SL2

Chapter 4: Of the following attributes, patience, kindness, humility, respect, selflessness, and forgiveness, which one is your greatest strength?  What kinds of choices do you make that makes you stronger in this area?
I'm am probably best with forgiveness.  I am able to get past things and get on with my life.  I think this because I tend to forget what they did or I realize that they are not like that always.

Chapter 4: Four communication styles are aggressive, passive, passive-aggressive, and assertive.  What is the ideal form that we should use?  What have we primarily used in the past?
We should use assertive.  This gets duties said and tells the person what is expected.  In the past we have been passive and let it slide when we slack off.

Chapter 5: Imagine that two students are chasing each other with pool noodles at a scrimmage event.  What does accountability look like in this situation?  Who should know about the event?  Who should provide the accountability?  Why is it necessary to hold individuals accountable?
The two students who were chasing each other and whoever was in charge of them should be held accountable.  This should be brought to the attention of the leaders on the team to ensure these actions do not continue.  It is necessary to hold these people accountable because these actions are unsafe and can get the whole team in trouble and leaders need to make sure subordinates are under control.

Chapter 7: Elizabeth said "My older friends are like they were 30 years ago, only more so".  As a high school student, what implications does this have for you?  OR As a mentor, how have your past choices built good and bad habits in your life?
This shows that people do not really change.  Usually people will continue to be the same because that it who they are as a person.  Habits we have today will become harder and harder to shake, so bad habits should be solved before it is too hard to get rid of.

Chapter 7: Change is usually initiated by friction / discomfort / pain / suffering.  If you want to change your habits, where will the discomfort come from that motivates your change?
The discomfort will come from failure.  Failure makes you realize the way you are going doesn't work and you need to find a new way to work that will be successful.

End with a summary of what you learned.
I learned the importance of various parts of leadership.  It is important to treat those you lead in a positive way, and make sure that people keep professional and get their work done.  I also learned the importance of making sure your habits are good ones and why people change.

Braxton SL3

Alright, home stretch. Here we go...

Chapter 8: What is emotional intelligence (EI)?  In what ways are you strongest in EI?  How do you get EI "smarter"?

EI is essentially the lump sum of all of your social and interpersonal skills, and it is practically necessary for successful leadership. I'm sure exactly what my strongest areas of EI are, so it's probably not self-awareness. Instead, it might be habit-breaking, as I've recently had to break several old habits to improve my leadership abilities, and I at least like to think it wasn't too difficult, but I don't know. In order to get EI smarter, go through the three F's, and especially the feedback part. You need to know how you're doing. Then, you need to make an active change in your personality to improve your EI.

Chapter 8: What is the coach's role in developing leadership capacity in the team?  A mentor's role?  A student's role?

On our team, our coach's role in developing leadership capacity is producing courses such as the one we are enrolled in now in order to develop our leadership abilities. He also, in addition with the mentors, mentor students and teach them not only technical skills, but also teach leadership skills by example. Students should act as proverbial sponges, and absorb this knowledge, and then apply themselves. They should educate themselves and then put those skills into practice.

Chapter 8: Hunter lists three key steps for ongoing change: foundation, feedback, and friction.  In our FRC team, who sets the foundation?  Who provides the feedback and how?  Who provides the friction and how?

On our FRC team, the foundation is set by several people. FIRST founders, such as Woody Flowers and the glorious Dean Kamen, other teams and their journeys, as well as our coach, mentors, and founding students. All of these people and organizations contributed the foundation our team was founded upon. The feedback is provided by students and mentors. They do this verbally, by email, or even passive-aggressive grumbling. Often, we voice our concerns to each other, and then bring it to Pethan if there is sufficient cause to. This also can contribute to the friction, as some team members and mentors aren't afraid to be up front about problems, and possible solutions to these problems.

Chapter 9: What are the satisfiers that get people to show up to robotics and exert at least minimum effort?  What are the specific motivators that push some students to work very hard for the team beyond simply being present?

