Creativity and Communication

· In what ways are you good at creativity and/or innovation?

· What challenges do you normally face when put in a situation to be creative?

· How will you bring creativity to your position and in what ways?

Now onto a completely different subject, communication! Communication is a huge part of working as a team: write about how you are most easily communicated with and your favored ways of communication when working as a group.

I wouldn't immediately describe myself as creative, however I like to be crafty and colorful (hence some of my previous blogs). Sometime I can be creative with the computer and creating cool looking PowerPoints and presentation materials. I also really love to be crafty, but I'm not necessarily good at being crafty. For example, I like to be creative with my hall decorations and door decs. The hard part though, I come up with a genius idea, but struggle to get that idea from head to my hands. So usually I can visualize something, but I need some help putting that idea into action. In terms of Facilitation, I think being creative falls under being flexible in a sense. Sometimes element equipment is missing, so you have to come up with another element or another way of doing the element, which often involves being creative. For me, I plan on being creative with the Leading EDGE meetings. I think its important for our facilitators to be continually learning how to be a better facilitator. There are several ways of going about that, and I would like to be creative with their continuing education. I think also being creative with the element book that I'm working is important that way it's easy to read and looks good.

Communication:

So I would much rather talk to someone in person, especially if its about a problem or a difficult situation. It's actually a pet peeve of mine when people try to argue with me via text message. However, when setting up meetings, and working out details for something, email or texting works great for me. I will sometimes call people because it seems as if it's less effort than texting someone.

I'm excited to see everyone this weekend at the retreat!! :-)

"You can't amaze the world until you first surprise yourself.."

Overall, I do not find myself to be uniquely creative. Anytime I start a project or something of the sort, I almost always ask for other peoples input and opinion on whatever it is that I'm doing. I am not the kind of person that can simply come up with something creative on my own most of the time. When I have things and/or ideas to work with, I'm able to put things together in a way that is creative. I can be creative when given the resources, input, and not too much time to come up with something. When I'm put in a situation to be creative, one thing that always gets me is the brainstorming process. Either I'm able to come up with something fast or I think of something and need much extra input. If you haven't noticed, I find input/opinions vital in achieving success in creativity...much like Kermit's Rule 3-Bouncing Ideas.

I plan to bring creativity to my position on SLT by formulating different/unique/not-yet-attempted ways of reaching more out into the SEU community. HLD is an amazing program/organization on campus that not enough people know about/have misperceptions of. I hope to achieve "creative/unique" ways to reach out to the campus this year with y'all.

My absolute favorite form of communication is one-on-one with another person. It tends to be the easiest way to dig up what others are thinking about whats goin on within a group when out of the group setting. In the group setting, you'll hear mainly, what I call, surface level opinions. When I get that one-on-one communication going, I'm able to learn so much more. When I'm working with a group, I typically am the sit-back and take it all in kind of person, or the quiet one. If I have something to contribute to the group or have a different take on something, I'll voice it.

&& like Erica, I'm usually very reachable by text, phone, or email...in order of best way to contact moi!

I'm wondering if this is as long as I think it'll be...we'll see! Can't wait to see y'all in only a few days! So ready!!

Chris

what I'm not very good at ... and what I like to think I'm good at:

creativity... and communication.

By my mass amount of e-mails, it's clear to see that I often forget to communicate things, especially when I am not around!

I am not very creative when it comes to solutions or ideas that people want to come out of nowhere. I'm great at crafts (just look at my TOMS!) But I am pretty good at rearranging things to work. I don;t think that's being creative really, because I'm really just good at using what I have to work with. Coming up with things that are new and crazy really isn't my strong suit, so I guess that's where I'm lacking. I get really caught in details and making sure the little things are okay. However, I do try to work on my big thinking and creativity in order to make myself more well-rounded. It's just hard. Anyone with ideas on how to work on this, please let me know!

I hope to bring creativity to SLT in the way I approach what we do. I think this year is a huge growing year for HLD as a whole, and I think we need to think outside of the box on how to strengthen what we've established and how to find the little things that can make a big difference in what we do for the St. Edward's community. I haven't exactly figured out what this specifically entails, but I will soon. It's something I want to work on.

When working as a group and especially on SLT, I LOVE having face-to-face conversations. I also absolutely love e-mails that keep me in the loop. It helps me figure out what I need to do and what I need to ask people for help with. Knowing what's going on is a huge part of what I'm going to need from the team this year. Having one-on-one meetings (as most of you will do) will really help with that.

