LDRS500

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Unit 10 Activity 1: Course Reflection

Leadership Foundations 500 is the first course I took for my MAEL program. I found it a very good introduction to the concept of servant leadership. Northouse’s Leadership: Theory and Practice was a very good resource as it described many of the leadership styles in detail and gave useful examples and connections to practice application.

In chapter one, Northouse (2016) describes the differences and similarities between leadership and management (p. 13). As a task-oriented individual, my leadership style is oftentimes very task focused and I measure success by the productivity and efficiency of the team. However, Northouse (2016) makes clear distinctions between leadership and management by pointing out that leadership focuses on establishing direction, aligning people, and motivating and inspiring the team while management focuses on planning and budgeting, organizing and staffing, and controlling and problem solving (p. 14). Knowing this, I now am consciously aware that while I have been a good manager in many projects, I have failed to be an effective leader. Moving forward, I need to focus more on inspiring and aligning team members by establishing a clear direction rather than with tasks and activities to be accomplished.

As I mentioned in My Leadership Story, I gave birth to my baby girl during the duration of this course on November 17th. It is a life-changing experience and I feel that overnight, I understood the importance of strong leadership. When I look at my baby daughter, I am overwhelmed with the desire to do everything possible to ensure I give and prepare her for the best life possible. I naturally and willingly sacrifice to be a good servant leader for her. Before having Macey, I thought servant leadership was a conscious effort to put others ahead of oneself and leading effectively came by following the rules and characteristics of servant leadership. However, after giving birth to Macey, I understand that true and pure servant leadership comes naturally and the characteristics naturally shine through in one’s actions. I now understand why only Christ can really be the perfect servant leader. Aside from being a parent (and even that has it’s limitations!), it is almost impossible to completely sacrifice oneself for others. However, I think even if I have a fraction of the servant leadership that Christ demonstrates, I could be a good servant leader in my work and to others in my life.

One quote that resonated with me throughout the course was one that I came across while reading Watson’s Light from Many Lamps. The quote is “This, too, shall pass away” by Paul Hamilton Hayne (as cited in Watson, 1988, p. 74). In my transitional time into motherhood, I am reminded that all things, good and bad, will pass. When I look at baby Macey, I am excited to see she is growing but I am sad to see that she is already slowly phasing out of her newborn stage of life. My friends who have children constantly remind me that the first month is the hardest and that eventually she will sleep through the night…this phase will pass. However, with this means that my little baby girl will grow and somehow, that makes me a bit sad as well. This quote reminds me that in all good and bad times, I need to treasure the moment and be present because nothing lasts forever.

References

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Watson, L. E. (1988). Light from Many Lamps. New York: Simon and Schuster.

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Unit 8 Activity 2: Women in the Workplace

Teaching is oftentimes already seen as a predominantly female profession. In fact, the majority of my colleagues are female so inclusion is not really an issue. However, vice-principal and principal positions are often seen as male dominated even though the majority of teachers are female. I have always wondered why there are so many female teachers, yet such few female administrators. My department head is a female teacher who has taught in the district for over 20 years. We had a discussion about this once and she shared her opinions with me.

First, a lot of becoming an administrator is about networking and having the right connections. Since principalships have been mostly male dominated, it is hard for female teachers to move up and make the right connections and relationships. As well, many female teachers at some point in their lives will take maternity leave. While this may only be for a few years, it does create a break in the teacher’s career and slows down the pace of advancement. Furthermore, when opportunities come up during a teacher’s maternity leave, she is unable to take advantage of them because she is not eligible to apply for the available positions.

The Coquitlam School District has a mentorship program where administrators and experienced teachers in leadership positions mentor younger teachers and give them professional advice on career advancement. I believe that it would be beneficial to have a mentorship program specifically for female leaders mentoring female mentees. Female teachers face obstacles and paths that are completely different from their male counterparts so it could be more advantageous for a female mentee to be led by a female mentor.

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Unit 8 Activity 1: Women in Leadership Case Study

The case study that I choose is Case 15.3 Pregnancy as a Barrier to Job Status in Northouse’s book. 

Having recently given birth to my baby daughter, I can identify with the struggle that Marina is facing. When I first found out I was pregnant, I was hesitant to tell my principal as well. As a new teacher, I am potentially laid off every year in June and it is up to the principal to request me back the following September. However, I felt that if my principal knew that I was pregnant and would be going on maternity leave in November, there was a high chance that he would not request me back to my position in September. Luckily, there were no lay-offs this past year in my school district and I was guaranteed my position back in September.

Marina potentially faces losing her job because of her pregnancy. While there are laws that protect pregnant women from losing their jobs, there are ways that organizations and companies can work around this. In Canada, employers are required to offer women returning from maternity a position that offers the same salary, but it does not have to be the position that the women originally had before their maternity leave. I have heard horror stories where women come back to completely different jobs and ultimately make the decision to leave because they have essentially been forced out. I have also heard of organizations going through “restructuring”, which relieves them of the obligation to offer women their jobs back.

