Attitude

1. To me, attitude is how you react at any given time in any given situation.
2. Attitude affects leadership greatly because the way you look at something and how you react to it determines your personality and your morals and values. Others see your attitude every day, and that's part of what determines if they want to follow you or not. In my opinion great leaders are optimistic and willing to constantly have a good attitude, no matter what the circumstance.
3. Your attitude is a choice- The only person who can decide your attitude is you. You are given the privilege of deciding your attitude on life, and how you react relies souly on yourself. In sports, how you react to a play or a mistake mirrors how you react to situations like that in real life, and it helps define your character.
Your attitude determines your actions- How you feel about something is how you're going to react. If you miss a serve in volleyball and feel like you're a loser and let your team down, then that's going to show in the rest of the game. You won't play your best and you will let that one mistake turn into many that help to decide the game.
Your people are a mirror of your attitude- How you act will always rub off on others. As people say, attitude is contagious and that's so true. You must be weary that your actions and attitude are always visible to others.
4. This quote is so true because one of the few things we have total control over in this world is our own attitude. We are given the choice to decide our reactions, and that's a privilege that often gets taken for granted.

Mr. Bollinger

I believe the last point is the most important, and it says, "You are the glue between the leader and the followers." I really think point needs to be stressed because that's the whole job of an assistant coach, or the "second person". You create a type of bridge between the head coach and players considering that usually the players don't agree with everything the coach says. You have the ability to form a feeling of trust, and to solve problems between the two. That's the whole job of an assistant coach.

I believe I'm best at number three, or head coach has to trust you by what you do. I know that the coach gets a good idea of my morals and values through things outside of volleyball, so I always try to practice positive actions 24/7. I don't take place in things I don't believe are right, and I think that shows through my personality and actions. The coach gets to know me through the sport but also through my everyday life.

My weakest is number five, or know your place in the hierarchy because you may have it upside down. Sometimes I act like I'm above everyone else because I'm the leader when in reality it's just the opposite. To work on this I can ask my teammates each day what I can do for them, I can ask how their day had gone, and I can work to make sure they're happy with things on the team.

Mr. Cain's Talk

When he said, "You have the choice to entertain your thoughts" he was saying that you are the one in charge of going after your thoughts and making them come true. As a leader we have the ability to take our own ideas and make them into reality, and that's our job. We are in charge of taking thoughts (our own and others) and to our best ability somehow making them come true in any way possible.

When it comes to adversity, I try to be the coffee bean but tend to be more of the egg. Sometimes when a problem comes my way I automatically get mad and try to ignore the issue (which makes things worse) and I don't even try to think of a solution that could make things easier. So now when adversity comes my way I need to make a distinct effort to be the coffee bean...and try to see the positive side no matter how hard it is.

Mr. Diers

"Trust is in the little things like being on time, being consistent, and being present on a daily basis." This means that with volleyball (year round not just during season) I need to always arrive to practice at least 10 minutes early, always give 100% 100% of the time, and come to every practice, open gym, weights, etc. even if I really don't want to be there. By doing small things like this I can earn the trust of my teammates. Also, "empowering good people" is important in leadership because soon enough you will be gone and it's your responsibility to have great leaders stepping up behind you. In my opinion that's the biggest part of helping Palisade sports...preparing younger people for the great role they will be expected to fill.

That quote is very inspirational because it's saying that the only way you ever have a chance at succeeding is if you step out and try. Someone who gives their all, even if it results in failing, is much more credible, respectable and honorable than someone who was too scared to take a chance, to take a step into the unknown, for they are the cowards who deserve nothing. As Jay Bilas said, "The most important play in any game is the next one."

Initiative and Perseverance

Initiative:
I can show better initiative in my own life and leadership capabilities by starting things that I know will be hard but still sticking to them in the end. I'm lacking initiative in school and doing mt work because it's almost summer, and I just want to be done with school. I can help solve this problem by doing my homework right when I get home so that I don't keep procrastinating, I can make sure that I turn in all my homework by the time they're due, and have someone in every class help hold me accountable.
Perseverance:
I could take that person aside one day and ask what's going on in their personal life and ask how I could help in any way. I could also try to keep motivating them every day, even if it doesn't seem to be helping at first. I could keep telling them to persevere even when things are getting hard and keep trying to be positive while persevering. I can remind them that perseverance is "needed to release most of life's rewards."

Power of One 3/5/10

The video that stood out the most to me was the Power of One, because that boy had the passion and heart for life itself that a leader could only dream for everyone on their team. Even though he only had one leg, he was always optimistic about everything which is crazy because almost every one of us would look at it as a downfall. Instead though, he had the courage to keep moving forward and be the best he could be, which ended up being better than many others his age without any disabilities. And along with affecting the boy, the parents also had to make huge sacrifices. It wasn't easy for them to decide to have their son's leg amputated, but they took that leap of faith and in the end it really paid off. Their son used what he had to excel, and he passed up everyones expectations. Without courage or sacrifice from anyone in that family, he wouldn't be anywhere near where he is today. That is an excellent example of leadership for us all to follow.