As far as more personal issues and just plain ol' conversation goes, I love chatting on the phone with everyone about what they're stressing about or what they're deliberating about. I also love texting because I can bake and text at the same time (I love multitasking).

All in all, I'm usually VERY reachable by either e-mail, BBM, phone, or text. Or just come find me at either my apartment or in the SLT office. Or class.

I hope you guys are excited for this weekend/week, I know I am!!

-Erica

Final Blog

When I first started working on my blog today I was sitting in the Lubbock airport waiting to catch a flight home to San Antonio. I just finished my last cheerleading camp today and was literally in the middle of no where-Lazbuddie, TX--30 miles from Clovis, NM.

Anyways, on to the blog.

When I was in high school, I never thought of myself as being creative whatsoever. I didnt like coming up with skits, acting in front of people. I couldnt sing, or draw particularly well. And then my English teacher, Mrs. Flores, taught me that I can be creative with my words. I loved writing papers, doing powerpoint projects, and group projects in front of the class. Writing just comes naturally to me. I would rather sit and write a paper for an hour than take a multiple choice test or do math any day.

I am a very visual learner so I believe my creativity flows best when creating something tangible. I am innovative when it comes to using all possible options. For example, if my mom ever told me I could do something the way I planned, I never took no for an answer and always figured out an alternative to give her. I can also put together creative routines, a skill I have picked up from cheerleading, so I am good with doing things step by step and in order. I learned that to be creative I dont have to know how to draw or sing, I can write and show my organizational creativity.

When put in a situation to be creative my main challenge is focusing on picking one idea. Usually the group that I am brainstorming with has a variety of ideas and its hard for me to step up and decide which one will work best because I am too afraid to be unsuccessful.

I can put my creativity and productivity to use by brainstorming new and interesting speakers ahead of time. I can also use my writing talents as I make my talking points and do my event summaries. Also, I can use my creative talents to attract more students to attend LSS events.

In the area of communication I LOVE EMAILS! I respond quickly to email and remember to do things if I see them in my inbox. Text message reminders also work well but I always appreciate an email with reminders and details of what I specifically need to accomplish. I work best when people give me exact instructions rather than beat around the bush. People can communicate with me best by being straightforward on what they need from me but also being sensitive to my feelings because I do not like being confronted harshly. I can take constructive criticism but I prefer it be in private and not in front of a large group. Overall, I believe I am a good listener and take direction well.

See yall soon!

-JM

j

Creativity and Communication

I am good at being creative when other ideas are being thrown out. I don’t really come up with my own ideas often, but when I do they always improve with others opinions and ideas. I am better with creativity if I don’t have too much time to think about it. If I am given weeks/days to think about something that I need to be creative on, I normally overanalyze it and it turns out terrible. In my position I get to be creative in socials we do! I also need to be creative in getting the mentees/mentors to attend both socials and speaking events.

I'm pretty easy going communication wise as long as your not yelling. Constructive criticism is great but take away constructive and it’s not fun anymore. I think equal communication is good so that everyone gets a chance to speak up. I generally do not talk too much in group settings because I’m trying to soak in what everyone else is saying before I talk. So it seems like I’m quiet but I’m really just digesting what everyone’s ideas are.

Last Blog! Creativity and Communication...

Chapter 16 (Moving Your Own Cheese)

Kermit discusses change and creativity in Chapter 16 of his book. Read the chapter and start thinking of how you will be creative on SLT this year, then create a blog post answering the following questions:

· In what ways are you good at creativity and/or innovation?

· What challenges do you normally face when put in a situation to be creative?

· How will you bring creativity to your position and in what ways?

Now onto a completely different subject, communication! Communication is a huge part of working as a team: write about how you are most easily communicated with and your favored ways of communication when working as a group. We will refer to this in training, so really take a minute to think about it!

Handling Difficult Personalities and Situations

Sorry for the delay...I went to Mexico with my family and completely forgot to blog before I left. But I definitely needed the vacation. Now its time for the craziness to start! :-)

How do you handle difficult personalities or a person that you do not agree with? Which of the above tips do you use (or should you use?) How do you like to be approached when you are in a bad mood or in a difficult and/or disagreeable situation?

