Teamwork & Leadership
For my third honors experience, I took the Wednesday night leadership class taught by Greg Sizemore and Jeff Kastner. Throughout the semester we participated in the Junior Achievement Volunteer Program, Adventure Outpost weekend retreat, and heard from some amazing speakers.
I really enjoyed our participation in the Junior Achievement Program. My partner, Alex Schutzman, and I taught the business program to a kindergarten class at Rockdale Academy in Clifton. I have always loved kids and teaching, but these kids were wonderful. They all really wanted to learn and gave every week their best. I am an active Bearcat Buddy tutor here at UC every school semester, and I will definitely take what I learned from Junior Achievement and apply it when working with other kids through Bearcat Buddies.
Adventure Outpost was surprisingly beneficial. At first I was skeptical. Most team building activities I had ever participated seemed like a waste of time. It was amazing how much we all grew and developed as a team in one day. If we can do that in one day, imagine what we can do at our workplaces or schools when we have weeks or even months to work on a team together! It really opened my eyes to how much team building matters. The cliche is true. People don't care what you know until they know you care.
The biggest takeaway I had from the class would be that leaders operate on the why level. Before they decide what to do, they decide how to do it. And before they decide how to do it, they decide why to do it. It's something that I picked up from all of the great people that we got the opportunity to meet and hear from in the class. And great people are givers. They follow their passion and give back to everyone in that special way that only they can. That's why they do what they do. I have been hanging out in the what zone for far too long. I decide what I want to do and then how to do it. And then I'm left to try to figure out why I'm unhappy. I want to be able to contribute and to give to the world in the most meaningful way that I can. And that's my goal for this year. Determining my passion has always been something that I've shirked aside. But passion matters. And I want to make a difference.
I absolutely recommend this class to anyone and everyone who is considering it. Greg Sizemore and Jeff Kastner are great professors and amazing people. If you get the chance, definitely take it and "do life together on Wednesday Nights." Below, I have included "My Takeaway" which we shared with each other on the last day of class.
I really enjoyed our participation in the Junior Achievement Program. My partner, Alex Schutzman, and I taught the business program to a kindergarten class at Rockdale Academy in Clifton. I have always loved kids and teaching, but these kids were wonderful. They all really wanted to learn and gave every week their best. I am an active Bearcat Buddy tutor here at UC every school semester, and I will definitely take what I learned from Junior Achievement and apply it when working with other kids through Bearcat Buddies.
Adventure Outpost was surprisingly beneficial. At first I was skeptical. Most team building activities I had ever participated seemed like a waste of time. It was amazing how much we all grew and developed as a team in one day. If we can do that in one day, imagine what we can do at our workplaces or schools when we have weeks or even months to work on a team together! It really opened my eyes to how much team building matters. The cliche is true. People don't care what you know until they know you care.
The biggest takeaway I had from the class would be that leaders operate on the why level. Before they decide what to do, they decide how to do it. And before they decide how to do it, they decide why to do it. It's something that I picked up from all of the great people that we got the opportunity to meet and hear from in the class. And great people are givers. They follow their passion and give back to everyone in that special way that only they can. That's why they do what they do. I have been hanging out in the what zone for far too long. I decide what I want to do and then how to do it. And then I'm left to try to figure out why I'm unhappy. I want to be able to contribute and to give to the world in the most meaningful way that I can. And that's my goal for this year. Determining my passion has always been something that I've shirked aside. But passion matters. And I want to make a difference.
I absolutely recommend this class to anyone and everyone who is considering it. Greg Sizemore and Jeff Kastner are great professors and amazing people. If you get the chance, definitely take it and "do life together on Wednesday Nights." Below, I have included "My Takeaway" which we shared with each other on the last day of class.
My Leadership Class Takeaway
Upon beginning this class, I wondered: what made leaders different? What made leaders successful? What could I do to become a better leader? Now after 14 weeks together, I realized I was asking the wrong questions.
And that’s my leadership takeaway.
One week, Gregg showed us a Ted Talk where I was first introduced to the what, how, why circles concept. And it blew my mind. All my life I’ve been operating in the ‘What’ circle. What career should I choose? What should I do with my time? What do I want to do with my life? And then I figure out how to do it. And then I’m left wondering why I’m mediocre, why I’m unhappy.
Moving from the ‘What’ to ‘Why’ circle made things finally make sense. The best example I can give of this is Junior Achievement. I realized upon interacting with the kids that what you were teaching them didn’t really matter, or even how you were teaching them. What brought them such joy each and every week is why you were teaching them. That you cared enough to share with them your time, your talents, and your treasure. Kids are better at understanding the why -> how -> what thinking. At least until we beat it out of them. If you notice, kids always ask why first.
But starting from why is only part of the equation. Which brings me to my second point: giving. Leaders are givers. They focus on others.
That was the other thing that was wrong with my questions about leadership – I was thinking only about myself. Leadership is all about others, about giving – and great leaders reflect that in everything they do. The way they think and interact with others.
One of my favorite quotes is from Mother Teresa. “Your greatness is not what you have, it’s what you give.”
What made these leaders great and why they were able to do what they did was because they believed in something bigger than themselves. And they were willing to sacrifice for it. To do what it takes. To give everything. And they have something to give.
They worked hard and developed their special gifts. I think that have something to give is an equally important part of giving that is overlooked. If you don’t have or create something to give, you’re not really giving – you’re taking. And great leaders realize that. Having something to give is hard work. And the devil is in the details. Most aren’t willing to conquer all the details. Leaders are.
So in summary, what makes leaders different is no one thing – it’s in everything. And that’s why there’s no easy answers. But really, I had been asking the wrong questions. More important than what makes leaders different is why leaders are different. Leaders are different because they love others with the highest form of love, which is giving. And that’s what we saw, heard, and felt in this class – in Gregg, in Jeff, in the speakers, in Adventure Outpost, in Junior Achievement.
Before this class, I had never wanted to be a leader. I had never understood why others did. But now I do. That kind of love is something I admire and aspire to someday and for me is the value of leadership.
Thank you.