Ogl 360 12 Week Plan Fmesa Final 2022

LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE
ONE STEP AT A TIME

(A 12-WEEK PLAN FOR “THE FUTURE ME”)
FRANCIA MESA
FALL 2022
OGL 360 (ASSESSMENT OF LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS),
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
12-WEEK PLAN | LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE SLIDES
Week 1 – Find Your Purpose 4-7

Week 2 - Learning Is A CONSTANT FORM OF DISCOVERY 9-12
Week 3 – MODEL the Way 14-17
Week 4 – Find your VOICE 18-24
Week 5 - Inspire and CREATE A Vision 26-28
Week 6 – Look to ENLIST OTHERS 30-33
Week 7 – Challenge the PROCESS 39-41
Week 8 – Enable OTHERS to Act 43-46
Week 9 – Demonstrate Ubuntu 53 -56
Week 10 – Welcome CHALLENGES/Opportunities 58-61
Week 10- Selma Slides (1-2) 63-64
“If your actions
Week 11- Encourage THE HEART 69-71 inspire others to
Week 11- Examples of weekly employee RECOGNITION 72-73 dream more, learn
more, do more and
Week 12 – PRIORITIZE Recognition 75-77 become more, you
Week 12- BIG Picture/ Appreciation 82-83 82 are a leader.”
Index of AUTHORS 84 JOHN QUINCY ADAMS
References / WORKS CITED SLIDE 85-86

MODULE 1 | WEEK 1 & WEEK 2
WEEK 1 (PART 1 OF MODULE 1) | FIND YOUR PURPOSE
It takes courage to be vulnerable and that was especially
the case with me. In 2020, I transitioned from working in
Retail to the T-Mobile Business side of the organization.
During the first six months, I had absolutely no idea about
the business, who I was supporting, and what I should be
doing. My direct Manager sat me down and asked me how
I was feeling. I wanted to say, I am great! It took me a
moment to find the words and be honest. I told him I was
lost and that I didn’t know what I was doing. I thought they
had chosen the wrong person. I got very emotional for the
first time I left like an imposter. It turned out to be the
best conversation he and I ever had. My Manager told me
he felt the same way and even shared some of his feelings.
He made me feel like I wasn’t alone in my journey.
"Trust comes from

understanding each
other's values and
understanding our
experiences and what
we stand for. In order for
that to happen, we've
got to be vulnerable,
and we have to be
1
open.”
(Kouzes and Posner
2017, p. 5)
WEEK 1 | FIND YOUR PURPOSE (CONT’D)
“TO-DO” LIST
When I was an Assistant Manager in Retail, I was in charge of
ensuring we completed monthly, weekly, and daily inventory
counts. I noticed that our High-End Audio started to go missing. I 1. Recognize three leaders
decided to put a three-plan approach. Limit the amount of during calls or meetings
inventory on the floor, leadership had to be involved during
returns, and complete daily counts versus monthly. Within a and share their
couple of days, our inventory levels were back, and zero audio contributions to a wider
was missing. My Manager took credit for my plan and was
recognized for it. This showed me what kind of leader he was, audience
and our partnership suffered. I felt betrayed by him. He took
credit versus allowing his team to shine, this was a group effort,
2. Give someone on the
but he made it a solo show. I learned from that experience to team the ability to talk
never outshine my team or take someone else's credit.
through their wins on a
high visibility project
2 3. Leverage the
"Being humble and Appreciation Zone
letting others
shine comes back
SharePoint and send
to you many times three Frontline Experts
over." kudos for their
(Kouzes and Posner 2017, accomplishments
p. 6)
“TO-DO” LIST
"Titles are
granted, but it's WHAT IF I TOLD YOU 1. Recognize two new
leaders
3 your behavior
that earns you 2. Write Thank-You note to
respect" my mentor who
(Kouzes and Posner 2017,
p. 12)
THOSE WHO WANT RESPECT continues to help me
GIVE RESPECT focus on our heart and
soul of the organization,
our people.
3. Find an opportunity to
connect with new leaders
As a newly promoted assistant Manager, I thought I was a hotshot. I allowed my new
title to get to my head and thought that everyone would respect me because I was
and talk about my
the Assistant Manager. I didn’t allow myself to get to know my new team or for them
to get to know me. I came into a new store with an action plan and a focus on
success and failures as a
performance. I quickly realized that I had not earned the respect of my team. I hadn’t leader
taken the time to build rapport and earn their respect and trust. After multiple failed
attempts to put my action plan in place, I stopped focusing on the action plan and
placed all my focus on my team. I scheduled one with one’s to get to know them
personally, and professionally, and for them to get to know me. It was not until I had
shown them the respect that I actually earned that title.
I had a direct report who started to underperform. He was usually
the type to like touch and love and thrived when challenged. I
made it a point to coach through tough love telling him that he
wasn’t at the level he use to be, making sure he heard when I
provided kudos to high performers, etc. I realized his behavior and
performance were getting worse. I decided it was best to have a
one-on-one to identify the root cause of the changes. After some
time, he ended up telling me he was going through a separation
from his wife. My heart dropped and realized I was not only adding
insult to injury, but I was making his professional life worse. I
listened, apologized to him, and became a supportive and
understanding leader. I realized I had made a decision on how I
would “turn around” his behavior before I even knew what was
wrong.
“TO-DO” LIST
1. Brainstorm different ways to enable others to
"You have to make act
room for failure and
more importantly 2. Tell a Frontline Expert I appreciate him/her
4 the opportunity to
learn from failure."
3. Try to connect with a Sr. Manager and learn
about their story, what they have learned as a
(Kouzes and Posner leader
2017, p. 15)
WEEK 2 (PART 2 OF MODULE 1) | LEARNING IS A CONSTANT FORM OF DISCOVERY
"You earn
“TO-DO” LIST
leadership from 1. Share stories and ideas with a peer from
the people you
aspire to lead."
5 the East Coast
2. Talk about “famous failures” and success
(Kouzes and Posner with someone from the Innovation &
2017, p. 28) Experience team
My mentor Lloyd Jenson was one of the first people I ever met when I relocated to
Los Angels. He had been working for the organization for over 20 years and was
part of my interview panel. You could by how others spoke to him that he was a
people leader. He did and continues to inspire me to focus on people. When he
walked into a store a always said hello to each Expert and asked about their
families, school, and their kids. He made it a point to remember their kids' names,
even Anniversaries. Lloyd earned the respect, trust, and admiration of everyone
around him. When you spoke to Lloyd his focus was on you and only you. We felt
important, seen, and supported.
WEEK 2 | LEARNING IS A CONSTANT FORM OF DISCOVERY (CONT’D)
“Leadership is a
reciprocal process
between leaders 6
and their
constituents."
(Kouzes and Posner

