Transcript Document 7224554

Hollie Varano Comments
on Megan Smith’s Blog
Great Feedback Inside: Take a
look for yourself
Meet My Blogger…Megan Smith
Megan is a junior from Attica, Indiana studying Retail Management and
Organizational Leadership and Supervision here at Purdue. She is currently enrolled
in 18 credit hours this semester and has her hands full, but she strives to achieve
the best. Megan will graduate in May of 2008.
Megan is the Vice President of our group in CSR 309. She helps out our group
leader with all of her tasks. She can sometimes get frustrated and stressed out, but
that is all overcome by her happy-go-lucky attitude. Megan is always smiling every
time I see her! She is very enthusiastic, motivated, optimistic, and open-mined.
She is currently working at Macy’s as a shoe flyer. Miss Smith has worked at Macy’s
since 2005 and has loved every minute of her job. Megan also loves to hangout, go
shopping, play volleyball, and watch television, especially Grey’s Anatomy,
Desperate Housewives, and Gilmore Girls.
She also likes to enjoy a movie or two every once in awhile. You will find her
watching one of her favorites, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Little Rascals, A Walk to
Remember, Wedding Planner, Sweet Home Alabama, and Madagascar.
Two of her favorite quotes are:
"Only those who risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go."
"It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance. It's the dream afraid of
waking that never takes the chance. It's the mind afraid of losing that never learns to
give, and it's the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live..."
Megan is very excited for summer and to finally begin her senior year next fall.
Meet Hollie Varano
Megan’s Blog Commenter
I am a senior from Cary, Illinois studying Retail Management at Purdue. I
transferred here from Western Illinois University after my freshmen year. I chose
to do so because I wanted to get away from the high school crowd and meet new
people. I am currently taking 20 credit hours, but could not be happier. I will
graduate in December 2007.
I am the secretary for our group in CSR 309. My responsibilities are to take
attendance for class and any group meeting. I also am to send out emails to
those who missed class informing them of what they missed. Last, I collect all
assignments by email from the rest of the group and then send it to our group
leader in one mass email. I help Jill and Megan out with whatever they need. I
can be stressed out, but I have learned to get it under control. I am a very
enthusiastic, optimistic, and motivated person.
I work at The Limited in Schaumburg, Illinois as a sales associate in the
summers, holidays, and weekends when I am at home. I have been working for
Limited Brands for four years now. I love my job because I love how it is never
the same. I like challenges because they sometimes push me beyond my
experience and force me to step outside my comfort zone to take a risk. I like to
go shopping, watch Grey’s Anatomy on Thursday nights, workout, and hang out
with my friends and family.
My favorite quote is, “ Be who you are and say what you feel because those who
mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” ~ Dr. Seuss
I am very excited for summer and warm weather to come because then it will be
closer to my graduation. I cannot wait to jump into the real world and have a job!
Dr. Feinberg,
Please be attentive that some of my blog
comments are continued on to more than
one slide. The slides that are continued will
state Megan’s blog title plus continue after.
I just wanted to make you aware!
Thank you!
First Week’s
Reflections
First week’s reflections
Megan,
Great post! You are not alone in your thoughts about the first week of class. I too thought that the first day was
chaotic and out of control. This was the first class like this that I have ever had where I was so confused on
the first day of class. It threw me off guard.
You made one very good point in your post. You said that actions speak louder than words when it comes to
being good leaders. I cannot tell you how right you are. It is even talked about in The Leadership Challenge as
well. I know words are important, but unless you can actually back up those words with credible actions, you
would just be one of those who talk the talk, but do not walk the walk. People can sit there and tell you how
great they are and how good of a leader they have been or can be, but I know that I won't trust anyone of think
they are credible until I see results, actions that have physically taken place to back up the words that are
spoken.
I felt that those who stood in front of the class to become leaders that first day were being selfish. Why do I
think this? Simple as this: One student proclaimed that those who were group leaders would get A's. It wasn't
until after that comment was made that 20+ people stood in front of the class and gave us speeches about
why they would be good leaders. Hence it was after the fact that it was stated that those who are leaders
would get A's. Therefore those who were up there speaking were in it for themselves, not for the good of the
class. This world really is all about me, me, and me instead of being about servicing other people.
