Once a year, my students come to class ready and get an assignment that’s a little odd. They get the next 4 hours to find a leader to interview about the job of being a leader, and they have to come up with something that will be helpful to the leader. It’s always a pretty powerful experience, because they do this cold, and they do it quick. It’s amazing how quickly this leaders share there challenges and excitements in a matter of moments. Here are some of the stories.
Leadership Live!!!!
Posted February 22nd, 2010
February 22nd, 2010 at 9:02 pm
[this is in reply to our class assignment, not necessarily the blog post]
For our informational interview of a local business leader, we went up to the Starbucks on Queen Anne, to interview the shift supervisor. We asked her a series of questions regarding leadership, and below are her answers. In order to maintain privacy, we will not post her name. We found that a leader can emerge just because someone sees potential in them, even if they did not know they had it.
She has been working at Starbucks for five years, starting as a shift supervisor. She was discovered when a manager from Starbucks came into her store a lot, and kept telling her to apply at Starbucks. One of the days she decided to apply, and the manager put her into a leadership position right away. Most people do not start at the supervisor position, but need to be a barista first.
When asked what is one thing she wishes she had to be more effective as a leader, her answer: more time. She said that time is crucial, and she would like to have more one-on-one time with her employees. When they are on the floor, they are always working, and do not have very much time to tell someone if they are doing something wrong or right.
She was put into her leadership position without training, and was given duel roles, training to be a barista and a shift supervisor. She said that her one piece of advice for emerging leaders is to be upfront and let people know what you expect from them. A lot of times we think people know what we want from them, but they don’t, and it makes it easier for them if we let them know what we want.
She told us that at the beginning of her job, it was stressful to train people and supervise when she was trying to learn herself. She found that one of her strengths was to get things done on time and keep up on the schedule. A weakness she found in her leadership position is needing to be more upfront and letting people know what she expects, she has found that harder than expected.
When she first had the responsibility of other people, she found it to be stressful because if people messed up, she thought it would be more her fault. But now, she has gotten used to training people.
One interesting thing we found was that she did not have to work her way up to a leadership position, someone found the hidden talent in her, and gave her a chance. We talked in class about how people can take notice and say “I see a leader in you” and sometimes a leader emerges because someone believes in them. Maybe that happened to the lady we interviewed, but either way she looked very comfortable in her position.
Don’t always hav to work your way up, people can find your hidden talents. She was put into her leadership position and it helped her to learn her job more quickly because of the higher expectations that were being pushed on her to a higher level job. With leadership, she learned how to lead BY being a leader. You don’t necessarily need past leadership experience to be a good leader, but she was put into the job, and has excelled at it.
We explained to her the background of intentional listening, and told her how she can use that with potential discrepancies within the workplace. Also, we gave the address to this blog if she wanted to learn more about how to be a leader.
February 23rd, 2010 at 11:45 am
For this assignment, our team quickly realized we had very few contacts with non-SPU associated leaders, and our lack of a car made our situation even more difficult. However, by networking through various contacts, we made an appointment with Garrett Gerlach, a student leader at University of Washington who currently leads a college small group and runs the youth group program at a church in Mukilteo. We met Garrett at a local coffee shop and bought him tea before starting our discussion about leadership.
Garrett explained that he began formal leadership roles early in high school, starting with the student leadership team at his church during his freshman year. Originally, he considered his position as simply another time commitment to show up for, not considering any of the responsibility involved in leadership. During the next few years of high school, Garrett became the assistant manager of a local roller skating rink, dealing with the responsibility of running all operations of the rink and leading the staff with only the owner to report to. He explained that he learned to own the responsibilities of leadership, prioritizing his time and taking charge of any problems while motivating others by his example of work ethic. Soon after graduating high school, Garrett became a senior counselor at a summer camp, taking responsibility of guys from grades 1 through 12. He remarked that this leadership position caused him to question his capability, especially when leading kids near his age. The experience allowed for growth and taught him the value of taking risks.