2017, p. 28)
Recently, I was asked to co-lead a team that was tasked to build a plan to
connect with customers who had ignored our emails and letters alerting them
about our 3G network decommission. We had to keep in mind the Customer
Experience, and the Expert Experience, and build an entire process. I was co-lead
with my partner Deb. While we had worked together before, she and I had not led
a team together. We decided it would be best to do an informal happy hour to
meet everyone on the team, followed by one on one’s, and then a formal team
meeting. Deb did a great job helping the team build relationships with each other
and with us. She was always there to answer questions, clarify asks, and would
even jump in to help when we needed extra hands. Deb did an extraordinary job
as a co-lead, she was there when the team or I needed her, and she would
challenge them, and advocate for them. She build strong partnerships with each
member of our team, and it only made our team better and stronger.
WEEK 2 | LEARNING IS A CONSTANT FORM OF DISCOVERY
"DWYSYWD:
Do What You
7 Say You Will
Do"
(Kouzes and Posner
2017, p. 44)
The fastest way to lose respect and by in from anyone is to not do what you
say you will do. As a trainer, I would repeat this over and over again to newly
promoted leaders. Lack of follow-through is poison. I remember when I was
preparing for an interview, I had created an action plan and had asked my
Manager if he could review it and provide feedback. He said yes of course and
asked me to email it to him. After a couple of days, I ask if he had been able to “When leaders breathe
review. He said no and that he would do it that night. The next day, no email life into dreams and
or feedback so I decided to ask again. He told me that he would, but to give
8
him more time. I let him know that I understood if he didn’t have time and that aspirations, people are
I could see if another leader could review. He said no and promised he would much more willing to
do it that evening. The next day he called out and he didn't provide me with
any feedback. I was crushed and disappointed, to say the least. He never enlist in a common
mentioned it to me, nor did he ever apologize. I lost the spark in my eye and cause"
lost respect for him. He had earned the reputation of being an unreliable
leader and peer. (Kouzes and Posner
2017, p. 35)
Week 1 and Week 2 “Wrap-Up” / Write-Up:
As I reflect on chapter one and two readings there are two themes that I see represented. The first theme I noticed was how
leadership impacts and influences those around you, it is the law of cause and effect. Everything you do or fail to do will have a
lasting effect on your followers. The second theme that was represented was how leadership can ignite others to act and follow. As
a leader, you have a responsibility to your followers and to your organization. One cannot be a leader if there is no one to lead. As
a leader Francia, you have a responsibility to positively impact your team and inspire them to ignite their teams to create change.
In chapter one, you learned about The Five practices of exemplary leadership. Each practice was part of what was described as the
Operating System. "Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, and Encourage the
Heart—provide an operating system for what people are doing as leaders when they are at their best, and there's abundant
empirical evidence that these leadership practices matter. " (Kouzes & Posner, 2017) When you use these practices effectively you
will open the door to impact and influence those you lead. Remember, "Titles are granted, but it's your behavior that earns you
respect."(Kouzes & Posner, 2017)
Remember how Lloyd would Model the way and connect with your Experts, he made them feel seen and heard. Lloyd made it a
point to interact with the team and that earned him their respect. They would follow Lloyd to the moon if he told them that was
the goal. The law of cause and effect, tells us that any single action in the universe will always produce a reaction. Let your impacts
be positive and have a lasting effect on those around you.
As you have learned, respect is earned through behavior. For your followers to respect you and allow you to lead, you must
understand the impact you bring to their lives. Each follower is a real person, with friends and family, and personal and
professional goals they want to reach. Igniting that fire within them is part of a leader’s responsibility. Remember it is important to
how that fire is created, igniting a fire the wrong way can cause someone to burn versus allowing them to shine. Remember how
you tried to ignite the fire with Carlos and all it caused him to burn versus shine? It matters how to build people up, never forget
that.
Week 3: Model the Way
I've found that the
real strength and 9
talent in
leadership comes
from me, who I
am.”
(Kouzes and Posner
2017, p. 49)
When I think of finding my voice and listening to my internal dialogue, I think of staying
true to my authentic self. There have been times when I didn’t stay true to myself fearing
that it would be seen in a negative light. About seven years ago we were going through a
re-org for the third-party brand that I was working for. One of my peers told me what was
going to happen and told me that it was between me and another peer who would have “Last of all
to leave. He asked me what information I had on him so he could tell the owners and Odysseus
ensure that I would stay on with the organization. I immediately looked at him and told
him that I would not be doing that. I would not save myself by speaking negatively about
my peer. I value honesty and integrity and I am not going to do something that would go
provided for his 1
against my values. A week later, the owners decided that both my peer and I were too own safety.”
valuable to lose, and no one would be laid off. Regardless of the result, I was very happy
that even in the face of losing my job I did not go against who I was and what I stood for. (Odyssey 2018, pg. 5)
Week 3: Model the Way (cont’d) WHEN YOU’RE NOT TRUE TO
YOURSELF
One of the most important aspects of being an effective leader is

the ability to influence and impact your team. Without buying in
your team will never bring to life your vision or goals. One of the IT WILL COST YOU MORE THAN YOUR
District Managers that I worked for was all about results and did not VOICE
care how we got those results so long that we hit the goal. He
communicated to the RSMs about a strategy to gain more Add a
Lines. He demanded that we leverage the FREE AAL by providing the
customer with a FREE SIM Card with every Sale. They wouldn’t pay
for the line, and we gained a line, it was a “win-win” according to
him. Though the customer would know about the AAL I did not feel it
10 2
was right to sell it to customers who didn’t need it. I let the DM
know I would not be following his strategy as it was not above the
line of integrity. I let my team know that we would follow through
with our original strategy of leveraging the FREE AAL with our tablet
on us offer. Half my team thought it would be harder to sell a tablet
“Thus did they speak, but I
versus selling a SIM. I listened but stood my ground and told them
that at the end of the day we sold a service when there was a need answered sorrowfully, 'My
"Leaders must be able not just to sell. We had to stay above the line of integrity and not men have undone me;
cheat a customer or our organization. I communicated that I needed they, and cruel sleep, have
to gain consensus on a everyone's commitment to our collective strategy and vision ruined me. My friends,
common cause and a otherwise it wouldn’t work. That DM was fired 30 days later, and my mend me this mischief, for
common set of store not only hit the goal, but we were #1 in the region for AAL
you can if you will.”
principles." Adds and Tablet sales.
(Odyssey 2018, pg. 8)

