A521.9.4.RB - Reflections on Leadership

A521.9.4.RB_Manglona, Matthew-Napu_ Reflections on Leadership

Being “A different kind of leader” is the ultimate goal in my life since I first pinned my Lieutenant bar in the Army. I always wanted to inspire, lead, change, and motivate another human being when he or she believes they cannot accomplish their goal or situation at hand. Rosen (2014) states, “Instead of focusing on short-term action and behavior, great leadership stems from something more profound-certain essential qualities that form the roots of healthy leadership. In other words, effective leadership is a function of who you are, not what you do” Just as Denning (2011) discusses the interactive leader, one who participates, connects, that fits the modern need, free of ego, and leadership that has feeling. All these dimensions and traits is something that not only I should follow but for others who I work with as well or anybody for that matter who hold the title of a “leader.”

These dimensions will help me in the future because it will serve as guide, reference, and reality check because there will be times where I know (personally) i will slip from the cracks and veer off. Which I believe all goes back to my purpose of why I wanted to be a leader. Mourkogiannis (2007) states, “Purpose is so powerful because it is founded on deeply held ideas about what is right and what is worthwhile.”(p.29) If I have my purpose in my leadership endeavors I know I will be fine. It will allow me to instill what I believe my organization can do, what is, and what it can be.

The first dimension I want to talk about in reference to Denning (2011) is “free of ego.” He states that “true leaders do not lead because they are expecting something in return.” (p. 280) this is something I used to be my downfall. I remember when I was deployed and everybody who sat in an office received a bronze star award (which is a prestigious award to receive during wartime) and those (like me) who was put in in harm’s way on a daily end received something lower. I failed to remember that I was there for my soldiers and not the award. When I came home there was a lot to think about and self-reflect which I most definitely did.

The second one I would like to discuss is leadership that participates. Denning (2011) states that “in most leadership situations, trust, respect, and collaboration are simply more effective than preemptive domination.” (p.271) When all the other officers are at home enjoying their comfort in their bed and being with their families, I am out and about with my soldiers being with them out in the field until the day we are supposed to go home. Soldiers see that officers who are sweating, hurting, tired just as much as they are but are still motivating enough to get them through the training is what gains those specific traits that Denning (2011) discussed of trust, respect, and collaboration.

The third is leadership that has feeling. Denning (2011) states that “Interactive leadership involves passion.” (p. 283) I have a passion for what I do and that’s being with soldiers and taking care of them. Denning (2011) also discusses something called “well-targeted and well-deployed emotion.” (p. 285) There was a time where I didn’t give a hoot about anything or anybody in my organization. I just wanted to do my minimum time in service and get out of the unit, however, after I came home from my deployment that all drastically changed. I wanted to continue to learn my craft, my soldiers, and my organization. My passion for the art of leadership was created. I never looked back after that.

References:

Denning, S. (2011). The Leaders Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Mourkogiannis, N. (2007). Purpose: The starting point of great leadership. Leader to Leader, 2007(44), 26-32. doi:10.1002/ltl.228

Rosen, B. (2014). The grounded executive: The secret to great leadership in today's turbulent world. The Journal for Quality and Participation, 37(1), 4-7. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/1498365578?accountid=27203

A521.8.4.RB - Making Contact

 A521.8.4.RB_Manglona, Matthew-Napu_Making Contact

I would like to start this blog by going back to when I was grade school. I was the quiet, shy, and soft spoken kid who always wanted to do what was right. I never liked to talk to others, my circle of friends were small (up till this day), and always kept to myself. As I got to my senior year in high school and my early part of college I started to develop my confidence in talking to people. Then when I joined the military and became a commission officer things became much easier as the years passed and deep down I have feel I have an approachable and friendly trait to others. Mandel (1992) states, “Most of us grew up with strict, non-negotiable golden rules that dictated the way in which polite people should act, such as speaking softly and unobtrusively, not talking too much about ourselves, accepting compliments reluctantly, and above all, not asking directly for what we want. In other words, we were taught to be invisible.”

Mckay, Davis, and Fanning (2009) discuss about rejection and the reasons most of us “reframe rejection” from our appearance, culture practices, and other outside influences that society does not see as normal played a factor to why I was the way I was when I was younger. Through constant rejection in my life I have learned to monitor a room or place, examine it, and read other people’s body languages to see who I can engage and interact with. VanDerWal (2008) states, “The key is advance preparation. Read the paper, find out what's going on in your community, business world, real world, because then you will feel more prepared to make conversation. Have a self-intro, but a pleasantry, not an elevator speech.” (p. 88) this is a similar practice that I use to engage conversation with others.

