Helen Samhan

Ms. Samhan was very interesting and great to listen to. I am not very knowledgeable in the field of Arab Americans, and I think that I feel more educated about the culture after listening to her speak. I learned alot about the history and the culture of the Arabs. They came over to America starting in the 1880s in large waves. Most were from the Ottoman Empire and spoke Arabic. Christians were the minority in the Arab world and most were Muslim, but 95% of the first immigrants came over because they were Christian and wanted to practice Christianity. Her mother was 1 of 5 girls, and her mom wanted her girls to go to school, which was unusual for Arab education practices. Arab women were normally peddlers, and they became business women by making product and selling it, and eventually started opening up shops. America put in an immigration law in the 1920s and only allowed 2% of each population to be admitted. Asians were banned from becoming citizens, they wanted Northern Europeans in America. In 1960, the immigration law changed again, America now let anyone in, and a new wave of Arabs began to immigrate in. They were mostly Muslim and Aab speaking. An Arab feminist movement formed in the 1980s and focused on cultural feminism issues. I learned a lot from the movie that we watched in class, I never realized how Arabs felt after 9/11 and how they are being exploited as terrorists. Ms. Samhan was definitely a different view on leadership than the previous speakers, and it was really a great opportunity to listen to her speak.

Helen Samhan~ Kayse

I also really enjoyed the speaker from last class. I enjoy when we hear about different cultures and ways of life and how it applies to what we are learning. I was so interested in what the speaker had to say. She seemed like such a fascinating woman that had a wealth of information. I liked the subject of her presentation. Middle-Eastern culture is so interesting to me and I feel a little close to it as one of my best friends that I grew up with is both Syrian and Egyptian. Hearing what the speaker had to say and seeing the women in the film made me think of my friend, her family, and house, and actually made me miss her so much as she is away at school right now. I feel that this type of presentation is so important because the Middle Eastern culture definitely has a presence in this area and needs to be understood and appreciated. Also, for people who may have a negative view of their culture, educational presentations such as this could do a lot to show others what their culture really is about. Aside from the content, I thought that our speaker was very well-prepared and could have gone on much longer if we had let her. Not to bash the other speakers, but I felt as if they came with very little material in order to use us for their presentations which made me feel awkward and put on the spot.

Guest Speaker: Helen Samhan

I really enjoyed having Helen come in and speak to us about Arabs in America. I liked how she started of by giving the history of Arab immigrants coming to U.S. The video she showed us was beneficial because we were able to her a live commentary on Arab women and how they felt after 9-11. At the end I think we had a great discussion and she answered all of our questions well. I was able to relate to what she was saying because I have been to that part of the world and know how women are there. I know that just as we think of women's status back in their home countries those women also have a curiousity about American women and their lifestyles. I thought she was informative and noticed her confidence and willingness to answer the questions we had.

Julie Womble- Parts IV and V

I really liked the parts in the book about knowing yourself, knowing others, how you both fit together, group conflict, and the relational leadership model. I think that this section of the book I am really interested in because I believe that leadership is all about people and the processes between them that create this relationship that we know as leadership. Dealing with change is another important aspect of leadership, because that is the one thing that we can always count on, change.
It is important to know yourself before you lead because you need to know who you are and how you are going to react to situations. You want to have your base of ethics and morals, and when you are pushed to your limits, your true self will come out. As a leader, you should have great self awareness so that you can see where you fit into the group, how you should react to different types of people, and how you should lead different groups. Knowing others and the group process is important for you as well, so that you know everyones strengths and weaknesses and know how to form the group and have it work effectively. Within all of this group mess, it is imporant to recognize the process and see how it works. The relational leadership model fits all of these components into a diagram which shows the process. There are 3 parts to the model- group, individual, and community values.
Within these values are:

individual:
consciousness of self-basically self awareness, who you are and how you fit into the group
congruence- you do and believe in what you say you do, integrity
commitment- being committed to yourself and to a cause

group:
collaboration- come together as a group, form ideas together and come to some sort of agreement
common purpose- be brought together by a shared goal or purpose
controversy with civility- most effective groups have controversy, which helps the group grow and learn. to be successful, you must be civil and not take opinions personal.

community:
citizenship- committed to who you are and taking care of others around you

One of my strengths in StrengthsQuest (actually my #1) is relator. I feel like all of these aspects combined fill parts of my philosophy of leadership because of the relationships and working together aspects. I really enjoyed these 2 parts of the book!

Part IV Saher

This was an interesting topic to read about in leadership. Something a bit different then what we have been discussing in class as part of being a good leader. Being adaptable to change is very important. I think change is very hard on people as it moves you out of your comfort zone. However, the book suggests that a critical leadership task is to understand this tension and transform it into “creative tension”. Change is something that isn’t easy to do, but certainly can be provide people with benefit. I liked the message the book presented about leaders when they facilitate change is to help others come out from their weaknesses and not fear anything and be confident. Creating opportunities for people to think broadly and take chances and flow with change rather then ponder it is a great way to get people involved. I think it is really good to have a support system along with you when you are the one going through a change. Having people assure you that what your doing is great definitely helps on the path to changing whatever it might be. I agree with the book that change is easier said then done. The eight stage process of creating change was interesting. I know in my life I have had to change things and it hasn’t always easy for me. As Sarah mentioned moving away was a difficult choice, but at the end she felt as if she made the right decision. I remember changing school several times. It was hard, I resisted, I didn’t like it and most importantly I wasn’t ready for it. As I allowed myself and began to have a good support with me that encouraged me to take the step in changing schools, I felt better. Throughout life we will need to change ourselves or something we do because of “new changes” that will make us change our old ways. Recognizing it has something good rather then a problematic step can help one overcome it.

Parts IV & V~ Kayse

I found these two sections to be very interesting, though the first was a little upsetting for me, especially at present. The first section dealt with the subject of change. To me, sometimes, change is a dirty word. Many people may think of it as refreshing renewal, but I rarely associate such an experience with it. I almost always think of negative outcomes. It seems that in my life, just as I am getting the hang of things, or getting comfortable with a group of people, something comes about that gums up the works. I just don't understand why some things can't stay constant. Or, I have the opposite experience, I wish for change, but then regret it. I just can't seem to find a balance. The section, however, approached the subject of change as a necessary process that may not be able to be controlled, but it can be managed. I felt that this information alone was a little encouraging, and I didn't feel so upset.

The other section was about identity as a leader. The first thing that was mentioned was the fact that social identity is often established before leader identity. I didn't like how social identity was described, however. It seemed only to relate identity to the organizations or activities one participates in; I think it goes much deeper than that. Regardless of that opinion of mine, I feel that this section was very helpful and played on the strengths of the individual in order to determine how one would succeed as a leader. It definitely put some things in perspective for me and was a good note to end on.

Part IV Fatema

Well I find this part of the book as interesting as I found part II. What I love about these two parts of the book II and IV was that a person can really relate to it, For example in part IV is about understanding change and the fact that we fear change because we are unaware of it's outcome. whether it is a change in the workforce, school, and or family we are all afraid at the begining because we don't know whether it is for the best or worst. For example using this blog, at the begining I hated using this blog becasue I did not know how to use it, since I had never been introduced to it, I feared it and ended up to hating it. But after I got the hang of it and became comforable with using I . That was when I ended up not missing out on any blog. Although my example of change was not as great some of the other's that I read but the point is that all of us will eventually run into change some day and what I have learned is that you should not be afraid of it, and rather give it a chance because the outcome can suprisnigly be great. The reason that I fear change is because number 1) I am so used to doing whatever is it and when change comes along, it just throws me off my comfort zone. 2) I don't know what are going to be the affects of the change, 3) will be able to adapt to it or not. But if you eliment all these things and go ahead with the change and put your 100 percent then you will do good in whatever section it is, and on top of that you won't have any regerets. Change is good but as long as we are able to make the risk and give it a chance.