(Kouzes and Posner 2017, p.
63)
WEEK 3: MODEL THE WAY (CONT’D)
“TO-DO” LIST
"Leading others begins
1. Hand a Thank you note to my mom for
with leading yourself and teaching me what a strong woman looks like
you can't do that until
2. Bring in special snacks of peanut M&Ms for
11 you're able to answer
that fundamental
question about who you
the T-Mobile support team to show them
are.“ how much you appreciate them.
3. Hand a Thank you note to my Director for
p. 51) always giving me a seat at the table
4. Hand a Thank you note to my colleague
Belinda for having my back.
“Who I am” has surfaced through the challenges you have faced, the knowledge and skills you
have gained, and the people who have made an impact in your life. Francia, you have been
blessed to be surrounded by mentors in your professional and personal life. Each who has “King Alcinous
impacted, influenced and molded you. Learning who you are hasn’t been easy. You have
become who you're mostly through the challenges that you have faced. Challenges like Albert asks him
3
getting cancer, not finding a Corporate job when you moved to Las Vegas, working for a third-
party brand that never cared for their employees, going back to school, and working full time. [Odysseus] who
Each of these experiences forces you to find the strength you never knew you had, to prioritize
people and experiences over titles and money. To speak up and advocate for those who have he is.”
no one. You are who you are because you have survived everything that has been thrown at (The Odyssey animation
you and you will continue to grow, develop and learn. You are who you are and never let that 2010, counter number
voice dimmish, it will take you to where you need to go.
1:39)
TRIUMVIRATE (CO-MENTORING TEAM) QUOTES & REFLECTIONS:
During our first official Triumvirate meeting, we were discussing Odysseus and his “leadership” style. While there
are some people who see Odysseus as a leader, our team collectively did not. Odysseus was narcissistic, selfish,
always wanted to have the last word, and lacked a sense of maturity. Tricking others, having athletic talent, and
wit is not characteristics of an effective leader. These are the “leaders” that may have a good quarter, month, or
project, but long term their team loses their spark, collaboration declines, and interpersonal problems increase.
My example of Odysseus' lack of maturity was when he escaped the cyclopes and then even after being on the
ship, he taunted Cyclopes and told him his name. Rather than being focused on the goal of getting home, and
recognizing his team's efforts, Odysseus was preoccupied with having the last word. Even Jessica stated, “Do you
find it strange that his warriors [team] don’t ever actually go nuts on him [Odysseus] and ask him what are you
doing? They just follow, follow, and follow and die.” Which are valid statements, his team did get mad at him at
times but also did not interact with him effectively to provide him feedback, they just continued to follow him
blindly. Jacob said it perfectly, “How do you not lose faith? Why would you want to follow a leader like that? It’s
not someone that you would not want to follow.”
Currently, I would not want to be part of Odysseus’ team, I would have done anything to be part of another team.
Throughout our reading, we focused on Modeling the Way. Where leaders must set the example “by aligning
actions with shared values.” (Kouzes and Posner 2017, p.22) Odysseus' actions and values do not align with my
values as a follower, and it would have been very difficult for me to be a follower. Part of exemplary leadership is
affirming those shared values and if a leader is unable to connect and align our shared values as a team, then we
would see the chaos that ensued on Odysseus' 20-year voyage.
WEEK 4: FIND YOUR VOICE
Francia, do you remember your biggest
"No one will believe
pet peeve? Leaders say one thing and
you're serious until
then do the complete opposite.
12
they see you doing Remember DON’T be that person.
what you're asking Remember who you are and what you
of others. " represent. Never stay in your office and
p. 73) forget what it’s like to be on the floor
supporting customers. You can’t make an
impact from an office; you must continue
to build relationships and be present to
those who are doing the work.
“Lead by example” is the first thing that your new boss told you. Do you remember?
On your first day as an assistant manager. “Don’t expect others to do something
that you wouldn’t do first.” That was the second sentence that Dave told you. You
were no longer an individual performer; you were a leader who was responsible for "How you spend
people. Though you had heard and even talked about leading by example that initial
your time is the
conversation made you realize that it wasn’t about YOU anymore, it was about
13
them/us. Part of my initial 30, 60, and 90 action plan was to complete one on one’s single clearest
with my new team. As we talked and got to know one another, I ended my indicator of what's
conversation with each Expert the same. I will never ask you to do something that I important to you. “
wouldn’t do and if I ever do call me out. I wanted to ensure that they knew that I
would be there to support, advocate, and help them to achieve their goals. (Kouzes and Posner 2017,
pg. 76)
WEEK 4: FIND YOUR VOICE
"Asking for feedback
gives you a
I WILL FIND
14 perspective about
yourself that only YOU
others can see."
(Kouzes and Posner

2017, p. 81)
AND ASK FOR YOUR FEEDBACK

Feedback is a gift and sometimes you ask for the gift and sometimes it is
given to you. Francia, you have learned to embrace feedback, the good the
bad, and the ugly. Continue to ask for feedback and learn from what others “TO-DO” LIST
tell you. Do you remember the most impactful feedback? It was when
someone told you to that you listen to respond versus listening to
understand. You were in a meeting, and you felt that you weren’t being seen 1. Ask my Direct Manager for feedback
or heard so you decided to always respond especially when someone was
on the opposite side of you. You thought what you were doing was right, but
2. Provide feedback to my mentee
in fact, it was hurting you. You were being seen as someone who 3. Send a Thank-you note to my mentor
consistently pushed back and didn’t listen to others. After that feedback,
you felt bad, like you didn’t deserve to be where you were, but you were thanking them for teaching me to
able to flip the dialogue around and find the opportunity to grow from that
feedback. You learned to listen first before responding, you learned to ask
listen to understand and not listen to
questions to ensure you understood. You have also learned to recognize respond
others’ great ideas and think of ways you can support them. Continue to
listen to understand, ask questions, and most importantly continue to ask
for feedback.
WEEK 4: FIND YOUR VOICE (CONT’D)
“Odie shakes off

4 that hater.”
(Homer’s Odyssey - Thug

Notes Summary and
Analysis 2015, counter It was time for our Quarterly Business Review, I had been working on my
number 1:03) presentation for weeks. I was ready, prepared, and had a great story to
tell regarding my business. Within the first 5 minutes, my Director tore
me apart in front of all my colleagues. I could not believe it; though my
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN HATERS HATE store was top 3 in the region he only focused on two metrics I had
missed by 2%. I was the only Store Manager that was directly told, “you
have failed”. My peers could not believe it and after the presentation, I
held my tears, and it wasn’t until I got home that I allowed myself to let
out everything I had been feeling. The next day, I was told by one of my
direct supervisors, “Not everyone is going to like you and you must
accept that.” To me, it sounded outrageous, how could someone not like
me? It was a difficult lesson to accept and be ok with. There are even
times now, that I continue to struggle to accept when people do not like
me, but sometimes all you can do is SHAKE IT OFF.
YOU GOTTA SHAKE IT OFF