Some of the lessons that I can take to improve my conection with others will have to be my Self Disclosure. Mckay, Davis, and Fanning (2009). I really do not like talking about myself, although I do let some people in, I just (from how I was raised) remain humble and let others boast about themselves. Of course I know that letting people know who I am will benefit the conversation, however as Mckay, Davis, and Fanning (2009) described to use what is called as “active listening.” I use this attribute because I care about what others have to say, that gages me on whether I should let the other person into my life after listening to theirs. If they speak highly of themselves, then forget about it, but if they are giving me “tug and pull” which I have to share with them about myself then I will go ahead and spill the beans about my life, in moderation though.

References:

Mandel, T. (1992). Working a room. Los Angeles Business Journal, 14(37), 24A.

McKay, M., Davis, M., & Fanning, P. (2009). Messages: The Communication Skill Book (Third Edition). New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

VanDerWal, M. (2008). Working a room: Master the art of effective mingling R & L Publishing, Ltd. (dba SUCCESS Media).

A521.7.4.RB - Secret Structure

A521.7.4.RB_Matthew-Napu Manglona_Secret Structure

I have to say that Nancy Duarte’s presentation “The Secret Structure of Great Talks” was a very interesting tool that I know I can use for my future presentations. She discusses on how to incorporate stories into presentations. Harbin & Humphrey (2010) “If you don't have a story to tell, one that evokes mental pictures, people on the receiving end tend to forget the message.” (p.102) she discusses Aristotle’s beginning, middle, and end model where presentations at times don’t even possess the qualities discussed when it comes to a story. Case in point, possesses no painted picture for her audience. Her main focus was on our ideas as presenters to ensure that our audience grasps the idea that we are trying to present. (Duarte, 2012)

The structure and techniques that she had shared when she evaluated Martin Luther King and Steve Jobs’s speech with the “What is” and “What could be” model (Duarte, 2012) is something that I would take with me and try to utilize when giving a presentation to others. The question I have for myself is; is it only applicable to presentations to a big group? Or can it even be used at a smaller scale? Stories help us to understand differing perspectives and to vision alternate futures. (Anonymous, 2008) When Ms. Duarte described Steve Jobs’s Iphone launch speech she described in detail every moment from the times the audience laughed, clapped, a guest speaker came in, and there was even a point where Steve Jobs’s clicker had a malfunction but he was able to recover from it and continue with his story. She discussed the medium (the “what is”) and the peaks of each presentation (the “what could be”) in both speeches. Each “peak” of the presentation was where the audience was able to visualize in their heads the painted picture of what the presenter wanted to get across. Steve Jobs and Dr. King’s “What could be” is the reason why they were able to persuade, convince, and have embraced their ideas to their audience in attendance.

I would like to try her technique (if given the opportunity) in my organization. It will be quite difficult because of my rank, however, if I can find something to present or a story to tell I definitely will use this tool. If there was an idea I would share it would have to be the direction of creating Officer and Non Commission Officer schools to be located on Guam. It presents the perfect opportunity to explain myself on where the organization can go in the upcoming years. The “What is” we are still the youngest organization in the 54 States and Territories and still ambitious to expand our organization as a whole. The “What could be” is if we were to host our own schools for further development of our soldiers we can save money, establish our own training “in house”, and have other units in the Pacific pump funding into our organization so we can use for future logistics, resources, etc. This has always been an idea of mine but never really given an opportunity to speak. If given, I definitely will use Ms. Duarte’s tools of structure and outlines in my presentations. That concept of having an “Idea” and using it to inspire change is a dream for me, and would capitalize on it when I afforded an opportunity.

References:

Duarte, N.  (2012, Feb). Nancy Duarte: ““The Secret Structure of Great Talks”.” (Video File)

http://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_duarte_the_secret_structure_of_great_talks

Harbin, J., & Humphrey, P. (2010). TEACHING MANAGEMENT BY TELLING STORIES. Academy of

Educational Leadership Journal, 14(1), 99-106. Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/521249907?accountid=27203

Once upon a time.. (2008). Strategic Direction, 24(10), 16-18. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/10.1108/02580540810907065