From being an RA to working with Freshmen Orientation, I've dealt with many difficult personalities. Depending on the situation, I try to keep my cool and remember that if I lose my temper with the person it will only make the situation much worse. I also think its important to understand where someone is coming from in order to effectively deal with the situation or as Kermit puts it "Embrace Other Points of View". If you can understand where someone is coming from, it helps you to figure out the best way to handle the situation. Also, i think it's important to stand up for what you believe is right, but also knowing that there could be several right answers. I think "Be Firm, but Flexible" sums this up pretty well. I think this one comes in handy when working with a team. Like I've said in a previous post, positivity is something that I've learned since I've been in college from a very good friend of mine. "Be Relentlessly upbeat." Being happy and positive usually is contagious and takes less effort. So i think its important to remain positive in any situation.

When I'm in a bad mood, more than likely it has to do with lack of sleep and loads of stress. I'm the type of person that usually needs my sleep in order to perform well. The loads of stress sometimes can't be helped, but usually if I just have some "me time" then things tend to get better. So if I'm in a bad mood, just ask me if I've had some "me time". And if I haven't remind me that I need to do it and things can wait. As long as someone is listening to my point of view, I'm pretty agreeable in most difficult situations. I also prefer to talk about things and deal with them, rather than push them to the side. So if something is on your mind, please just come talk to me.

Can y'all believe its August already? AHHHH!! can't wait to see y'all soon!

Learning to Pick Your Battles

How do you handle difficult personalities or a person that you do not agree with? Which of the above tips do you use (or should you use?) How do you like to be approached when you are in a bad mood or in a difficult and/or disagreeable situation?

I have learned over the past few years that the most important thing to remember when dealing with difficult personalities is to pick your battles. I think this falls most in line with 5. Be Relentlessly Upbeat. I have learned that I try as hard as I can to concede on small things that keep the group or project moving while remaining optimistic that the project will be a success. I use a lot of these other ones in my personality to try and lead effectively but I think 2. Be Firm, But Flexible is by far my number 1. I have learned sometimes it is easier to work with personalities like that if you assertive at first(even if you know you are wrong) and then back off and reason with them. I have learned that when you command respect, it usually is given, and then those difficult personalities suddenly are a lot easier to deal with. Of course this all is contingent on you dishing out that same level of respect first!. As far as myself, I like to think I am fairly easy to work with in those situations as long as the other person legitimately listens to my side before countering it. I am all about mutual respect.

On a slightly different note, if it weren't for mobile hotspots, I would never get these things done. I have done every one of them in airports and I just boarded a plane so I have to stop talking. Cabo bound! See y'all in a week or so.

Matt

I've always had a pretty long fuse, so I'm not super worried about personality clashes. Im sure they will happen, and I'm sure we'll all make it through them. As a facilitator I recognize that we should be worried more if this doesn't happen.

I typically deal with personality clashes using rule # 5, be relentlessly up beat. It's hard for me to get too upset over something unless it's a personally directed insult, rather than criticism (constructive or otherwise) on my work. When I do get mad, I try to resolve the situation by taking a minute to step back and try to get a look at the whole picture, and after that hopefully the scenario will make more sense.

Don't sweat it-we're only human!

When I encounter a person with a difficult personality, I tend to remain silent and examine what the problem is and how I could go about fixing my relationship with them. More often than not, I just end up putting it behind me, which is a problem because then all it does is build up to a point of frustration with the person. If I do not agree with someone, I think about why it is I am in disagreement; why are they wrong & I’m right? Is their way of doing something more susceptible to failure? If I really feel I’m right, I’ll voice my opinion of why. And if I’m not, I simply let it go. In all of this, I always try to embrace other points of view and remain relentlessly upbeat. One thing I need to work on is showing my true feelings about any particular matter, which I tend to mask at times.

When I’m in a bad mood or a difficult situation, I like being approached in the same way as if I was in a good mood. But in a more toned down way in that I’m not being bombarded. When I’m in a bad mood, it often does not even have to do with the people that it seems directed towards (like you all on slt). When I’m in a bad mood, one thing that’ll also always do some good is positivity (and gifts!). (just kidding on the last one…sorta…) :)

You better not have a difficult personality....