Part IV and V Sarah I

A good leader works
Together with others to make a positive change
Make meaning of what happens
Observing, effective, and improving ourselves
Wants to shape the future
wants to make a difference in the society, community or the world
Effective leaders approach change process slowly
Change to people can be scary at times and also exciting.
Change occurs at a specific time and has a beginning and an end.
I remember a time when I reached the age where i had enough where i was living and made a good change. I was excited to leave my house and move in with my finance at the time.I didn't know if I made the best decision but in the end I did.
I was scared and excited to move out of the house and I excepted the change. I prepared and when i made the decision I went with it with out regret.
Why people are scared of change the satisfaction, fear, self-interest,and lack of confidence.
To help people slowly understand change, prepare them for the change and explain the situation to them. Don't rush to make the decision with out talking to your partners.
Civic engagement to the society and the community. As a leader in a society or community you need to show people you are their for needs and make a difference in the community. Show the community they can trust you as a friend and a good leader. Tell them your plans and insure them it is going to be a good change for everyone. You have the best interest of the people in the community at heart. Tell them we will all work together for this change. Get them involved and explain to them the changes you want to make. Service learning is a positive effect on everyone but also yourself. The positive feeling will keep you going back for more. It is a feeling that you have and it symbolizes that you have made a good positive change and keeps you going back for more.
Finding our identity in oursleves and in the society will help you to understand yourself and the values and beliefs you believe in.
Gender race and ethnicity
To become a good leader you need to believe in yourself and build your self confidence. Find your what is important to you and use your passion to fight for it. A leader can also balance time for themselves their personal time that does not involve any work. It can be reading a nice book or listening to music. You have to have a balanced life to make an effective leader. The heath of the leader is very important because he or she is the main person that tells people what to do. If the leader is not their then their is going to be carious. They are the leaders to are not stress easily and can balance their work and personal time. The leader is also the some who helps others and puts his or her personal feelings aside.As a leader you need to know: What is your purpose? Who are you? and What do you stand for? Understanding yourself, and beginning aware or your inner core, being aware of the signals your body gives out, and paying attention to what your body and soul or telling you. If your body is tried listen to it and find a place to relax and get some sleep. If your body is feeling sick go home and get better. A sick leader is as bad as not having a leader. The leader needs to be healthy and ready for anything.

Part 2 Saher

I think this part of the book was really beneficial. It stated key things that I found important. The book talked about how there is always room for learn even in the things we are excellent in there is still more to grow on. It is extremely important to know yourself more then anything and recognize your weaknesses as something to challenge upon rather then just ponder about. These chapters were inspiring to me and as I was reading them it brought me into attention of myself and how I can improve. I’am responsible, respectful, honest, but there is still a lot more one has to learn in becoming an effective leader. This reminded me of a quote I have come across that says “A leader not only sees possibilities, but seizes them as well.” You must be open to changes and take action as possibilities for you arise regardless where they might occurs.

Julie Womble-Part II

I am so happy that we are going to learn and discuss the sections on reflection and understanding yourself. I know that it is important to reflect on what has happened in the past, and look forward to what lies ahead in the future, and how you can integrate the two. "Leadership means self-discovery, getting a better yield out of your attributes" pg 121.

Everybody brings a different mix of strengths and weaknesses to each situation. Some of your strengths can become some of your weaknesses, and vice versa, depending on the opinions or the needs of others, the group, and the task at hand. Each person may view your skills sets completely different. It is important to:
1. Listen to yourself when you have done something well, even if no one noticed.
2. Identify the satisfaction that you feel when you know something you did was terrific, and gives you a great feeling.
3. Know what things are easy for you and what you learn quickly.
4. Study your successes for clues of excellence, and where your strengths are.
5. Think about the patterns of excellence, like when you can remember everything you need to know, when you feel the most comfortable, where you are the most successful.

I like that this focuses on your strengths, because I think that it is important that you build on your strengths but recognize your challenges. The book says that everyones talents are enduring and unique, and that each person has the greatest room for growth where their greatest strength is. However, it is important how you handle and deal with your weaknesses, or I like to say challenges.

-How you think and feel about yourself is your energy that fuels your motivation.
-What makes you who you are today you can not change. It is important that you accept it and move forward and not dwell on the things that you can not change.
-It is important that you recognize that factors that shape who you are. They will be unique for each person.

Integrity in relationships is central to the value systems needed among people working together toward change. A person of character:
-is trustworthy
-treats others with respect
-is responsible
-is fair
-is caring
-is a good citizen

-It is also important to see how you are different from others around you. You must accept cultural diversity and multicultural appreciation to be a successful leader in today's world.
-Listening is when you use your ears, eyes, and heart.
-It is important to understand how you come off to others may not be what you meant to say, or how the other person percieved it. It is a skill to master your communication skills.

~Part II~ Kayse

I found this section to be rather interesting. First off, I would like to say that I really enjoyed the way the chapters began with the dialogue of what one might be thinking in a specified situation.
I thought that this aspect of the text really helped me to connect personally to it.

Here are some interesting tidbits I picked up from chapter 4:

The four lessons from which to develop self-knowledge:

-You are your own best teacher
-Accept responsibility. Blame no one.
-You can learn anything you want to learn.
-True understanding comes from reflection on your experience. (p. 121)

~I especially appreciated the 2nd step, as I often tell my students something similar :)

The two assumptions that can guide you in your leadership:

-Each person's talents are enduring and unique.
-Each person's greatest room for growth is in the areas of his or her greatest strength. (p.124)

~I find these assumptions to be very uplifting as I find myself questioning how good of a leader I am at times.

I also liked the section about a person of character:

-Is trustworthy
-Treats people with respect
-Is responsible
-Is fair
-Is caring
-Is a good citizen (p.135)

I also really liked chapter 5 as it was all about diversity, a topic that I'm passionate about.

I really liked the 3 central questions you should ask yourself in any setting:

-How am I like no one else here?
-How am I like some others here?
-How am I like everyone here? (p. 150)

I was also very impressed with the section about leadership and communication. The Chinese symbol for listening was discussed and how it is actually comprised of the symbols for eyes, ear and heart. I found this to be so beautiful and meaningful. :) (p. 171)

Fatema Hashemi Part II

In the Understanding Yourself" section, it was interesting to know how similar our thoughts and anxieties are as students regarding our assignments, teachers, lectures, etc. Knowing how we all perceive our surroundings and how we are perceived helps us better understand ourselves.

Most effective leaders are those who make others around feel empowered with a heightened sense of self-esteem, as the story of Star Wars illustrates this point so vivdly. An effective leader also recongnizes his or or own strengths and weaknesses. Ironically, knowing ones weakness is considered a strength, for it helps establish boundries as to how far one can go without having gone too far. The common observation of many leaders, according to Bennis (1989) is that no one can teach you except you. Our friends, family members, counselors and peers may help us in the process, but ultimately awareness requires you to study yourself.

Part 2 Sarah I

understanding your self:
In order to be a good leader you need to understand your self. Your weakness and your straights. You are the teacher of your self. Accept you responsibility and don't blame others for your actions. reflect on your own experiences. Being a human being is a talent and and know what you are good at and expand on those talents. Each person's talents are unique and have room to grow. Your self-esteem will grow and you will succeed in what ever you put your mind to. How you feel about your self fuels your motivation. A good leader and a good person is trustworthy, treats others with respect, is responsible, fair, caring, and is a good citizen. Leadership is accomplishing something or changing something.

