Leadership for a Better World....

Komives, Wagner, and associates worked together to create a book that engages thought, purpose, and to enlighten on the idea of leadership. (2009) Addressed mainly to the college population, it’s important to understand how the 7 C’s can affect our every-day lives (p.xix). When each of the C’s is engaged to its greatest potential then we are opened up to a world of both responsibility and change. Both go hand-in-hand in this idea of Social Change Model.
I have been challenged to think more about Consciousness of Self, and Common Purpose. I have come away not fully knowing my “visions, aims, or values” are (Komives, p.240). When I can get a clearer grasp on these topics I can begin to understand where God wants me to go in his plan. I have begun to think about “the...values that guide how [I] interact in groups?” (Komives, 2009 p.328) There is a difference in culture and lifestyle from Lee and the “real world.” After graduating in December 2009, I realize now, I coasted on all fronts of life. The job I work at wasn’t what I wanted to do, but I didn’t resist; I just gave in without a fight and accepted this place and time of my miss fortune. While at work, it’s easy to be “one of the herd.” In that I mean being a member of a group that doesn't’ question their place in life, how to better it, how to use the resources around themselves. I’m not proficient at it, but I know that I need to be aware. After reading this book, my passion for development has sparked again.
I understand that the Komives and associates believe that when one of the 7C’s are being bettered, the others’ capacity is being increased as well. The question is where do I start to apply these ideas? I can start with my roommate, and getting better communication. Cisco says that 70% of learning is best done through experience and doing. This means that we must be willing to fail along the way. I have stuck my foot in my mouth many, gotten the wrong answer, had bad ideas, many times because I didn’t have the right knowledge at the time, but afterwards I asked myself, “why was that a bad idea, why did I fail?” All I can come up with is that I didn’t have the experience, the knowledge, or the capacity to solve the issues at the time. A goal I want for myself continue and be better consciousness of self. Why am I upset? Why do I procrastinate? What message am I giving off as I speak to others? As I seek to better and change my current self, the other C’s will be honed as well.
For common purpose, I need to understand what my purpose is. Understanding a common purpose is coming together comparing and contrasting visions, values, and aims. (Komives, 2009) This means being “collaborative” (Komives, p.xii). Leadership is not just confined to the person who fills the title role, but leadership is open for everyone. On a college campus, Lee for instance, there are more than four thousand people, who are seeking a career, education, husband, wife, or an escape from something. Everyone is looking for a higher purpose, that Fankl says is different from person-to-person. No two people will have the exact same purpose in life. What Komives says, is that with purpose, there will people who are willing to work together if they feel their values, visions, and aims are being taken into count of.
Why is my purpose? What are my visions, my aims, my values? I don’t know right now. It could be my passion for getting a masters in College Student Development, to better myself so I can aid others in the journey of their lives. After reading Help by Garret Keizer, I realized that I was moved most by the idea of child abuse, child neglect, and the opportunities of success being removed from their lives. I hope to apply these thoughts and ideas to my process of who I am, what I want to do, and how can I be most effective. I am going to volunteer with the YMCA, so I can go head and get experience with this these new ideas, and use my old experience and new ones to figure out these questions that I have. I’m not looking for answers but an understanding of the process; maybe some form of comfort.
The higher purpose of the book, Leadership for a Better World, is to educate the college students about becoming a leader that enacts social change. With this idea, an ensemble , explains how leaders are relational and effect the environment around them. Leaders can be anyone who feel passionate about some, and wishes to do something about it. Dennis Roberts says simply enough, that leadership is conviction in action. I know I have quite a way till become a quality “change agent” (Komives, p.397- 442), but starting now is key for long term development and understanding. While volunteering with the YMCA, maybe I can get a better understanding of the youth today, and start a program the offers more development for them, no matter the economic status or home life. My sphere of influence isn’t just where I want it to be, but my current situation. This is something that I can lose sight of: my parents, my relatives, friends, girlfriend, and people that I interact with on a daily basis. I need to cultivate what I have now and maybe move on to working with people who I don’t know.
The book has really helped me to start seeing my life differently. The struggle now is to focus well enough to process all of the information. It gave a wonderful example of someone who is dealing with procrastination, and how he goes about managing it. It was an inspiration to get a handle on my procrastination issue. In church we have talked about hypocrites and what it really means. In things like leadership, it is intimidating to go for it because I do not want to come off as a hypocrite. As an athletic trainer it does not make since for someone who is not managing his weight issue, to educate athletes on how to mange their weight. It still something that I want to get a handle on, and by not procrastinating with my school work, its a step forward to now procrastinating on my physical well-being. There does though need to be a balance between, making a change and not wanting to come off as a hypocrite, and still working towards change. I do not have answers, I do not understand a lot of leadership topics, but others do. I can team up with them to make a change more efficient, smooth, and manageable.
A question that I keep coming back to is, “What opportunities might you seek out that would give you the chance to apply what you have learned here?” (Komives, p.438) My best friends is my roommate. We constantly seek to better each other. As stated earlier, I coasted this past year, and our relationship has been stained from my coasting. The biggest opportunity I can seek out is betting my roommate, and engaging more with him and his development. He still pushes me, and I’m getting back to it. With this process, I am able to think about questions to ask him. Ideas to offer up to him, and watch him grow and push through the tough spot in his life as well.