A633.1.2.RB_MaceRoyce
Chapter 1 of the Obolensky text begins with a reflective exercise. Create a reflection blog that responds to the questions asked in this exercise.
In discussing the reflective exercise questions from the Obolensky (2011) text, my answers to these questions are as follows:
1) Has your own attitude to leaders changed in your life, and if so how?
Throughout my personal learning and professional experience, my attitude towards leaders has changed in many ways. In some way drastically and in some ways, not so drastically. For example, my attitude towards authoritative leaders has changed drastically since my high school days. While I used to think that some of my old high school athletic coaches were trying to get the most out of me as a player, I now realized that they were more negative and unsupportive then I thought them to be at the time.
On the other hand, those leaders from high school that were encouraging and supportive really didn't change my view of those types of leaders. For example, my high school algebra teacher was very supportive of me despite not being the best math student. She encouraged me to come in during lunch and keep steadily improving with the extra work that I was putting in. This teacher's approach to leadership and helping me to learn stuck out more than any coach or other teacher that I had for the simple fact that they approached me in a supportive and non-authoritative posture. These are the types of leaders that I have identified and allowed myself to be mentored by.
2) If we take as a starting point the attitude to those in authority/leaders as held by your grandparents, and then look at those attitudes held by your parents, and then by you, and then by the younger generation, is there a changing trend? If so, what is it?
I will have to answer "yes" and "no" to this question. While there is a lack of respect in all generations, it is not necessarily to the extreme that the question seeks an answer to. Respect for authority is handed down by generations just like wealth, habits, and traits. This isn't always the case 100% of the time, but I would personally say that it happens more times than not. Well respected families seem to stay that way through lessons based on proper authority and respect.
My own family is a good example of this. My brothers and I were taught to respect our elders, but to also recognize when those older than us were seeking to take advantage of their position. This has always been critical for me growing up as I was able to recognize when respect was warranted. There were adults who used their position to hold power over me, but I was taught to be respectful yet assertive with them if I felt that I was being treated unfairly.
3) Why do you think this has occurred?
While each individual has their own view on authority, it is their environment growing up that helped them to form that view over time. Ultimately, today's society has lost the ability to deal with those who warrant unearned authority, but not necessarily to the degree that the question seeks to address. We as a society are being less respectful to our elders, but not at the rate that we think. Only by learning that respect goes both ways and is a mutual, two-way street can we fully have respect at all levels and through all generations.
Additionally, while we live in a world with more information about leadership and leadership practices why is it that we have an apparent gap in the quality of our leaders and how do you think we can close this gap?
Unfortunately, there is a very simple yet frustrating answer to this question in my eyes. The answer is two major things: accountability and an overall lacking of emotional intelligence. Blaming others for our own personal failures has become a trend in the world today along with lacking the emotional intelligence to deal with ourselves and others. In my experience as a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force, I have seen many times where individuals of all ranks and circumstances unable to take fault for things that went wrong.
Additionally, when confronted about these shortcomings, they were not intelligent emotionally to realize their own indiscretions and handle them accordingly without blame to others or pity. This trend has found itself in our culture both in the private and government sectors, but must be remedied. This starts at home, but a lack in these two traits must be increased over time through professional development within strong organizations. Lastly, members of our organizations who exemplify these traits must be promoted and put in positions where these traits can be on full display.
References
Obolensky, N. (2014). Complex Adaptive Leadership: Embracing paradox and uncertainty.
Burlington, VT: Gower Publishing Company.
In discussing the reflective exercise questions from the Obolensky (2011) text, my answers to these questions are as follows:
1) Has your own attitude to leaders changed in your life, and if so how?
Throughout my personal learning and professional experience, my attitude towards leaders has changed in many ways. In some way drastically and in some ways, not so drastically. For example, my attitude towards authoritative leaders has changed drastically since my high school days. While I used to think that some of my old high school athletic coaches were trying to get the most out of me as a player, I now realized that they were more negative and unsupportive then I thought them to be at the time.
On the other hand, those leaders from high school that were encouraging and supportive really didn't change my view of those types of leaders. For example, my high school algebra teacher was very supportive of me despite not being the best math student. She encouraged me to come in during lunch and keep steadily improving with the extra work that I was putting in. This teacher's approach to leadership and helping me to learn stuck out more than any coach or other teacher that I had for the simple fact that they approached me in a supportive and non-authoritative posture. These are the types of leaders that I have identified and allowed myself to be mentored by.
2) If we take as a starting point the attitude to those in authority/leaders as held by your grandparents, and then look at those attitudes held by your parents, and then by you, and then by the younger generation, is there a changing trend? If so, what is it?
I will have to answer "yes" and "no" to this question. While there is a lack of respect in all generations, it is not necessarily to the extreme that the question seeks an answer to. Respect for authority is handed down by generations just like wealth, habits, and traits. This isn't always the case 100% of the time, but I would personally say that it happens more times than not. Well respected families seem to stay that way through lessons based on proper authority and respect.
My own family is a good example of this. My brothers and I were taught to respect our elders, but to also recognize when those older than us were seeking to take advantage of their position. This has always been critical for me growing up as I was able to recognize when respect was warranted. There were adults who used their position to hold power over me, but I was taught to be respectful yet assertive with them if I felt that I was being treated unfairly.
3) Why do you think this has occurred?
While each individual has their own view on authority, it is their environment growing up that helped them to form that view over time. Ultimately, today's society has lost the ability to deal with those who warrant unearned authority, but not necessarily to the degree that the question seeks to address. We as a society are being less respectful to our elders, but not at the rate that we think. Only by learning that respect goes both ways and is a mutual, two-way street can we fully have respect at all levels and through all generations.
Additionally, while we live in a world with more information about leadership and leadership practices why is it that we have an apparent gap in the quality of our leaders and how do you think we can close this gap?
Unfortunately, there is a very simple yet frustrating answer to this question in my eyes. The answer is two major things: accountability and an overall lacking of emotional intelligence. Blaming others for our own personal failures has become a trend in the world today along with lacking the emotional intelligence to deal with ourselves and others. In my experience as a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force, I have seen many times where individuals of all ranks and circumstances unable to take fault for things that went wrong.
Additionally, when confronted about these shortcomings, they were not intelligent emotionally to realize their own indiscretions and handle them accordingly without blame to others or pity. This trend has found itself in our culture both in the private and government sectors, but must be remedied. This starts at home, but a lack in these two traits must be increased over time through professional development within strong organizations. Lastly, members of our organizations who exemplify these traits must be promoted and put in positions where these traits can be on full display.
References
Obolensky, N. (2014). Complex Adaptive Leadership: Embracing paradox and uncertainty.
Burlington, VT: Gower Publishing Company.
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