Great post! I am looking forward to reading the rest of your posts!
Second
Week of
Classes
Second week of classes
Megan,
I was uneasy to about the way the leaders were being chosen for class, but after thinking about it for
sometime I realized it may have been one of the best ways. The entire class got to vote on who we wanted
to be our leaders after listening to them speak and then perform a task. We got to hear words, but then we
were able to see actions. If you noticed, the leaders that we picked actually did something...their actions
matched or went above their words. Like I talked about in my last comment, actions speak louder than
words. We were actually able to see the potential leaders walk the talk and not just talk the talk.
I was one of those classmates who just sat there. Why? I was scared to stand up. This is yet another
excuse, but it is the truth. I too tend to be the one that prevails in group situations, who just takes control
because no one else has yet or wants to do it. I like things to be done early and to have a plan. I hate
waiting until the last minute. I also have a hard time trusting other people do things, but that is something
that I have to work on with myself and I realize that. I am mad at myself for not taking the opportunity to
become a leader for 309 because I think I would make a great one. But again, I am talking the talk, but didn't
walk the walk...my fault. Next time I have an opportunity like this, I am going to take the risk because there is
nothing wrong with taking risks. I cannot always play it safe in life or I may not get anywhere.
I also agree that we learned great leadership lessons in class the second week. We were hearing words and
seeing actions of a bad leader, an example of what we do not want to become. However, while we are
seeing all of this, some people still won't learn until they actually experience it themselves.
Point, we all weren't meant to be leaders, but we will never know if we would have been one because we
didn't take the chance. I know I learned from this situation, did you?
Theories of
Leadership
Theories of Leadership
Megan,
Great in-depth explanation of class for this day!
I am struggling with how I think leaders come about. I do not believe they are born because I simply think
that is just silly to believe, but I respect those opinions of people who do believe that. I believe firmly in
having that internal drive that kicks in at some point in time and then bam. However, I know this doesn't
happen to everyone, but I do believe that everyone does have that internal drive. Some of us just need help
from outside forces to get that drive recognized by ourselves, if that makes sense.
I know for me I have had a feeling that I am meant to do something great, but I don't know what or how to go
about it. After reading The Leadership Challenge, I began to realize that I can become a great leader, but I
need to do a few things first. Often too many times I am delegating what needs to be done in my groups
instead of developing a common vision with my followers. This would explain why some people aren't willing
to do anything or why I get noted as a mean person or bossy sometimes. However, it took me reading this
book to realize that hey, I cannot do this anymore. I now understand that part of being a successful leader is
building a common vision that everyone will go towards, but I cannot build this vision alone. I need to involve
all of my followers because that will help them feel like a part of the common vision which means they will
work harder to achieve it since they helped to create it. I am now one step closer to becoming an even better
leader. I recognized my faults and know what I have to change.
Theories on Leadership Continued
I have also recently begun to admit my faults and my mistakes to people. Because if I did something wrong
then I did something wrong and I have to step up and admit those faults and follow up accordingly. This which
I realized after re-reading The Leadership Challenge, that to become a good leader you need to be credible
and trustworthy. One of the ways to become credible and trustworthy is to admit your mistakes and let your
followers know. I realized that in today's world everyone is so willing to point fingers at everyone else except
themselves. The world will never go round and round if we are never taking responsibility for our OWN
actions. I struggled with this when I was younger, but now I realize when I am wrong, I say I am wrong. All a
part of becoming a good leader, but again this was not intentionally done. There was a drive in me that got
me to admit my mistakes, to change from how I used to be.
I do think that not just one drive makes you a good leader. I think that there are a few internal drives that have
to come out and be put together into one force to become a good leader. But maybe I am wrong? I guess I
will find out sometime in my lifetime.
Leader Interviews
Leader Interviews
Megan,
You are not alone. Public speaking is the number one fear in the United States. It is very hard for many
people to get up in front of strangers and give a speech. I applaud you for even doing so. I was even to
scared to stand up to even become a group leader because I was scared of the group of strangers. You
are a better person than I for standing up to become a group leader and actually speaking in front of the
class. You will benefit from speaking in front of the class somehow, even if you don't know the benefit yet.