One of the satisfiers that encourage lazy students is a lack of discipline. If a student isn't doing anything, or is playing video games, or is goofing off, what happens to them? Nothing more than a quick talk and maybe a task. There's no detriment to simply continue what they were doing, day in and day out. Now, I'm not saying that we should start flogging people, quite the opposite. We should treat the cause rather than the symptom, and give them a purpose and a motivator. Ideally, we shouldn't have to take away iPads or yell at people. They would be trustworthy enough to instead work, and then play games on their own time, or during a (not overly frequent) break. Some motivators would be the obvious, like scholarships, or the more abstract, like a sense of belonging and pride in their work, which tends to be on the high end of quality.

Chapter 9: How much "hunger for excellence" do you think we have as a team?  In your view, are we shooting to be the best or trying to just be mediocre?

On our team, I feel like we're starting to really find out how good we really are, and our hunger before that definitely contributed. We we're pretty shocked to see how well we did this past year, as compared to 2014, and we now believe we can do even better. So I'd say we definitely strive for the best, even if that is sometimes forgotten in times of distraction.

Summary:

In this final section of reading, I learned about the more abstract of leadership, such as emotional intelligence, the three F's, satisfiers and motivators, and the hunger for excellence. It summed up a summer's worth of reading and this book, and this entire course has taught me a great deal about leadership styles and traits. Now, that I'm done, I think I'll celebrate Now that I'm done, I think I'll celebrate...

SL2 Bryan

• Chapter 4: Describe the difference between love, the feelings, and love, the choice.

Love, as a feeling, is just an emotion that people feel towards other specific people. Love as a choice is something done for others because you love them, usually caring for employees.

• Chapter 4: Four communication styles are aggressive, passive, passive-aggressive, and assertive.  What is the ideal form that we should use?  What have we primarily used in the past? 

The ideal form we should use is assertive. We should use that communication style due to the work that needs to be done. We need to be able to communicate in such a way that will tell people that they need to get to work in a polite, but strong way.

• Chapter 5: "Love without discipline is not love at all."  Provide some insight into that statement.

If you love someone truly you would be willing to discipline them to better them. If something isn't fixed that could help someone to become a better person then you need to help that person reach that goal. 

• Chapter 7: What is the difference between character and personality?  Why is it relevant to leadership?

Character is who you are and personality is how you act. This is relevant to leadership because you can have a different character than personality. At home, you may be a laid back person that doesn't really want to do work, but at school or robotics you could be working extremely hard and helping others with their work.

• Chapter 7: Change is usually initiated by friction / discomfort / pain / suffering.  If you want to change your habits, where will the discomfort come from that motivates your change?

The discomfort can come from either your displeasure, another person's displeasure, or a decrease in productivity. All of these things can cause a change in work ethic to increase the specific person's productivity.

Summary:

I have learned that love is a very important thing in order to lead a group of people. Love can change how people work and how people act.

SL1

Intro: Skip to the last page of the intro.  There are three questions.  The author suggests that if your answer is no to the questions, continuing is a waste of time.  If your answer is yes to each, please also explain WHY you are willing to go through this pain, because it will be painful if you want to truly be a better leader.

Answer:1.Yes, because if I need to change to be able to lead people I am willing too. Because when being a leader you have to sometimes make hard decides. But I want to be a better leader because I will help give me a chance to get more confidence or things and it will help people who I am leading to maybe one day be leaders too.
2.Yes, I think my ego can handle receiving feedback even though it can be painful. I am willing to go through this pain because I don't want others to feel it and I want to be the one to have to deal with it. I would do it because if it would make me a better leader then I will do it.
3. Yes, because if it all works something could be good of the out come but you will not know so it would be best to think that it will not end well. I would be willing to do it to close the gaps that are around and that need to be closed so thing can either move on and get better or it they don't get closed then they might get worse.

Chapter 1: The word "influence" comes up dozens of times in the first chapter.  Why does Hunter keep talking about it?
Answer:He keeps talking about it because you are influence by each person you see or meet everyday that. Overtime you start to get what they are doing and then you are too influencing others. It can be anything it could be just showing someone how to do something to saying things to a child to help them learn.

