Opportunities for Positive Interaction

William James, well-known psychologist and philosopher, said, “The deepest principle of human nature is a craving to be appreciated.” If we are honest with ourselves, we all want and need to feel valued for who we are and recognized for our contributions and accomplishments. It’s important for us to know that we have made a difference in someone’s life. If a person takes the time to express their heart-felt appreciation for something we have done, it boosts our spirit, passion, and purpose. It builds our self-confidence, self-esteem and our entire self-image. It gives us energy and motivation to work harder and do more. When you give people a sincere compliment, words of encouragement or just a warm smile, you are making their world a better place. You are making them feel appreciated and valued.

I remember when I was a boy growing up in New York I was walking home with my brother. I found a wallet with $500 dollars in it. We were excited, we took the wallet home and decided to split the money. We didn’t care about the identification card or credit cards. We were kids that didn’t mean anything to us. When I told my mother what we found and what we did. She told us to give her the wallet and the money. I thought she was going to keep it or tell us she is going to save it for us. Two hours later there was a knock at the door, my mother opens it and introduce us to the gentlemen who came in. He had lost his wallet with his rent money in it. My mother called him and explain that we found his wallet and. The look of joy on his face, he thanks us and told us we were good kids and we should feel proud that we are doing the right thing. When he left I ask my mother why she gave it back. She said it’s the right thing to do and doing the right gives you an opportunity to see the appreciation and gratitude that doing the right thing brings. I have never forgotten that lesson, I keep it in my heart and mine. If one of my soldiers does something for other I let them know that what they did is outstanding and lives up to the value of what being a soldier is all about. I go out of my way to help those that need it, I love the feeling it gives. I enjoy knowing I am doing the right thing.

Leadership skill to work on

If there was a leadership communication style I had to work on it would patience. We have all heard the old saying “patience is a virtue” it’s what we all need to be a good person, patience is something I work hard on. Whether it is at work or home. I retire from the military, it can be an environment where your patience wears thin. So many deadlines to meet. I am overworked and have to meet these deadlines. I become intolerant with how the work is going, which some time effects how I treat the soldiers under me. Today I strive to be a better leader I try not to live off bad past experience or bad leadership habits that were passed down. Now I would be quick to let other above me know if the timelines are unrealistic, will put too much stress on me and the soldiers

Without patience, we learn less in life. We will see less, we will feel less. We will hear less. Ironically rush and more usually means less.

                                               Mother Teresa

The first step in the right direction

In the past seven week I have learned a lot, some things I new but did not clearly understand how it would affect my leadership style. Other time I was surprise to see how important it was to leadership development. I started out ruff in this course, but I am moving along fine. I guess the leadership skill I would counties to use and adapt is lead by example. I truly never really taught of how the things I would do as a leader would affect others. As a leader in the army sometime we feel we are entitled to more because of all we go through for soldiers and the mission. Our job can be 24hr and a lot of stress. We use to say this is not a job it a life style. Now I do understand that to become a better leader everything has to be fair across the board. I should feel I should not feel that I am entitled to more because of the position I hold. I see how this type of behavior can lead to problems and resentment in a job environment

“We are incapable of loving another unless we love ourselves, just as we are incapable of teaching our children self-discipline unless we ourselves are self-disciplined.  It is actually impossible to forsake our own spiritual development in favor of someone else’s.  We cannot forsake self-discipline and at the same time be disciplined in our care for another.  We cannot be a source of strength unless we nurture our own strength.  I believe that not only do self-love and love of others go hand in hand but that ultimately they are indistinguishable.”

                                             Scott Peck, the Road Less Traveled