I recently had an interview for recruitment for Purdue. I planned out everything I was going to say to the
questions, but when I responded none of what I had planned came out. I said something completely
different. Afterwards I thought to myself, what was I thinking. My problem, I think, was that I didn't write any
of this out. I had it all in my head, but never wrote it out. I know for me, I remember much more when I
write it down. Maybe you could try that next time you have to give an informal speech. Practice what you
are going to say, if you have that opportunity. I do realize we have to speak on a whim sometimes, but
practices makes perfect. It will get better. I cannot promise anything because it is not up to me, but rather
you! Be confident in yourself. Like Kirk said at the workshop, you don't need permission to be yourself. My
interpretation of that comment is this: Be you, speak what you are all about from your heart, and don't
worry what others think because what they don’t matter. If you are satisfied with what you say that is all
that matters.
Again, congrats on even standing up and speaking. I am proud of you for even trying because I was even
to scared to write my name down to even try to become a group leader
Reflecting on My
Frustrations
Reflecting on my frustrations
Megan,
Take a deep breath...okay now try and relax and be calm. I know this is much easier said than done, but let
me fill you in so you can not worry as much; you are not alone in this feeling. I feel the same way everyday
just about with interviews and groups. I get very frustrated to, but the thing is we cannot control any of these
situations. We have no control over the questions that we are asked in an interview or if we have to be in
groups for a class. Control is something that I like to have when it comes to my grades and class work, and
yes I feel that when I am forced into groups I no longer have control over my destiny for the course, but the
reality is, sometimes we cannot have control. This is something that we have to learn to deal and cope with
because it will happen throughout or lifetime regardless if we want it to or not.
Interviews are hard and uncomfortable most of the time because as the interviewee's we don't have much
control, if any at all, of the situation. But that is life. I have learned this and started to deal with it myself. I go
into all of my interviewees with confidence, knowing what I am worth, but also understand that I may not be
the right person for the job. The thing is we cannot succeed at everything; we have to fail sometimes first.
Before I go into an interview I do plenty of research on the company to know their background and what they
are looking for. Also, I write down five different stories about my life and things that I have been involved with
because than any question I am asked I can relate back to one of those five stories. I have three steady
ones, work, school, sorority, and the other two changes from time to time, but all of these stories are real life
situations and have leadership involved in them some way. However, sometimes the leadership isn't great, it
is still happening and I admit my mistakes sometimes in these interviews because to me being able to show
when you messed up and showing that you learned from that mistake makes you more trustworthy and
credible and therefore a better leader. Just try to stay calm for these interviews. Know what you are worth and
have confidence going into the interview. Try writing out five or more stories that you can relate back to when
you are asked questions about leadership, it may help you out like it does me. Also, everything happens for a
reason. I am a firm believer in this statement. You may not know the benefit now or later, but some how we
benefit from a lot and it all happens for a reason. These reasons are often unexplained, but later on it will all
make sense.
Reflecting on My Frustrations Continued
As far as groups go and having to work in them, I hate it as well because I don't trust people all that much.
This is my huge issue in life that I need to get over because not trusting people can cause big problems. How
am I supposed to be a good leader if I can't trust people, but I want them to trust me? This is something that
is again out of our control. We are put into groups because that is a requirement for the class. I know it sucks
to not be in control, but we just have to roll with the punches and become good leaders in our groups to make
the entire group succeed. We have to build that cohesiveness and then go from there. We have to trust
people. I am learning to just trust people from the start until they give you some reason for me to not trust
them and until they do, I have to trust them. Sure I am still a little weary at times, but that is when i ask the
question if someone needs help or anything like that to let those people know that I am here if they need me
for whatever reason it be. Groups are going to happen for here on out, in school and in the real world. We
aren't always going to like who is in our group, yes it would be nice to always pick them ourselves, but in
reality we don't always have that option. Good leaders can make the group work and succeed. You can do it
to Megan, promise. It is just something that you need to work on, and I am here willing to help you because I
struggle with it myself.
Relax and take a deep breath...you are going to be okay, don't get frustrated because you cannot control
what is happening. This is one of those things that you just have to let go!