Chapter 2: In what places in your life have you earned authority?  How did you get it?
Answer:I have earned authority to do things that I would like to do. How I got it was when I got old enough I was allowed to do it. But I do know but haven't had one yet but a job. Over time you can earn authority by do good at your job but while doing that you don't do stuff you should do.

Chapter 2: What is a legitimate use of power by the leaders of a FRC team?  How often should this be used?

Answer:They should have enough power to do a few things but not enough for them to want to make them to abuse there power. I think it showed used when it needs to be.

Chapter 3: Hunter says that serving others is a choice.  Share a time where you made the choice to serve yourself as a leader and a time where you chose to serve others in your leadership role.  How did each work out?  How did each feel?

Answer:When doing projects it can very from each person but one project in history I was following the instructions of the person who decided that they would lead this group. I think that it worked out fine because they would of been a better leader than I think me because there are time that I am confidence enough to take charge but it happens that their are others that will do it.
Another project that I did someone first decided that they would like to lead it and I was ok with it but then over time they started asking me thing about what they should do or something like that so then I became the leader of the group without trying too. What might of caused to change for me to be the leader because I did come up with and idea for the project and they did like it. I think it worked out pretty good. How each felt I think is that they might of been ok with it because no one told me anything about me leading. But what might of been hard for them was when we were going to present something happened to me(nothing serious) and they got all confused and they keep coming into the room I was in to ask me some questions that they didn't know what do to.

Summary:
I think this book will help me figure out how to be a better leader and to help get the confidence that I really need. Even though it is just the first few chapters I have learned a few things that could help with leading others.

SL2 Aren

• Chapter 4: Describe the difference between love, the feelings, and love, the choice.

The feeling of love is liking someone, but the choice of love is striving to make someone the best person they can be whether you like them or not.

• Chapter 7: Elizabeth said "My older friends are like they were 30 years ago, only more so".  As a high school student, what implications does this have for you?  OR As a mentor, how have your past choices built good and bad habits in your life?

This means we should try our best to remove bad habits and replace them with good habits.  So in 30 years we will be even better people.

• Chapter 5: "Love without discipline is not love at all."  Provide some insight into that statement.

The book defines love as being willing "to be attentive to the legitimate needs, best interests, and welfare of another".  This means if you truly love someone and have their best interests at heart you want them to be their best.  So you use discipline to make sure they keep striving for perfection.

• Chapter 7: What is the difference between character and personality?  Why is it relevant to leadership?

Character is your core values and who you are.  Personality is how you show those qualities to others.  This is important to leadership because if you want to build influence you need to have good character and show it with the correct style(personality).  Even if your the nicest person ever if you have the wrong style you wont gain influence.

• Chapter 5: This chapter talks a lot about "empathetic listening".  Explain in your own words what the means and why it is so important.

I think when you practice empathetic listening you devote every ounce of your attention to what the person is saying and then to remembering it.  This is important because the people you lead always have extremely valuable information to share with you.  Also this shows you care about them and it makes them feel useful.

Summary:

I learned the traits of a great leader and how to build influence by listening.  Also you should separate behavior from people by instead of saying your lazy, say you need to help more.  They can fix needing to help more,

SL1 Aren Jorgensen

• *Intro: Skip to the last page of the intro.  There are three questions.  The author suggests that if your answer is no to the questions, continuing is a waste of time.  If your answer is yes to each, please also explain WHY you are willing to go through this pain, because it will be painful if you want to truly be a better leader.

Simply put it is more painful and infinity more frustrating to be a bad leader.  The first reason being a bad leader stinks is cause as a peer leader you have very little power so no one listens unless they want to.  Two some will give you one chance to successfully lead and motivate and if you fail they will be donkeys to you for the rest of your life, and these people will probably join in two years.  Finally trying constantly push and pull people is no fun, the author says its hard but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  As put in scrum change or die.

• Chapter 2: In what places in your life have you earned authority?  How did you get it?

