Month: December 2017

I find myself coming back to the blog to read my colleagues’ posts, even though we are technically done with this course !

This is in response to Sadie Thompson’s post- https://create.twu.ca/sadiethompson/2017/12/04/unit-10-course-reflection/

She has summarized the content of the course very concisely in different sections. She touches upon the different aspects of leadership theory we learnt from Northouse’s book, stories from different leaders in Light from many lamps, some of which we hadn’t heard about.

She makes a very insightful comment that now she reflects on her behavior at work, rather than just the content of her work related tasks. To me this self reflection was a very important habit that I formed in this course, and hope to take if forward in my future pursuits.

This is in response to Rob Tegelberg’s leadership story: https://create.twu.ca/robtegelberg/2017/11/26/my-leadership-story/

In the text part of his post, the differentiation between admonition and reproach was very enlightening, I will try to remember that in my professional and personal life.  The sandwich method is a powerful tool when delivering a correction to a follower , where you sandwich a critique between two positive comments. It conveys the message without making the listener defensive.

The one big lesson I have learnt so far from my experience has been that to be able to be an effective leader, one has to understand their followers. Some respond better to a gentler approach, and some prefer a more direct and honest communication.

Rob summarizes the principle of leadership beautifully at the end of his story- ” raising, guiding and correcting the followers to be better, rather than shaming them”

George Washington’s words about discipline are very inspirational!

Thanks for sharing your story with us Rob

This is in response to Riggisolinap’s post –

Marcus Tullius Cicero- Unit 10- Light from Many Lamps

There are two very important points he makes in this post. One is about politics – as he quotes “a politician thinks of the next election, a statesman thinks of the next generation”(quote by Riggisolinap, 2017). Looking at the current state of politics, we definitely need more statesmen that politicians.

Another important point he makes is that old age doesn’t necessarily make one useless. I being a Geriatrician and working with seniors can vouch for the fact that the elderly who are often dismissed as being ‘past their prime’ are in fact a fountain of wisdom. The younger generations can profit immensely from the wisdom that the elderly have acquired over the years. And age also doe not necessarily preclude one from taking up new opportunities.

Reference

Watson, L. E. (1979) Light from Many Lamps.  New York:  Simon & Schuster