Courage and Sacrifice 3/5/10

In one of John Maxwell's books he writes, "The heart of good leadership is sacrifice," and I believe this is true because without true sacrifice, you can't lead. In your heart you must be willing to give up your wants and needs for the wants and needs of others, because truly you should care more about the success as a team than the success of yourself individually. I don't think you can be considered a "good" leader unless you're selfless and are willing to take sacrifice to an intense level...as said before you have to be willing to take risks and step out into the unknown in order to increase your leadership potential.

When looking at those who you influence, courage must be evident. I think this varies with the person or the sport, but personally I show courage by being able to stand up for my own ways and beliefs, no matter what others say about them. In Leadership Gold it says, "I can't lead people if I need people" and this makes sense. Not in an arrogant way considering technically everyone needs people, but in a sense that at times a true leader must move forward, taking a courageous step and not waiting for others' approval. I'm not great at this of course, but I'm really working on it because I believe, or hope, that if others see me being courageous and not trying to blend in with the crowd then they will admire this and want to follow.
Your dedication to potential must remain stronger than your desire to appease others.

You have to have courage to lead because you can only take great steps ahead if you risk something in return. The whole point of leading is to take others where they are too afraid to go themselves without someone else taking that first step; you must be willing to sacrifice your own feelings of contentment and be courageous in order to move forward. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stand at times of challenge and controversy." For your true character to come out as a leader you must first be willing to show courage.

Krueger's Talk 3/5/10

I thought Krueger's talk was really great...it had a lot of depth to it and totally hit all the points we've been working on in class. He talked about how what we think our main trait is may very possibly be different than what others see in us, and that's interesting because I think most of the time we don't really consider that. And it works the other way too...what we see in others may be different than what they see themselves. I think that's a big reason to have communication and form relationships, so everyone knows how they view themselves and others. He also talked about how as you get higher and higher up on the leadership ladder, things get harder. Some assume that by being the "best" things are easy for you, but really it's the exact opposite; you have to experience even more to make sure you're helping others succeed their goals. As John Maxwell said, "Leadership is like an auction," and this is a great analogy because in an auction, as the price to pay gets higher, less and less people want to buy into it...when leaders have to start sacrificing more of their time and give more to the team the number of people willing to do it starts to drop. In my opinion, you only know who the true leader when in the end, they are the one who gave the most for the smallest reward; the success of others. This goes to what I want to remember most: sacrifice means selflessness. Krueger gave us a quote saying, "Selflessness is the soul of teamwork," and although I've never thought of it this way I think it's so true. Sacrificing what you want in order to help others excel and for you to improve as a team requires the job of putting others before yourself, and pushing your wants and needs aside. In order to lead you must put yourself last, because, "The difference between good and great leaders is that great leaders make their teammates better by being selfless."

Influence and Inspiration 2/21/10

Influence is when one person's words or actions affect another person's words or actions. We influence others by just doing what's right and responsible; by doing this others will see you and want to be like you. You can't demand influence though because a person will only follow by will, which is why you must first earn their respect. Influence is very critical to leadership because you can only lead if people follow, and people will only follow if you influence their lives. You can influence people by being yourself, but if you want to be a positive influence then you must do what's right. Others will notice and will follow, whether you know it or not. Everyday I can earn influence from my teammates by making positive choices (not drinking, drugs, etc.), keeping my grades up, and keep up the positive attitude that I have on the court in school too. And as John Maxwell said, "No matter what anybody else may tell you, remember that leadership is influence-nothing more, nothing less."

Vision and Goals 2/19/10

Life Sentence: A person who leads by example in faith and puts others before themself, and who gives 100% in everything they do.
Through sports and school and faith and life in general, I want to be known as a person who never gave up and who always was willing and wanting to help others. I want people to think of me as a positive person who helped raise people up, and not bring them down...I set goals for myself so that I can have the power to make an impact in others' lives. My goals go along with what Leading Your Team said, "As a team leader you'll provide leadership through your conduct, attitude and the way you think. Leadership will be visible in your every action."

Team Motto: Fuel heart with desire...you know!
Representing the volleyball team we chose this quote because a goal of ours has always been to play with heart, no matter the actual outcome of the game. For in order to succeed you have to play to win, and not play to not lose. And in order to play with heart you must have a burning desire to be there at that moment and want to play to your potential.