When I told my principal that I was pregnant, he awkwardly said “This is congratulations…right?”. My situation is different from Marina’s because as a teacher, I am protected by a union. The principal has very little say in my advancement. Marina’s boss, Roy, should have been more supportive when Marina told him about her pregnancy by reassuring her that her position would be safe. Just as a decent thing to do, he should have congratulated her.

Before I left on my maternity leave, my principal hired a replacement teacher to take my position and had her come in for two days of training. Roy could do the same with Marina. I think it would be unfair to Marina’s colleagues if they had to distribute Marina’s work among themselves. This would also make Marina’s position obsolete if her coworkers could manage without her for three months. The best thing for Roy to do is to try to hire a replacement employee for this time.

In order to improve the situations of pregnant women in this organization, the company should consider giving Roy sensitivity training and educating him on appropriate reactions and behaviors. As well, the human resources department should be more diligent in ensuring that the rights of pregnant women are protected.

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Response to Tom William’s Light From Many Lamps Post (Week 10)

This is my response to Tom William’s post Light from Many Lamps – Unit 10 – Sir William Mulock.

Hi Tom, I enjoyed reading your post on Sir William Mulock’s passage. I chose the same one for this section so I enjoyed reading your perspective on this story. I laughed when I read your comment on thinking boredom could potentially kill you at the garden center in your teens. It made me think of all the times I fought sleep in my teenage years but how I yearn for a full night sleep now that I have a newborn.

Like you, I have learned patience in these recent years. Patience when dealing with family and friends, patience in waiting for the right opportunities, and patience with myself in terms of personal and professional development.

I have enjoyed reading your posts throughout this course. I hope our paths cross again during this program!

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Response to Simarjit Shergill’s Light From Many Lamps Post (Week 10)

This is my response to Simarjit Shergill’s post Light from many lamps. 

Hi Simarjit, thank you for your insightful post. How fitting that you chose this passage as it deals almost directly with your work! Aging is such a terrifying process for some people and sometimes I wonder how I will approach it as I grow older. At 28, old age feels far off in the future for me but I have to admit I am slightly dreading the idea of entering my thirties.

As a goal-oriented individual, I have certain expectations of achievements I would have by different milestones. Mostly, these expectations have driven and pushed me to achieve goals I might have otherwise procrastinated on, such as start this graduate program. However, when I read your post, I wonder if my sometimes unrealistic expectations could actually be harmful if they create a fear or reluctance of aging.

Understanding that the second half of one’s lifetime is just as important as the first creates excitement and enthusiasm of what is to come. I hope to be able to embrace aging in a way where I am always excited to see what the next year will bring me and to not always be dwelling on younger years.

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Light From Many Lamps –Sir William Mulock (Post #5)

Sir William Mulock: The shadows of evening lengthen about me, but morning is in my heart.

I have to admit, I was drawn to this story because of it’s title The shadows of evening lengthen about me, but morning is in my heart. As the mother of a newborn baby, evening literally lengthens about me and the morning is truly in my heart because baby Macey sleeps all day and eats all night! Every night as I sit awake with her from 2am to 6am, I long for morning to come when she sleeps four or five hours!

In his passage, Mulock (as cited in Watson, 1988) urges his readers to find happiness and contentment even in their later years of life. At 28 years of age, I do not consider myself in my later years of life, but Mulock’s message really resonated with me. As I go through this transitional period into motherhood, there have been several times where I look back and I miss the freedoms (and sleep) that my pre-baby days entailed. I love my baby girl but I also miss going out with my friends to the newest restaurants and coming home knowing I can get a full night’s sleep. When I sit in bed, pumping for the seventh time that day and I scroll through Facebook and my friends posting pictures of their latest outing, I have to admit I feel a twinge of sadness when I realize I do not have the freedom to join them like I used to. I enjoy motherhood and spending time with Macey, but I also miss being me. Mulock encourages his audience, stating “The best of life is always further on. Its real lure is hidden from our eyes, somewhere behind the hills of time” (as cited in Watson, 1988, p. 268). I am reminded that while I had many enjoyments in the past that I have left behind, there are greater and better things ahead of me such as the first time I will be able to see that Macey recognizes me or when she says her first words (please let it be mama!). Trying new restaurants with my friends was fun, but it can not even begin to compare to when I will witness Macey’s first steps.

An important characteristic of a leader is being able to be flexible when internal or external factors shift and to embrace change as it comes. Organizations often need to be reassessed and processes need to be updated to reflect a changing environment. A strong leader implements necessary changes in order to ensure that the organization remains relevant and competitive. In order to inspire commitment and faith, leaders must focus on the future and be positive rather than dwell on the past and processes that are no longer relevant.

References

Watson, L. E. (1988). Light from Many Lamps. New York: Simon and Schuster.