At this time, Garrett is reinvesting in a ministry that first gave him the opportunities to lead. As the co-leader of a brand new youth group program, he faces the challenge of planning and executing all activities, without a lot of direction or oversight. Garrett emphasized the importance of having a vision, especially when put in a position with much authority. As he envisioned what he wanted the youth group to look like from the beginning, he now is able to reevaluate periodically and incorporate others’ input into his vision.
Looking back, Garrett recognized a lack of humility in his high school leadership roles. Although he fulfilled his time commitments, his lack of investment in relationships caused him to get burnt out and lose sight of his purpose. For this reason, Garrett advised leaders to have a healthy fear of responsibility, and to make sure to take time for themselves and to invest in other relationships. In order to make time for refreshment, leaders have to learn to say no, something Garrett continues to struggle with.
Although we bought tea for Garrett, we realized that he really appreciated having the opportunity to talk about the various leadership positions and the different projects he has been involved with. It was encouraging for him to have people listen to the things he was passionate about and to affirm his pursuits. He expressed his value for words of encouragement as a leader, since it is natural for a leader to encourage others, but more rare for others to think about giving leaders the encouragement they need.
We were struck by the reminder that we often undervalue current experiences, and only realize many years later how much their influence prepares us as leaders. Like Garrett, we have had more experiences that helped us grow as leaders than we realized, and taking the time to reflect with others is encouraging and useful for motivating our behavior.
February 23rd, 2010 at 11:47 am
For this assignment, our team quickly realized we had very few contacts with non-SPU associated leaders, and our lack of a car made our situation even more difficult. However, by networking through various contacts, we made an appointment with Garrett Gerlach, a student leader at University of Washington who currently leads a college small group and runs the youth group program at a church in Mukilteo. We met Garrett at a local coffee shop and bought him tea before starting our discussion about leadership.
Garrett explained that he began formal leadership roles early in high school, starting with the student leadership team at his church during his freshman year. Originally, he considered his position as simply another time commitment to show up for, not considering any of the responsibility involved in leadership. During the next few years of high school, Garrett became the assistant manager of a local roller skating rink, dealing with the responsibility of running all operations of the rink and leading the staff with only the owner to report to. He explained that he learned to own the responsibilities of leadership, prioritizing his time and taking charge of any problems while motivating others by his example of work ethic. Soon after graduating high school, Garrett became a senior counselor at a summer camp, taking responsibility of guys from grades 1 through 12. He remarked that this leadership position caused him to question his capability, especially when leading kids near his age. The experience allowed for growth and taught him the value of taking risks.
At this time, Garrett is reinvesting in a ministry that first gave him the opportunities to lead. As the co-leader of a brand new youth group program, he faces the challenge of planning and executing all activities, without a lot of direction or oversight. Garrett emphasized the importance of having a vision, especially when put in a position with much authority. As he envisioned what he wanted the youth group to look like from the beginning, he now is able to reevaluate periodically and incorporate others’ input into his vision.
Looking back, Garrett recognized a lack of humility in his high school leadership roles. Although he fulfilled his time commitments, his lack of investment in relationships caused him to get burnt out and lose sight of his purpose. For this reason, Garrett advised leaders to have a healthy fear of responsibility, and to make sure to take time for themselves and to invest in other relationships. In order to make time for refreshment, leaders have to learn to say no, something Garrett continues to struggle with.
Although we bought tea for Garrett, we realized that he really appreciated having the opportunity to talk about the various leadership positions and the different projects he has been involved with. It was encouraging for him to have people listen to the things he was passionate about and to affirm his pursuits. He expressed his value for words of encouragement as a leader, since it is natural for a leader to encourage others, but more rare for others to think about giving leaders the encouragement they need.
We were struck by the reminder that we often undervalue current experiences, and only realize many years later how much their influence prepares us as leaders. Like Garrett, we have had more experiences that helped us grow as leaders than we realized, and taking the time to reflect with others is encouraging and useful for motivating our behavior.
February 23rd, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Leadership Live Assignment
Maurice McRae, Frances Perez, and Arin Kepler
It was our pleasure to meet with Michael Ramos, the executive director of the Church council of Greater Seattle. This non-profit organization emphasizes their commitment to reconciling justice and engaging congregations in order to witness and impact the world. Michael Ramos has a great heart and it was interesting to see his perspective along with his vision of what leadership truly is.
