VCU Globe Program Analysis

One of many aspects that I look for in school is the cultural appreciations and value of individuals. My intended major is an International Studies, which requires me to broaden my views and think beyond what we see. So when I was looking through the schools, the George Washington University definitely captured my attention. The George Washington University is one of the most diverse school in the United States and encourages many students to join the community. I was very thrilled to see the cultural events and volunteer activities are the priorities in school, because I always look out for an opportunity to help the community. I am more than willing to be part of the Nashman Center and serve for others.

I work diligently to treat others with utmost respect regardless of whether I agree with their point of view. By taking the time to establish authentic relationships with individual staff members, I am better able to understand their unique perspectives, needs, and concerns. Additionally, because I tailor my leadership approach to fit individuals and situations I am able to ensure the best possible outcomes. As a participative leader I look to others for input before I make decisions that will impact the group as a whole and I strive to motivate and inspire others so that they can gain professional fulfillment through autonomous practice. Finally, I believe that when individuals feel empowered and valued they develop pride in their work and are more willing to make meaningful contributions toward team goals.

I am excellent at relating to people and understanding why individuals make certain decisions. My ability to acknowledge and validate the emotions and actions of others has allowed me to create a positive repertoire not only in leadership positions, but also in daily situations. The key to my leadership style is close relationships with those I’m leading, which I usually create through frequent conversations or individual meetings. I believe that leadership is not a competitive ladder where I am above others, but instead a connective web in which I am the center of those I oversee. I have learned to be straight-forward and firm in setting rules and standards, while also being compassionate and understanding to individual

As a result, each person possess distinct characteristics that give a definition to who a person is. However, society demands uniformity within the population that deprives humanity of all purpose. Part of being human is being different, and being different means more idea, more opportunity, more humanity. If everyone were to be the same, the world would never improve. Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez, Mahatma Gandhi were all people who decided not to be a part of the crowd, and as result changed the world forever. These people improved the world for everyone, all because they decided that they did not want to be like everyone else. Still, others will say that it is good to have someone like them in their life. That would be, if it were possible. It is simply not possible to meet someone exactly like someone else. Also, independent thinking is always important, even in team activities. Independent thinkers strengthen teams because they are able to understand that contrasting backgrounds and perspectives bring new ideas and solutions to the

“Group members are classified into the following social styles: Analytical, Driver, Expressive, and Amiable.” (Griffith & Dunham, 2015). Analytical is someone who is picky about how things are done. They always want to be right no matter what. The driver is someone who is determined to embrace new things, one who is tough, and dominated. Expressive is someone who is enthusiastic and reacts to different behaviors. Amiable is the one who is cooperative, dependable, and supportive in a friendly manner. “When people gather in a group it can be a good or a bad experience. There are many personalities that can be in a group such as family, school, or workplace.”(Griffith & Dunham, 2015). Working in groups with different ideas, mindsets, cultures

Effective leadership relies on knowing that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, especially within in the capacity of working with the Goodwill. By bringing these different traits together we build effective teams, and motivate people to go beyond the bare minimum. I try and encourage people to be the best they can be, and take place in their development; in return I have people ready to go above and beyond. I cultivate this environment through honesty, respect, and leading by example. One of my main jobs as a leader is to be an advocate for those I direct, and I do this by asking questions, and having an open door policy. It is vital that the people feel they are important. Most people just want to feel that they have been heard, and I believe active listening is detrimental to be being an effective leader. The other side of the coin is establishing appropriate boundaries, which can be a challenging obstacle. It requires a great deal of trust and respect from the people you are leading. Sometimes, an issue is not fixable, due to rules and regulations, but as long as that person knows that they have been acknowledged, a positive relationship is formed. Part of my leadership is an eagerness to constantly learn and grow as a

In my work environment, I plan to be a leader by always choosing the high road to never degrade or talk poorly about fellow employees. Respecting other’s opinions and beliefs show integrity that is a necessary quality of a

I would like to participate in the VCU Globe community because I am someone who loves and is used to a very diverse international group of people. Growing up in a military family I have lived in Germany and had the opportunity to meet all type of international people and children who were different from me not just in race but culture as well. When I traveled to Germany, Italy, Amsterdam, Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia I was about ages 3-5 and some of those memories have faded away but as a college student now I could have the potential opportunity to travel abroad to really learn about