Understanding others:
Men and women tend to hold different attributes for their success and failures. Women- external factors like luck and being at the right place at the right time. They blame their failures on their skills and not being prepared. In order to respect and understand others you need to understand their diversity and culture. So you can act appropriately and not offend them on the way you act. You will understand them as a person and become more aware of their beliefs and customs. Get to know them as a person and undestand them as a unique individual. Communicate with others who you work with or just see walking down the street. Communicate is the tool to success in all aspects of life. In order to understand people you have to be a good communicator. Work together as a team and not individuals in a group.

leading with Integrity and Moral purpose:
Accomplisher will be awarded for their success and non accomplishers will not be rewarded. To be a good leader you can't not be the beast and tell people what to do but ask people to help you. Don't show your ego no matter how big it gets. Make the decision that what you are doing is the good of the people and not to benefit yourself. Hold yourself accountable for your actions and behave you self when you are in front of others. when you are with others keep a positive environment and show others that you can be a good role model and a leader. It takes courage to do the right thing. It is your body and mind and values that makes a person a good leader. Ethics is the heart of leadership and value driven. Without your values and beliefs you can't be a good leader. You have to understand and be able to communicate with others. Keep positive about what you are saying and doing. Remember your actions are your fault and no others.
I really understand what part 2 was saying and I couldn't put the book down until I was finished. It made a lot of sense on how to be a good leader and remember how to act as a good leader.

Julie Womble-On Jerri Bird

I enjoyed our speaker last week, she had many interesting things to say. She was definitely a different dynamic than the speakers that we have had already, but thats not a bad thing. She was very sweet and had a lot of experience and many valuable things that she could share with us. She caught my attention because she was a music major in college, and thats what I am. I can relate with her because its nice to know that there are other musicians out in the world that are doing things besides music, and she is an amazing leader and had time for all of her accomplishments! I like that she spoke about specific women and events, she did not just generalize all the time about women. She recognizes that there are many different women and types of leadership, and she was very inspiring.

Thank you for the opportunity!

Jerri Bird....a very interesting woman :)

I also really liked our speaker last week, in fact, she is probably my favorite so far, with the exception of Jean Cunningham, because she is passionate about adoption, as am I. :) I think the reason I enjoyed Jerri so much was because she actually talked about a specific group of women. The other speakers seemed to talk about women in general, which is to obscure for me to grasp. It is much easier and more interesting to listen to someone speaking about a specific group, however that group is classified, than such a broad overview of all women. Here are some key things that I enjoyed from her talk, in no particular order...

1) The fact that wives in the foreign service were not allowed to work
-I don't necessarily view this as a bad thing, as long as the women were being taken care of financially, but it was strange to hear as I have grown up in a time where most women have to work and don't really have the luxury of not working.

2) She started educating her children at home, as no schools taught in English, and ended up teaching every one's children
-This amazed me. It made me wonder what kind of training she had to handle this position and what was being taught. I think this really struck me in the talk as I am a future educator and I know how much work goes into teaching.

3) She said something about women not having control over money. The men in their lives were responsible for their financial well-being, and the women never had to spend a penny of their own money unless they wanted to.
-I thought that in a perfect world, this sounds awesome. I mean, who would want to have to take care of themselves? However, since this world is not so perfect, this is actually not an ideal situation, and independence trumps dependence.

4) The women's banks
- I thought these organizations sounded so cute! Sitting around in a parlor, drinking tea while doing business...I wish we had them here!

5) Lastly, she said something that really hit me: "Women are the first to suffer in conflict."
-I had honestly never thought of this before, and it really scares me.

Jerri Bird (Fatema Hashemi)

Well I thought the guest speaker last week was very interesting speaker. She was a very kind individual and her job was very interesting of course as she and her husband worked in the Foreighn Services. I like how she spoke about her journey throughout life for example when she live in Saudi Arabiam, India, Jersulam etc. Well when she was talking about girls not being allowed to go to school and how boys were only allowed was very interesting because I never knew that and I learned something new. Thanks to the Kings wife that girls started to go to school at 1956 depending on there families. What she was saying was somewhat relating to the presentation, about the fact how women are still not somewhat allowed to go to school, all depending on there parents now, where else earliar it all depended on the government or more likely the Taliban in Afghanistan. I could really relate with everything she was saying. I like that fact that she stated which place she liked better then the other, for example she said she liked India because the women were very inspiring compared to all the women she had met, also how the city Bombay was like New York and how New Delhi was like Washington D.C. Something that was interesting was when she said that the women from other countries said that they precieved the women in U.S. as sex objects, which really got me thinking with all these cars ads like she metioned herself and many more. I am glad that she was one of our guest speaker because she had a lot of interesting stories that she told us about. She rocked!

Jerri Bird By: Saher Javed

I enjoyed Jerri Bird's experiences in the middle east. I agree with her when she said that, women here do think that those women in the arab world are oppressed, but instead those women dont' feel that they are. For example they don't look at their vails and the fact they cover themselves because someone told them instead because its in their religion they follow it. I was also a bit suprised to hear her explaining to us how awomen from there thought that women here were like "sex objects", but when I think about it, I can agree and to some extent find it true. Jerri Bird mentioned commericals, tv, etc, all have women advertising for some sort of product and that is not needed. She mentioned how Saudi Arabia was now a place that had skyscrappers and held the latest things such as technology and women centers was surprising, I didn't know that was happening so fast there. Her experiences gave me an idea of what it was like in the middle east and how it is today. I enjoyed having her.... !

Julie Womble-Part I

Foundation Principles of Leadership:
1. Leadership is a concern for all of us.
2. Leadership is viewed and valued differently by various disiplines and cultures.
3. Conventional views of leadership have changed.
4. Leadership can be exhibited in many ways. These ways of leading can be analyed and adapted to varying situations. Different settings might call for different types of leadership.
5. Leadership qualities and skills can be learned and developed. Today's leaders are made, not born.
6. Leadership committed to ethical action is needed to encourage change and social responsibility.

The basic principles of leadership include: knowing, being, and doing. You must know yourself, you must be ethical, open, caring, inclusive, and you must act. In order to be a good leader, you must be a great follower. A leader can have 2 different definitions: positional leadership- where you automatically are a leader because of the position that you hold, or informal leader- where any person who is actively engaged with others to accomplish change.

Truths about Leadership:
1. Leaders are made, not born.
2. In today's fluid organizations, leadership occurs at all levels.
3. Having a charasmatic personality is not a prerequisite to be a leader.
4. There is not one identifiable right way to lead an organization or group.
5. Some leaders and scholars believe it is important to make a distinction between the processes of management and leadership.

The Relational Leadership Model:
does not seek to descibe the way leadership is currently practiced in all groups or organizations, but is an aspirational model that we propose in developing and supporting a healthy, ethical, effective group.
It involved being purposeful, inclusive, empowering, ethical, and process-oriented.

~Part One~ Kayse

I found this section to be ultimately more interesting that the last week's readings. I really felt like I was learning something and therefore, related so much more to the text.

Chapter One spoke about leadership as well as followership. Here are some key points that I feel were important:

The Foundational Principles of the book

1. Leadership is a concern of all of us
2. Leadership is viewed and valued differently by various disciplines and cultures.
3. Conventional views of leadership have changed.
4. Leadership can be exhibited in many ways.
5. Leadership qualities and skills can be learned and developed.
6. Leadership committed to ethical action is needed to encourage change and social responsibility. (p. 4-5)

I think it was very important that these were stated early on in the chapter. However, I think I would have liked to read about them last week. Maybe I would have had a better opinion of the text and an idea of the type of material was covered in the text.

