Good Blog Posts

I read the post on Coach Ritchie's talk.

What was the most significant statement made? I thought that the most significant statement made was the one that summed up one of Coach Ritchie's core values and one of his most important beliefs. Life is NOTHING without relationships with others. This is a very important lesson that Coach has taught me throughout my years with him, and I believe it is something that he lives by everyday and the author of this blog really seemed to notice this.

How does this impact ME right now? for the future? I think it reminds me the value of personal relationships and building bonds between other people. These relationships are not only important now, but all throughout some one's life.

What must I change NOW to start implementing this truth?  I believe that I am already trying to make the building of relationships of high importance. I could become better at communication with people, being more friendly, and striving to be more approachable.

Comment on Time Well Spent

I particularly liked the point where you talked about attempted multi-tasking. I am going to stereotype for a minute and say that, in general, men are not good at multi-tasking. Men focus on one job really well, put all their effort and energy into it, and stick with it until the job is completed. Where as women are more likely to jump around and try to manage several tasks. While trying to do several tasks, they may put less effort and attention to each individual task. Women do many tasks at once and do each one poorer, men do one at a time effectively. Although this is not true for everyone, I think it is a general consensus. It all depends on how you want to use your time.

The last line was also a good lesson when you said, "Time is never wasted when it's used to accomplish a vision of mentoring the lives of other people." That is a life lesson everyone should live by.

No Regrets

One thing that I have done throughout my life, especially during my senior year is to try to life without any regrets. I try to think before I do most things like speak or react as to not have any regrets on how I could have handled a situation better or trained harder. They say during your last game to "leave nothing on the field/court/mat." That means play your heart out, run your hardest, go until you have nothing left, and live without regrets. This should be applied to whatever you do, as well as training. Have no regrets on how you could have done something better. If you try your hardest every time, in what ever you do, you will not have any regrets.

Mind over Matter

Many times in life, in order to be a good leader, you have to suck it up and go. You have to put adversity behind you and must remain mentally strong. A solid example of this occurs to me everyday during wrestling practice. When it is very hot, sweaty, gross, your physically exhausted, and you can not feel like you can keep wrestling, Coach Eck will say, alright,get on the wall. Every wrestler that has ever wrestled at Williamsburg since 2001 knows what that means. Wall sprints. After a tough practice of hard wrestling, it is time to do timed conditioning sprints. They are tough and most people have trouble getting through them or any conditioning for that matter. My personal motto during conditioning is, mind over matter. If you do not think about how much it sucks, how hot, how tired you are, it makes it that much less difficult. I just let my mind go blank and just work hard. It helps me out and takes my mind off of my pain. I think about something else and condition my ass off. It is all about mind over matter.

Getting it done

Sometimes a leader can do everything right and be flawless in their leadership ability. But when adversity comes, you just got to get it done. By this, I mean when it comes to coming through in the clutch, a good leader needs to show results. Everything can be perfect, a good leader is not considered a great leader if they can not be trusted to shoot the game winner shot, get the pin to win the dual, or drive his team down the field to kick a game winning field goal. A great leader comes through in the clutch. If a leader never wins the "big game" they may be forever remembered as just a good leader. Peyton Manning was never considered a great quarterback until he won a Super Bowl. Many leaders and athletes are historically judged on their leadership abilities on how well they perform when the "game is on the line." Whether it is presidents or professional athletes, if you want to be a good leader you need to find a way to just get it done.