WEEK 3 AND WEEK 4 “WRAP-UP”:
This week the topics in our book resonated with me because one of my main principles as a leader is to lead by example or Model the Way. I’ve
always said the fish stinks from the head down and this speaks volumes when it comes to leadership. Knowing who you are and what you stand for is
an important aspect of being an effective leader, how will you be able to connect and align a diverse team to work towards a common goal if you
don’t know who you are? “Leading others begins with leading yourself and you can't do that until you're able to answer that fundamental question
about who you are.” (Kouzes and Posner 2017, p. 51) Values to me are the fundamental beliefs that guide my decisions and actions and shape my
professional and personal life. I want to be known as an ethical leader, one who does things right and will not allow others to define my moral
compass. I value empowerment and development; people have poured into me, and I am committed to paying it forward and helping those around
me grow and develop. I am passionate and committed to my people and my work. As a leader, I want to demonstrate passion, especially during
challenging times. It is important to me to motivate and re-energize those around me to drive and uplift my team.
An important part of finding your voice and setting an example is asking for feedback. Francia remember that feedback is a gift and it’s important to
ask for feedback from your team, your peers, and your direct leaders. "Asking for feedback gives you a perspective about yourself that only others
can see.“ (Kouzes and Posner 2017, p. 81) There is a difference between assumptions and reality, it’s easy to assume that you are doing great, that
your values align, and that those values are being demonstrated by your actions, but how would you know? You must ask for feedback and take that
feedback and turn it into action. Francia remember that you are a lifelong learner and feedback provides you the opportunity to grow, develop your
opportunities, and continue learning to help others grow.
I remember when I had the opportunity to mentor a newly promoted assistant manager. I saw a lot of him in myself. He had the drive, the smarts,
and the commitment needed to build a team and drive performance. It was during a busy time and though I knew my time was limited, I didn’t want
to say no to helping someone else grow. Since my time was limited, we scheduled meetings throughout the next six months. During the first two
meetings, I thought I was pouring into my mentee giving him all this knowledge. I thought things were great until he asked for a quick meeting. He
told me that I wasn’t meeting his needs because all I was doing was talking about my experiences. I was embarrassed and shocked, I thought I was
doing great in my mind. I listened intently and when he was finished speaking, I asked him if I could speak. I first thanked him for letting me know
how he was feeling. I apologized for my lack of focus and for not fulfilling his needs. Then I asked him for the opportunity to be the mentor that I
knew I could be for him. He accepted and we worked on a plan that would not only better suit him but allow him to grow and develop as a leader.
My value of assisting as a mentor was clouded by my vision, but because Daniel had the confidence and courage to tell me I was not fulfilling his
needs he extended me an opportunity to do better, to learn from my mistakes and do better.
Feedback is a gift, never forget that Francia.
INSERT A QUALITATIVE 360-DEGREE QUESTION HERE:
Within the last week, how often has this leader celebrated
”small wins” with you or your colleagues? Please give an
example or two.
I chose this question because it shows if the leader is

celebrating and recognizing their team consistently.
Recognition can be easily forgotten with the hustle and
bustle of business. Ensuring that leaders recognize their
teams Encourages the heart, by recognizing and
appreciating their contributions and helps build a sense of
community within the team.
During recent team meetings, to what extent did this leader

remind people that errors or “failures” were useful learning
opportunities? Please discuss or give examples.
I chose this question because it’s in many organizations it’s

taboo to speak about failure. Many of us have been taught
that failure is unacceptable. By asking if your leader
reminds people that errors or “failures” are useful learning
opportunities it allows employees to want to take risks and
encourages each of us to Challenge The Process.
WEEK 5: INSPIRE AND CREATE A VISION
When you are trying to figure out
"Imagine the future as a
jigsaw puzzle. You see the
pieces, and you begin to
15 figure out how they fit
together, one by one,
into a whole.“

pg. 103)
What is the missing piece is
This quote resonates with me because it reminds me of the importance of creating a vision that
can only come to life once all the pieces are put together. When I was first promoted to a Retail “Cook not only redrew the
Store Manager position, I attended the training. At the beginning of the training, we all received an map of the world, creating
envelope in that envelope we had four puzzle pieces, that did not create a picture. We were tasked a picture of the globe
to find our missing puzzle pieces without being able to communicate via talking or writing. It took
our table over 30 minutes to find everyone’s puzzle pieces. Some of us had to give up pieces, some
of us almost had the whole picture and only needed one, and some didn’t want to give up any
pieces. This icebreaker taught two lessons, first, you can’t create a vision by yourself. Secondly,
much like the one we know
today; he also transformed
the West's image of nature
5
sometimes you must give a piece up and tweak your vision to help the team as a whole. A vision is and man.”
truly like a jigsaw puzzle, only when the pieces truly fit, will your picture be complete.
(Horwitz 2003, pg. 8)
WEEK 5: INSPIRE AND CREATE A VISION (CONT’D)
“The only thing worse than being
“On his two earlier
"Taking a journey into journeys, Cook had
your past before generally confronted such
16 exploring your future

makes the trip much
more meaningful.“
challenges with
equanimity, and
shown a firm but fair hand
6
in dealing with both
crewmen and islanders.”
pg. 101)
When I was promoted to Store Manager, I thought I knew it all. I am very confident in my ability
to execute and perform. I was focused on goals and making a name for myself. My team was
important to me, but I was focused and determined to be successful. During my first one-on-
ones, I decided to push my agenda. I wanted to gain their commitment to being top
performers. I failed to realize the importance of getting to know my team and building rapport
with my team. This cost me the ability to inspire and create a vision that we could collectively
achieve. Within a couple of weeks, I realized my team didn’t know me and I didn’t know them. I blind is having sight but no vision.” –
decided to pause my focus on just performance and start building relationships. This was an
important lesson I had to learn as a young leader and since then I have reflected and reminded
Helen Keller
myself of the importance of building relationships. Effective leaders know how important it is
to build a strong rapport with their team to know how to inspire and build a collective vision. A
sustainable and successful vision cannot be dictated it’s created together.
WEEK 5: INSPIRE AND CREATE A VISION (CONT’D)
“Banks credited this

to Cook’s ‘wonted
coolness and
precision’ and to that
7
of this officers”
(Horwitz 2003, pg. 167)
Being an inspirational leader is important, but I believe leaders must be able to inspire during
the most challenging times. This quote captures Bank's account of a time when Captain Cook
and his crew were facing a challenge, their ship was taking on water and the team was cool
and collected working together to get the job done. This reminds me of a time when I had to “TO-DO” LIST
stay calm and collected to keep my team calm, focused, and safe. Our team experienced a
robbery in our store. Two suspects came in and demanded that we take out the money from 1. Write a note to a Frontline Leader and
the cash registers and give them all the iPhones we had in hand. I was right in the middle of
the sales floor and hear the demands. I knew my team was nervous just by looking at them, as thank them for their vision and execution
was I, but I knew how important it was for me to stay calm. I asked if I could walk over and get
the devices and cash since my associates did not have the keys. They agreed, I asked for my
2. Talk to a Frontline Expert and as them to
team to stay where they were and calmly walked over. I did everything the suspects tell me about their leader's vision and
demanded, I didn’t move suddenly and waited for their direction. They were out of the store
with no one hurt within six minutes. We locked the doors and call 911. My team followed my how they execute that vision
lead and stayed calm they were scared, but they knew how important it was that we all just
listened and did what we were asked. This has been the most challenging situation I have ever 3. Send an email to Ramon, one of my
been in, but it’s something I reflect upon, knowing I was able to overcome my fear, it’s an
experience I will never forget.
previous mentors and thank him for
teaching me the importance of staying
calm when facing challenges
Triumvirate (Co-Mentoring Team) Quotes & Reflections:
“ But if he didn't have control over his faculties in the