Next, the 3 Basic Principles of Leadership were listed:

1. Knowing. You must know-yourself, how change occurs, and how and why others may view things differently than you do.

2. Being. You must be-ethical, principled, open, caring, and inclusive.

3. Doing. You must act-in socially responsible ways, consistently and congruently, as a participant in a community, and on your commitments and passions. (p. 5-6)

I also found these to be extremely helpful as well as practical. I could definitely see myself applying these principles to my own style of leadership.

Not only was leadership discussed in this chapter, but also 'followership.' I thought this was an interesting section as a leader is only as strong as his followers.

A follower should.....

-Offer support to the leader
-Take initiative
-Play counseling and coaching roles to the leader, when appropriate
-Raise issues or concerns when necessary
-Seek and encourage honest feedback from the leader
-Clarify your role and expectations
-Show appreciation (p. 15)


Chapter Two discussed definitions and theories of leadership and how they have evolved over the years. I found the following information to be very interesting.

Myths About Leadership

-Leaders are born, not made
-Leadership is hierarchical, and you need to hold a formal position (have status and power) to be considered a leader
-You have to have charisma to be an effective leader
-There is one standard way of leading
-It is impossible to be a manager and a leader at the same time
-You only need to have common sense to be an effective leader (p. 17)

The chapter goes on to dispel these myths, but I found comfort just from reading this list. The term 'leader' can be so intimidating at times, and to know that much of the pressure is off relating to the aforementioned list, I felt so much more confident.

Chapter Three talked about relational leadership and how it is empowering. I found this list in particular to be very relevant and educational.

6 Methods Through Which You Might Be Empowered

1. Educating (discovering/sharing information and knowledge)
2. Leading (inspiring, rewarding, directing)
3. Structuring (creating structural factors such as arranging your day, bringing people to the table, changing policies or processes so that the change lives beyond the people who created it)
4. Providing (making sure others have resources to get their job done)
5. Mentoring (having close personal relationships)
6. Actualizing (taking it on-being empowered-claiming it) (p.94)

Part one Sarah

Part one was how to become a great leader and the characteristics that described a great leader. Individuals we need to be responsible and to contribute to becoming more effective citizen and get more involved with the community whether it is volunteer or helping clean a part in the community we are all a family and need to treat one other with respect. When you see one struggling help them out. Leaders are not made or born to be a leader. They choose to become one because they want to make a difference in the world and encourage people to fallow them. They know how to listen and respect people. They know that the role of leadership will never end and it is an exhausting road but they continue to fight because it is what they believe in and what to change the world. Whether it is a community and so on. They fight harder and harder until the job is done. They then find another cause and begin the fight all over again. Leaders show appreciation to their fallows and respect them as a person. The purpose of the leadership id to attempt to accomplish something or to change something for the good of the group community or society. The role of leadership you need to be open to learning as well. People are learning more about the cause they are fighting and you as a leader have to learn how to keep this issue fighting. A good definition of a good leader is on page 65 the quote in the middle of the page. I believe that it is an excellent definition that describes a leader. A leader is hopeful,have a can do attitude, open to differences, believes everyone has something to offer, values others contributes, willing to share the power, trustworthy, being reliable, learner, inspiring, rewarding, directing, making sure others have their resources to get their job done, and mentoring. A leader needs to treat their fallows with great respect and i would see it as a big family and they respect one another. Not like a corporate world where the boss comes to you and yells at you and tells you it needs to be done in a half and hour when you just got the material. Need to work together as a team and help one anther as a family would do.

Julie Womble-Part III

I have read this book for a few of my classes, and every time I read a chaper or a section again, I learn lots of new things and refresh on the old. This section focuses on groups, roles, organizations, and communities. It is important to recognize your role, and others roles in a group so that you can maximize on everyones strengths and not have people working on things that may be their weaknesses. People may and will have more than one role, and then it is good to get different perspectives on that role. If you have too many that are in one role, you will have an unbalanced group and could end up having lots of conflict, or may not work as effectively. Some examples of roles are: information seeker, opinion seeker, opinion giver, summarizer, clarifier, gatekeeper, encourager, mediator, follower. These are all very important to roles and to the process of leadership. Conflict is healthy and can be good for a group in order to get the most out of the group. It can increase motivation and energy, it can clarify issues and positions, it can build internal cohesiveness, can lead to creativity, create self awareness, and can lead to new ideas. If too much or not productive it can distract from the achievement of the goal, cause defensiveness and rigidity, cause distractions of reality, become a negatively reinforcing cycle, can lead to more issues, and efforts to resolve sometimes do not happen. Good leaders dont shy away from conflict or ignore it. They take it on and try to grow from it. Groups need to work together and colloborate their ideas and come to a consensus, which means that everyone has to sacrifice... it doesnt just mean that majority rules.

Exploring Leadership Part III

This section was all about groups, organizations, and communities. I found it to be interesting at times, but mostly overbearing. There was so much information! I don't think it was necessary to elaborate on these concepts as much as the book did. In fact, so far, this book reminds me of another text that I felt was very wordy and unneeded, the Trenholm text from NCC First Year. Oh the memories of that wonderful text. It wasn't that it was horrible, I just felt like most of it was common sense. But, I digress. Let's move on to some things I gleaned from these chapters.

Chapter 7 was entitled "Interacting in Teams and Groups" and was overflowing with lists, charts, and summaries. The beginning of the chapter I found to be pretty basic. I pretty much know how to function in a group, I've been a part of them for a long time. Then, group roles were discussed. I found this section to be a little too thorough as rarely are there any times in groups, at least in my experience, that the roles are announced officially or remain the same throughout the whole process. The one section I wish was bigger and more elaborate would be the one dealing with conflict. Every once and a while, I will be in a group where conflict arises, not THIS one, I can assure you, and I would like very much to know what to do in those situations.

Chapter 8 "Understanding Complex Organizations" was so hard for me to understand. The text felt so technical and business oriented; two areas that are not my strengths. I did understand that an organization should have a clear mission or goal to focus and work together on. Also, that the organization and all its members should share the same vision of what they wish to accomplish. Lastly, they should have similar, if not the same outlooks on things, beliefs, or values in order to succeed in any endeavor.

Chapter 9 "Being in Communities" was a bit easier to understand and I think the chapter is best summarized by a list of what a community consists of that I found in the text:

8 Elements of Effective Communities

1. Wholeness incorporating diversity
2. A shared culture
3. Good internal communication
4. Caring, trust, and teamwork
5. Group maintenance and governance
6. Participation and shared leadership tasks
7. Development of young people [or new members]
8. Links with the outside world

(p. 284-285)

Lastly, Chapter 10 "Renewing Groups, Organizations, and Communities" discussed two key concepts that I feel are important.

Generativity- "the concern in establishing and guiding the next generation"/ relates to the obligation that falls on the older, more experienced leaders and members of organizations/ responsibility to leave organization better than they found it (p. 303)

Transition- psychological process that accompanies change/ made up of three components: disengagement, disenchantment, and disorientation and followed by a neutral zone. (p. 303-304)

Ch 3 in Exploring Leadership/Presentations Saher J

The group presentations today were really well done. I was interested in knowing who people interviewed and what they learned. I enjoyed this assignement because I got to meet someone new and hear about who they were and how they reached up in their career, especially being females. Sarah you did a great job last class, there is no need to be nervous. You were prepared and even with not having a one to one interview, your scrapbook was a neat idea. Just be confident and you will do fine!

