreciate nature’s true genius, we too gain a sense of happiness. I strongly believe by caring for, and learning from nature, we too will become a happier, more resilient, and adaptable being. Happiness keeps us grounded in times of great unpredictability; happiness helps us see the true difference between a business that focuses on return on investment vs. one that focuses on return on engagement.” Tim brings up a thoughtful observation in the sentence, “Happiness keeps us grounded in time of great unpredictability.” The value that Tim places on happiness is subversive when you think of the business world. There is a lot of talk about ‘happiness’ in the workplace, and the importance of being ‘happy’ in what your job is. There is even more writings and conversation around the idea of ‘do what makes you happy.' Yet, what Tim highlights is that happiness is not just a feeling, but a tool. In this case, a tool to assist in unpredictability. If this was more apparent is how happiness is treated in the business world, I think more companies would take greater strides towards seeking happiness throughout their organization because then happiness makes good business sense. Jack Burton Week 3 I also read Jack Burton’s blog. I found myself connecting to Jack’s reflections on being assertive. “The next one is a big one that I’m still working on – being assertive – but it’s framed in a way that I identify with and recognize, being overly accommodating equals being a good person. This is just not the case and usually stems from having low or poor self-esteem.” For Jack to write this already shows he’s working towards being more assertive. Sharing of one’s vulnerabilities is a very assertive thing to do. It’s staking a claim on yourself. So often assertiveness is viewed as a negative thing, akin to aggressiveness which Jack also mentions in his blog. But taking the power to share yourself, your wants and your needs, is an act of assertiveness, rather than hiding our flaws or struggles. These connect on what I’ve read in Making Ideas Happen this week through the idea that connecting with community, asking for help and empowering others. For me this is powerful, as I struggle with working with others because sometimes I feel like when I ask others for help it means I am giving them my idea or project, because I lack the assertiveness to be able to be a leader and a team player at the same time. This comes out of my own fractured self-esteem and a need to be liked by people. People like when they get to use their own ideas, however that does not mean their ideas is the same as the one I am trying to execute. I need to work on sharing ownership of idea as it says in Making Ideas Happen. In regards to the happiness that Tim mentions, I relate that to the chapter on “the most difficult person to manage is you” in Making Ideas Happen. If I can keep in mind that happiness is an asset in managing a team and myself, I’ll allow for moments of happiness in both me and my time. A successful leader doesn’t mean one that sacrifices their own happiness for the team.
0 Comments
9/17/17 Heather Meyer
Seth Godin “Impossible, unlikely or difficult?” This blog post defined the differences between impossible, unlikely or difficult. Seth clarified that difficult can be achieved through determination and hard work but unlikely is an act of trust. Seth used the creation of the first iPhone an example of an unlikely success because it was a risk that ended up paying off. I don’t think nature categorizes things as impossible, unlikely or difficult, but I know there is proof of all those classifications in nature. Nature adapts, makes big leaps and moves forward. Animals are able to live in environments us as big brained, smart mammals can’t even fathom, yet that isn’t unlikely, that is difficult. Nature navigated the steps to be able to exist in those places. Power of Introverts/Quiet Revolution “Popular: The Power of Likeability in a Status Obsessed World” This blog post that detailed how humans tend to value likeability and popularity causing some people to rise up the status ladder and others to fall to the bottom. As our world gets more digital, global and fluid, it seems as if popularity is the most effective mode of leadership. I think about how much mental and creative energy we all waste thinking about what other people are doing or perceiving about us, that energy isn’t wasted in nature. Animals do as they please, which usually is looking to survive. I think if humans could start see the value in each individual as they are, then who’s popular and what’s cool would no longer be the intangible nuisance in our relationships. Zen Habits “A Short Guide to Starting, If You’re Struggling” This blog post emphasized the importance of starting with a small action first in order to start anything. I think as humans we tend to think big picture first, “I’m going to change my life.” “Win the Olympics,” “Be a Fortune 500 company” instead of starting with the actually first step: one small change. Nature didn’t make a ten-year plan before acting, it starts small. Leaders are frequently expected to focus on “deliverables” and be able to articulate what those service, products and actions are before even accepting the post as leader. Looking at nature and see that it embraces the unexpected and works with is leadership. In this interview, Desmond Tutu appears as a quiet leader in leading philosophy. He approaches leadership as “leader as servant” In this video LINK he brings up, “leading from the back” as in letting the people go their direction and identifying behaviors and getting to know individuals and guiding the group gently. He likens to how to heard cattle, which is an industry both used in Africa and in the American West, which makes a strong visual argument showing the power of a leader, is being the follower. In improv, we frequently speak of “following the follower” Here, Richard Branson comes across as the classic, visionary, leader, male, white. He is an energetic speaker and also speaks of ideas that are revolutionary to traditional leadership expectations. He speaks of the looking for good in employees rather than focusing on what people did wrong. As a leader, he takes it upon himself to create a fun workplace and to make everyone feel supported. Similarly, to Desmond Tutu, you could say this also “leads from the back” because it’s about supported the team, rather than glorifying the leader. This interview specifically interviews Madeleine Albright's opinions on women as leaders, instead of leadership in general, which for me makes it not an exact comparison of the other two videos. Even through this interview is on an adjacent subject to leadership, Madeline does make a great case that if someone is put in leadership, like she was Secretary of State when other didn’t think a woman could do it, that if people wanted to take to the US they had to talk to her. For me this shows the importance of taking leadership for oneself if you fall outside of the “assumed” look of a leader and to also take the risk to give other people those positions of power. Leadership styles, appearances only change when someone makes that change. One can surmise from the Madeline interview that she made herself valuable, even though women had not be in the position of Secretary of State before. This sense of purpose without knowing the "how," is also the mark of a leader. Overall, what is apparent is shift away from the classic idea of the young royal galvanizing his troupes a la Henry V and giving way to a more one for all, vs an all for one mentality in leadership. Leaders are recognizing they are surrounded by strengths different from their own. And cultivating their teams with supportive, connective, honest behaviors. Leadership models are ever-evolving due to societal expectations of what a leader should look like and behave. Even more so, leadership changes with the individual leader. These interviews highlight the variety and similarities in the new ideas of what leadership can be. It proves that, leadership is not a checklist. Nor a business suit, or behaviors as much as a mindset and flexibility. Heather Meyer 9/8/17 Creative Leadership Minneapolis College of Art and Design |
Heather meyer
. Archives
December 2017
Categories |