Comment on Habit #7

It is really important to recharge your whole body and spirit. The worries, stress, and troubles of everyday life can take its toll on a person's body spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally. I attend church service every weekend. I have only missed about 3 or 4 weeks my entire life. I see this as spiritual renewal. It is calming and makes me feel better. Attending church on a regular basis gives my spirit and emotion an extra reboot that I need to get through the next week. I work out all the time, especially during wrestling. During the summer, sometimes I would just hop on my bike and ride and not know where I was going. I would just ride until I was tired and turn around and head home. This was also renewing for my mind. Before I go asleep I think about my day and how I can make the next day better than the previous one. I do these practices so I get renewed and become as stress free as possible. Sometimes I just watch the Office for hours just because it takes my stress away. I think everyone should find their own ways to renew themselves spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Upsets

Sometimes when the perfect opportunity arises, a major underdog can defeat a powerhouse in what is known as an upset. Upsets happen when hard work meets opportunity. Upsets do not happen by accident. They are from years of training, the right mentality, and heart to beat someone you know is better than you. The biggest upset in recent sports history is Iowa State defeating the #2 Oklahoma State Cowboys in triple overtime. Iowa State played their hearts out, played as a team, and went all in for to pull this amazing upset over one of the best teams in college football. They believed in themselves and thought that they would win when almost no one in the country outside of their team thought they had a prayer, and they proved everyone wrong. That must be one of the greatest feelings ever. To pull an amazing upset is something that you will never forget. On Thursday, I wrestle the #3 ranked wrestler in the state at 170 lbs. No one expects me to have a chance. I do my best to go all out, wrestling my hardest, and maybe I will pull off an amazing upset of my own.

Comment on Habit #6

Team synergy is very important in creating a lasting bond and achieving tasks. Team synergy cannot be taught, but it can be promoted. A team may not be the best athletically and may not have the most talented athletes, but if they flawlessly work together as a team, they can defeat teams with superior athletes. This is especially true in basketball. Putting egos and statistics behind you, working together as a team is the best way to succeed.

Team Synergy in the NFL

There are times when pride gets in the way of team synergy. You see it a lot in big time sports. I will use NFL wide receivers like Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco as an example. They are both tremendously talented and in their prime were very good at what they did. They both were also very cocky, had a huge ego, and were very aragant. Chad Johnson was so full of himself he changed his name to bring more attention to himself. Both of these players frequently complained about not getting enough passes. They took plays off, pouted, and did not block for team mates. They were so concerned with themself that they lost sight of what was important: team synergy, working together, and winning games. They should have focused more on what is best for the team, not what is best for them personally.

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving more than any other, I realized the power of family. This past week my aunt and cousin came down from Canada as they do every year for Thanksgiving. It was awesome to see them again. It's crazy to think our small farming family from rural Williamsburg, Iowa has spread out throughout the country and even other counties. I realized that a lot of my relatives have very similar mannerisms and it occurred to me that my family is my greatest influence and has made me who I am today. They still love my art and compliment me on it, just as they did when I was drawing with crayons at 3 years old. They are happy for me when I succeed and pick me up when I fail. The Schmidt family might be anywhere from Colorado to Ontario but we have each other's back's and are as close as ever. I love my family!

Comment on Be Grateful

Being grateful is very important. I think it is one of the biggest problems in the 21st century. So many people survive on little to nothing. Here in America people are over weight and show little signs of reversing this trend. Meanwhile children are starving in Africa. Humility is also very important as Mr. Fritz mentioned. You are a product of influences on you. Parents that teach their kids to be grateful will go a long way. Make a habit of saying thank you even when you may not have to. A little politeness and gratefulness can go a long way.

Remember where you came from

Aaron Thomas said it best when he told us to, "Remember where you came from." My dad has been drilling this phrase into my head for my whole life and I live by it everyday. Whether it is being a patriotic American (We fly the flag everyday, and I have a 6 foot flag hanging in my room.) American is on a larger scale. Next, I am an Iowan. I try to reverse negative Iowa stereotypes and realize this is truly the greatest place on earth to raise a family. I want to live in Iowa for the rest of my life if that is possible. Finally, I am proud to be from the small rural town of Williamsburg. It is a terrific community that supports one another, has strong core values, and the people has similar beliefs to myself. When I go other places, I am proud to say that I am from Williamsburg, Iowa.

Comment on Habit #5

These are all good things to keep in mind when trying to resolve a conflict. If you think about the other person's point of view view first than you might not get in an argument in the first place. It is easier to work things out, and relieves a lot of stress when you put yourself in someone else's shoes. It is said best when you say, "seek to understand." If everyone lived by this principle it would relieve a lot of problems in today's society.