I thought this chapter provied some great information in seeking leadership, definition of leadership, and skills of leaders. I agree with the book as it states that people should know themselves and others and gain knowledge everday. You must be open to the different perspectives you will come across. Also, practice listening skills, coalition building, interpresonal skills, and effective civil discourse. As simple as this sounds I think alot of people lack this or think they possess all of it, but don't. I thought this is a good skill that a leader possess "Effective leaders don't just impose their vision on others, they recruit others to a shared vision (pg 81)." I think people that hold titles don't always have all the leadership skills, they are self centered and only listen and hear there voice. I think it is important for leaders to hear everyone and see everyones vision and then create a shared vision. Respecting and valuing others idea is also a part of leadership. I thought the 6 ways of self empowerment were important in leadership. This includes educating, leading, structuring, providing, mentoring, and actualizing with oneself and others is essential. If you are educated, inspiring, empowered, and help people in all sorts of ways, then you are a leader.

Our Proposal question Sarah

How the history of womens' movement and the roles that it played efffected the women leadership in government roles? If you have any questions or changes please fill free to post.

The Presentation Sarah I

I think everyone who posted to day did really well. She showed how well they can talk and get their views across in front of the class. i felt really nervous and I felt I did really bad. I flet my nerves take over my body. How are people able to get in front of the class and not fell judge or scared to make a mistake. Also I was really made at my women leader because for more then a month she had time to answer my questiosn. She turned them back to me 9 answer at 8 the day before the presentation. I felt she didn't have time for me at all and didn'ty even care. If I had the time I don't think I would do as good becuase I am always afraid to get in front of the class and talk. I can talk to five and younger but I am afraid when it pretains to my peers or adults. I get really nervous. I am really mad at myself. How do you guys do it. I had everything laied out and i knew what exactly I was going to say but it came out differently and I was shacking real bad.


For the proposal does everyone want to write a paragraph of how the women's role in the movement helped women now take political roles in the communiy and in society? Evryone can e-mial it to me and I will put it all together and send it to everyone and if their is any errors to things ytouy would like to add you can? Tell me what you think?

Readings on “Opertion Pipeline” and “Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership”

Readings on “Opertion Pipeline” and “Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership”
Becky Grau

In the operation pipeline reading I thought I was very interesting that they created a website that would allow third-party nominations for women to get them started on a political career path. Being a woman in politics is tough, I knew the statistics of women leaders in government positions were a low ratio but I had no idea that they were only 9 of 50 Governors, only 16% of the Congressional seats, only 16 of 50 in the senate and ONLY 73 of 433 seats in the house. The senate seams to be the closest to 50% equal and we’re still 9 off.
I felt a great similarity when they had the direct quote from Primavera that talked about her being at home with her fuzzy slippers with her kids and she just felt regular but the opposite when she was gliding through the marble halls of the gold-domed statehouse. It makes you feel like its ok to still be the wife, girlfriend, mom, sister, the family-woman, but you can also be the head-strong politician.
In reading the “Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership” I was shocked to find women tend to only make 81cents for every dollar a man mad. So if a man made $100 a week, we only made $81!!! The higher you go, the less we make compared to them! I just couldn’t believe it. However they pose a good question, is it racist? Or is it that the family life at home allows for men to commit longer hours and times and there fore tenure and commitment allow men to make more the women? I would like to think it is not racist ideas that allow us to make less, but at the same time more women are taking the single and successful route now and finding that the husband and family come later on.
Both readings were very interesting and had a lot to do with real life situations and down-to earth women and he stereotypes we face every day in the workforce.

Articles-Julie Womble

The operation pipeline article was all about women in politics and how we still havent arrived. These women believe that the second that we say we have arrived, that we are giving up and throwing in our defeat and that we will then begin to go backwards, but I do not totally agree with that. There are some instances that I feel like we are getting equal treatment, and I dont want to beat a dead horse with a gender issue. I think that if we bring up the gender issue that it will become more visable and real, but only if we let it. They talk about how women need a validation that they can be seen as a leader from others, and I do not agree with that. I think that is a petty gender statement, yes we all need encouragement, but we don't need to be held up by other women necessarily. This article encourages women to inspire other women everyday, and says that it will spread the more women we have inspiring. I think that some men will inspire as well, and we shouldnt handicap or limit ourselves to gender issues.
In the leadership article, they talk about how men ascend to supervisory positions much faster than females with the same amount or more of education and experience. They link men to having the qualities of being a leader, and women to not having them. Because of women's specific skill sets, they can be criticized for not having the right skill sets for a job because they are either too connected to people, or are too assertive. The women who act like men are "not liked" because the men dont like her for that, and women dont like it either. Its a lose lose situation, and we need to break through barriers and not put ourselves in a box.

Response to Articles: Kayse

I thought the articles to be a little repetitive, especially the first one since the entire book we just read covered the same material. It is true that there are not many women in the government. There should be more. But currently, I do not like the methods behind getting more in there. I don't want just any woman in a government position, I want the right woman. I think that once the focus is redirected to getting a well qualified woman, who is all about the job and not using it as a platform for her own agenda of being a woman in politics, women will move forward into the government.

Apart from that observation, I made another very important one after reading these assignments. I have a hard time relating to the material we have read/discussed in class so far and I couldn't figure out exactly why. It wasn't just the fact that I don't consider myself that was holding me back from making connections. After reading the second article, I finally know why. There were a lot of statistics dating back to the 80s and even further that just don't apply to me. I feel so disconnected from this material because, to me at least, it feels like it is addressing a much older audience. Yes, women still face hardships in the workplace today, but it seems that many of the women I know balance work and home life pretty well. Yes, they probably do a bit more housework then the men, but I know most of the marriages to be pretty equal partnerships in which each spouse takes on responsibility of the work. I feel that the roles of the 'housewife', or the career woman who has to come home to her 'second job' are not as common today as they were when these statistics were taken, but maybe it's just me.....

I enjoyed reading the articles as well and I thought it was very true the things they stated. Again, reading the statistics on how many women hold key positions in the workforce is sad because it’s a low percentage. The article mentions how women disappear while working within these companies. It talks about marriage and parenthood. Despite the statistics that women are taking on more responsibility then in past history and men are increasing their household involvement, women still dominate and the primarily more involved with housework and raising children. The fact that promotions are given to men and less to women, women’s idea is overlooked, but if a man presents the same idea it is taken in consideration, the fact that men can reach administrative positions within feminine settings is very sad and it makes me mad. I don’t understand the reason as to why men would get such status, perhaps because they are seen as a minority within a nursing, teaching, or social work position and people feel that promoting them will keep them in the feminine settings. The reasons aren’t clear, but bias about women exists all over and I feel that it should be changed. Just like Sarah quoted Stanford law professor Deborah Rhode’s quote "If every ones believes that women have the power equal to men, no one will try to change the fact that they don't." I think that is true, but it is hard to change people’s mentalities, but it can be done if women stood up. In addition, if interventions came into play within the workforce such as implementing antidiscrimination legislation, increasing people’s awareness of the prejudice toward women, encouraging male participation family benefits, having alumni programs so that women can come back to work after their leave of absence would help women achieve greater roles and titles.

The Handout Readings Sarah

I really enjoyed the reading and it was hard to put them down until i was finished. The articles were true and it made a lot of sense. It is Hard for women to get their voices heard and with the help of an organization (The White House Project) it is making the women's voice in politics heard. When women wanted to run for any office they never gave up. They may have lost the first Battle but went back and fought harder. The women had a dream and they did not stop until it was accomplished. In The Operation Pipeline by Beth Hawkinson page 86, "16% of Congressional seats:16 of 50 in the Senate are women and 73 of 433 seats in the House were applied by Women." When need to be ambitious and think big and authority and we will make it in the world. Stanford law professor Deborah Rhode has dubbed it the no-problem problem:"If every ones believes that women have the power equal to men, no one will try to ch age the fact that they don't." Women in corporations are not getting the same treatment as men. Women are being ignored. When a women has a good idea and she says it and a man repeats it he gets the create and she does not. When need to stand up and take initive and prove the can to be a good leader. Men are getting payed more and better top jobs. Women also need to be ambitious, aggressive, and dominent instead of being soft spoken, friendly and kind. The reason some women are being left behind because they are to much of a women quiet and goes with the flow of track. Women need to stand high and proud and prove they have what it takes to do the job. Show men woman have the power and the asserviness to get the work done. Have people belive and trust in you and you will be seen as a leader and you will begin to work your way up the ladder to success. It may be hard but don't give up. Over all i really enjoyed the readings because I found the information very helpful in persuing your dreams.

