Sunday, March 12, 2017

A641.9.3.RB - Becoming a Resonant Leader


A641.9.3.RB - Becoming a Resonant Leader

Read Chapter 6 of the workbook “Becoming a Resonant Leader”.

Complete all of the exercises in the chapter.

You will now begin to turn your desires from awareness into action. Next, compose a reflection blog in the form of a letter to yourself. In the letter, briefly state your personal vision and list at least three learning goals, three milestones for each goal, actions steps for each milestone, and list key people who will support you to achieve the learning goals.



Dear Jody,

Hey! It’s me! You know…you! I want to make sure that you stay on track with the personal vision we started this semester. Just a refresher, that personal vision includes our passions: teaching, literature, writing…books. First step is to look for ways to do these things within the scope of your aerospace job because retirement is not too far away and it is important to have a steady and reliable job that allows us to be financially prepared for the next phase of life. Once retired, we will open a publishing house, virtual and possibly brick and mortar. In the meantime though, let’s seek positions in Boeing that rely more on our writing and editing skills. The goal will be to find a statement of work that allows me to feel more fulfilled and enjoy the last few years of working for Boeing. Once it’s time to retire from Boeing, you and Carl will move again so we can live close to family and work on our hobby farm with a couple goats, chickens, one unruly rooster, some pigs, and maybe even bee hives. We will leave this world, or at least a small part of this world a better place than we found it.

Brian Tracy says that [we] were put on this earth with a special combination of talents, abilities, and personal skills that make [us] different from anyone who has ever lived. Whatever you’re doing today, it’s nowhere near what you’re really capable of doing. The key to a happy and prosperous life is for you to regularly evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, to become very good in the areas you most enjoy, and then to throw your whole heart into what you’re doing. (Tracy, NA) This is all a fine plan…but how are we going to make it happen…? To tackle this, we discovered that our learning style is Direction oriented and Action oriented. You know that where you are at is not where you want to be, you know what the destination is, and you’ll figure out the “big” steps as you go along. (Wessner, 2012) This means that while you know the general direction of where you want to go, you stop short of going too deep into specifics, and that you live largely in the moment without thinking too much about the future or any long-term planning. (Boyatzis, et al, 2008) It would probably be a good idea to incorporate some goal oriented learning approaches to the plan. Let’s tackle one major milestone at a time:

Learning Goal 1 - I will be a writer, the owner of a small publishing house, editing work and helping authors say what they want to say to the world. I want to give a voice to ideas and energy that is positive and meaningful.

·         Milestone 1: Get busy writing again.                              

o   Action Steps: Set aside time every day to stretch my literary skill set.

·         Milestone 2: Start entering writing competitions for feedback.

o   Action Steps: Join a few more writing websites and get more involved.

·         Milestone 3: Submit work to an actual publisher to understand that process better.

o   Action Steps: Research the publishing process. Dig deeper into what is needed.  

·         Key people to Help Me: My Mom, Carl, Chris, Lauren

Learning Goal 2 - My husband and I will live close to family and work on our hobby farm with a couple goats, chickens, one unruly rooster, some pigs, and maybe even bee hives. We will leave this world, or at least a small part of this world a better place than we found it.

·         Milestone 1: Retire from Boeing

o   Action Steps: Get through the next 15 years. Work hard.

·         Milestone 2: Before retirement, research and locate land that we’d like to farm and/live on.

o   Action Steps: Obtain a realtor in the area we want to live.

·         Milestone 3: Purchase property and get started.

o   Action Steps: Begin planning the move and how we want to proceed with hobby farm plan.

·         Key people to Help Me: Carl, Gloria, Donald, Mom & Dad

Learning Goal 3 - I will seek positions that rely more on my writing and editing skills than my ability to make bar charts and analyze metrics. The goal will be to prove myself competent in this work statement and enjoy the last few years of working for Boeing.

·         Milestone 1: Look for different jobs/skill codes

o   Action Steps: Profile on Boeing Jobs site.

·         Milestone 2: Figure out what certifications or other training needed for desired position.

o   Action Steps: Talk to HR, people already doing those jobs, and career development folks.

·         Milestone 3: Apply for positions.

o   Action Steps: Apply for positions.

·         Key people to Help Me: TBD

All of this is a lot to think about right this minute. Please stay focused but flexible to new opportunities. This letter is a guideline to what you feel is your personal vision right now. But we know that life is never predictable – and that’s probably why we’re so much more directional and action oriented planners. We know that life is full of curveballs that can change everything in a heartbeat.
So, stay on the plan, let it refocus you and remind you of your dreams when you feel lost and overwhelmed. Remember to practice mindfulness and stay true to your heart. Mindfulness is not all gloom and doom, nor is it all sunshine and flowers. [S]omewhere in that fuller human experience, we connect and tap into a deeper source of motivation and choice that is more aligned with our integrity, our values and ethics, and our authentic essence. (Su, 2015)



                Love,

                You, Me, Us


Resources:

Boyatzis, R., Johnston, F. & McKee, A. (2008). Becoming a Resonant Leader. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Press.

Su, A. (2015, December 29). If Mindfulness Makes You Uncomfortable, It’s Working. Harvard Business Review. Reprint H02KQS. Published on HBR.ORG.

Tracy, B (N/A). Personal Strategic Planning: 4-Step Action Plan to Strengthen Your Personal Skills. Brian Tracy International. Retrieved March 11, 2017.  http://www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/personal-strategic-planning-4-step-action-plan-to-strengthen-your-personal-skills-personal-mission-statement/

Wessner, M (2012, November, 22) Do You Know Your Planning Style? Mark Wessner. Leadership. https://wessner.ca/?p=1266

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