lucianasobral's Space

St Pauls Protest

The protest in St Pauls lacks a leader, in my opinion, it is a vacuum waiting to be filled. The protest is against the leaders of the economy, they are being blamed by the crisis and the new cuts of the politics. However, this starts deeply affect England now. Students, sick people, older and everyone that depends of financial help from government, by direct money transfers or another kind of sponsorships, are the predominant people in the protest. In my opinion this is just the beginning of the protest. When there is a leader(s) and a well-done organization that would focus in change the current economic, political situation of the British/ world structure with a purposes than they would be listened. Now just seems a protest organized by a crowed that is angry and are claimed and protesting for many different reasons.

 

With the business journalism class we went interview people that were occupying St Pauls, my friend and I interviewed 8 people. All are there protesting because of the injustice that few people have so much and others have so little. There were students, public workers, drug addicts, and anarchists, among others. When we asked then what they expect achieve with the protest none could give us the same answer, they seems protesting for so many reason and without any organization that would be difficult that they can get something from there.

 

“The Corporation also said that they had identified 15 vulnerable people who were attending the camp because of the free food, tea and company which it provided and that policing the camp and put a "considerable" strain on City of London police.”(The Guardian, dec 01 2011)

 

The lack of organization is clear and make the protest fail in its goals.However I also think that there is any support from the media, that seems be central but critical to the lack of leader.

 

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-15769999

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/dec/01/occupy-movement-costs-corporation-london

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Leadership Pod

Our group was a good mix of backgrounds, which was very good to learn how other cultures behave and work. This was without doubt the best part of the group. The group didn’t have a constant leader, however to have the work done, Luis and I were the first to try organize and divide work. But I wouldn’t say that we were kind of leaders, since that everyone make their contribution. Off course there were those ones more concerned with the project and others not concerned at all.  We have some difficulties to organize the interview. It was decide the two would do and after because one decide not participate we had to change the approach of the interview, but all others members were helpful and we could work very well in a team.  

If I could change something, or if I see myself in the same kind of group, I would be more strength and less passive with those whom don’t work or don’t support the team. Since the objective was the same, and everyone would be prejudiced if something happens; it not seems right that few do everything and others just watch. It is difficult to impose to others for the good of the team. And I think that Luis had a moment that did this very well, I would not confront like he did, but I think what he did was the best for the group. In that moment he was a good leader.

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Leaders with a strong value and ethics are difficult to find it. Maybe is because when they became great leaders some values should be ignored in favour to more important achievements, or the pressure in the modern world is huge that they can’t afford maintain their initial ethical and value morals when they start be followed by am enormous number of people, or when they became nation, organization or business leaders.

In my opinion there are / were still few leaders that have strong values and ethics, despite the world pressure. For example: Dalai Lama, Felipe Gonzales, Mandela, and Noam Chonsky.

 

Dalai Lama:

“Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”

“World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.”

 

Mandela:

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”

 

Felipe Gonzales (former Spanish prime minester):

 "No voy a estar en el cargo a cualquier precio. Aceptaré lo que me diga la mayoría de un partido democrático como el nuestro, pero si estoy en minoría no me pidáis que tire del carro de la mayoría, ya que no sabría hacerlo y lo haría mal".

 

"Cómo es posible, qué es la gran cuestión, que ante una crisis global, acompañada para el futuro de desafíos globales, no comprendamos, como dice la Real Academia, que lo que falla es la Gobernanza Global de la crisis y de los desafíos ¿cómo no lo comprendemos?" "Las respuestas nacionales son insuficientes para enfrentar los desafíos globales". Gijón, 23 de mayo de 2009

 

Chomsky:

“I think the death penalty is a crime no matter what the circumstances, and it is particularly awful in the Steven Woods case. I strongly oppose the execution of Steven Woods on September 13, 2011.”

‘Elections in the United States are expensive extravaganzas run by the public relations industry. The PR people looked at the polls and picked slogans accordingly. And he continues ‘Did you know Obama won the best campaign of the advertising industry in 2008? It was politicians being marketed as a product, like toothpaste. What does that have to do with democracy? If you read his statement you find yourself asking what was the hope? What was the change? These were empty words.’

 

All example above are some of few of leaders that have been impacting the world and making people to think, to analyse and know that they are important. Each individual is important, each small action is important to change the world to a better life, where the well being of the humans are the main priority. Although some of them are banned, strongly criticized and threatened, they continue spread the word and teach, coach people that they can and are responsible to be in control of their life. That just depends of each individual action to achieve a better world where there are not huge inequalities and poverty. Those leader are example of people that besides the pressure, the threatens and the temptations of the modern life they continue lead the crowed to defend those values which the well being of the majority is the priority. They try open the eyes of the population to act for their benefits and not being the passive individual that are not responsible for the bad things that happen.

In my opinion, these leaders are the one who posses the strongest values and ethics in leadership. I admire that beside they be constantly threatened and criticized by others leaders they maintain their values and not have afraid of continue follow their believes and teach others to lead like them.