Museum & Chapter 9

I had a couple issues with the women’s museum. First, I walked through the gift shop while preparing myself for some very empowering artwork and notice a section in the gift shop that was dedicated to kitchenware. If this is such a powerful museum, why are we promoting the women’s place is in the kitchen? It felt a little contradictory to me.
Secondly, the powerful art. We fought for women’s rights not to be drawn naked, however we feel it’s empowering to draw ourselves naked?!?!? As well as pictures of males naked? I’m not really sure what the fight was about in the first place then. If were fighting for the right to draw equally to men, then I guess we accomplished that, but why shouldn’t we be fighting for the right for women to be clothed, or for the right of women to be portrayed as intelligent high class workers instead of prostitutes. I didn’t feel that the women’s museum had much of a emotional attachment for me in terms of promoting women’s rights. I felt like it had a big sign over the entrance that said “Take that, MEN! We can draw ourselves naked! We don’t need you!”
However, I feel the readings gave me more of a feel good attitude for the day than the museum did. Some of the quotes that stood out gave me Goosebumps. The part about speaking quietly and no one will hear you as opposed to speaking loudly and people think your pushy I thought hit the nail right on the head. Although as times have moved on, I think women are finding their comfort zone but when it first started you were for or against. No grey area. Another quote I thought was just outstanding and the point I think we miss allot in class is, about leadership being everywhere, not just in the work place. And I think most of our class is spent striving for power in the work areas, we don’t talk much of social, local, or community leadership. Overall I liked the readings better than the museum.

Museum & Chap. 9 Reflection

I actually did not like the WACK exhibit very much. I found much of its content offensive and felt very uncomfortable for the majority of the time I spent there. I had a feeling before viewing the exhibit that I would encounter some things that I did not agree with, but I had no idea it would be that graphic. I really don't understand the power associated with nudity. I felt, after viewing the exhibit, if nudity does in fact exude power, it was all lost as so much of it was present, that it became unoriginal and unimaginative. The statement made about 'being disturbed when viewing female body parts, when we are constantly bombarded by men's and not bothered by it' does not apply to me either. I have always had strong feelings against nudity, no matter who is presenting it in art or the world.

As for the book, as a whole, I didn't really appreciate the text. There were many things that I disagreed with and felt that many issues were presented from a biased point of view. BUT, I actually liked chapter 9. It was the most helpful and inspirational of all the chapters, I think. Instead of lamenting about the plight of women, advice was given to those who want to work towards change. I especially liked the quote on p. 162

"Ascribe to what First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt says: "Do something to scare yourself today." In other words, take a risk, try something new, move out of your comfort zone and feel the exhilaration of power when you succeed and embrace the learning when you don't."

-Teresa L. Cavanagh, senior vice president and director, Women Entrepreneurs' Connection, Fleet Bank

Lastly, one thing really bothered me in the afterward when it talked about the 2008 election and the possibility of a woman running and maybe even winning. I got the feeling that the author would rather have a woman in office than someone who is qualified for the job. Now, I'm not going to discuss my political opinions here, but I think it is more important to have an individual, whether male or female, who is qualified for the position. Not once was this mentioned in the afterward. It really upsets me to think that anyone might think that getting a woman in office is more important than getting the right president in office. I hope I am wrong about my feeling, though. I would like to think that the author is a bigger person than that.

Museum and Ch 9

The museum was very interesting. I never thought that I would have the opportunity to get a glimpse into the past and fully understand it. I really enjoyed the wack exhibit, and had a rude awakening of how the women felt back not so many years ago. It was a bit disturbing, the blunt artwork and nudity, but it helped me understand how women felt. I was very impressed by the exhibit. The women who created these pieces are so incredibly creative and smart, that it is sad how suppressed we have been for years. I wish we could have stayed longer, it was definitely a good trip, but a long commute. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to leave the classroom for a bigger and better learning experience.
In chapter 9 and the afterward, I really love the interaction from advice from women leaders and their experiences. I think that Marie Wilson really asked two of the best questions that she could have asked to these women leaders, and really hit the nail on the head with the collection of these pieces of advice. The questions are, "What were your biggest obstacles to attaining leadership, and what helped you most to overcome them?" and "If you could give leadership advice to the generation that will ultimately replace you, what would it be?" Reading the advice, each one is so deep and useful. They all have such great meaning to each of us women leaders, and I know that I will use these on a daily basis.

Museum Sarah Iglesias

I really enjoyed the Women's Museum. it was my first time in the museum and I really enjoyed looking at the works of art. Their were lots of works I din't understand but taking the tiurs helped me to get the perspective the artist was trying to get across. it was very colorful and I like the many different levels of art. i enjoyed the whole experience and I like learning about things I have never learned before. The tour made me understand why women astist painted or drew the way they did. I also like chapeter nine and the afterward. I like reading the many quotes that were in the book and my favorite was "it is a women thing to think aggressive is bad. I know what I mean by leadership:speaking out taking risks, being aggressive, being compassionate, assuming responsibility for exercising the power that each of us has, overcoming one's fear and anxieties. All that is leadership. p.155 Simone Joyaux ACFRE Joyaux Associates in Closing the Leadership Gap: Why Women can and Must Help Run the World." Another quote that I really like was: from page 151, In Closing the Leadership Gap: Why Women Can and Must Help Run The World by Marie C, “The definition of Courage: Speak your mind by telling all your heart. If we speak our minds and about women’s leadership, making outrageous demand for change even if it frightens us- we will be singing for our lives again.” At first it may only be a group of women but in time the fear will fade and more and more women will join to win freedom for women’s rights.

Museum and Ch 9 Saher Javed

I enjoyed going to the museum. I had never been there before and was amazed at the meanings of the art that were displayed there. I had never seen such large art work before and I thought it was unique and different from what I was used to seeing. The red piece of art work that could be viewed as a heart was different. "Through the flower" was an interesting piece of work. I wish I had time to hear the recording about the piece of art work as I didn't get the meanings of some of them. Overall, WACK was unique in its sense and the art work was interesting.

Chapter 9 has excellent tips for leadership. Some of the ones I really liked were how we should pursue something that we really enjoy doing and not something for just gaining more money, title, or prestige. I believe if we puruse a career that we really enjoy then we will strive in it, but if its something that we don't like then we aren't going to do as well in it. I think defining the top 5 priorities and staying centered on them ties in a few other quotes. I think defining your priorities and not letting others put you down in any way is essential. Like the other quotes state that people might reject you in different ways, but no one can stop you from pursuing your goals. As a leader you have to be confident and secure within yourself. Expanding your skills is vital.... learning about different cultures, languages, people, etc are great ways in enhancing our knowledge. I thought these were great ideas..... suggestions.

Mary JoLarson

I really enjoyed the opportunity and experience to have such an amazing person come and talk with us in class. We are extremely priveledged to have this opportunity. I think it is amazing that she just came back from spending time in Ireland, and we get to see a perspective that has seen women and their roles in many different countries and societies. I think she helped us see a little bit that we sometimes can be limiting to ourselves, and we have to think beyond the gender issue and fight through it. She made me realize some things about myself that I had not realized before. She made me realize that my dad has probably had the biggest influence on me throughout my life and helped me keep my inner strength because he has been around more. She also helped me see that I look up to and respect my step grandmother who keeps our family together, and is the leader and organizer in my extended family. She helped me see that my values and qualities of leadership have branched from my personal experiences, and it has helped shape who I am today. I didn't completely understand all of her drawings and relational models, and I wish I had been able to hear more about her personal life and experiences, because she is such an interesting person. She is very humble, and didn't want to talk about herself too much. I really enjoyed having her come and talk with us, and I learned so much from the experience!

