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.

Erica's Interpretation

My Rules!

Rule 4: It can be done.

Anything is possible! If you put your mind to it and are smart about gathering support and resources, you can make anything happen. Leaders are often put in a situation where they have to make something happen but it seems as if it is an idea that is so far away--and maybe even impossible. Having an attitude that nothing is impossible lets you stretch your creativity and innovation to push the envelope. I can use not only this rule in working with the team this year, but also as an attitude for everything I take on in life!

Rule 5: Be careful whom you choose.

I believe this rule is sooo very important. Be careful whom you choose to surround yourself with. As a team, you guys have not been put in a situation where you got to choose who you work with. As is the case in the real world. However, know that Leslie and I have chosen each of you for what you bring to the table and believe that what you can bring not only to your position, but to the team and to HLD. I would also say to be careful who your friends are, because though you may not be engaging in bad behavior, often times you can be mistakenly associated with it because of the company you keep. More than anything, be aware of your surroundings and make sure when picking a team (or program) that you look at all sides of a person

Rule 11: Have a vision. Be demanding.

To me, this rule means ' know what you want and go after it.' I think it also means to not only be demanding of yourself, but also those working with you. This is hard for me sometimes because I am very independent and like to do everything myself so that I'm not burdening others. As a leader, I know I must have a clear vision for what I want to accomplish and my goals, and then I must push those around me to help accomplish my goals and achieve my vision. Everyone remind me that it's okay to ask for help in accomplishing my vision this year, okay?! Thanks.

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

Don't listen to those who say you can't and that little voice in your head that says, ' are you sure? ' This is a hard one. However, if you are confident in what you are doing and know that you are doing it for the right reasons and to achieve your goals, then you should not question yourself. This one kind of goes back to having the attitude that 'it can be done.' It's a hard one, but a rule that can prove to be very valuable to accomplishing your goals and pushing the envelope to do the best you can.

Rule 13: Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

This one is my favorite! Having a great attitude that you can do anything, that nothing is ever so devastating that it is impossible to recover from, and that life is good is a great things to have. Taking a look on the 'bright side' never killed anyone. Like passion, I believe optimism is contagious and a great attitude to have. It's an attitude that says nothing is that bad, everything can be made better, and once you buy into this attitude, others around you will buy in too, and you will have an excited group of people ready to accomplish anything and everything! This is something I hope to bring to the team throughout the team, because I know that we can accomplish anything with a great and common attitude!

-Erica

4+5+8+9+13...

=Amarette's interpretation of 13 Rules of Leadership

Rule 4: It can be done.

The first thing that popped into my head when I read this: The Little Engine That Could For those of you that don't know the story, its a popular children's story about working hard and staying optimistic. While the engine, strives to achieve a daunting task, he says to himself "i think can, i think i can". I loved this story as a kid and I still think it has a great message. "I can't" should never be a part of leader's vocabulary because with the right attitude anything can be done. As a little kid, my mom scolded me for saying "I can't." She even tells her grandkids the same thing. Another component of this rule: don't let others tell you it can't be done. Use that as your motivation to get things done and accomplish your goals. Sometimes there are obstacles, but don't let them get in the way of your ultimate goals and dreams.

Example: Student Life or another office on campus might say some type of event or program just is not possible. However, you might need to rethink the way you presented the idea or find a way to do the program without offending anyone or maybe changing a component of the program. You just need to be persistent in finding out a way to do the event or program. That might require some creativity and thinking outside the box.

Rule 5: Be careful whom you choose.

This rule reminds me of what my used to tell me. "Choose your friends wisely." This rule definitely resonates with me because of my experiences in life. I strongly believe that the people who you surround yourself with have a huge impact on your life. It can be a negative or positive impact depending on the people. I think that's what Colin Powell means by "be careful whom you choose." In terms of leadership, I think its important to have role models and mentors, who have a positive influence in your life. It's also important when it comes to picking people to carry out certain tasks or helping you out.

Example: When planning an event, its always a good idea to ask for some help. However, you should always be wise about who you pick to help. Know the strengths of the people you're asking to help. If someone has a niche for graphic design, it would be best for you to ask them to help with advertising. However, they might not be the best at organizing a caterer for the event.

Rule 8: Check small things.

Details are SUPER IMPORTANT. This is something that I think a leader must always keep in the back of their mind. You need a big picture, but the small things create the bigger picture. The details can make or break an event or program. It's important to check and double check that all of your ducks are in a row.

Example: When planning a retreat for a big group of people, make a checklist for all the supplies needed for a successful trip. Double check directions to the retreat location. Double check the accommodations for the retreat and make sure the people going on the retreat are prepared for those accommodations. If these things aren't checked, things might not turn out the way you wanted or expected. That isn't bad, but its always best to be prepared.

Rule 9: Share credit.

Almost everything you do in life, you don't do entirely on your own. People have helped prepare you for the task or helped with the task. People have also encouraged you to do great things and be successful. While these people may not have completed the task or program, they've helped you along the way and also deserve credit for your successes. As a leader, it's sometimes easy to take all the credit for a program. More than likely, you weren't the only person that helped make the program a success. As the leader, its important for you to give credit to those who also helped make it a success.

Example: When a facilitation goes the best possible way, it would be easy for me as the director to take credit for the facilitation. However, the facilitators are really the ones who made the facilitation such a success because of their awesome abilities. They deserve more credit than I do.

Rule 13: Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

Living on the bright side is always better. Staying optimistic goes a lot farther than being a negative norbert. It's also very contagious. As a leader, its important to remain optimistic in stressful situations. If you do, everyone around you will start to see the bright side to life. Since coming to college, optimism has become important in my life. I've been able to experience life in a whole new way. I've surrounded myself with optimistic people which has only brought about good things in my life.

Example: For a program, you set a goal to have a certain amount of applicants or attendants, but were unable to reach that goal. You have two ways of looking at the situation: 1) I'm a failure and I can't do anything right. 2) I didn't reach my goal which sucks. However, the people that did come were able to have a really good conversation with the speaker. Or the applicants are exceptional and it's a bit of relief not to have to say no to someone.


Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!! I'm getting excited for training in August! ;-)