 

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“I've yet to be on a campus where most women weren't worrying about some aspect of combining marriage, children, and a career. I've yet to find one where many men were worrying about the same thing.
Gloria Steinem

 

Women have gained a lot of rights in the last few decades, however it is still far from the so dreamed equality between genres.  The progress in the professional sector is clear among my generations and my grandmother. But the news is not so good, and in many situations the data shows that there are still positions that there are not woman at all. In top position women are barely representative. In politics, CEOs or directives positions in organizations, women occupied less then 30% of these positions in UK (Sex and Power 2011 - Equality and Human Rights Commission). And the worst part is that the progress is poor.  It is more difficult to progress in the career if you are woman, which implies choices, between family and work. I really don’t know, why in the 21st century this is just a concern for the women, why the man don’t even ask themselves if they have to choose between family and work.

 

This situation is worst when women are leaders in their field.  Unfortunately, most of them have to learn “play” as man to succeed and highlight in their sector. Even though some studies have shown that woman leaders are in many situation better leaders than man, there is a long way to break barriers for the woman in the top positions or in front of groups. And it is not just change how the men think, but it is how the women were raised and how they evaluate themselves as not so suitable to those elite positions as men think about themselves. It needs a change in the society, which usually impose a stereotype on the women that some characteristics are believed to be not compatible to leadership positions.

 

“I do not wish women to have power over men; but over themselves. “
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

 


 

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Charisma is an important characteristic to leaders and to followers. Charisma is defined by the skill to inspire enthusiasm, interest, or affection in others. In this way charisma prove be an important ability for leaders, especially in moments of crises when the followers are looking for hope and inspiration to drove them from the difficult situations. Charisma is an important characteristic, but not essential, a person could be a leader but lack of charisma.

The values and morals are a difficult theme in for leadership, usually values and morals come from private believes and influences. A leader that uses strictly his values and moral could be considered that he is imposing some private matters. However, depend on the situation values and moral are the most important aspects in successful leaders, for example in religion environment, and national leaders such as president. On the other hand, in my opinion some values and morals such as honesty and thrust should be always present in leaders. I believe it is difficult for a leader maintain his leadership if his followers don’t thrust him, or don’t believe in his actions and speeches.

Martin Luther King is a good example of charismatic leader, which his values and moral expired millions of people to believe that a different and better world was possible.  

  

I-have-a-dream-speech

 

 

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Myers-Briggs Leadership Test

My test says that my main characteristic is work to achieve goals. Its quite accurate, I already knew that I just can work when I have a goal to focus, and that distractions or inefficient procedures or people could irritated me. Without specific goal, I feel lost and loose the interest on it.  This characteristic could help my group focus and work through efficient way to achieve our goal in the course. There are people that are better in the details and social skills, and combining with my rational and focusing characteristic, in my opinion could work very well. I show the objective, the one good in details and procedures could create a plan to achieve this goal, and the third one with a good social skills could managed the communication and the division of work, always maintain the good environment in the group.

Reference: http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes3.asp

 

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Authentic Leadership

The authentic leadership  is a new theory that surged in the last years. There are few different theories about what is Authentic leadership, it is defined by some characteristics that leaders have, such as:  Self-awareness, internalized moral perspectives, balanced processing, relational transparency. (Authentic Leadership, chapter 10).  It is a complex process, which the leader will be seen as a trustworthy and believable person among his group. In my opinion, there are just few situations which a leader could do an authentic leadership, because the majority of the time a leader not could be faithful to all those characteristics that have defined him as authentic leader, or even there are times that act under some rules and styles of leadership without any novelty are the best options.  For example: Obama showed in the elections be a authentic leader, different from all his successors, however now, just 2 years after he's been showing contradictions in his values, such as his actions on the war or environmental issues. (See article and video: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7f78f588-edb9-11e0-a9a9-00144feab49a.html#axzz1asW4...)

 

In addition there so many situations that are better use pre-establish styles and action to handle the group. For example, this could occur with frequency in business and military environment or dangerous situations. Some circumstances could push the leader to act against his/her values, and handle the crisis copying others leaders that have succeed in the same situation. I believe that in a war, repeat or copy successful leadership style is normal.

 

My ALQ results classified me as “high” authentic leader (second highest in a scale of 4 points). This result, in my opinion, is very realistic, since I'm aware that in some moments I not act according to my values (unfortunately). Sometimes, it is to respect the other's opinion, other times some values are not realistic when applied to the practical moment. One example is :I'm against big companies exploit the workforce in poor countries, companies such as Nike, Zara, etc.; however, I still buy from them, mainly because I can't afford most of the companies that are recognised are fair work conditions. 

 

In the business environment this is much more clear. In Spain I used work in a marketing consultant company. I used to work with the pharmaceutical industries, and our main objective was to say/ identify the best strategies to sell some of their products, if possible with the most expensive price, although, many times, the difference between the brands were not significant. Other times we just said what motivated people consume them, but many of the real results of the products were not so fantastic as shown on packages or ads, were not lies, but the “models” and ads shows expectations that are far from real.

