Throughout
the Leadership Program I have read books that include the following titles:
Complex Adaptive Leadership, Messages: The Communication Skills Book, The
Leader’s Guide to Story Telling, Leadership in an Organization, Wharton on
Making Decisions, Getting to Resolution, The Leadership Experience, The
Practice of Ethics, Interpersonal Conflict and many others. The only book that
truly changed my thinking though was Learning to Think Things Through by Gerald
M. Nosich because this encompassed the entire program. For me one of the most critical skills
necessary to lead effectively is learning to critically think about everything
in our lives. The author wrote a message to the students reading his book and
within this message he stated, “The aim of this book is to help improve your
critical thinking about the subject matter of the courses you are taking. A
secondary goal, a by-product of the first, is to help you improve your ability
to think effectively in your life as a whole.” Critical thinking is sometimes
difficult when you are not using it all the time.
For example
when I wake up I do not critically think about brushing my teeth or getting
dressed because I usually just want to do it and run out the door. However,
when I making big decisions that will impact my life such as having a child I
will think and think until I can’t think anymore before moving forward with a
decision. Neither of these is a good example of critically thinking after
reading this book because I am not thinking about every possible outcome that
may follow my decision I am just deciding. Critical thinking requires being
conscious on the knowledge you have prior to researching about the decision so
that when you are making the decision you are more aware of how and why you are
deciding. Critical thinking requires you to actively listen to any and all
information coming your way in order to be open and embrace everything you can
before making a decision.
Some of the
main characteristics of critical thinking includes being reflective on why you
already have views about the topic and involves developing standards that have
been reasonably assessed. It is authentic and is applied to real problems so
that you can make good judgments, and lastly it involves being reasonable so
that can evaluate rules and regulations enforced. Asking questions and finding
answers that you can believe in is also a major part of the critically thinking
process which is a challenging process at times and this is why I find that
leaders have a difficult time growing into a person who can lead a system-wide
change effectively. Leadership cannot be defined in one short sentence and no
matter how many books you read on this topic there is never a black and white
answer on what exactly the traits a good leader has.
In my opinion
good leaders set the example and follow through with everything they attempt,
and if they fail they do it learning something more valuable then actually
succeeding. Leadership is not a title it’s anyone who is living their lives
pushing the envelope in order to see what else is out there while making decisions after critically
thinking about the issues at hand. I also believe that no leader is the same,
thinks the same, acts the same or even believes in the same values because I think
every follower of a leader and every leader of a follower empowers one another
to meet one another’s needs no matter the situation. The leader fits the role
because they are flexible and adaptable to recognize when its time to make a
change for the better, and then they rely on others to help them get there
together at the same time. No one is stepping on others because its not the
right thing to do instead as one moves up the other reaches back to help the
other one up and this type of relationship builds and builds on a solid
foundation of trust.
In every book
the morale of every story appears to be that in order to become successful you
have to be a good person and you have to do the right thing because it’s the
right thing, and not because it’s what’s best for you. Every professor I have
taken within this program has taught me a valuable lesson and that is you won’t
get far unless you believe that you can, you have to work hard, and you have to
make calculated risks and embrace the changes that will follow being prepared for
anything that could come next. After starting this program in October of 2011 I
have started to understand these important lessons and I feel like my mind has
finally started to open up and critically think about my life in general. I try
to be a leader in every situation I am involved in whether it’s as a mommy
setting an example, a wife empowering my husband who works so hard to achieve
his goals, or when talking to old friends scared to take the next step and go
back to school.
Being a
leader in this manner does not give me a title and there is absolutely no
structure I am following. I am just trying to make a difference by going out of
my way to do the right thing because it is the right thing to do, and this is
how I am trying to make a system-wide change everyday. I have witnessed friends
and family rise and fall from their success because they were unable to
critically think about their decisions, whether it was doing the right thing
because it was the right thing to do, or choosing to stay quiet which
ultimately lead to their business closing. No matter the situation each of
these people suffered from making bad decisions because they didn’t know why
they were making them, it was for their own pleasure and benefit, or because
they didn’t take the time to think about what may follow. Being able to be
effective and make changes where people will want to go with you instead of
against you takes someone who can be the example, make good decisions for the
good of everyone, is trustworthy, empathetic, a good listener, communicates
well, is adaptive, open to diversity and change and remains ethical in all
situations. All of these in my opinion start with developing good critical
thinking skills.
Nosich, G. M. (2012). Learning to think
things through: A guide to critical thinking across the curriculum. Boston:
Pearson.
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