Stefan Kells

EDUC 5373
SOSU - Dr. Moore
2/12/18

Leadership Exercise – Week 2

Leadership Skill-Building Exercise 4-7: My Leadership Portfolio

For this addition to your leadership portfolio, identify four leadership task-oriented behaviors or relationship-
oriented behaviors that you have demonstrated this week. Your list can comprise any combination of the two sets of
behaviors. Also jot down the result you achieved by exercising these behaviors.

1. Adaptability to the situation: I was contacted by my department here recently asking if I

had the means to accommodate an additional IETV classroom on my campus. One of our
professors took another opportunity, leaving mid-semester. The department chair decided
it would be better to merge the two face-to-face classes together via IETV. (Think Zoom or
teleconferencing from 10-15 years ago.) I was put in a last minute situation where I had to
be flexible and adapt to the situation. I was able to get the class set-up for their meeting
time, however, it was not ideal. I promised the professor that it would be in better working
condition by their next meeting time.

2. Aligning people: In the process of making the best of the IETV situation, I played the role
of liaison between the professor/department and the respected IT department on Main
Campus. This was to insure that the proper steps would be taken in order to adapt to the
last-minute switch of classes.

3. Organizing for collaboration: We are in the process of utilizing Zoom for advising. Of
course, through the M.Ed. program I have had student user experience, but not much on
the administrator side. I do not imagine that it will be much different, but it would be nice
to get some practice. Myself and the other site coordinators are taking preemptive
measures by each taking turns scheduling/controlling bi-weekly Zoom meetings. This will
allow us to discuss topics more frequently than our monthly (face-to-face) meetings.

4. Giving emotional support and encouragement: My position as coordinator encompasses

many roles both on the administrative and student sides. I recently starting advising a
student who is trying to decide which option to pursue as it relates to alternative teacher
certification. I have assisted him in gathering contact information for each institution and
decipher the specific processes associated with each. I have encouraged the student to select
the best option for him based on the information presented. Even though we are still
gathering and processing information together, I think he has decided to apply to the M.Ed.
C&I: Science option and additionally pursue alternative teacher certification at the same
time.
 Stefan Kells
EDUC 5373
SOSU - Dr. Moore
2/12/18
Leadership Skill-Building Exercise 5-3: My Leadership Portfolio

For this chapter entry in your leadership portfolio, visualize two different leadership scenarios that you witnessed
directly, read about, or saw on television or in a movie. Think through how you would have used a different
leadership approach for each one if you had been the leader.

1. The Netflix Original TV Show: Grace and Frankie, depicts the lives of two 70-year-
old women as their world turns upside-down. Grace and Frankie are forced to
cohabitate together after they discover that their husbands were more than just law
partners.
Now that I have given a mini-synopsis of the show, let me relate it back to this
exercise. These two ladies are polar opposites of each other, but somehow they make it
work. In fact, they decide to start a company together that gears their products towards
the aging woman and “her needs”. Both ladies have entrepreneurial experience. Grace
founded a booming beauty and hair business that she passed to her daughter upon
retirement. She was a revered and feared leader, very organized and direct, and still is
(according to the show). Frankie, on the other hand, is a care-free soul that teaches and
sells art. She is very holistic and in tune with her emotions.
Like with every business in the infancy stage, they experienced ups and downs. One
down in particular was that their product allegedly gave a woman a heart attack
resulting in death. Of course, Frankie was very emotional and jumped to the conclusion
that they were indirectly murderers, that their product killed this woman. Grace
viewed the situation very differently. She saw it as accidents happen, a disclaimer will
be added to the product, and move on. The incident still upset Grace, but not to the
point of overreacting. She was also very dismissive of Frankie’s feelings. As it turned
out, the unfortunate circumstance boosted their product orders.
In this situation, I would have shown more compassion towards Frankie’s feelings of
guilt and somehow compromised on topics of discussion with the reporter.

2. I just watched The Circle staring Emma Watson and Tom Hanks. The movie
illustrates a futuristic utopia where a technology company has pretty much taken over
Facebook, Google, and Twitter, combining all three into one platform. Mae (Emma
Watson) lands a position with the company because of her forward thinking and
personality. We are also introduced to Eamon Bailey (Tom Hanks), who is the CEO of
the company. He seems to be a transformational leader that shows entrepreneurial
traits and participative leadership styles.
Anyway, Mae works her way up through the levels in the Circle. She is noticed
again for her forward thinking ability and how that relates to the overall vision of the
organization. During an executive meeting, the group was encouraged to brainstorm
fresh ideas toward the discussed topic. Mae takes the topic to the next level by
suggesting that it be a requirement for all US citizens who are of the “voting age” be
required to maintain a Circle account. (I will not give spoilers. Go watch the movie
yourself!)
I like how the company’s leadership noticed an employee’s hard-work and
determination and in turn allowed her to move up in the ranks, resulting in more and
more autonomy and leadership roles.
 Stefan Kells
EDUC 5373
SOSU - Dr. Moore
2/12/18
Leadership Skill-Building Exercise 5-3: My Leadership Portfolio

For this chapter’s entry into your leadership journal, reflect on any scenario you have encountered recently that
would have given you the opportunity to practice ethical or socially responsible behavior. The scenario could have
taken place in relation to employment, an interaction with fellow students, or being a customer of some type. Write
down the scenario, and how you responded to it. Indicate what you learned about yourself.

I chose to use an example from my past due to the situation I am in as a staff member and
student at the same institution.
Early on in my professional development career (pre-teenage), I became a volunteer at my
local library (where I still volunteer when I take off from work and on holiday). I learned a
very valuable lesson, one that I will never forget, as it relates to customer service and ethics.
One day, after the library closed, I stayed behind to help with the closing processes. The
phone rang 15 minutes or so after closing. Of course, being young and inexperienced, I
answered the phone before the director had the chance to stop me. I remember saying, *in
a sarcastic tone* “the library has closed for the weekend, please try back Monday morning,
thank you!” and hung up. The library director was in complete shock that I had answered
the phone and with the unexplainable tone that I had. Needless to say, this was used a
teachable moment. Luckily for me, the library director happens to be my cousin and the
caller was my great-aunt (small town). They have not let me forget that “doof” moment. It
has been 13 years.
The teachable moment, showed me that it would have been better to just let the phone ring
to voicemail and to never respond in that tone to a patron ever again. As “punishment,” I
was not allowed to work the circulation desk, which was a big deal, for an entire month
after the incident. Instead, I was assigned tasks such as, “weeding” under-circulated books
from the collection, dusting, shelving, and other duties that removed me from behind the
front-desk counter.
I am glad I learned from this mistake as two of my valued skills are customer service and
ethical behavior. It is good practice to stay mindful in every situation that you are
undergoing. That mindfulness could save you from doing something irresponsible,
resulting in loss of job or worse.