The prospect of attending GW excites me in many ways. Firstly, GW offers a massive amount of diversity, much more than I am used to. Students from every background, creed, socioeconomic status, and culture attend GW, as opposed to the largely homogenous area that I am from. I love listening to people and learning about them, learning their background, their story, their hopes and their dreams. At universities like GW, that is where hopes and dreams come to fruition. I love seeing people succeed and better themselves while doing things they love doing. Secondly, the prospect of being a part of the GW community excites me because community is something I have found that is lacking in my current institution. Because it is a commuter school, as

When working with others, I perform best when supporting the lead. The strengths I possess help more with maintaining the group cohesive while others guide the group towards a goal. I am collaborative when it comes to sharing resources, and expect for others to do the same for another. For me it is important for all members of a group to make both significant and meaningful contributions, so that each individual benefits from aiding the collective. When presented with a dilemma, ideas for possible solutions come in abundance, however, it requires an extended period of time for me to formulate these thoughts. At Barrio Logan College Institute (BLCI), I have built strong relationships with co-workers. This is largely due to the fact that we all value education, family, and equity.

The primary data collection approach that used for this particular research study is observations. The role of complete participant is one of the best ways to get a “true” feeling for a working diverse group. The researcher would observe two groups- one where he/she would take over leadership and another where he/she would simply participate. The researcher would observe a group as the role of observer similar to a group dynamics experiment explained by authors Bennis and Sheppard (1956). However, the researcher would not take on the role of the trainer, i.e. non-participating observer, as that tends to alienate the observer from the group and in certain instances create hostility due to frustrations running high and increased conflict.

In my daily life, I am on many teams and clubs. Such as, cross country, ski team, track, baseball, Spanish club, Asian Pacific-Islander club, and BBYO. I feel that my social interaction skills have flourished because of my involvement in these clubs. All of these clubs are very diverse, and contain many different types of people. In some of the clubs, I retain a leadership role too. For example, in Asian Pacific-Islander club, I am on the board and I hold the position of Co-Vice President. This position gives me great leadership training, because a career as chief executive also require great leadership skills. Also, In these groups I am not a passive member. I work on my social skills by communicating ideas with other members. I take a stand in discussions, and I do not sit idly by. That is a skill necessary in a chief executive. Without a decisive leader in business, nothing would get done. It is a good thing that I am getting accustomed to using my voice for leadership in a social situation. Another leadership position that I have is that I am a junior member on the board of my congregation. Being a junior member, I socially interact with adults that know more and are wiser than me. I use my social skills to take in things that they are telling me, but I also give insight on my opinion. If I do become a chief executive, it is important to have

The Tuckman Model of Group Development has 5 stages: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Adjourning (Maples, 2008). During the first session of MOP, everyone was tasked with forming their own small project team. The very first class workshop activity involved meeting two new people and introducing one of them to the entire class. The aim of the activity was to indirectly assess who we would want to be in a team with, based on our perceptions of a person’s behaviour, values, and work ethic. Most people would want to be in a team with people similar to them on a surface level (age, gender, ethnicity) and on a deeper level (personality, attitudes, believes, values) (Liang, Shih, & Chiang, 2015). We were free to choose whoever we wanted in our team under the condition that the team we form is diverse.

One of the first steps in understanding others is learning how people build relationships. People build relationships off of commonality. We group upon similar interest, a club, or a characteristic. These relationships create associations. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, people need to feel a sense of fulfillment and need to feel like they belong. Relationships help to form this fulfillment. But more importantly, relationships are built off of a common purpose. As leaders, I feel it is very important to understand others so you can adjust your behaviors in order to include everyone. This type of inclusiveness build relationships and helps a leader to serve his goal or purpose. It is also important to recognize groups contain differences. These differences could be caused by gender or culture. Males act and react differently than females. Sometimes we confuse our sex roles for gender roles. For example, “women are not the only sex to be nurturing of children. While it is

Personally, this organization provides the conglomeration of what I envision for my future life. For some this would be a four year degree, a good paying job and a family. For me; however, I want a life that is dedicated to increasing my global awareness and service. We are in an ever increasingly globalized world that requires decisions that will affect more than ourselves. I want to be one of those people that is responsible for knowing and understanding this changing dynamic. Personally, the best way to accomplish this goal is through service. Service offers a unique perspective in that it allows you to see the “real” world because you are not looking out for yourself, but for those you serve.