Vuk

This week Vuk talked to us about his home country of Montenegro. I learned a lot an interesting country that I probrably would not have learned or cared to learn. Montenegro is a small, southern Europeon nation that is very diverse in its people and its culture. It is similar to the United States as far as technology, music, and some cultural items. Vuk's school ends at 1 PM which would be pretty nice. I had a foreign exchange student from the Netherlands which is also in Europe and a lot of things that Vuk said are similar to things that my foreign exchange student told me. I think in most modern nations cultures are similar and cross national lines.

Problems with Our School

This week we have been discussing problems that we have observed in Williamsburg High School. Among these problems are: the construction, crowded hallways, school spirit or lack there of, no drive to get better, seminar, gossip, and drama. I personally believe that drama and gossip are part of human nature and cannot be prevented. It is up to each individual person's morals and beliefs whether they spred false rumors or not.

My particular subject to focus on is the lack of school spirit. As I have gotten older, I have noticed a lack of school spirit. Although I do not know the root of this problem or why school spirit is declining, I intend to find out and work to fix it. Nora, Vuk, Jamie, and Myself are going to give out poll questions to get some basic facts on why this is occurring and work to find a way to fix this problem.

My first idea right off the top of my head is to show support for others' activities and hope they return the favor. I am a big advocate for anything WHS. I love seeing plays, speech, and volleyball games. I am going to lead by example and hopefully others will follow my example.

Drama and Gossip

This week we have discussed and analyzed problems with our school. Among these topics of discussion are lack of school spirit, construction work or lack there of, no drive to get better, school gossip and drama, seminar, and crowded hallways. Many of these problems I believe do not have a solution. I do not see construction work or crowded hallways getting solved in the near future. As for drama and gossip; I think they are part of human nature and is dependent on the values and morals of the students in the school. The media encourages drama and gossip with it's exposure to dirt on celebrities and shows devoted to just spreading gossip such as Hollywood Insider, and ET. I watched Good Morning America on Monday and had to hear about Kim Kardashian for 30 minutes. I could care less, but this is the drama that the media forces on us, and students pick up the habit. Some people even learn to crave gossip because they like to be the ones in the know. Some of the people that claim to hate gossip and drama are usually guilty of spreading it as well. People need to stop worrying about everyone else's business, worry about themselves, and not spread any false rumors or anything that could hurt someone's reputation. It is a matter of self-control, morals, and values.

Comment on "Habit #4 Win-Win"

When I first read the title of this post, I was reminded of the episode of the TV show, The Office, when Michael Scott teaches conflict resolution. He comes up with a theory of Win-Win-Win. Each person wins, as well as an overall winning situation. Although this is meant to be humorous, there is some truth to it, and it does relate to this blog. Society is supper competitive, but sometimes we should stop looking at how I can get ahead and start thinking more along the lines of how WE can get ahead. This cartoon displays a perfect example of coming together to work things out for the better of everyone. Thinking of others, being creative, and learning the goals of others is very key in any Win-Win situation.

College

Today Chantel Knepper talked to us about some important points about college. It is very important to get involved. You get the most experience out your college experience and the most out of yourself when you get involved. Extracurriculars are a great way to meet new people and learn new skills. When I go to Iowa State, the first thing I am going to do is sign up for the ping pong club. I am really looking forward to all the extra activities college has to offer.

Approachable

In any leadership postition you have to reach out to your followers. Sometimes people are too shy to give their input in discussion, you should approach them. In order to be an effective leader you should be approachable. People should feel like they can come to you will new ideas or seeking advice. An effective leader listens and understands the problems of his or her followers and tries to help in anyway possible.

Comment on "First Things First"

This says to me, get your priorities straight. Although somethings seem important at the time, they may prove to be uneventful in the long run. Many Saturday nights I got invited to hangout with friends, but I declined the offer because I wanted to watch the MLB playoffs with my dad. Although I knew my friends would probably have a fun time, and I would too if I was with them, I also knew it would mean a lot to my dad if we spent time together. I chose family over friends which sometimes is a tough decision, but in the end, friends change, but family is forever.