 

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Response to Sadie Thompson’s Light From Many Lamps Post (Week 8)

This is my response to Sadie Thompson’s post Light from Many Lamps, Part 7 or 8. 

Hi Sadie! I agree with you that it is possible to fully live in a day-tight compartment. Reflecting on past experiences and planning for the future are important parts of personal and professional growth and development. Like you, I believe I worry more than the average person. I often dwell on mistakes I have made in the past more than I should, especially when I cannot change them. I also sometimes worry unnecessarily about the future about things that are unlikely to happen anyways.

In my opinion, I think that living in a day-tight compartment is not simply just not reflecting on past experiences or planning for the future, but rather to remove the negativity and regret when thinking about the past and future. We should look to the past as a learning experience but not to dwell on what we could change. We should prepare for the future but not worry about improbable or negative outcomes.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

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Response to Rob Tegelberg’s Light from Many Lamps Post (Week 8)

This is my response to Rob Tegelbery’s post Light From Many Lamps 4: Will Durant.

Hi Rob! Thank you for your insightful and reflective post on this story! I wrote about the same one and discovered even greater insight after reading your post!

I really appreciated your reminder that only Christ can provide us with true, everlasting happiness. While I have been taught this in Sunday school and in church for many years now, it somehow escaped me as I wrote my reflection on how my baby daughter is everything that I have ever dreamed of. In the busy-ness of everything that comes with having a newborn baby, I had forgotten to always put all my hope, trust, and faith in Christ…oops! Thank you so much for this important reminder!

 

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Light From Many Lamps – Will Durant (Post #4)

Will Durant: Gladly I surrender myself to love and parentage

As a new mother, I was drawn to Will Durant’s passage where he writes about finding joy in his family life (as cited in Watson, 1988, p. 245-246). Durant speaks of the happiness he discovered through other experiences in his life, but that the happiness was fleeting. However, he eventually found true lasting happiness with his wife and young daughter (as cited in Watson, 1988, p. 245-246).

I have never doubted that for me, my happiness would come from my husband and my daughter. However, what really resonated with me in Durant’s passage is when he writes “Today I have neglected my writing…Was it not the final purpose of my toil that I should be free to frolic with her, and spend unharassed hours with the one who had given her to me?” (Durant as cited in Watson, 1988, p. 246). Since giving birth to baby Macey three weeks ago, I have been trying to find time to complete my coursework for the two courses that I am taking. As I sit here at my desk reading and writing, I am trying to balance and rock Macey to sleep. Some days I feel frustrated that I cannot get my work done like I used to be able to, and even when I do, the quality of my work does not compare to what I used to be able to produce. Other days, I feel guilty that my coursework takes time away from time that I could be spending with my daughter. Durant’s message reminds me that ultimately, I need to focus on what really matters. While my professional development is important to me, my family will always come first. I should not feel frustrated when Macey takes me away from my work because she will always be a priority over my schooling. However, I should not feel guilty about spending time on my coursework either because ultimately, my self-improvement and development will benefit her in the long term since it will make me a more well-rounded parent and it will create opportunities for our family in the future.

As I navigate through the first few weeks of parenthood and realize its parallels to servant leadership, I am realizing how complicated leadership really is. Previous to giving birth to Macey, I saw servant leadership as very black and white and that decision-making was easy as long as one abides by the ten characteristics of servant leadership (Northouse, 2016, p. 227-229). However, I now understand leadership is not as straightforward as it seems. I want to create a better future for Macey by completing my graduate degree and opening doors for myself professionally. However, I need to balance this with the fact that Macey needs me to be present right now. As a servant leader in this situation, I need to have the foresight to understand that some sacrifices are necessary in order to have long term success but I also need the awareness to understand that my present actions have a lasting impact on Macey’s development and happiness (Northouse, 2016, p. 228).

If there is one thing I agree completely with in Durant’s message, it is that “if I do as well as I can the tasks for which life has made me, I shall find fulfillment, and a quiet lane of happiness for many years” (Durant as cited in Watson, 198, p. 246). Even at only three weeks old, Macey is already my pride and joy! She is all of our  (me and my husband) dreams come true!

Here is a picture of Macey sleeping while I speed-type this assignment like a maniac before she wakes up for her next feeding!

References

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Watson, L. E. (1988). Light from Many Lamps. New York: Simon and Schuster.

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Response to Sadie Thompson’s Leadership Story

This is my response to Sadie Thompson’s My Leadership Story.

Hi Sadie, thank you for being so open and honest while sharing your story. It is inspiring to hear about how your conscious efforts to make healthy choices has helped you face and overcome some of the struggles in your life.

Your story was very well-spoken and I am especially impressed that you were even able to add background music! Your tone and articulation was really good and I truly enjoyed listening to your clip.

The vulnerability that you showed in sharing your story really sets you apart as a good leader. It’s not easy to share the most difficult parts of our lives (especially on the internet!) but your ability to do so allows others to connect with you.

Thank you for sharing your story!

 

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