MSLD 511 Personal Blog

Reflecting on the language within my office and how it primarily is specific to my workplace was difficult for me to identify at first. I realized this was because I have become used to the verbiage. A few of the words that are circulated often in my workplace but carry a different meaning to the outside world are : -Matriculated -Conditional -Provisional These can easily be portrayed simply as words with either much meaning or very little meaning . However, in the admission field, these words carry heavy meaning and importance when used in the office. For example, before working in admissions, if someone said the word matriculated I would not think of a student who has been admitted normally, who has paid their tuition deposit and has been processed in our system. If I thought of the word provisional, my mind wouldn't have jumped to a student who did not meet the academic requirements, but is trying to gain admission over time . As John Koenig states in his talk, “ .....

My original definition of leadership that I developed nine weeks ago was, “ Leadership is a trait gained through application in which the subject influences those around them in various means towards a common goal.” I would not make a change to my original definition of leadership. I still view leadership as a word that is extremely difficult to define. Scholars are still studying leadership and honing traits to become the best leader. This nine-week course expanded my original tunnel vision view of leadership and revealed I was blind to the fact that there are numerous theories and hypothesis’ regarding leadership. However, my overarching belief that leadership is a skill that anyone can hone still holds. Learning about differing views of leadership and how an individual can approach followers was very eye-opening to my own leadership habits. It broadened my spectrum of how to lead, what can be done and different ways in which leaders can approach followers. Studying leadership ...

I have had three “real-world” professional experiences since I graduated from my undergraduate studies in 2016. All three have been extremely instrumental in shaping who I am professionally, how I carry myself and how I adorn leadership qualities when need be. Each position I have held has grown me in ways that were originally outside my comfort zone, but now are no longer. My daily thought as I drive to work has always been: be who I am to my core, be kind, work hard and treat each individual I encounter with worth and dignity. This is where my personal and work ethic stem from. Being self-aware of my work-habits, conversations and work-ethic has also aided in developing who I am professionally. One key example of how I learned to be self-aware and adopt positive qualities instead of negative was in my first sales position. My two managers (I shared an office with one of them) were very sporadic in emotions, would yell and scream often and had inappropriate relationships with co...

Within the handful of professional jobs I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of since my undergraduate program, I do not believe I have had a transformational leader. However, within my time in academia at Grand Canyon University, I had a professor that greatly shaped my 3 years of studies and who I would consider a transformational leader. Bernard Bass defines a transformational leader as someone who, “… inspires, intellectually stimulates, and is individually considerate of [the followers]. Transformational leadership may be directive or participate. Requiring higher moral development…” (1998, p. 9). My professor exhibited qualities such as these, as she inspired students to do more within their academics, to work harder, to think outside the box and to push themselves. This professor not only inspired me academically but also professionally and even outside of the career field. She was loyal to her students, had the ability to stimulate intellect and inspire participation. Sh...

To breakdown the idea of effective and emotion-connecting leadership using an atypical method is eye-opening. The way Italy Talgam pulled leadership qualities from movements and facial expression of conductors deepened my understanding of the leadership style known as Leader-member exchange (LMX). As Peter Northouse describes, “[In LMX] the central concept is the dyadic relationship that a leader forms with each of the leader’s followers” (2016, p. 144). Leader-member exchange boils down to a theory in which leaders are intentional in their relationship with their followers. They evolve with their subordinates and include them in team decisions so they feel valued, having a say in how the group’s goals are achieved. Graen and Uhl-Bien further describe that, “… effective leadership processes occur when leaders and followers are able to develop mature leadership relationships (partnerships) and thus gain access to the many benefits these relationships bring” (Graen, et al., 1995 p. ...

This week my class and I learned about the Path-Goal Theory, which boils down to how a leader motivates his/her followers to achieve goals (Northouse, 2016, p. 115). Within our studies, it reveals that there are numerous ways to lead and motivate others, and often it can simply depend on the situation. I completed the Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale Test, which measures expectancy of internal or external control for reinforcement. The test results revealed that my locus of control is internal. As Rebecca Vandegrift and Jonathan Matusitz defined in their article, Path-Goal Theory: A successful Columbia Records Story (2011), “Locus of Control is a psychological term that refers to a person’s personal belief on what causes good or bad. An internal locus of control means they openly take responsibility for their wrongs” (p. 353). First and foremost, I fully agree with the results as I subscribe to the belief that individuals should always take responsibility for their actions. Only ...

Ken Blanchard said in his article Situational Leadership (2008), “ Effective leaders adapt their style according to the development level of the people they are managing” (p. 19). While there are many avenues in which I practice leadership in my life, there are two that are a part of my everyday operations. In their 1981 article Management by Grid Principles or Situationalism: Which? Robert Blake and Jane Mouton muse that, “…the exercise of leadership is controlled by the situation. Because no two situations are alike their conclusion is that there is no “one best” leadership style on which to base practice or behavior” (p. 440). I practice directive leadership in my day to day role at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, but I utilize supportive leadership in my relationship with my husband.   Directive behavior is defined as, “[behaviors that] help group members accomplish goals by giving directions, establishing goals and methods of evaluation, setting timelines, definin...