Speaker

I think our guest touched on some interesting points in his speech on Friday. He mentioned how ideas are put into people's mind through various sources. Whether it is media, family, or friends; everyone is influenced by outside forces in some way. That makes us who we are. First, our parents instill desired values on us, then friends help mold us, and also the media influences us throughout our life. It is important to filter all this information and determine what are the right morals and values for you. If you firmly establish your core values, then outside negative influences should not sway you from what you believe.

Comment on "7 habits part II"

It is very important to have to end in mind. If you know what your eventual goal is it makes it easier to achieve. If you know where you want to get to, you should plan on how you are going to make it happen. If keeps you always working and focus on achieving that one goal. The hard part is discovering exactly what you want that end destination to be. To find your goal you need to answer and some important questions and reflect of your inner qualities.

Answers to 10 Questions

1. My parents have made a great impact on my life. They have prepared me on how to live my life the right way by leading by example. They have given me a good moral compass to follow and I would like to follow their morals and beliefs.

2. I am surrounded by my wife and kids and we are having a picnic in a state park.

3. Whoever really needed it, most likely a family member or a close friend.

4. I would sociology so I can learn more about how people interact with each other.

5. I love to creatively express myself, play and watch sports, learn, take care of animals, and spend time with family and friends.

6. One event that comes to mind is the summer after my 8th grade year I was in a life-threatening accident, but luckily only broke my leg. I was on crutches, my baseball team was in the championship game and I had to sit on the side with my very heavy cast. We won the championship. Instead of my teammates accepting the trophy themselves, they called my over and I went out to the mound to accept the championship trophy and they surrounded my and patted me on the head and said they were glad I made it through. It inspired me because I saw the selflessness of my teammates and how they really cared about me.

7. He's about 5'10'', 170 pounds, and he's monotone.

8. I would say if nothing else, I am a caring person. I think about how others feel a lot and if they are having a bad day try to make them feel better.

9. I would be a poor black woman in the city. I think if I saw the world from a very different point of view than it would be beneficial.

10. I am artistic and creative and I like talking to people and making new friends.

Activities

This week our leadership has participated in some "friendly" competitions. This activities are meant for us to learn more about ourselves and each other. We are also meant to build communication skills and how we interact with one another. I have learned that I double check directions several times to make sure we get them right. I am more likely to sit back and observe at first, and contribute my ideas as the activity moves on. For the most part I am a silent competitor and will not vocally lash out as someone. I try to be a team player and offer compliments to build moral. I am more concerned with my team doing the best that we can rather than what the other team is doing. I have learned a lot about myself through these "competitive" communication activities.

Taking the Heat

A lot of glory and prestige can be involved when becoming an effective and famous leader. When becoming a popular leader you can lead your followers to success. Sometimes after uncontrollable circumstances leaders fail and their followers fail with them. This can lead to some unwarranted blame and results in the followers blaming the leader. As a leader they need to "take the heat" for the mistake even if it wasn't the leaders fault. If a team fails then often times the quarterback is blamed as the leader of the offense. If a team loses then the coach is blamed and possibly even fired. If an unforeseen tragedy happens in our country then it is easy to blame the leader. If a natural disaster occurs then it is blamed on the president. No president in the history of the world has ever caused a hurricane. The poor economy often times gets blamed on the leader of the United States, but it is usually out of their control. Just keep everything in perspective, and do not be too quick to blame a leader, when they are in a high-pressure tough situation and are just doing their best.

Comment on "7 Habits of Highley Effective Teens"

Habits could be a positive or negative for someone in their life. Bad habits such as smoking, drinking, chewing, or just being a jerk in general are habits that should be changed. On the other hand, if you can develop positive habits like being polite, saying please and thank you, or holding doors for others. These little habits can make a good impression and get you farther in life. To form good habits make a conscience effort to repeat positive actions until you become accustomed to them, and they happen naturally.