New President
New president
Megan,
I agree that it was a little rushed for everyone to find out that their IM2 were due to their group leaders by
Friday instead of this coming up Wednesday. However, I don't think it is totally our new president’s fault.
She has to work with our CEO and get things cleared by him, which I am guessing might not be the easiest
thing to do. I am not taking sides; I am just trying to get you to see both sides of the picture. Things like this
will happen in life a lot. Again, this is one of those events that we just cannot totally control. But yes our
group leader should have been informed by the president that she was thinking of doing this and we should
have been warned prior, but we weren't and there is nothing that we can do it about it really. This is
something that sure we can be upset about and complain about, but we have to just drop it and get over it
because it is out of our control at this point. Now, I understand you are frustrated and feel rushed about
having to get this assignment done, and I did as well, but it is our fault for not getting it done. We know the
deadline was approaching, but like you, I too put it at the end of the list of things to do because it wasn't top
priority. However, that is not our new president or group leaders fault. That is clearly our own faults and we
cannot blame others for that. We found out Monday that they were due on Friday...well that is still five days
to get the assignment done, which to me is plenty of time. I know that we have to watch a movie, but I
picked a movie that I have seen so many times because it is my favorite, I know it like the back of my hand.
You didn't have to do a totally new movie, which is a choice that everyone had to make. Yes, the movie I did
came out a little less than a year ago, but still I have watched it like over and over again. However, that was
my choice. I am not knocking your choice down at all; I am just saying that it is all about choices. Try not to
get frustrated. All leaders cannot be great ones from the start. Sometimes we have to fail first and succeed
later.
New President Continued
My suggestion would be to talk to our group leader about it, and have her pass on the concern to the
president. Just make sure you follow the chain of command. I do think that our president needs to know your
dissatisfaction, but in a constructive way. Maybe even give her a suggestion on what you would do or have
done, or what she could do in the future. But remember it isn't what you say it is how you say it.
I understand how you feel about this situation because this is how I felt at first too, but I thought about it for
five minutes and realized that I had no control so I dropped it. I could have been making a mistake because I
am not totally sure if I don't have any control at all, but that is what I assume. I just looked at it from both
sides and realized both did something wrong and that is how life goes sometimes. We still had plenty of time
to do the assignment, and we can redo it as well and have to have it emailed to the teacher by Wednesday. I
actually think it is a pretty good idea because now our stuff will be edited a few times and if we need to
change something we can and still have it edited again. Try to not get too worried about this. Just remember,
life is all about what you make it!
Time Management
Time Management
Megan,
Time management is something I have always struggled with until this year. It is my senior year of college,
and I finally have it figured out. But I guess what they say is true, better late than never.
I have read a lot of your posts and you always seem to say one thing, I am stressed, or I get too stressed out,
or I am a perfectionist. I think this is something that you need to work on with yourself. I am still working on it
with myself, but I have improved greatly over the years. The first part of the problem is recognizing that you
have one, which I believe you have recognized it and are just unsure of what to do.
My suggestions to you are the following. Take all of your negative energy and find somewhere to put it in your
life. What I mean by this is, focus it into your school or work out. I do both. Sure there are times when I can
get real frustrated or upset, but I either go work out and run and take it out on the treadmill or track. I also
take my list of things to do for the day and just focus that energy into getting them done. I know this is easier
said than done, and I cannot explain everything to you exactly, but it works for me. Maybe this could work for
you as well, but you won't know unless you try it. We know that some stress is good in our lives, but some is
bad. We have to work to figure out what those bad stressors are and get them out of our lives. I figured out
that mine were the people I surrounded myself with. All those people ever did was bring me down, cause
drama, be immature, they didn't focus on school and gave me a hard time when I did. The solution was
simple, but hard to say the least. I had to drop them out of my life. I don't need people like that in my life
bringing me down. Also, I matured quite a bit. I love to go out and be social; I am the social butterfly that can
make friends with a brick wall, if you get what I am saying. But being social for me can still happen even if I
concentrate on my school work. This year I finally put my foot down and stopped going out so much and
started focusing my energies into school. I learned how to manage my time basically.
Learning how to manage my time was probably one of the biggest stress relievers for me besides getting rid
of the people who were bring me down. I think you should sit down and really think about what it is that is
causing you more stress that you can get rid of in your life.