I have a difficult time controlling myself around people whose personalities clash with mine so I learned a lot from Kermit this chapter. Usually, I get all frustrated and blow up at some point but the little tips given in this chapter will probably be able to help! I think # 3, show your feelings, is the most prominent because I am too nice some times when I am upset, then I explode which is fun. I also love the idea of # 5, be relentlessly upbeat! I think this can go for any situation, not just necessarily personality clash. A lot of frustration can be resolved by simply being upbeat and not too concerned about being dominant or the clash.

When I am in a bad mood I usually expect people to ignore the mood but I love it when people are upbeat! A lot of times I’ll get out of my bad mood by being around positive people/person for a while. If I am in a bad mood its probably from school and has nothing to do with SLT or you so don’t take it personally.

My favorite line of the book is “Always be happy. When people are in a bad mood, the last thing they want to do is hang around with happy people!” Love it!

Dealing with

Difficult Personalities

Staffing at cheerleading camps this summer has exposed me to many different personalities and people from very different backgrounds. Sometimes when I encounter people who I do not mesh well with, I usually try to avoid them and make different friends. I have done this ever since high school and its probably not the best habit, but it is how I deal with people that I do not agree with. I do not like to be around negative people or negative energy so I try to separate myself from those situations as much as possible instead of dealing with them face to face.

The above tip that I use the most is definitely Tip 7: tap into your inner best self. I turn inward and examine why I am feeling a certain way towards a person or why they are not clicking with me. At one of my cheer camps this summer, I did not quite mesh well with the other staffers who knew each other already. I definitely turned inward during this camp to find strength to complete it. I tapped into my inner self and kept my distance from some of the staffers. I knew I couldn't do this all week long, so during "mat time" I voiced my concerns and (Tip 3) made my feelings known. This relieved the tension among the staff and helped me bond with the staff. I learned a great lesson at this camp and now I know that you have to go through some challenging situations sometimes to grow as a person.

Tips that I should use next time in these situations are Tip 3: Show Your feelings, Tip 6: Embrace Other Points of View, and 2: Be Firm But Flexible so that I can be assertive but still learn to go with the flow and accept the challenges of working with diverse people with loud personalities.

When I am in a bad mood or in a difficult situation, I liked to be pulled aside and talked to individually, instead of being singled out in front of everyone. This makes me feel like the person who is pulling me aside is aware of my feelings and is sensitive to the situation and how I may respond. I also like getting positive feedback and knowing how I am doing at something.

Jane Marie:)

Difficult People...

My philosophy for dealing with difficult people has always bee "kill them with kindness." I believe that the best way to truly handle a difficult person is to be nice and respectful to them, and hopefully they will reciprocate it. To deal with and understand someone, you must pur yourself in a place to listen to them and understand where they are coming from before making assumptions and taking action against them. If someone sees that you are taking the time to listen to them, then it is possible that that person may try to do that same for you. I think conflict can always be constructive and respectful, and I believe there is no need for name calling and extension-pulling (Real Housewives of New Jersey shoutout!)

I really like the tips about being Relentlessly Upbeat and Embracing Others' Point of View, obviously--but I think that I need to take better advantage of other tips about being Firm, but Flexible. Sometimes I will bend and change my position to keep another person happy and avoid conflict completely, but if I know I am doing the right thing, then I should hold firm and not break.

When I am in a bad mood or being difficult, I usually just like to talk it out. What's on your mind, on my mind, why are we feeling the way we are feeling... etc. etc. etc. I'm a pretty easygoing person and I rarely actually get mad. But, if we are ever in a situation where we are not seeing eye to eye and cant seem to agree, just treat me with respect and an open ear and I will definitely do the same for you.

Blog # 3

Chapter 9 (Don’t Sweat the Small Bugs)

Hey all, post your response by July 26th!

In Chapter 9, Kermit talks about handling difficult situations and difficult personalities. After reading this chapter, pay special attention to the “Tips for Handling Difficult People” and answer the questions below.

1. Be Agreeable

2. Be Firm, But Flexible

3. Show Your Feelings

4. Don’t Make Yourself a Target

5. Be Relentlessly Upbeat

6. Embrace Other Points of View

7. Tap Into Your Inner Best Self

8. Give Gifts

How do you handle difficult personalities or a person that you do not agree with? Which of the above tips do you use (or should you use?) How do you like to be approached when you are in a bad mood or in a difficult and/or disagreeable situation?

Super late

Again, this is super late. Sorry guys.