Core Values

Defining our values gives us purpose. When you don’t know or you haven’t clearly defined your values, you end up drifting along in life. Instead of basing your decisions on an internal compass, you make choices based on circumstances and social pressures. If you stay true to what you believe in, then controversial decisions are that much easier to make. These are the five core values which are most important to me.
Respect- Everyone, from every walk of life deserves respect. You do not have to like them, but you should respect them. Every human being deserves respect. You never know when a hobo may be an undercover billionaire.

Honesty- Honesty is very important in communication. If you cannot believe what someone tells you then there is no trust and everyone is it in for their own gain. Without honesty, there are no bonds between people.

Trust- Trust is very important in any close relationship. It builds bonds between people and takes a lot of stress away. But once trust is broken, you can never get it back.

Innovation- I am always trying to find new, more efficient ways of going things. Innovation led to advances in medicine and technology. We would not be as far as we are today if people just remained satisfied.

Initiative- Doing things without being asked saves time and helps make our world a better place. Initiative also impresses authority figures.

Comment on "The Need for Integrity"

It seems really easy to criticize someone else, but tougher to get criticized. A good leader will give constructive criticism but never attack someone. Integrity plays a large part in gaining followers. Trust, influence, and a clear conscience are all crucial in being an effective leader. So would charisma, honesty, and sticking to your core values that we talked about in class. Integrity is one of the most important leadership qualities.

Taking Responsiblity

Whenever a leader fails, it is very important that he or she takes responsibility for his or her actions. Sometimes it is very hard to admit one's mistakes, especially if he or she made a very poor decision. In the end, people gain respect for a leader who "mans up" and admits that he or she did made a mistake. I was at my sister's college rugby game, and the referee made a poor call. He blew his whistle and acknowledged the players, coaches, and fans that he made an incorrect call. I thought this was noble. If our football coaches make a bad call or mess up they take responsibility. A good leader takes responsibility for his or her mistakes.

Comment on "Become a Connector"

I believe one of the most important things to do as a leader is to be able to connect with your followers. People are less likely to follow someone that they cannot relate to. People want to follow someone that is similar to themselves. I don't think as many African-Americans would have followed Martin Luther King Jr. in the civil rights movement if he was white because he wouldn't have suffered the oppression that they did at that time. A leader who loses his or her connection to people also loses their influence. I believe connecting with people on a personal level is very important whether you are trying to lead them or just make a friend.

y vs i

There was a lot symbolism in the movie,"The Pursuit of Happyness" and the significant spelling of the word, Happyness. Normally this word would be spelled with an i but there is special meaning behind spelling it with a y. Mr. Gardner's wife would spell it with an i because her happiness was based on her own selfish reasons. She only cared about happiness for herself and abandoned her family in their biggest time of need. Chris Gardner would his happiness with a y. Why is he pursuing happiness? Why does he want this job so bad? Why doesn't he just give up? The answer is his son. He wants a better life for his son. His happiness is based on his son's well being. The first step in becoming truly happy is knowing and understanding why you want to be happy.

Rubiks Cube

I believe that the Rubiks Cube in the movie "The Persuit of Happyness" has a lot of hidden symbolism.

The Rubiks cube was invented by Ernő Rubik in 1975 and quickly became the fastest selling toy in the world.

In the movie, the Rubiks cube is introduced as a fast selling extremely difficult game that hardly anybody can solve. Everybody has one and the goal is not easy to achieve. The cube symbolizes life and the problems that come with it. Everybody has problems and the goal of achieving happiness is difficult to achieve. Handling your problems and the frustration of the cube defines who you are as a person and what you will achieve. Few people ever achieve true happiness, but for those who do, and accomplish solving the cube is that much better.

When Will Smith solved the cube it symbolized the beginning of his character's life getting turned around. It helped get him a job; he was finally figuring out his own "Rubiks Cube."

Everybody has their own Rubiks Cube in life, we just need to learn how to solve ours.