sense of his behavior because he was always drinking,
then that would explain the irrational choices, and the
consequences.
During our Triumvirate meeting, our team talked about the unconventional behavior of Captain Cook. Throughout
”
the reading, it was difficult for me to see Captain Cook as an exemplary leader. With all the floggings, aggressive
behavior, and sometimes even reckless behavior from his crew, it was difficult for me to accept that his leadership
style was effective. Some would consider Captain Cook as one the greatest navigators and explorers of all time,
but when I read the excerpts, his voyages seemed very chaotic. By the third voyage, his behavior had even gotten
worse. In our meeting, we talked about how the effects of his drinking in combination with his health problems
could have contributed to the loss of his patience, faculties, and his focus on his goals. He was aggressive with the
Natives, cutting off the ears of a Chief, hiding canoes from the natives to punish them for “stealing” etc. Captain
Cook's irrational behavior and choices had dire consequences and eventually to his demise.
For me, an exemplary leader Models the way, he casts the right shadow to ensure his team or crew acts
accordingly. A leader inspires a shared vision by imagining the possibilities of the future and ensuring his team
connects to that vision. A leader looks for ways for his team to collaborate and support one another. I saw a
glimpse of Captain cook working towards being an exemplary leader, but his more negative qualities
overshadowed my desire to enlist in his crew.
WEEK 6: LOOK TO ENLIST OTHERS WHEN WORK IS TOUGH
“Woah, we're half-way

there
Woah, livin' on a prayer
Take my hand, we'll make
it I swear
Woah, livin' on a prayer”
8
(Jovi. 1986)
BUT YOUR BOSS HAS

YOUR BACK
Reflecting on the different teams I have been a part of, I remember a time when I was
a part of a well-oiled machine. We were working effectively together, supporting
each other, and imaging the possibilities we could accomplish as a team. Lloyd
Jenson my District Manager molded us into a high-performing team, where
teamwork led to success. Lloyd is one of the most inspirational leaders I have ever
worked for, he was and still is a PEOPLE LEADER. He genuinely cared and was
committed to his team, and we were to him and each other. He inspired in us a
collective vision, where each of us played a part and we didn’t win individually we
WON as a team. No matter the challenges we faced, Lloyd was always there in the
trenches, removing obstacles, challenging us to be innovative, and always looking
towards our North Star if we ever felt lost. He would always say take my hand, we will
make it, which reminds me of Bon Jovi’s song living on a prayer. We knew we could
push through any challenge because Lloyd was there with us.
WEEK 6: LOOK TO ENLIST OTHERS (CONT’D)
WHEN MY LEADER TELLS ME
“No men ever
behaved better
than they
have done on
this occasion.”
IM DOING A GOOD JOB

WEEK 6: LOOK TO ENLIST OTHERS (CONT’D)
Leading through challenging situations is never easy and it’s not
"Enlisting others is all meant to be. As a leader, I have always felt responsible for
about igniting passion ensuring that my team had everything they needed to be
for a purpose and successful. During the launch of a new IoT (Internet of things)
17
line my team and I were aligned on the importance of the
moving people to product, how we would sell the product, and what goals we had
persist against great to hit. When the product launched, we failed to plan for system
odds.“ issues. Customers were coming in for a product that we could
(Kouzes and Posner 2017, not sell. I felt defeated and so did my team. Customers were
p. 120) upset and my team was getting hit hard with escalations. I
decided to call my peers and find out what they were doing to
combat the issues. We found . some great practices and
immediately put them into play. As we pushed through the
challenges, we were able to build a call-back list with our
customers, assure them of the next steps, and made an
unfortunate situation better. We were beaten up a little but left
When I became a District Manager, I remembered having the realization that I no longer had standing.
just one store and one team that I was leading, I had multiple Managers and Experts all looking
to me to help them be successful. I was responsible for igniting that passion within themselves
and leading them through the fog. I decided to have a Store Manager meeting to paint the
picture of the vision that I had in mind. During the meeting, I realized that I hadn’t provided my
new leaders the opportunity to build the vision together. I wrote my vision on a whiteboard and
“Don't you know I'm
asked them to add takeaways and decide what we would be known for, where we are going, still standin' better
and why it was important. Since this was a collective effort my leadership team was on FIRE,
excited to get back in their stores and talk to their teams about our collective vision. The fire
that started within me now was within them and my leadership team helped me bring that
than I ever did?
Lookin' like a true
survivor, feelin' like
9
collective vision to life. I will never forget the power of having my leaders contribute to the a little kid”
vision and align our collective vision with my team’s personal and professional goals.
(John, 1983 )
WEEK 6: LOOK TO ENLIST OTHERS (CONT’D) A lot can tell you from people's aspirations. Aspirations tell
18
you where people want to see themselves or feel in the
WHEN YOUR TEAM FLYS IN A V FORMATION future. By understanding what others want to achieve, you
can inspire and challenge them to achieve their aspirations.
At the beginning of my career, I aspired to be a Servant
"To enlist others, you Leader. To lead with my heart and with my people in mind. I
need to help them see had an Expert who wanted to move into a technology role
outside of retail. Jose was a strong performer, focused, and
and feel how their worked well with others, an ideal employee. I knew that his
interests and aspirations current role would not lead him to his aspired career track. I
align with the vision. “ had to make the difficult decision to let him go to enable him
to pursue his goal with a different team. Though he was an
exemplary worker, it was the right thing to do. He flourished
(Kouzes and Posner 2017, pg.
in his new role and always came back to visit and tell me
120)
how he was doing. He thanked me for pushing him because
he knew he wouldn't have jumped, without a little push.
YOU KNOW YOU’RE ALGINED
Knowing the personal and professional goals of my team is something that I