This year my primary goal is to just keep everything under control. I feel like Im playing jenga, balancing SLT, a TA job, 19 hours of classes, research and then facilitating. I know it's going to be rough at times but I thrive under pressure. This next year I'd like to work with Amarette and the facilitators to rework the program into something more efficient and something that all the facilitators will be excited about. Im really looking forward to how much more involved I'm going to be. This past year there were all sorts of programs that I wanted to get involved in, but I didn't really know how to go about it. I feel like in SLT I'll get the behind the scenes look at what's going on and I'll finally be able to figure out how to get involved in all the things I missed out on last year.

Hope everyones having a fantastic summer,

Zach Fusco.

My rules

Sorry for the late posts guys, I've had travel issues and technology issues, and thankfully they're finally worked out.

Rule # 4 - It can be done.

I came into facilitators and SLT with very little large scale leadership experience in the past so this rule really stuck out to me. I think it's really important to take a leap of faith every once in a while and just go for it. I know that the upcoming year is going to be a learning experience for me, and while it will be daunting, I'm going to try to keep my eyes on the prize and just go for it.

Rule # 9 - Share credit.

Because I'm a member of the student leadership team, and working in an organization that builds teams, I think that it's important to maintain a team sensibility. After working with a few groups this past year I realize that some people have the instinct to take a leadership role, and that in most cases people gravitate to them. In facilitations we encourage this, but it becomes a problem when the person taking the leadership role also begins taking all the credit. Teams work infinitely better when every member of the team feels like they're making a difference, so it's important to treat everyone like they contributed regardless of what that contribution was.

Rule # 11 - Have a vision, Be demanding.

I think Amarette and I share a vision on what facilitators should be. We both recognize that the next year could be tough because we're changing what we expect (or demand) from both lead and co facilitators. The important thing is that we stick to our expectations, because letting things slide can quickly become a slippery slope if we aren't careful. As long as we lead by example and expect others to follow, I think we can look forward to seeing leading edge flourish and expand.

Rule # 13 - Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

College can tough time for everyone, and the minute you let it start to overwhelm you it can fall apart. That's why I think that one of the best things you can do for yourself is to always look at the bright side. The perfect example is the 2009-2010 facilitator retreat. We were pretty shy on details until the last minute, we got lost on the road there, and when we got there we found that all the mattresses were from the Texas state correctional facility. Needless to say, some people weren't happy campers. If it wasn't for Jorge, Reed and the rest of the more experienced members relentless optimism I think it's safe to say we wouldn't have accomplished anything, and the weekend would have been miserable for everyone. In the end I think sometimes it's important to just slow down, take a deep breath, and start renewed.

Rule # 12 - Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers.

This one really goes along with my first rule. I didn't expect to make it into SLT at the beginning of the signups. In fact, when I got invited to the second set of interviews I was pretty surprised. At that point I realized that I actually had a chance and I needed to start thinking about what I would do if I did get in. I could have saved myself some unnecessary self inflicted trauma had I just thought that way from the start. Needless to say, I think that a life spent worrying is a life wasted.

I am Sorry This is Late...I Suck at Life

Hello Everyone,

I am sorry this is late, my entire summer is wrapping up in 2 days and I am overwhelmed. That being said, I suppose I should have done this a while ago so I am sorry. I guess I will do an extra rule since I am late.

Rule 1: It ain’t bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.
Rule 2: Get mad, then get over it.
---For me, 1 and 2 go hand in hand. I once was told that having the ability to consider worse case scenarios and use those to calm you down can be a very healthy defense mechanism. Example, you get turned down from the grad school of your dreams. In my mind, I usually freak out for a really long time, like 5 minutes, during which I think about everything that can go wrong as a result. Once I am done with that, I am able to thing more realistically(have it be morning) and get over it. Make sense?
Rule 4: It can be done.
---This rule sums up how I live my life. Anyone who has worked with me learns that I think big, and I don't discount any ideas potential until I get told no, several times. My signature on all emails is Deuteronomy 20, "When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you." This is a constant reminder that no matter how bad the odds look against you, it can be done.
Rule 8: Check small things.
---Leslie, Brian, and I just had a talk about the small things. I think in life often times we think of the big thematic details like, "What huge speaker can I get to come to my event?" and we forget the little things like is there going to be bottled water at our event for the volunteers, not that I have ever been guilty of this.
Rule 9: Share credit.
---I think for leadership this is the most important thing we can do. Yes, I am a sorry Cleveland sports fan and we were just abandoned by Lebron. Unfortunately for him, he always said he did not have a supporting cast and this is why he didn't succeed. Today, one of the other players on the team came out in an interview and said how he was upset LBJ acted like he didn't have help and said, "He didn't do it alone". Acting like you accomplished everythign on your own alienates people and causes breaks in groups.
Rule 11: Have a vision. Be demanding.
---What greater advice to an aspiring leader. Don't just have a vision, but demand it to fulfillment. I think HL used this so much last year. We wanted to pull off something big, so each of us continued to push it until we had somethign we were proud of.