Guest Speaker #1

Dr. Mary JoLarson was a very informative speaker last week. The bird cage scenario that Professor Scott introduced really put in perspective for me the idea of women's oppression. Dr. Mary JoLarson also referenced it several times during her presentation as well. I am a visual learner so the bird cage idea really helped connect everything. Her 4 square reflection exercises also allowed for great reflection. It was also refreshing to know that her starts were at a department store and that everything else fell into place for her. Its a great feeling to know that life works that way and that reassuring to myself as a young, hard working college student. She did lose me a little bit during the collaborative policy and private sector part. I was confused about how that was relating to what we were talking about. I also liked that she had us reflect on our role models and why they were our role models. Again, a great perspective on things we think of daily but we don't actually reflect on until we are asked. I really enjoyed her presentation and would love to hear her speak again.

Speaker # 1 Saher Javed

OK .... so I figured this out now because I posted the first two blogs as comments, but now they will be posts.

I enjoyed having Dr. Jolarson in our class today. I thought her exercise was neat, it made me think and reflect. Also, listening to her personal story and how she moved from one thing to the next was interesting to listen to. I agree to what she spoke about the psychology of women. How women can't become united and work together because of this mentality that women possess. I think the metaphor the professor used about the bird cage is a great example of how people think and are stuck in this cage with all of these limitations that exist and don't overcome them. However, others note it and progress, but I think the majority of women under estimate their abilities and don't try to make a difference.

Chapters 6-8

So while doing the readings, I asked a few of my guy friends on their thoughts (or rather didn't have to). My responses were the same as most of the class' have been so far, derogatory and rude. I stood up for the issue, and it was like he had never heard someone stand up for it before. The readings this week made me think deeper into the gender issue and what sets us apart. Everything that was being discussed about women was positive, and I don't understand why that frame of leadership isn't being grasped and followed by men. Women in general are more caring about others, able to communicate across lines of authority, can be team spirited, and strong. It upsets me to hear that the 3 traits of leadership in women in helping, listening, and teaching, are viewed as mothers, not leaders. I know that mothers are leaders, because I am a woman, but... do men think that way? Are they understanding that these are the qualities that leaders need to lead effectively? Media has a lot to do with the portrayal of women in leadership and roles. It was a good start with Mattel to put out a President Barbie, but it does say a lot that it is a Barbie, not portionate to itsself, and an unrealistic female icon. They asked that Barbie could stand on her own, and Mattel couldn't even produce that. Media shapes who we are and what we want to be. Those images stay with us for decades after they are produced. Change begins with a little bit business, and a little bit personal.

What's So Great About Being a Man?

In this class, and in the class I took last fall semester, Gender Representations in Popular Culture, I learned of the belief that society values men more than women. Even though it would seem that the women take on most of the work behind the scenes, it is common a kind of common knowledge that men are more important. But, what is so great about being a man? I found some descriptions of what being a man entails in the text, and I am not impressed:

Pressure
Strong
Independent
Bully
Don't be a girl
Sex
Confident
Denial of feelings
Don't cry
Silent
Do it
Power
Don't ask

(p.104, Closing the Leadership Gap)

There are very little positive descriptions in this list, the worst of which must be 'don't be a girl.' It seems to be the worst thing in the world for a man to be labeled a woman. The text even has statistics on this.

"In 1991, the Michigan Board of Education published a statewide study of students' perceptions of what it means to be male or female. When asked how their lives would be different if they were the opposite sex, nearly 50 percent of the girls spoke of advantages to being a boy, while only 7 percent of the boys saw advantages to being a girl. Although girls found it interesting or exciting to think of life as a boy, nearly 20 percent of the boys gave extremely hostile, derogatory responses. An alarming number of boys said that they would commit suicide if they suddenly awoke to find they were girls. One boy wrote, "I would kill myself right away by starting myself on fire so no one knew." (p. 105, Closing the Leadership Gap)

This section was completely shocking to me. That a boy would rather murder himself than live the life that I live. How discouraging and terrifying. I can understand why girls would feel so devalued, unappreciated, and worthless after reading something like that. If nothing else is accomplished for women, surely this belief of how terrible and revolting it would be to be a woman should be changed.

The name of Our Group?

I was wondering if anyone has an idea for a group name? We were suppose to come up with a group name?
I was thinking the maybe Future leaders? What do you guys think?

chpters 6-8 Sarah Iglesias

These chapters decsribed the characteristics men and women and girls and boys. Men and Boys: Masculinity leader Have more money Strong Pressure from society Power Worker in big Corporations Fathers (not a big role) Able to play in Sports Active Society s Sees men as the worker and bring home the money Seen as the stronger sex Women want men to spend more time with the children while the Women works Women and girls: Feminine leaders Make less money Role as a mother Kept children safe Care giver Know the keys to survival Pressure from society Communicators Encouraging Understanding Organized Authority Teaching Sharing information Teamwork Team spirit Peacemakers Reasoners Elegant Do what ever it takes to get the job done Nurturing relationships Intimate Speak freely Empathy Relational skills Take Daughters to work day Society sees women as the American Barbie Girls and women are the cleaners and stay at home moms Considered as the weaker sex Become more roles for women on TV and movies

Chapters 1-5

I am a female leader who looks deeply into how my leadership style works. I am trying to discover how the human mind works, and more specifically how the female mind works within leadership. I am discovering how emotion plays into women in leadership, and how to control that. The readings bring up some very good points, about how we are trying to be molded into this male perspective of leadership, and how is that fair if we are still fighting for our own independence and freedom? Women lead differently than men, but how is it any inferior to a man's style of leadership, and why does it seem that we are forced to conform to that style? This country is literally asking for a woman leader in power, but are we truly ready to give her the freedom to lead as she chooses? When a woman is in power, I don't feel that men give her the respect that she deserves right away. From my personal experiences, I feel like we have to earn our trust and leadership role even after we are in it (from men). I manage a music retail store, and I don't get the respect I deserve even though I know more than the guy who is my age about guitars. I think that males that show their "warm as toast" side, get praised for being a hero and sensitive to people, where women are just perceived as weak. I feel the same as the book states, that I already have 2 disadvantages in the workplace, that I don't "look" like a leader because I am not male, and that I am busy with many other things, so employees see that as a weakness in a leader. I love the A's that were come up with in the book: authority, ambition, ability, and authenticity...these are all qualities that women are not perceived to have, but qualities that we strive for. Authority, Ambition, and Ability are all traits that women are still constantly standing up for themselves on, even though we are slowly getting there.

My Thoughts About Feminism

I feel that I should begin my blogs by stating my beliefs about feminism. I, personally, do not consider myself a feminist. Many women would think this to be outrageous. I have heard women say, "How can you be a woman and NOT be a feminist?" I think it's very simple. I don't agree with all of the theory, and therefore, I cannot accept it. However, I am not so biased that I will not listen and learn about it. I believe that knowledge is a very powerful thing, even knowledge of something one may not accept or consider false. I also believe that one cannot decide that they do not accept a certain idea or theory in ignorance; they must have information or evidence to support their decision.