leverage as a leader to understand what’s important to my team and how I can
motivate and support my direct reports. Knowing and understanding what
those goals are helping me to understand how I can connect those goals to our “To understand the
vision and strategy. I had an expert who wanted to purchase a new car. He was heart and mind of a
motivated and excited to perform to earn higher commission bonuses. I
leveraged his hunger and challenge him to find innovative ways to sell more
Mobile Tablets and get the team bought in so we could earn the incentive of 2k
dollars. Miguel was 100% bought and since the team knew that was one of his
person, look not at
what he has already
achieved, but what
10
goals, they immediately were motivated to help him achieve his goal. We did he aspires to.”
the most Mobile Internet sales that month and quarter and by the end of the
year Miguel was able to purchase his first new car! There is power in aligning
goals. -Kahlil Gibran
This week we spent time reviewing how leaders Inspire a shared vision. In chapter 5 we Envisioned the future, Imagine the future
as a jigsaw puzzle.” (Kouzes and Posner 2017) You see the pieces, and you begin to figure out how they fit together, one by one,
into a whole.” working as a leader to put all the pieces together in order to create the picture of the puzzle. Each piece plays an
integral role in imagining the possibilities and finding a common purpose together. Envisioning what is possible is so important, as
a leader you must inspire others to do more, to challenge their thoughts and limits to what is possible. Exemplary leaders push
you to the limit, make you believe the impossible is possible and sometimes make you look back and reflect to the past to learn
for the future. "Taking a journey into your past before exploring your future makes the trip much more meaningful.” (Kouzes and
Posner 2017, p. 101) I often reflect upon my past, the success I have, but also the failures. I often say that I have learned more
from my failures than from my success. No one likes to fail, but failing just means you are trying, you found different ways of doing
it wrong. I reflect upon my coaching conversations especially, learning to listen to understand and not respond, as more questions
than answering, and most importantly building rapport and trust. It’s easy to forget how much work it takes to bring a vision to life
but learning from my past and leveraging those memories will continue to help me in the future.
In chapter 6 we focused on enlisting others, by appealing to common ideals and animate the vision. "Enlisting others is all about
igniting passion for a purpose and moving people to persist against great odds.“(Kouzes and Posner 2017) This is most likely the
best quote in the book, it makes me think about a fire the burns within your heart when one is committed and excited about a
cause. It is the fire and passion that leaders can ignite that drives performance, motivation, grit. Great leaders help others to see
how their personal role is imperative to the big picture. "Leaders help people see that what they are doing is bigger than they are
and bigger, even, than the business.“
One of the most exciting moments of envisioning the future changing leadership moments I have had is listening to my Director
speak to our Experience Center. We could all felt her passion as she speak about our future goals and how we would deliver. We
could feel her commitment to our organization and to our center, and most importantly she placed us at the forefront of the
center success knowing that we are the heart and soul of the organization. You could feel the whole room excited and ready to
GRIND, HUSTLE AND WIN. This became our mantra in everything that we do
During the last 30 days how has your leader proactively

sought to understand the views and opinions of others on
your team? Provide one or two examples.
I decided to add this question because I believe it’s valuable for leaders to
seek to understand the views and opinions within their teams. Peter, one of
my previous Managers never probed or ask questions during our team
meetings. He assumed everything was fine since no one was communicating
otherwise. There were issues brewing around responsibilities and tasks, but
no one felt it was up to them to say anything. This created various issues that
could have been addressed and resolved if my direct leader had been more
proactive and curious. I have learned that just because no one is saying
anything, it doesn’t mean everything is going well. As leaders, we must learn
to ask and poke around.
INSERT ANOTHER QUALITATIVE 360-DEGREE QUESTION HERE:
During the last two weeks, in what ways has your leader
connected the organization’s strategic vision to your daily
goals? Provide one or two examples.
This is another important question that should be asked

and addressed. I hear often from Frontline Experts that
they do not understand how their goals or tasks connect to
the strategic vision of the organization. To ensure
alignment, all employees must work towards the same
goals. Every employee must know how their work connects
to the organizational vision.
WEEK 7: CHALLENGE THE PROCESS “TO-DO” LIST
1. Challenge the Process
by reading 1 book
“A woman must
each month to help
have money and a
me learn and build
11 room of her own if
she is to write
knowledge around
topics that will help
fiction.”
me to excel and
(Woolf 1928, pg. 3)
improve my
performance
2. Challenge the
Process by viewing
and signing up for
This quote reminds me of a time when I didn’t feel I had the necessary tools or access to be
successful. I was an Assistant Manager, one of only three women leaders. My Manager had two additional training in
assistants myself and Giovani. We both were strong performers, but I started to notice that my SharePoint builds and
Manager would always take Giovani to trainings and meetings with him while I stayed at the
store. I mention this to my Manager, and he told me I was imagining things, I told him that I process to help find
wanted to attend the next training and he agreed. A couple of months later training was being
offered around P.I.E Performance, Image, and Exposure. Part of my development plan was to
ways of leveraging
move up in the organization so I thought this was would be great training for me. I assumed I different resources
would be going, but instead saw myself on the schedule. I asked my Manager why and he said
Giovani had asked first, which was unlikely. I ended up talking to Giovani and he said he didn’t available to our
know I was interested in trainings and said he’d stay at the store so I could attend. My leader felt Leaders
I had gone over his head and told me that it was up to him. He said that because I was more
responsible that he only trusted me to stay behind. I told him that his actions were holding me
back. His lack of trust was at the expense of my development and Giovani's. My store leader
realized how unfair he was being and ensured he would allow me access to the trainings being
provided. Giovani became a great partner, and our professional relationship became stronger.
WEEK 7: CHALLENGE THE PROCESS (CONT’D)
Facing challenges isn’t always easy, we know how much hard work
there is to be done in order to resolve complex problems. Working
“But she was not sent
in Business Support all we did was face challenges, escalations, and to school. She had no
the unfortunate deadline. One time we were having system issues
with some of our Frontline Experts. We troubleshot the issue,
chance of learning
looked for workarounds, and were knocking on the door of multiple grammar and logic,
partners to help us identify the root cause. No one wanted to own
the problem. I felt defeated and frustrated, but there wasn’t time to
let alone of reading
sit there and complain. I decided to look at the problem in a Horace and Virgil.”
12
different way and went outside my existing network to find
partners who were willing to help. By not standing by or giving up I
was able to resolve the problem and meet new partners along the (Woolf 1928, pg. 27)
way that have helped me to learn and understand the new process “TO-DO” LIST
that has helped me be far more effective in my role.
1. Challenge the Process by
reading one article a month
focused on ways to
challenge the process. Then
Everyone faces challenges at one time or another. “Judith” the taking at least one habit and
possible sister of Shakespeare could have been walking among us
"Exemplary leaders and we didn’t know because she wasn’t provided the opportunity to
practicing that behavior until
accept reality, but they showcase her skills or even learn. We may have felt Judith at one it becomes a habit.
time or another someone unseen. My current Manager does an
do not easily accept amazing job of ensuring we are seen, feeling valued, and most 2. Challenge the Process by
defeat; nor do they importantly providing her team with opportunities to learn. viewing my most ineffective
become consumed by Recently my manager submitted my name for a “Ride Along” to
learn about a different role in the technology part of our habits has a leader. Write-out
self-pity and grief.“
organization, she has provided me access and the opportunity to three habits I need to either
learn and showcase my skills to help me develop and provide me
(Kouzes and Posner 2017, pg. eliminate or improve.
19
exposure to other teams. Deb is providing me with the opportunity
180)
and ensuring she leaves that door open for each of us.
WEEK 7: CHALLENGE THE PROCESS (CONT’D)
Therefore to cross the

threshold is to unite
13
oneself with a new
world
(Van Gennep 1961, pg.
20)
At one point in time, we have all crossed a threshold, whether it was

