A520.1.6.RB_DiazBrian

When I started the Leadership program I had no clue what I was actually getting myself into.  I figured "Hey, I wanna get a Master's degree.  This one seems like one I would be interested in."  I had a general idea of what I was going to learn and a whole lot of assumptions.  Little did I actually know that the lessons I was going to learn in this program would not just be applicable to my professional life, but to my personal life as well.  For example, I believe that this program has taught me to be a better listener (which my wife is a fan of).  I have learned to use reflection as a learning tool and it has helped me with my work processes tremendously.  But most importantly I have gained a better understanding of what it means to be self-aware and the value that self-awareness can bring in the development of leadership.

How has my my self-awareness changed in respect to the 5 core aspects of self-awareness since the beginning of my MSLD program?  Well, there have been some variance and change in certain areas, and much needed room for improvement in others.  The first critical area of self-awareness is emotional intelligence.  "Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to perceive, control and evaluate emotions. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence can be learned and strengthened, while others claim it is an inborn characteristic." Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/personalitydevelopment/a/emotionalintell.htm  I think it is important for me to be more honest about my feelings.  Culturally I grew up "wired" not to share my emotions.  It was something that was "understood" and not necessarily spoken.  This might be a factor in my survey score being less than desirable.  I feel like I have learned to control my emotions, now I need to be more comfortable sharing them.  I have always been empathetic to others however I would benefit if I could identify more easily the emotions of others.  This will enable me to become a more effective leader.

I touched upon my personal values in my earlier blog and these are a representation of my heritage.  Whetten & Cameron (2011) describe values as "the foundation upon which attitudes and personal preferences are formed.  They are the basis for crucial decisions, life directions, and personal tastes." (p. 65).  It is comforting to know that the values I hold in highest regards are the same values most organizations envision and aspire to find in their employees.  It makes for a culture that I can easily fit in with as I move forward in my career.

Cognitive styles are how we gather and process information.  Since entering the leadership program I have seen myself grow in this area.  I have also discovered the need for improvement in this area as well.  My team leader is a shining example of someone who's cognitive style I would like to pattern myself after.  She (much like this program) has taught me to ask questions and to use my critical thinking skills.  I trained under her when I started with ERAU and I can recall several times I went t o her with issues I encountered.  Reaching out to her, I was able to see how she would approach each issue.  She critically worked through the problems, asked questions (most of which I didn't consider to ask), and thought of more than one possible solution to offer.  It's funny because her approach would be the same one I learned early on in my foundational research class.  I am working on becoming more creative in my problem solving and this opportunity to improve my cognitive skills will serve me well in a leadership role.

My attitude towards change and the progress I have made since starting  this program has been a bit of a challenge for me.  This area is one I have not progressed in as much as I would have liked to.  For me, change is a bit difficult because I like routine.  My tolerance for ambiguity is less than I would like it to be.  Whetten & Cameron (2011) remarked "Managers with higher tolerance-of-ambiguity scores are more likely to be entrepreneurial in their actions, to screen out less information in a complex environment, and to choose specialties in their occupations that possess less-structured tasks." (p. 77).  This would describe the opposite of me however I would like for that to change.  I think the first step is acknowledging that in today's environment conditions change so rapidly that I need to adjust in order to remain relevant and competitive in this market.

The last area of self-awareness to address is my core self-evaluation.  Before beginning this program I never gave much thought to my personality or how others might perceive me.  However, I have learned just how important these factors are.  Especially for someone that wants to be in a position of leadership.  Whetten & Cameron (2011)  note that "Core self-evaluation is sometimes referred to as overall positive self regard - or the extent to which people value themselves and feel proficient as individuals." (p. 80).  A correlation between core self-evaluations and how effective we can be at work has been studied and established.  The studies show that the higher the core self-evaluations, the more people seem to be happier at work.  As leaders, we should lead by example, so it is imperative to communicate with our employees how we regard ourselves and others.  This can help to establish trusting relationships and increase work productivity.  As I progress through the remainder of my program this area of self-awareness will remain a focus of mine.  I want to be the very best leader I can and it is important for me to exude confidence in my abilities and to lead and inspire others.

Whetten, D. A., & Cameron, K. S. (2011). Developing Management Skills (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall/Pearson.