 

On the other hand, I always try to do what I think is correct, even though could be not good for me. And there are moments that I ask my self, but it seems unconscious act.

 

 

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Authentic Leadership

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The authentic leadership  is a new theory that surged in the last years. There are few different theories about what is Authentic leadership, it is defined by some characteristics that leaders have, such as:  Self-awareness, internalized moral perspectives, balanced processing, relational transparency. (Authentic Leadership, chapter 10).  It is a complex process, which the leader will be seen as a trustworthy and believable person among his group. In my opinion, there are just few situations which a leader could do an authentic leadership, because the majority of the time a leader not could be faithful to all those characteristics that have defined him as authentic leader, or even there are times that act under some rules and styles of leadership without any novelty are the best options.  For example: Obama showed in the elections be a authentic leader, different from all his successors, however now, just 2 years after he's been showing contradictions in his values, such as his actions on the war or environmental issues. (See article and video: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7f78f588-edb9-11e0-a9a9-00144feab49a.html#axzz1asW4... http://youtu.be/lAfqFraOE0s). />
In addition there so many situations that are better use pre-establish styles and action to handle the group. For example, this could occur with frequency in business and military environment or dangerous situations. Some circumstances could push the leader to act against his/her values, and handle the crisis copying others leaders that have succeed in the same situation. I believe that in a war, repeat or copy successful leadership style is normal. 

My ALQ results classified me as “high” authentic leader (second highest in a scale of 4 points). This result, in my opinion, is very realistic, since I'm aware that in some moments I not act according to my values (unfortunately). Sometimes, it is to respect the other's opinion, other times some values are not realistic when applied to the practical moment. One example is :I'm against big companies exploit the workforce in poor countries, companies such as Nike, Zara, etc.; however, I still buy from them, mainly because I can't afford most of the companies that are recognised are fair work conditions.

In the business environment this is much more clear. In Spain I used work in a marketing consultant company. I used to work with the pharmaceutical industries, and our main objective was to say/ identify the best strategies to sell some of their products, if possible with the most expensive price, although, many times, the difference between the brands were not significant. Other times we just said what motivated people consume them, but many of the real results of the products were not so fantastic as shown on packages or ads, were not lies, but the “models” and ads shows expectations that are far from real.

On the other hand, I always try to do what I think is correct, even though could be not good for me. And there are moments that I ask my self, but it seems unconscious act.

Emotional Intelligence and Leadership

Emotional_intelligence

According to Coleman, Emotional Intelligence is a term that refers to a group of personal and social skills, such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and social skill. He also says that Emotional Intelligence is one of the most important aspects to succeed in any aspect of life. In this way, researches have been showing that Emotional Intelligence is an important factor to be a good leader. The reason for this is explained by that people who are more aware about their emotions and its impact in the others are more effective leaders.  Those leaders are able to evaluate each situation and apply the Leadership style that most fits to the moment, rather than be extract to one style that suits better with their personality.

 

Auto evaluating our Emotional Intelligence is a difficult task, considering the 4 characteristics mentioned before: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and social skill, in my opinion those skills you can be born with, but certainly could be improved by the time and experience.

 

In my case, I would say that my strengthens are: self-management and social skill.  An example that shows this is that I have lived in 4 different countries, where I have worked in two of them. I succeed to adapt and improve my professional career and academic qualifications. I had to change and learn to live in a different environment with new values. There were many times that was difficult changing habits and understand that despite some similarities the organizational culture was different.  I’ve worked in the same company in those two different countries, and even with the same rules and organizational structure, the daily life was very dissimilar. The relationship with superiors, staff and team workers were completely distinct and in the begging I usually listened until I was confident enough to give opinions or teach others. In addition those experiences were essential to have new approaches in moments of crises and construct strong connections with my team.

 

On the other hand, my weakness is self-awareness ability.  In this set I believe that the weakest characteristic is the “accurate self assessment”, which means a “realistic evaluation of your strengths and limitations” (Harvard Business Review- Leadership that Get Results, 2000, p. 55). I usually expect more from my self, and I have difficulty to recognize my limitations in many areas of my live. In the work environment I expect always do it better and faster, in academic environment I always want a better grade than I had, and in sports I usually focus on my errors and weakness, instead of recognize my best abilities.

 

 

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Josep-guardiola-240
What is leadership?

The ability to lead and influence others, in order to achieve a common goal. By motivating and committing others to actions and responsibilities, the leader is the main responsible for a group to reach their objectives.

There are different skills or personal characteristics necessary to become a Leader. In my opinion the main characteristics are: good communication (speaking and listening), focus, ability to delegate, charisma, ability to adapt, persuasio, courage and decision making.    

However, there are different styles of leadership and different situations demand different attitudes from the leader. A good leader never thinks about him, he does it for the benefit of the group.

"The boss drives people; the leader coaches them. The boss depends on authority; the leader on good will. The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm. The boss says "I"; The leader says "WE". The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. The boss says, "GO"; the leader says "LET'S GO!" H. Gordon Selfridge

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