Comment on "Myths of Leadership"

My comment on "Myths of Leadership"

I agree that anyone can be a great leader in times of comfort when everything is running well, but it is the times of sorrow and adversity that really determine a leader. Leadership is not a position, it is a responsibility. I also believe anyone can be a leader. Everyone has leadership qualities within them. Sometimes it just takes a bad situation to bring these leadership qualities out in some people. Leading is not easy. Sometimes you may have to take unpopular risks. Always stand up for what you believe in.

Service

There are many different ways to show leadership. One important way is service. Serving your community is very important because it helps make your community a better place to live for not only you, but everyone else. Serving your community also makes you feel better as a person. There are different ways to serve your community. Whether it is a fund raiser, picking up trash, repairs to public parks, or painting churches. Anything that helps out the community and is non-profit can be considered a service.
I learned the true meaning of service when I volunteered to paint the inside of St. Michael's Hall in Holbrook for my Eagle Project. I led a group of 16 volunteers and over the course of 245.5 hours we achieved our goal and painted the whole hall. It took a lot of work, but I am grateful to everyone who helped and I think it looks great! After my project was over I had a great sense of pride in my work and a great feeling about this service I did to the Holbrook community.

Success

I believe that in order to be an effective leader you must have success. People will only follow someone for so long until they need to see postitive results. You could be the most inspirational person ever, but if you do not lead your followers to a goal and achieve it, then you are not an effective leader. It is one thing to talk the talk, but you also have to follow through and walk the walk.

Comment on "Leading while staying connected"

Comment on "Leading while staying connected":

I think that it is very important for a leader to stay connected with his or her followers. The leader has to be relatable in order to gain trust. In order to connect and gain trust you have to emphathize and try to feel what your followers are going through. Staying ahead would be like foreseeing a problem and helping guild your followers past that particular issue

Focus

In any given situation, it is very important to maintain constant focus. In order to be an effective leader you need to have focus and keep your wits about you. It is easy to lose focus with all the distractions of people, technology, and many other things. Homecoming week is especially distracting. Coach Ritchie talks about it the whole week about not letting the events of the week distract us from our one goal: win on Friday night. To avoid these distractions keep your mind set on the goal you want to achieve. Do not waiver. Surround yourself with people with the same goal, and avoid distractions that might take you away from your goal. A great leader needs to keep his or herself and others focused on the goal at hand.

Charisma

I believe that in order to be a great leader, you need charisma. Charisma is compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others. This is a very important quality for a leader to have. In order to lead people they usually have to want to follow you. They want to follow you because you are a likable person and they are inspired in some sort of emotional way. Most of the greatest leaders of all time were so great because they were charismatic and got people to follow them. Napolean, Hitler, Churchill, Mandela, and many others were effective because they maintain moral more effectively than other leaders at that time which helped gain them a large following. Part of the reason why Obama was elected was because many people saw him as a charismatic leader and he gained their trust through his inspiring words and speeches. Charisma is an important quality of any great leader.

Comment on "No Results?"

My comment wouldn't post on Reader for some reason, some account error, so I hope it is okay that I just post my comment on "No Results?" here:

I think all leaders fall at least once. We saw a video earlier about how Abraham Lincoln lost elections and had a nervous breakdown, and he turned out to be one of the best presidents of all time. Even though something does not go as planned, we need to learn to roll with the punches and come back stronger the next time! Like Mr. Jepson said, we can not control 10% of what happens to us, so mistakes are bound to happen, it is how we handle our adversity that makes us who we are

Mr. Jepson

On Friday, Mr. Jepson was our guess speaker and talked to us about leadership. Mr. Jepson was a very influential person in my life. He left a lasting impact because he was my main teacher in 6th grade during very formative years in my life. I enjoyed my time in his class and thought he was a great teacher, possibly one of the best I ever had! Mr. Fritz talked about how good of a public speaker Mr. Jepson was and that was very evident. He has a commanding voice, makes eye contact, changes his pitch and tone to provide interest, moves around, and makes gestures. Mr. Jepson keyed in on the importance of trust in any relationship. It takes a long time to gain some one's trust, but maybe only a few seconds to lose it. That is advice that I will always remember. He also taught us about the 90/10 theory. That is you can control 90% of what you do. 10% is out of your hands. So you should think before you react because you can only control how you respond.