getting, married, promoting to a new role, or even graduating from
school. Most recently I completed an Apprenticeship Program and
once I was promoted from the program it was a whole new world for
me, full of opportunities and eagerness to officially become part of the
team. Once I crossed that threshold, I felt accomplished, and part of a
bigger group connected by the experiences and relationships we had
built in the program. This reminded me of the small wins that we can
accomplish throughout the days, weeks, or months when combined to
create a rites of passage into a new world.
“ When I think of promoting within a company, you have
to go through the steps, the necessary steps to get that
promotion just like a Rites of Passage, you have to work
towards what you are wanting or towards the goal.
”
During our Triumvirate meeting we talked about different kinds of Rites of Passage and the necessary steps one had to take to complete
and cross the threshold. As we were talking about where these different Rites of Passage came from, we started to talk about Rites of
Passage when you promote in a work environment. Jacob said, “When I think of promoting within a company, you have to go through
the steps, the necessary steps to get that promotion just like a Rites of Passage, you have to work towards what you are wanting or
towards the goal.” This quote resonated with me because promoting is like going through a Rites of passage. During the Pre-liminal
phase, you are identified as a person of interest and essentially separated from others on the team. During the liminal stage you are
challenged during the interview process, your knowledge can be tested, even your kills. During the Post-Liminal stage, you are then
offered the role and you come together with a new team and are part of a new world (or department). In order to go through this
passage, you must go through the necessary steps to achieve your goal, your new world, and new self.
We all go though different Rites of Passage in our personal and professional lives and as leaders we also help others go through these
passages. As a mentor, I assist leaders who are interested in developing and are eager to move into a new role. We go through multiple
conversations, assessments, trainings to ensure that we help prepare these leaders for their next role. There are times where we are the
ones that are part of the liminal stage assessing their skills or interviewing them to learn about their skills, experience, and drive. We
are there to welcome them into their new role and world as they officially cross the threshold. As leaders, we have a responsibility to
facilitate and prepare those who are ready to go through their own Rites of passage.
WEEK 8: ENABLE OTHERS TO ACT
20 "“If you cannot trust
others, then you will fail
to become a leader
precisely because you are
not able to be dependent
on the words and works
of others."

WHEN MY BOSS TELLS ME I
pg. 202)
Trusting others has been a difficult journey for me because I have

allowed my past experiences to limit my trust. I have always been a
super bee worker. I dive into my role, execute the tasks assigned, and
help those around me. When I first was promoted to lead, I had a difficult
time letting go of being an individual contributor and trusting my team
to do their job. I felt the need to continue handling tasks that were not
mine to complete. My boss had to sit me down and tell me that I had to
trust my team and allow them to execute their job. I was no longer there
to execute as an expert I had a new role, and I had to impact, influence,
and motivate my team. Day in and out I had to remind myself to let go
and be there to coach. It was difficult for me and even now, I sometimes
catch myself wanting to control certain things and when that happens, I
stop and reflect. I want my team to know that I trust them and that
means showing them that I do.
HAVE TO TRUST MY TEAM
WEEK 8: ENABLE OTHERS TO ACT (CONT’D)
14 “It will be noted that WHEN YOU HAVE TO DECIDE
only the main door is
the site of entrance and
exit or rites, perhaps it
is consecrated by
special rite…”
(Van Gennep 1961 pg.

Reading through this text, stated that the front door was used only for certain
25) entries, the back door for others, and even the use of windows or secondary
doors. This would ensure there wasn’t any pollution of a passage and it stayed
purified. Each door had a specific use and needed to be used for those
purposes only. When I think about this in the context of leadership, it reminds
me of a process. Things are done a certain way to ensure things are done
correctly, to streamline processes, and even to ensure things are done the
right way. I encountered a peer who was not following the right process when
selling on a promotion, he was using a backdoor process to inflate his numbers
and made everyone think he was doing it the right way. When I found out
about his actions, I went to him right away and asked him why he was using
this back door. He immediately got defensive and told me that I was too much
of a “straight arrow” for my good. I told him that he needed to look at our
values and identify if his actions were aligned with our values. I wouldn’t be
the one to blow this whistle, he would need to do that on his own. His actions
were polluting his teams' values and causing them to harm in the long run. The
next day he did what was right and told our District Manager what he was
WHICH DOOR IS THE RIGHT
doing and that he would stop. He was held accountable but learned a valuable DOOR TO USE
lesson. Do it the right way always.
15
In a semicivilized society,
on the other hand,
sections are fully isolated,
and passage from one to
another must be made
through the formalities
and ceremonies...”
(Van Gennep 1961, pg. 26)
In many organizations, we see formal promotions or ceremonies that occur during different
stages of one’s career. One doesn’t simply get promoted or graduate from a program without
going through the work and proper process. After I graduated from the Apprenticeship program,
I became a mentor for others in the program. I was assigned a second mentee halfway through
the program since a Mentor had dropped out. When we started our bi-monthly meetings, I
noticed that the mentee was not following the roadmap for the program. He was skipping over
trainings and deciding which items to complete or not. He said his previous mentor said it was ok
to do that. I dug in a little deeper and asked why he was skipping them over and how he knew he
had mastered that skill or learned what he needed to do the job correctly once he graduated. He
couldn’t tell me. I walked him through the milestones of the road map and why each formal step
builds among the previous and how these trainings would help him along his journey. At first, he
was too happy about going back and doing the work, but after he graduated from the program,
he understood why the process was set up the way it was. One doesn’t have an immediate right
to change or deviate from a formal process, in order to cross that threshold and be someone
new, you must go through the formal process.
16
“The action which
follow an arrival of
strangers in large
numbers tend to
reinforce local social
cohesion…”
(Van Gennep 1961, pg.