I have earned authority in my scout troop.  I gained this authority by being kind, respectful, and never pulling seniority.  In our troop we vote in a head leader (SPL) every 6 months.  I got the position because the ten younger scouts saw me as a person who wouldn't abuse power and was a decent leader.

Chapter 1: Hunter says that leadership is a skill, not something many are born with.  Do you actually believe this?  Have you always believed this?  What evidence have you seen in your life to back up your response.

I believe leadership is definitely a skill.  I don't remember what I thought several years ago or if I even had an opinion, but I do remember scouts is when I realized it was a skill.  Over just six months I've seen people's leadership skills infinitely expanded and improved just by doing what seems right and getting some constructive feed back.  Anyone who says leadership isn't a skill should just try for a few weeks and they will soon think differently.

• Chapter 1: The word "influence" comes up dozens of times in the first chapter.  Why does Hunter keep talking about it?

If you don't have influence you need to have followers who believe in a cause or use power, and power will soon scare away the best followers.  Then your left with the stubborn ones and can't get influence because you lost your one chance.

• Chapter 3: Hunter says that serving others is a choice.  Share a time where you made the choice to serve yourself as a leader and a time where you chose to serve others in your leadership role.  How did each work out?  How did each feel?

A time when I served my self was when I let a person slip away from a job and did nothing about it because I had just spend a ridiculous amount of time pressuring them to do it.  I avoided conflict and made it harder in the long run because I had to stand in front of them baby sitting to make sure they didn't leave.  A time I served was when I made the stubborn ones do thinks no matter how much they resisted I was more stubborn unfortunately they never stopped trying to avoid work.  Neither produced and visible results and both made me feel frustrated and bad.

In summary:  I learned the difference between power and authority.  I already knew how to get influence from people and that it was better to lead with it.  The main thing I still don't know is how to convince people who only follow you if you let them slack off.

Ben SL1

Chapter 1: Explain the differences between leaders and managers.  Would product owners and scrum masters be leaders, managers, both, or neither?
                    Leaders are people that inspire. They get people to believe in something and to work for it. Managers simply organize and handle the manner in which people work. Scrum masters and product owners would be both, since they have to get people excited about working, and they also have to oversee peoples' jobs.
Chapter 1: Hunter says that leadership is a skill, not something many are born with.  Do you actually believe this?  Have you always believed this?  What evidence have you seen in your life to back up your response?
                    I do believe this to be true in most cases, but I also believe that someone can be born with the rough ability to lead, but needs help fine-tuning his leadership skills. A friend of mine had great focus and attention to detail, but he was always quiet. As he hung out with my rowdy and rambunctious group of friends and me, he started to become more vocal. I think this has developed him into a much better leader, though most of his leadership skills are simply innate.
 Chapter 1: The word "influence" comes up dozens of times in the first chapter.  Why does Hunter keep talking about it?
                    Influence is a key aspect of being a leader. To be an effective leader, you have to be able to influence your team even when they're low of spirit. You also want to have the right type of influence. People are much more willing to follow a friendly, guiding influence than an aggressive, punishment-based influence. 
Chapter 2: In what places in your life have you earned authority?  How did you get it?
                    Sadly, I can't think of any instances in which I was given an official title of authority, but when I'm babysitting my little cousins, it's understood that I have the authority. This is in part because their mother told them to heed my command, but also because, collectively, we recognized my superiority in the aspect of life experience and rational thought.
Chapter 2: What is a legitimate use of power by the leaders of a FRC team?  How often should this be used?
                    I believe in leaders should have the power to reassign people from task to task. Of course, this power shouldn't be used liberally, but when someone has been asked multiple times day after day to work on a task, to stay focused, they should be put on a different task since they are apparently incapable of doing that job. Again, this is a last resort. You would simply talk to them at first, reason with them and do all you can to help, but sometimes someone just isn't equipped to carry out a certain job, so assign the job to someone able to complete it. 
Summary
                    I learned about servant leadership and the difference between power and authority. Influence is pertinent, and leading and managing aren't the same thing.