This past weekend, I attended a leadership conference, which was reinforced what my strengths and weaknesses are as a leader. It’s kind of funny because not a lot has changed. I am analytical, disciplined, deliberative, focused, and an achiever, but I don’t know how these attributes affect my weaknesses. It makes it seem as though I am somewhat detached from my feelings.
I suppose I can give off the impression as a cold person, but I do not think I am. My true weakness is being in tune with my own personal feelings, not with those around me. Usually, I can tell when someone is upset or the mood in a room. I am a good listener and usually give (I hope) good advice.
Over the course of high school, I have been put in several leadership positions and I have one true fear. I am not afraid of a team that has trouble working together or a group of people who are not as skilled for a job as they should. I am scared that the people I am responsible for are not comfortable coming to me about their problems.
As a leader, it is important that people are comfortable coming to you for any of their problems, personal or work related. I have found that people’s personal lives affect their work and how they perform. Since my initial impression is somewhat tough, it makes it difficult for people to approach me, but I usually talk to people individually to get to know them.
I miss the people that I was responsible for in high school. I still visit them and give them advice occasionally. In my opinion, the mentor-mentee relationship does not end when you leave a situation or position. It’s your responsibility to continue to help that person with any problems they have.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
A Picture Worth 1,000 Words
People say that one picture speaks 1,000 words, but I disagree with this argument. How much can you truly say about one picture? I was thinking about a picture in particular today. It used to sit in the formal sitting room when I lived with my mother and stepfather. The picture was a replica of an original that my mother found when she had visited the Philippines the year before.
The picture was of my grandmother, someone who had died before my mother was a teenager. I still cannot tell who she was from that picture. The original picture was black and white, small, probably a 5x7 and was torn and at one point had pieces missing, which were replaced by a professional who had drawn them in. It was yellow from old age and somewhat brittle.
It turns out that I did not know much about my grandmother or mother for that matter. My grandmother was young in the picture, probably around 25, and had short, curly, dark hair and a face that was rounder than mine. She was not smiling, but I don’t know if that indicated anything about her. I used to pass the picture everyday and wonder what she must have been like.
I suppose that we do not know much about the people around us, their lives, past experiences, hardships, or even the truth behind some of their stories. Sometimes I wish I had taken the initiative to ask about the lives of people I knew. For instance, I lived with my mother for nine and half years, yet I still learn things about her every day. I did not know how hard her life was when she lived in the Philippines, that she was dirt poor. I did not know that she was the only person with my grandmother when she died in the back of a jeepney. I was with her almost every day for nine and a half years and I hardly knew her.
Sometimes, I wonder why I did not know these things. They were a part of who she was, yet I knew nothing about them; it’s like I knew nothing about her. I suppose I still do not take the initiative to ask about people’s lives. I like to ask questions, but am I truly asking the right ones? Am I really finding out more about a person or only finding a small piece of the big picture?
The picture was of my grandmother, someone who had died before my mother was a teenager. I still cannot tell who she was from that picture. The original picture was black and white, small, probably a 5x7 and was torn and at one point had pieces missing, which were replaced by a professional who had drawn them in. It was yellow from old age and somewhat brittle.
It turns out that I did not know much about my grandmother or mother for that matter. My grandmother was young in the picture, probably around 25, and had short, curly, dark hair and a face that was rounder than mine. She was not smiling, but I don’t know if that indicated anything about her. I used to pass the picture everyday and wonder what she must have been like.
I suppose that we do not know much about the people around us, their lives, past experiences, hardships, or even the truth behind some of their stories. Sometimes I wish I had taken the initiative to ask about the lives of people I knew. For instance, I lived with my mother for nine and half years, yet I still learn things about her every day. I did not know how hard her life was when she lived in the Philippines, that she was dirt poor. I did not know that she was the only person with my grandmother when she died in the back of a jeepney. I was with her almost every day for nine and a half years and I hardly knew her.
Sometimes, I wonder why I did not know these things. They were a part of who she was, yet I knew nothing about them; it’s like I knew nothing about her. I suppose I still do not take the initiative to ask about people’s lives. I like to ask questions, but am I truly asking the right ones? Am I really finding out more about a person or only finding a small piece of the big picture?
Sunday, March 14, 2010
The Beatles
My dad just drove me back to Tech today and I started thinking about a lot of car rides that I have taken. It’s sort of funny. My dad and I always have conversations about what went on in our lives while apart and then listen to the Beatles. We both love music and he influenced me to like much older music than most people my age would listen to.
For some reason, I have this strange fascination with the Beatles. Their music is just so unique, but there is still one album which still eludes my grasp… “Hey Jude”. I have tried and tried to get a hold of this CD, but whenever I get to a store, they never have it. I suppose it would be simple to just go on Amazon and buy it online, but I have this thing where I want to personally go and buy a CD versus just ordering it. The stores always have the twangs of “A Hard Day’s Night” or the eerily calming sounds of “The White Album”, yet I can’t get my hands on “Hey Jude”.
The Beatles are one of those timeless groups whose music never get old and still can evoke the same feelings across the generation gap. On Friday night, I watched the movie, “A Hard Day’s Night”. Although it had basically no storyline, it was still entertaining all the same. Through that short movie, I basically met who each “Beatle” was and sort of got a better understanding of their music.
It’s somewhat frustrating for a 19 year old to get frustrated over something as silly as finding a CD especially since I am making the trouble myself. I think there is some pride involved in finding something that you have been searching for. In finding the missing piece, the puzzle is complete and you can see the entire picture.
For some reason, I have this strange fascination with the Beatles. Their music is just so unique, but there is still one album which still eludes my grasp… “Hey Jude”. I have tried and tried to get a hold of this CD, but whenever I get to a store, they never have it. I suppose it would be simple to just go on Amazon and buy it online, but I have this thing where I want to personally go and buy a CD versus just ordering it. The stores always have the twangs of “A Hard Day’s Night” or the eerily calming sounds of “The White Album”, yet I can’t get my hands on “Hey Jude”.
The Beatles are one of those timeless groups whose music never get old and still can evoke the same feelings across the generation gap. On Friday night, I watched the movie, “A Hard Day’s Night”. Although it had basically no storyline, it was still entertaining all the same. Through that short movie, I basically met who each “Beatle” was and sort of got a better understanding of their music.
It’s somewhat frustrating for a 19 year old to get frustrated over something as silly as finding a CD especially since I am making the trouble myself. I think there is some pride involved in finding something that you have been searching for. In finding the missing piece, the puzzle is complete and you can see the entire picture.
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