Michael talks about his role as a leader as a means to guiding the organization and promoting effective productivity. He seeks to provide an environment that enhances close relationships amongst the team he is working with. He also stresses the importance of finding priority in their work in order to be as effective as possible. He values viewing his work not only in the present but also looking ahead towards future possibilities.
We asked Michael what his challenges were in his current leadership position, which he has held for the past year and a half. His current challenges as a leader deal with the plummeting economy. Because so many families are struggling, the organization is having trouble fundraising, causing a decrease in resources. At the same the level of need has spiked because of the economic downturn so his main challenge is trying to manage funds carefully because need is greater than ever and resources are depleting. Michael wishes that he had more resources in order to better serve the community.
The last part of our interview ended with us talking to Michael about what advice he would give to the emerging leader. He responded by saying that as a leader, one should maintain his or her authentic self; that one should prepare to act with integrity in whatever steps are being taken to proceed. By maintaining that integrity, it will serve as the foundation from which all other work will stem from.
We ended our time with Michael by thanking him for meeting with us on such short notice and also encouraged him in his work. He gave us another opportunity to meet with him again in person in order to hear more about the organization’s vision as well as his own personal experience as a leader. He gave us business cards and directed us to http://www.thechurchcouncil.org for further information on ways to get involved in their mission statement, “grounded in faith, working for justice.”
It is safe to say that the three of us were blessed by our interaction with Michael. His vision for the organization and for the world is refreshing. He reminded us to stay true to our convictions and live an authentic life in service to others.
February 24th, 2010 at 12:24 am
For this assignment, our team quickly realized we had very few contacts with non-SPU associated leaders, and our lack of a car made our situation even more difficult. However, by networking through various contacts, we made an appointment with Garrett Gerlach, a student leader at University of Washington who currently leads a college small group and runs the youth group program at a church in Mukilteo. We met Garrett at a local coffee shop and bought him tea before starting our discussion about leadership.
Garrett explained that he began formal leadership roles early in high school, starting with the student leadership team at his church during his freshman year. Originally, he considered his position as simply another time commitment to show up for, not considering any of the responsibility involved in leadership. During the next few years of high school, Garrett became the assistant manager of a local roller skating rink, dealing with the responsibility of running all operations of the rink and leading the staff with only the owner to report to. He explained that he learned to own the responsibilities of leadership, prioritizing his time and taking charge of any problems while motivating others by his example of work ethic. Soon after graduating high school, Garrett became a senior counselor at a summer camp, taking responsibility of guys from grades 1 through 12. He remarked that this leadership position caused him to question his capability, especially when leading kids near his age. The experience allowed for growth and taught him the value of taking risks.
this time, Garrett is reinvesting in a ministry that first gave him the opportunities to lead. As the co-leader of a brand new youth group program, he faces the challenge of planning and executing all activities, without a lot of direction or oversight. Garrett emphasized the importance of having a vision, especially when put in a position with much authority. As he envisioned what he wanted the youth group to look like from the beginning, he now is able to reevaluate periodically and incorporate others’ input into his vision.
Looking back, Garrett recognized a lack of humility in his high school leadership roles. Although he fulfilled his time commitments, his lack of investment in relationships caused him to get burnt out and lose sight of his purpose. For this reason, Garrett advised leaders to have a healthy fear of responsibility, and to make sure to take time for themselves and to invest in other relationships. In order to make time for refreshment, leaders have to learn to say no, something Garrett continues to struggle with.
Although we bought tea for Garrett, we realized that he really appreciated having the opportunity to talk about the various leadership positions and the different projects he has been involved with. It was encouraging for him to have people listen to the things he was passionate about and to affirm his pursuits. He expressed his value for words of encouragement as a leader, since it is natural for a leader to encourage others, but more rare for others to think about giving leaders the encouragement they need.
We were struck by the reminder that we often undervalue current experiences, and only realize many years later how much their influence prepares us as leaders. Like Garrett, we have had more experiences that helped us grow as leaders than we realized, and taking the time to reflect with others is encouraging and useful for motivating our behavior.