All of these rules are pretty great. With all of them though, I think flexibility is a must, if you follow only one of the rules to death, you could very easily be breaking a few of the other ones. Just my thoughts. Sorry it is late.

-Matt

Jane Marie's Interpretation of 5 Rules

First of all, I apologize for posting this late! The past couple of weeks I survived a hurricane in South Padre, a flood in Laredo, any my most challenging cheer camp. Now I back on campus for a few until to practice cheerleading until we go to Texas State for cheer camp!

MY RULES

RULE 1: IT AIN'T AS BAD AS YOU THINK. IT WILL LOOK BETTER IN THE MORNING.

When I read this rule, the first thing that came to mind was the expression sleep on it. I know that after an argument with my mom I feel better the next morning and am able to think more clearly. Sleeping on it gives me time to think about the situation and put it into perspective. This past cheerleading camp I worked in Laredo the staff had a hard time working on our opening rally. Because we had too many fliers, I had to base. It was frustrating because the stunt kept dropping and had been working on it all practice. Finally, we decided to stop what we were doing and try it again the next day. Sure enough, our stunt hit every time the next day. Having that extra time really energized us and gave us time to think about what we were doing.

RULE 4: IT CAN BE DONE.

I firmly believe in this rule and in the philosophy that you can do anything you set your mind to. When I was younger and in grade school, I had an attitude problem. I would fuss about every little thing. Then, on the first day of 5th grade, I decided that I wanted to be nicer to people. I put in my head that if I was nicer and started smiling at people I would make more friends. I also wanted to make good grades, so I pushed myself to get good grades in everything. From 5th grade on I have learned that I really can do anything. I feel like I can be trained to do something and do something well. I see this especially in cheerleading. When I want to hit a new skill I work hard for it. I go to extra practices and channel all my energy into it. I know that since things can be done, I can accomplish anything. I strive for excellence always. In high school I was nominated to be a member of the NCA staff, a group of extremely talented cheerleaders who lead high school cheer camps in the summer. I tried out and did not make it. Not making staff motivated me to want it more. I worked hard over the summer and my first semester in college to get new skills. I tried out a second time and made NCA. To me this rule has a special place in my heart, as I know I can accomplish big things if I set my mind to it.

RULE 6: DONT LET ADVERSE FACTS STAND IN THE WAY OF A HARD DECISION.

This rule completely embodies my high school experience. After 8th grade, I had a very difficult decision of deciding where to go to high school. I knew I would be attending a private high school, I just didnt know which one fit me best because I knew I would do well wherever I went. I decided I wanted to cheer for Central Catholic, the all boys school, and I knew to cheer there I had to attend one of the two all girls schools in the city, because both schools cheer for the all boys school. One of the two has a better reputation, is bigger, and more popular. I chose to attend the other school which was not as popular, wasnt in the best area of town, and was typically known for being less well-off. These adverse facts were very difficult to ignore and overcome my freshman and sophomore years of high school, but as I became an upperclassman and invested in my school, I loved my high school. Going there became one of the best decisions I have ever made. It taught me the lesson that you may not always do what is popular or what everyone else is going to do, but it may the best decision for you...in SLT's case, the team.

RULE 10: REMAIN CALM. BE KIND.

I feel this rule belongs to me and describes how I handle stress and frustrating situations. By nature, I tend to hold in how I feel about things when I am upset. I would rather not have others see that side of me and keep it to myself. This shows in my demeanor as my friends tell me how I rarely get upset. I do, I just show my feelings in different ways. This may not be completely healthy, as I believe emotions should be expressed. So I have outlets like cheerleading and working out to get my emotions out. Remaining calm and being kind has a certain aspect of self-awareness and professionalism. I believe that remaining calm in situations is a great way to manage your stress. I will definitely use this rule during the upcoming year as I may need to manage stress and deal with conflicting viewpoints.