What influences how I see things?

Many factors go into how I see or perceive things. A major contributing factor is my family. I have been with my family my whole life of course, and they were very influential in my up bringing. My parents were my first teachers and my first social interactions were with my sisters. They taught me most everything I know today, and I am who I am because of the morals and values that they instilled upon me at an early age. My friends also a great influence on me. I spend a lot of time with my friends and the things we do together brings us closer. I grew up with my friend and learned more about social interaction and friendship with them. They too have made me who I am.  If I had different friends I would probably be a totally different person. My environment is also a very influential part in my life. Growing up on a farm taught me about good work ethic, and if you want something you have to work at it. It taught me good values and how to work with my hands to accomplish tasks. There's no such thing as a free lunch and to get things done you can not be afraid to sweat a little. Like Thomas Edison said, "Most people miss opportunity because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Family, friends, and environment have helped influence me to become the person I am today!

True Leader

At the beginning of summer lifting, Coach Mathis told the team that you just can not become a leader on our football team. You have to earn it. You have to show your teammates and younger kids that your working your hardest to make our team better. You can not just show up and expect to be a leader because your a senior. They have to know that you put everything you had into every rep of the working. These words could not be more true. You do not get respect simply because of your age or showing up. You have to earn respect by doing your best in whatever you do!

Football

Last week I observed something that I have never seen after a football game. Usually after the game it is customary for the opposing coaches to shake the players' hands of the other team. After the Mt. Pleasant game, the Panthers' coaches didn't shake our hand. I have no idea why, because I personally thought it was a clean game. I thought this displayed poor leadership and poor sportsmanship on their part. It also set a bad example for their players. A true leader would shake the other team's hands as a gesture of respect regardless of the outcome of the game.

Football Game

Last night our football team played Mt. Pleasant. Over the past few years our team and Mt. Pleasant have played some critical games and have developed somewhat of a rivalry. During the game I observed several different leadership techniques. Some were verbal motivators, but saying inspiring words to get the rest of the team pumped up. Some lead by example by leader the team on long runs, or communicating problems in the offense. Chris Lehmkuhl really stepped up and gave a great speech before the game and went on the lead by example as he was throwing up during a play and still made the tackle. There were a lot of leadership skills on display, everyone is unique to that particular person.

Athletic Leaders

Although many people look up to athletic leaders on the field, they are not always the best example or role model off the field. Part of being a good leader is doing the right thing when no one is watching. Many of the highly paid star athletes we see on television appear to be good leaders during the game, but off the field they are probably like everyone else, or maybe even worse. A lot of people looked up to Tiger Woods, but the world soon found out that he had an affair, many times. Looking up to athletes or any celebrity may just be setting yourself up for dissapointment.

Leadership Type

There are several different types of leadership. Each correlates to someones personality on a social and emotional level. Some categorize leaders be four basic colors. I personally am a blue leadership type. My motive is intimacy, which makes sense because I like connecting with people on a personal level and forming bonds so they develop trust and will follow my lead. I need to be good morally, be understood, appreciated, and accepted. I want to connect with people and share insecturities. I care about quality over quanity. I often pay special attention to detail and some call me a perfectionist. Different jobs may require different types of leaders.

Reflections on first week

There are many different ways you can be a leader. Leadership is a unique quality that some people are born with and some develop as they get older. Some people naturally draw others toward them because of desired qualities that they may poccess. Everybody has their own personality and way of thinking. Followers may expect their leaders have certain values, and tend to follow leaders with similar beliefs. This led to the developement of different religious institutions as well political parties. If you have certain principles and values, you are not going to follow someone with opposing views, you will follow someone that you agree with and can trust.