February 24th, 2010 at 12:25 am
Rachel Katsur & Alyssa Singh
For this assignment, our team quickly realized we had very few contacts with non-SPU associated leaders, and our lack of a car made our situation even more difficult. However, by networking through various contacts, we made an appointment with Garrett Gerlach, a student leader at University of Washington who currently leads a college small group and runs the youth group program at a church in Mukilteo. We met Garrett at a local coffee shop and bought him tea before starting our discussion about leadership.
Garrett explained that he began formal leadership roles early in high school, starting with the student leadership team at his church during his freshman year. Originally, he considered his position as simply another time commitment to show up for, not considering any of the responsibility involved in leadership. During the next few years of high school, Garrett became the assistant manager of a local roller skating rink, dealing with the responsibility of running all operations of the rink and leading the staff with only the owner to report to. He explained that he learned to own the responsibilities of leadership, prioritizing his time and taking charge of any problems while motivating others by his example of work ethic. Soon after graduating high school, Garrett became a senior counselor at a summer camp, taking responsibility of guys from grades 1 through 12. He remarked that this leadership position caused him to question his capability, especially when leading kids near his age. The experience allowed for growth and taught him the value of taking risks.
At this time, Garrett is reinvesting in a ministry that first gave him the opportunities to lead. As the co-leader of a brand new youth group program, he faces the challenge of planning and executing all activities, without a lot of direction or oversight. Garrett emphasized the importance of having a vision, especially when put in a position with much authority. As he envisioned what he wanted the youth group to look like from the beginning, he now is able to reevaluate periodically and incorporate others’ input into his vision.
Looking back, Garrett recognized a lack of humility in his high school leadership roles. Although he fulfilled his time commitments, his lack of investment in relationships caused him to get burnt out and lose sight of his purpose. For this reason, Garrett advised leaders to have a healthy fear of responsibility, and to make sure to take time for themselves and to invest in other relationships. In order to make time for refreshment, leaders have to learn to say no, something Garrett continues to struggle with.
Although we bought tea for Garrett, we realized that he really appreciated having the opportunity to talk about the various leadership positions and the different projects he has been involved with. It was encouraging for him to have people listen to the things he was passionate about and to affirm his pursuits. He expressed his value for words of encouragement as a leader, since it is natural for a leader to encourage others, but more rare for others to think about giving leaders the encouragement they need.
We were struck by the reminder that we often undervalue current experiences, and only realize many years later how much their influence prepares us as leaders. Like Garrett, we have had more experiences that helped us grow as leaders than we realized, and taking the time to reflect with others is encouraging and useful for motivating our behavior.
February 24th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
We met with Michael Cheung. He is the Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager of Fixed income investments for Washington Capital. It was interesting talking to him because he talked about the different things we have been discussing in class without our prompting.
While not using the specific words he talked about conviction versus connection. Michael stressed the importance of getting to know the people working under him. The most important piece of advice he provided us with was to “walk in subordinates shoes” so that you’ll know where they come from. Knowing where people are coming from helps in giving them opportunities to grow in their career. Michael stays true to his conviction by setting forth clear goals and expectations for those he works with. He knows what he wants and tries to convey that as clearly as possible to colleagues.
In the fast paced and intense business world Michael told us that he has found that honesty really is the best policy. He is upfront with those he interacts with about his values and convictions so that they can know what to expect. People want to work with people who they know what to expect.
Michael has worked every hard to get where he is in the business world but he told us that it is because he doesn’t view his career as a 9-5 job. He is passionate and loves what he does. He has strived to exceed others expectations.
In discussing the intersection of faith and career success, Michael advised us to avoid the common temptation of luxury. Too often, people begin to “wine and dine” as they achieve success and lavish themselves. Michael shared stories from his industry of people who succumbed to the temptation and ruined their reputation to the point that the locals still say “remember that guy…”
Overall Michael emphasized knowing who you then know where you want to go as a key part of his leadership experience. This knowledge helps him make the hard decisions that people look to him to make. The one thing that he thought would improve his effectiveness was to be a better writer so he could communicate better with others.
Brittany Harwell and Kevin McFarland