RULE 11: HAVE A VISION. BE DEMANDING.

This rule is essential to leadership and life in general. Having a vision and being demanding and persistent to that vision will yield results. If you are demanding, you also are passionate about accomplishing something. To me, vision aligns itself with purpose. Actions steps and goal setting are a small part of the vision process but also a process of growth. Visions can always change with time but it is having a vision that brings you hope and a higher purpose in life.

Rules!

In no particular order, these are my choices!

It can be done.
I like this rule, because I believe that if I am given opportunity or responsibility I can do anything. All I need is an extra push to accomplish a task and then I am extremely capable. I know that I have the ability to do anything!

Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
This one should come as no shock. I love to smile. This smile helps get me through my days and I hope that it motivates others to lead lives filed with positivity. Laughter and smiles are contagious and necessary for any group.

Remain calm. Be kind.
I consider myself to be very calm...sometimes to the point of being on everyone's side without making decisions. This helps me as I laugh through the hard stuff or the stress that is thrown at me. Being calm and kind are two qualities I pride myself on trying to be.

It aint as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.
Sleeping any situation off clears the mind so that everything is ok in the morning. Spending too much time concentrating on something always makes it worse. I strongly believe in letting a problem sit for a while and thinking about something else. In the end, this is the best way to find answers.

Share credit.
I know that I can always do things better with the help of others. I love people and I love getting assistance. I would never try to take all the credit from the completion of a project because I know that there are so many other influences on me.

13 Rules-My Interpretation

Rule 1: It ain’t bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.

Whether this rule was put as number one on purpose or not, it is an important one that we forget too often. When I think of this rule, I picture myself lying in bed before I go to sleep thinking about anything and everything that's on my mind. More often than not, it is the bad events of the day that I ponder. I interpret the rule to mean that we should not ponder and waste so much time on the negative aspects of our day and overlook the positive. It is those moments of positivity that motivate us to make whatever is going bad better. And what we think is just awful, for example, a presentation you've been working on for hours, is really not as bad as you think. All you are doing now is critiquing yourself, which is normal, but unnecessary most of the time.

Rule 2: Get mad, then get over it.

This rule pretty much speaks for itself, but I’ll attempt to pick it apart. Just about daily, we are faced with obstacles or people that will make us mad, but getting mad will not do much to better the situation. To “get over it” is a blunt way to say it’s not worth time or thought. In school, SLT, or life in general, there are plenty of things that will make us mad when they do not go the way we planned. The best thing we can do is get mad, learn from it, and move on.

Rule 10: Remain calm. Be kind.

I think this rule somewhat stems off from “Rule 2: Get mad, then get over it.” A leader needs to be calm, collected, and kind in order to be successful in whatever position they hold. When things do not go according to plan, our first instinct is to get angry about the situation. Perhaps an event is not going as planned or we have a minor argument with someone on our team. In order for the situation to end successfully, we have to remain calm and be kind in any event. If we refuse to listen to other people that disagree with us, we rid the possibility of being better. The people that follow you are always watching you and your actions and if you are not a leader with a calm and kind persona, it is unlikely that they will look up to you as they once may have.

Rule 11: Have a vision. Be demanding.

Of all the rules, I think this one has to be one of the most important. I interpret it as meaning you need to have a goal or vision of some sort that you care about to be successful. When you have a vision, like graduating college with a 4.0, and you are set on obtaining that goal, you are more likely to achieve it. You have something to work towards with drive and passion and you will definitely be demanding of yourself. I see being demanding of myself as more of a positive thing than negative in that it attempts to bring the best energy and motivation. When we have a vision as simple as graduating, we have something to work at with passion in hopes of a planned outcome. However, it is also important to incorporate balance within our journey towards a vision. If we are too demanding of ourselves and fail to balance priorities towards our vision, we are less likely to reach it.

Rule 12: Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers.

I believe this simple rule expresses the importance of self-confidence. A leader that is confident in what they do because of experience and knowledge is more likely to be good at what they’re doing. It is important to take into account different opinions than our own, but they cannot be the driving force behind our actions. When we do what we think is right in a situation, we have confidence. We fear because we chose to go a different direction than other people think we should. Our fear is normal, but only diminishes our intuition. An example would be if a freshman were deciding whether they should apply for an HLD program when none of their friends were. They let the fear of an even newer environment overshadow the possibility of new friendships and opportunities.