Time Management Continued
I know for me too, I started to think about the things that made me upset and realized the ones that I could
and could not control or could/couldn't change. The things that I cannot control or change, I just had to let go
because that is the only thing I can do. Complaining about something that will never change or already
happened is pointless. All that does is add extra stress in our lives that we don't need. However, I didn't come
to this conclusion on my own; I actually was talking to doctors because I was suffering from terrible
migraines. I had numerous CT scans done and nothing was wrong with my brain, but then a doctor said you
need to relieve your stresses. I didn't know that I had some of these stressors. I didn't know that I focused
and concentrated so much time into things that I couldn't control or change. It took someone else telling me
this for me to really think that I could have that problem. Sure enough indeed, I did have that problem. So that
is why I am saying this to you because sometimes we know it is their subconsciously, but we just need that
extra little push. Maybe this can be a push for you!
For being a perfectionist, I am like that too. But what we have to realize is that, life is not perfect. Nothing can
ever truly be perfect. We just have to get over that. In our groups we can stress the things we want to change
or fix, but that doesn't mean that they will change because everyone's idea of perfect is different. This is
something that you have to realize, my idea of perfect is a little different than yours. This doesn’t make either
of us bad people or anyone a bad person; this is just how life is, if you get my drift on what I am trying to say
to you. Maybe this is one of those stressors we need to work on?
Time management is crucial in life. I wish that everyone at Purdue could have been in that class. First, I have
never laughed so much in my life in one hour as I did that night in class. So hey I burned a few extra calories
too, just a little humor. Knowing how to manage your time can make or break you I truly believe. I pulled off a
3.86 in seven classes last semester, but I had been getting like barely 2.5 when I had four classes. I learned
to manage my time. I get my stuff done, I am way less stressed, more efficient, and I actually have time to
really relax because I get everything done. You seem like you have your time managed well, but there is
always room for improvement, even with myself I know I can do better. We just have to want to do better at it.
Again, this is something that can never be truly perfect because everyone's definition of perfect is different.
Great post today!
Leadership Lessons
Response
Leadership Lessons Response
Megan,
I could not agree with you more on this subject. I do not think that giving group leaders an automatic grade is
the way to go. I feel like that is bad leadership overall, but maybe that is a lesson he is trying to teach us.
Think about it, in the real world at a workplace, the CEO still gets x amount of money every year, while
everyone else is graded and gets their salary but will get different bonus amounts, if they get a bonus at all.
Is that fair or correct? No, but that is just how it works.
However, for this class I do believe that the group leaders grade should be an average of all of our grades
put together. Why? Simple, the group leader is supposed to be leading us in what to do; if we fail it is partly
because of us and partly because of our group leader. Giving our leaders an A automatically means to some
that they really don't care how their group does because they already have their grade. It goes back to the
selfish world that we are in today. Everyone is so concerned with me, me, me, and not the team, the team,
the team. We live in an interdependent world. Just from reading the first seventy some pages in The 7
Habits of Highly Effective people, which you should read by the way-great movie, it talks about how we go
from being dependent, to independent, and then finally to being interdependent. I feel like maybe most of
our class isn't yet at the independent level which is required to be at to even try to achieve the
interdependent level. However, the CEO is the one who decides what is done with the points and grades, is
he testing the group leaders, the class, or is just making a bad decision by giving them all A's. OR is it that
we don't have all of the information and we are making pre-assumptions based off the slight bit of
information we were told. We could have interpreted the information incorrectly as well. I remember hearing
that we have a set grade, but an A was never exactly said. However, I still don't agree with the set grade.
How a leader does should be reflected by how the entire group does since they are the ones leading it. You
are only as strong as your weakest link.
Leadership Lessons Continued
I feel that by giving group leaders a set grade, the CEO is completely going against the phrase you are only as
strong as your weakest link comment that he actually made one of the first few days of class. But again,
maybe there is some information we are missing here. We are just group members, maybe we don't know
everything the leaders know and maybe they don't know everything our CEO knows or didn't interpret it
correctly.