Leadership 2/19/10

Leadership is taking authority over a group of people to help lead and succeed; to reach certain goals. It involves setting your own goals and following through with them, and using trust, honesty, and positive character to earn the respect of people who are then willing to follow your lead, and then everyone works together to bring out the best in your fellow teammates. Just as the author of Exploring Leadership said, "Leadership is not a position that someone gives you; it is ultimately a privilege that you must earn and maintain." Vocal leadership is leading someone else by words, and taking authority when speaking to the rest of the team. Performance leadership is leading by actions, and demonstrating things they want done by actually doing them themselves. Personally I am a performance leader, because I would rather show people what I expect than just tell them. I need to work on using my voice though because you can't always get through to people by just actions and at certain times vocal makes more of an impact than performance. I believe that both are vitally essential when it comes to being a successful all-around leader. I also believe that leaders can be born a leader, but they can also be made into one. Someone can be born with great leading skills, but they have to actually practice those skills and be "made" into a leader in order to make the most impact. But someone who is born without leadership skills can also be taught how to make them and how to lead others, and they may not be quite as successful as the person born with talent but they can still be a good leader. So in other words, leaders can be born and made.

Trust and Honesty 2/18/10

Trust is being able to tell someone something and have full confidence that they won't repeat it to anyone else. It's placing confidence in another person and believing what they say is true. Honesty is telling the truth to someone, no matter the conditions. Even if the situation is awkward or other people say to lie about something, honesty is having the courage to tell the truth. Trust and honesty go hand in hand with each other because if someone isn't honest with you then why should you trust them? You have to be known to be an honest person with people, because only then will a person trust you with their own issues if they know you'll be truthful and won't lie about what's right or wrong. Both trust and honesty are essential in being a leader, because you have to be honest with someone for them to trust you, and they must trust you and your actions in order to be confident enough to follow you. "When a leader's character is strong, people trust him, and they trust in his ability to release their potential. That not only gives his followers hope for the future, but it also promotes a strong belief in themselves and their organization." If you're known as someone who has lied quite frequently and you're always changing your mind, then people can't put enough trust in you to be able to follow. If no one is following you then you're obviously not being a successful leader. In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, it's said that, "Character makes trust possible. And trust makes leadership possible. Whenever you lead people, it's as if they consent to take a journey with you. The way that trip is going to turn out is predicted by your character." Before we even try to lead others, we need to make sure that our own character is how it should be, by always being honest and truthful.

Listening and Communication Post 3

During the week I have been trying to really listen to people when they're speaking, and try to help them with whatever problem/issue they're dealing with. Just like The Best Leaders are Listeners says, "It is no accident that we have one mouth and two ears. When we fail to listen, we shut off much of our learning potential," and this is so true. We're supposed to listen twice as much as we speak, because it's twice as important. In order to learn from each other we have to listen so that everyone's needs are met. I have been trying to focus on what other people are saying this week, but of course I'm not perfect at it. I have a lot to work on because it's still really easy to get lost in your own world when someone else is talking because your problems seem more important than theirs, but I'm trying to stay in focus and truly listen to what they're saying. I need to still work on asking them questions when they're talking to prove I care and want to help.

Listening and Communication-Second Post

I believe that everyone has the ability to inspire and motivate people, but you just have to have the will to do it and the drive to get better at it. No one's perfect, so we can't be amazing at inspiring and motivating people, but we can also work hard to be the best we can be. Maxwell said, "Sensitivity toward the hopes and dreams of people on your team is essential for connecting with them and motivating them." So in other words, one way we can motivate each other is by showing that you actually care about their issues, and by doing this they can see that you're trying to help and it will form a connection between you and your teammate. I try to express my visions to my team in a way that they can relate; that way they know what I'm talking about and as I help them, they can help me to achieve our goals. Whenever I'm having a conversation with someone, I'm really trying to work on keeping eye contact with them and showing that I'm truly listening and that I care about their problem/idea. That way, we can connect with each other on the same level which will help us as a team in our sport. As Maxwell said, "If you want to be more effective connecting with people, make it your goal to understand them."

Listening 2/10/10

I am a pretty good listener, because I'm not really that social. I'm not very outgoing, so I tend to sit back and listen to other people as they talk. I think I need to make a point to actually listen more though, and not just hear the person talk. If I listen to them and comment on what they said then it can help to form a better relationship between the person and me. If the person knows you're listening to them and knows that you're legitimately trying to understand them, then they'll know that you care and it will help them to follow you as you try to lead. Everyone's listening skills can always improve, and in order to get better at it I can make a point to talk to people on my team everyday, and as I listen I can ask questions and make comments so that the person and I both know I'm paying attention. Hopefully by improving our listening skills we can become better leaders.

Transformative Learning-2/9/10

This week we're starting our new blogs...to apply transformative learning. By writing down all our thoughts on that weeks lesson, we can help apply the new information to our daily lives so that hopefully the information will stick with us past this class. Later on in the semester our mentors will be able to read our posts, and they can see what all we have thought about the new topics and we can discuss how they have changed our visions of leadership. By writing new posts every couple of weeks people will be able to follow other's thoughts and see how they are taking in the projects and how they're going to apply it to their lives. Also by posting our thoughts we can go back later, after the leadership class is over, and review stuff we learned so that we can still use it in sports, activities, etc. in the future.