Tuesday

I changed tables to sit with new people. Two of the guys followed me and I put out the woman who's chair I took. Today we discussed the homework. An intense discussion all day with group activities. We had to enact one of the five leadership styles. We also got the results of our LEI. I was not surprised: conflict management, external awareness, political savvy, financial managment and human resource management.

Course questions:
What more did I learn about my personal leadership skills and personality type? That I am a "hammer" most of the time and a "scredriver" some of the time. Either of these can be ineffective at the wrong time. And I probably use them at the wrong times! I can see I use hammer alot. I also found out that I use a coaching style of leadership most, rather then democratic as I had thought. Coaching can be stressful to those who need more direct leadership. I'm an INFP and I'm not always aware of others or my impact on them and frequently don't care really, or don't care enough to change anything.

Tonight a social gathering. I walked over with a couple of people and hung out with Sally for a bit and then a workmate briefly. I went back to my room soon though. Alone time.

What areas do I need to address in my ILDP? Flexible use of leadership styles, increased awareness of how I impact others, how to focus better on priorities in projects. I get stumped and can lose motivation over parts I feel incompetant in or don't want to do.

What do I want to learn from my mentor? All of the above and how to present myself better.

Readings from: Leadership and Self-Deception
In the box: I see myself and others in a systematically distorted way. I see others as mere objects.
Outside of the box: I see myself and others more or less as we are - as people.

This is an interesting book. I can see myself in this story of the guy and his job. I can certainly relate to how I see people I work with and work for in this concept.