But in the case that they do have a set grade, I do agree with you. The leaders should have a grade based on
the average of all our grades because that reflects their leadership ability in our group. Giving them one set
grade does not show how well they did; it is very individualized instead of being about a team. Because then
we each get a grade, and if our CEO is going to look at how well our group leader did based off our grades,
but gives the group leaders set grades, then our grades could just be individual too because who is to say that
our group leaders did anything.
I am not in anyway saying that our group leader is bad or doing a bad job because I don't think that at all, but
is everyone doing as good of a job as our group leader is? Who sets the standard? Is there anything we can
do to appeal how the grading process is done for the group leaders or do we have no say? I do think that
some group leaders do deserve A’s, but I don’t know if all of them do. However, maybe Missy has to rate the
group leaders based on performance, just like Jill has to do for us with the group memos. Maybe each group
leader gets a percentage grade out of a number of points and each group leader has to have a different
percentage and maybe their grades are based off that. The thing is, we really don’t know. Dr. Feinberg did say
one of the first days when it came to picking the leaders, these people will have a much easier time at getting
an A then the rest of you will, but he never said they will automatically get an A. I do think the group leaders do
more work than we do, but do they really? But some of us just work harder than others in our groups because
that is how we are. There are some of us in our group who I believe could be great group leaders themselves.
You and I are included in that mix. I don’t think that is a selfish thing to say, but rather a confident statement. I
am not saying that I think I am better than someone else or that you are better than someone else, I just think
we have what it takes.
Leadership Lessons Continued
The main thing is, we don’t have what it takes or we didn’t have what it takes because we aren’t group
leaders. In my case, I was to chicken to stand up and even write my name down. That was my fault and my
missed opportunity. In ending, as for the grading for group leaders, I think there is information that we are
missing that we should find the answers to before we assume and get our panties in a wad about what is
taking place. I don’t know if you agree or not. You could even know more than I know. But I would say calm
down, look at the situation from both sides, and ask questions before you react based off of something I am
not sure we have all of the answers to.
Great post today Megan. Thank you for writing that because now I can ask questions. You got me thinking,
and I love that! Thanks for getting my brain juices flowing!
In Class Activity
In class activity
Megan,
WOW! First, I cannot wait to hear the explanation on this activity from Dr. Feinberg. I really think this is the
two heads are better than one scenario, but even yet when I wrote my blog on it, I couldn’t think of that
phrase. So two heads really are better than one! I also scored pretty high when I did it myself, but when we
did it as a group, the group scored one point higher than I did. So I guess I really wasn’t all that bad. But it
was great, I felt such cohesiveness in our group that we were able to agree on the order to put things and
we actually listened to what each other had to say. That was probably the greatest thing about Monday; we
all listened and actually listened to each other. We answered each other’s questions and we didn’t judge
each other. I mean I had no idea why on earth you would need salt tablets, but that is probably because my
blonde little brain wasn’t thinking like the brunette that I am now. Sorry had to make a joke. However, it was
nice for someone to not call me stupid or dumb or even make a facial expression. I felt at home with our
group. It was great!
I do think that the point of us doing it together was to see how well we could use our brains and figure out
what to use the items for in a successful and efficient manner. I really think that this also has to do with
perceptions. We all see things different in the world, partly because we are all looking through a different
lens. Again, I got this from the 7 habits of highly effective people. Part of the reason people disagree so
much is because while they are looking at the same thing, they are all looking through very different lens
which in return shapes our perceptions amongst other things. This is just what I am thinking, but it could be
right or along the lines.
In Class Activity Continued
I would really suggest that you read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I am about seventy pages
into the book. I really like it so far. I am just running into time management issues because I really
want to continue to read the book, but that is not at the top of my priority list because I have other
school projects and studying to do first. I actually am following my goals I have set for the day, listing
the most important item as first and so on down the line. Anyway, point is I think you should read the
book. I feel like you could benefit from it in some way! Actually, I think everyone can benefit from it.
I still for the life of me cannot figure out why a cosmetic mirror would be number one over water. What
do you think? I mean I know the cacti have water, but really how can you get it out and is it okay to
drink? See these are some of the questions that I hope Dr. Feinberg will fill me in on because really I
am very confused. What do you think?
Thank you for viewing my
comments!