I have many reasons why I do not fully accept the feminist theory, but I will only divulge a few here. One of the reasons is because I am a Christian and as part of my faith, I believe that men and women were designed for different roles in society. This does not mean that I think that only men should comprise the workforce while the women belong in the kitchen, I just feel that men are better at some things, just as women are better at some things. Of course, there are always exceptions to that statement. I have heard some people comment that the Bible is very patriarchal, but that is not an entirely true statement. In fact, many times did God use women in positions of leadership. Deborah was a judge of a tribe of Israel. Esther became queen and used her position to save her entire race. Because of these examples and many more, I believe that women can and should lead.

I also have a problem with the bitterness I feel when I read feminist texts, view films, or listen to discussions. Even though I hear time and time again that feminists are not 'man-haters' and hold nothing against them, I still hear little demeaning comments about them constantly. Even in the film we watched last week, I came away with the feeling that man is the enemy and that simply is not so. I feel that tradition and society are to blame and in order for any change to occur, a better approach must be taken to achieve the results women desire.

There is also something about feminism that confuses me to no end. Women say that they want the same rights of men, to be treated equally, and to be viewed the same as them. For example, in the first class, when one of the students was introducing another and said she was the captain of the "Lady Patriots" and the woman was quick to correct her and say "Patriots." She did this because her basketball team shouldn't be classified as "women players", but simply, players. So, why is it that whenever I see a woman come to a position of power do they always point out the fact that they are a woman in power? I have heard many declare this in some way, including Pelosi and Clinton, which seem to be the popular women in power at the moment. The thing that confuses me is that I thought women would want to be recognized for their position and not the fact that they are a woman in their position. It really doesn't make sense to me and it occurs so often.

I think that is enough of my thoughts for now. I would like to say that I don't want anyone to think that I am against them for their opinions or beliefs relating to feminism. I also don't want anyone to feel that I am totally close-minded about the theory. I am in this class to learn and listen, and to formulate opinions, just like everyone else.

overview of readings

In reading these chapters I came to focus on a point in chapter three that really stood out to me and my interests. I work in a store as the only female among eight male representatives. I’m the lowest on the ladder because I am the newest of all the team members but believe I get more respect from management then some of my co-workers.
I attribute this to Marie Wilson’s passage titled “Authority for All” (pg. 48) where she talks about how women should present themselves when dealing with male upper management in the work place. I do agree that we have to push ourselves twice as hard to be recognized, however I find it more comforting to know that our Vice President of Retail Sales is in fact a woman. Not only that, but we received a new Market Manager last month, also a woman. When I first started working for this company all of the management was of the male gender. I feel that my company has made the extra effort to extend their boundaries and even push for the success of their women employees but offering childcare compensation and tuition reimbursement as well as very flexible schedules.
The idea of the government take of power by women seemed to be Wilson’s focus for a good part of the book. I feel like that situation is based on her opinion and not fact. On page 36 Wilson touched on the subject of credentials. She listed two of Dole’s credentials and then quickly stated that she fell short to “George W. Bush, a man with far fewer credentials.” To me she seemed to be using it as an excuse for why Dole did not make the candidacy with the two credentials listed, and that Bush won with no credentials. I would have liked to see a more factual side of both candidates. The idea of women in high government job will come with time. I feel that in our class, maybe one of us is looking for government positions. I think we should start with some of the more common places of work and then work our way to the top. Things are not going to all fall into place with a woman president.
The part in chapter three I really took heart to was the passage of the WHEN organization. Page 51 she spoke of the Women Helping Empower Neighborhoods. This to me seemed like a great idea to get involved in and would be something I would be interested in trying to start around here. Not only would this be a women-ran organization but could extend it’s doors further to help take stress of women that are trying to run for the office. This organization when attached to a political party can extends to thousands of votes. If the WHEN organization is helping kids of single mom’s and dad’s by just providing some daycare or transportation they would bring in many votes for the candidate they were supporting as well. That group of ladies really hit the mark by promoting that kind of help.

Chapters 1-5 by Sarah Iglesias

Sarah Iglesias
Chapters 1-5

Closing the Leadership Gap: Why Women Can And Must Help Run The World

Here are some statistics about women in Politics:
“There are 435 seats in the House of Representatives and only 60 are occupied by women and out of 100 senators only 14 are women. Only 26 women have been governors of the United States” (P.xii).
The women in the House of Representatives are the ones passing bills that would benefit women and children, like better schools and education, birth control for women, and still fighting for equal rights for women in the workforce.
I don’t understand why women are seen different? Some of us can do a men’s job three times better and to perfection.
Women should be able to go out their in the world and get a job and not be lower then men but equal. Some should have the right to stop being the full time mom and house maid but get an education and peruse her dream, and not be what others think women should be. “No women shall allow any person define her but herself.” (p.37)
If I didn’t have job I would be very bored. After you cleaned the house and took care of the children then what would you do? I would really hate that job. It is not like having the freedom to do what you want. Women did what men told them to do and they didn’t argue back afraid of what they would lose.
Do you remember reading the Scarlet letter and Hester Paynne had to wear the scarlet letter on her chest because she committed adultery and broke from society. “The A’s that resound for me: authority, ambition, ability, and authenticity.” (p.29) “The trick is to take confining A’s of our lives authority, ambition, ability, and authenticity- and turn them into strengths, as Prynne did." (p71). Throughout history women have been denied the authority because it is a men’s world. Men were they only ones to have the authority because they were masculinity. Women were seen for the way they look and not for what they were trying to prove. Women have the same right to become a leader. Women didn’t have the power. Marjorie “Mo” Mowlam a member of the British Parliament once said, “It is important for women to not just be in office, but in power. Women must be in power before we can said to be equal.”(p. 33)
“Ambition in men is an expectation and a virtue. In women, it can be a kiss of death, guaranteeing isolation, ending relationships (personal and professional), pushing entire families into therapy, and making even the most self-assured CEO worker wonder what she was thinking.” (p.53) If women were ambitious it would be seen as insanity and it was not lady like. Men would see it as a mental incapability. Women were just trying to break free of the men’s power and better their range of opportunities. “Women in power have a chance to rewrite the meaning of the word, to have ambition for fairness, a just and safe world for our families and a more cohesive community acting for a common good.” (p.71).
Women now have the same ability as in men. If men can become leaders why can’t women? Women are growing stronger and stronger and one day there will be there first women to become president of the United States of America. “76 percent express their personal comfort with a women president, and 50 percent of people are comfortable with a female head of state.” (p. 79)
“Women are seen as better communicators and listeners, they are more nurturing, more willing to involve other in decision making and work as a team.” (p.9)
To me this quote means woman are as good as leadership then men. Are women less capable and knowledgeable of becoming a leader? If women were in charge then we would not be at war. I think men like to go to war and destroy things. That is all boys do now in my preschool class they like to destroy things would out using their brains. They don’t even care who they hurt in the way of their destruction. Women leaders “are more likely to believe nations need to work together. Support international programs that meet basic human needs-a “human security” agenda- and empower women. Emphasize diplomacy over the military power.” (p. 86)
I think men are afraid of women. They are afraid of losing their jobs to women because they can do their jobs better and without conflict. Also I think women are sticking up for themselves and are becoming very powerful. One day there would be a women president and the world would be a better place for children to grow up and stop wars from happening. The time has ended and women are stepping up to the plate and women are going to becomes the best leaders United States has ever had and show men we and do it better and look better doing our jobs. Women don’t want to be told what to do they deserve freedom and deserve to fallow their dreams and aspirations.

Contact Information

Here is our first post with our contat information on it :) hope this is all good!


Kayse Kosar 703 282 9746 kkosar@gmu.edu

Sahar Javed 703 869 9802 sjaved2@gmu.edu

Julie Womble 703 967 1637 jwomble@gmu.edu

Becky Grau 757 297 6180 rgrau@gmu.edu

Sarah Iglesias 703 843 5336 Sperreau@gmu.edu