27)
Team cohesion is a vital part of working effectively, ensuring we are on the same page, and
moving forward together. Without that sense of community and synergy, there is no team
cohesion. As a Store Manager, it was important for my team to be aligned with our goals and
values. This helped us be successful and showcase our united as one mantra. My store was a high-
volume location and a prime store for visitors. When our visitors would arrive, they wanted to talk
to my team first, and ask them about their professional goals, the store goals, the process that
were working or not, and their pain points. During each store visit, the team was always impressed
with our team because they were consistently aligned with our values and goals. They repeated
our pillars and how we would accomplish our goals. Finding and keeping alignment and synergy
takes work, everyone must work together and align in order to be successful. This has stuck with
me throughout my career and will always make it a priority, whether we have visitors or not, it’s a
priority for me as a leader to set the foundation for our success.
This week we dove into different readings, first we challenged the process by searching for opportunities to innovate and take risks along
the way. We also covered readings from Van Gennep’s Rites of Passage where we learned about the three stages that complete a rites of
passed and the importance of each. In addition, we also covered Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own. Here we read about the elements
that ultimately prevent women from attaining money, knowledge, and power. While each of the readings differed from one another, I was
able to gain appreciation and a better understanding of being an effective leader.
As I read through chapter 7 I focused on the importance of searching for opportunities to challenge. The authors identified that engaging in
the search for opportunities, we must seize the initiative and exercise outsight. ". You must change the status quo, which is what people
did in their Personal-Best Leadership Experiences. They met “challenges with change,” as Aristotle so aptly observed in his experience.”
(Kouzes and Posner 2017, p. 148) Without seeking out and going outside you comfort zone one will never grow. I remember during one of
my coaching conversations that my direct leader told me that when you feel uncomfortable, that is a growing pain. It won’t last forever, but
it’s a reminder that you are growing and learning. Francia continue to, "Be an adventurer, an explorer.“
As we explore, we will at one point in time go through a Rites of Passage. Van Gennep’s described the Rites of Passage as having three
stages, Pre-Liminal or Rites of Separation, Liminal, and Post-Liminal or Rites of Reincorporation. During the first stage you stop and start ,
separate, and get ready. The second stage, you are in the middle of the trial or test. The last stage you reincorporate or rejoin society as
your new self. We will all go through some Rites of Passage professionally or personally, when we get promoted, start a new job, get
married or even become a parent. These changes will happen to all of us and we must be intentional as leaders as we see and welcome
those who come through a Rites of Passage to us.
It’s sad to say that I had never read A Room of Ones own, and I intend on reading it again. Virginia Woolf really did an amazing job in
showcasing what prevents women from being able to have access to what they need to be successful. “Intellectual freedom depends upon
material things. Poetry depends upon intellectual freedom. And women have always been poor, not for two hundred years merely, but
from the beginning of time . . .” (Woolf 1928, pg. 58)
Her essay made me really think of the times I have been held back by a leader during my career journey and what a difference it made
when someone was an advocate for me, open the door for me, or provided me a platform to be seen heard and seen. Most recently I had
the opportunity to speak in front of T-Mobile and talk about my T-Mobile journey. My Director provided me an opportunity to network,
have others learn about who I was and what I have accomplished. I want to be able to provide the same kind of opportunities to my team,
to allow them to grow and flourish into the leaders they want to be.
Within the last 30 days how has your leader challenged

your team to think outside the box for
innovations/resolutions? Please provide one or two
detailed examples
As effective leaders, it is important that we challenge not only

ourselves but the people we lead. It’s easy to continue doing the
tasks that we have always done the way we have always done it,
but there are always ways to improve processes, our ways of
thinking, and ourselves. If I didn’t have leaders who challenged me
and who believed in my ability to innovate, I wouldn’t have built
confidence in my abilities. Pushing others to see more than what
they see in themselves is a vital behavior of being an effective
leader.
Within the last two weeks, HOW did you actively seek
feedback from others on your performance? (Give one or
two examples.)
I chose this question because there are many leaders and

followers who do not take the time to reflect on their own
performance, strengths, or opportunities. No one should wait
until someone provides them feedback, people must actively
seek out feedback from their direct leaders, peers, and even
outside resources. Only until we know what we don’t know can
we build a plan to grow, improve, or be aware of our
opportunities. Feedback is a gift and it’s a gift that is rarely
sought after.
Week 9: Demonstrate Ubuntu Nelson Mandela is a fascinating leader, he lived almost a
whole lifetime in prison, yet he saw prison as a gift of time.
Time to think and visualize the kind of future he wanted to
live in. Mr. Mandela reminded me of an Assistant Manager,
Manny. Manny was a great leader, well-respected among his
When I think about UBUNTU I think of community, synergy, and peers, competent, kind, and passionate about people.
selflessness. It is about thinking of others and putting them first. Manny would always visualize the kind of day, month, or
At T-Mobile, we have a strong sense of UBUNTU. When I year he wanted his store to have. He said, "His visualizations
started at T-Mobile, I thought everyone was drinking the put him in the right space." We all laughed, but there was
magenta cool aide, but as I learned more about the T-Mobile something magical about how he started his day. Little by
culture, I realized the Organizational values mirrored my own. little, we all started to visualize our day, our paychecks, and
My first Manager Donna often spoke about our values like One our future. Manny influenced us to take time to recognize
Team Together or Doing Things the Right Way. Donna was what we wanted and how we would get there. To this day, I
passionate about our organizational values and how those block out an hour on my calendar to visualize what kind of
values came to life in each of our roles. During our one-on-ones, month I want to have, what I want to focus on, and how I
she would talk about a behavior she saw and connect it to one will accomplish it.
of our values. Donna always made you feel like a million dollars
especially when we lived the values. Donna's passion for our
values is something I have adapted to my daily life and my
team's life.
17 “Mandela said that the gift

of prison was to the ability
to go within and think, to
18
“UBUNTU, UBUNTU I create in himself the thing
am; because of you. he most wanted for South
Or, people, are not Africa, peace,
people, without reconciliation, and
other people” harmony.”
(Varty 2013, (Varty 2013, counter/timer

counter/timer: 3:16)
2:54 )
Week 9: Demonstrate Ubuntu (cont’d)
“If you cannot trust
others, then you will fail
to become a leader
21
precisely because you are
not able to be dependent
on the words and works
of others."
(Kouzes and Posner

2017, pg. 201)
Trust is essential in any partnership, whether personal or professional. I have always
22
been a worker bee, dependent on myself to start, begin, or finish a project or task. As
I developed and was promoted to different leadership roles, I needed to extend my
trust outside of my own abilities. My direct leader sat me down one day to ask me if I
trusted my team. I told him yes and he asked me again and I answered the same. I
asked him why; he told me that he had observed me running around back and forth "“You can't do it alone”
on the Sales floor and he didn’t see my assistant or lead doing the same. I told him is the mantra of
that it was because I liked being involved in each sale, so he asked me why I didn’t ask exemplary leaders—and
my leaders to assist. I stayed quiet and realized that it was because I didn’t trust they for good reason.“
would do a thorough job. UBUNTU I am because we are, I realized I needed to take a
step back and embrace my team, build stronger relationships, and trust in my team. I
had chosen them for a reason, I needed to allow them to shine.
218)
And if one belongs to others
19 WHEN YOU ARE AT PEACE
and not to oneself,

which is one of the themes,
perhaps the basic theme, of
the present book, one
expresses
one’s attachment by
subordinating one’s own
ambitions to the common
interest.”
(Mauss 1966, pg. v-vi)
When I think about Ubuntu, I automatically think of family. Whatever that

may look like to you and me. That could be blood-related, friends that
become family, or peers that become family as well. One of the District
Managers in our LA Market always said that we were a T-Mobile family, and
that magenta ran through our veins. What happened to one store, or
District happened to us all. One day, one of her High-Volume stores was BECAUSE UBUNTU IS THE ONLY WAY
burglarized and they wreaked havoc on the store. We found out in the
morning and about eight of us drove to Downtown LA to help the Store
Manager get everything back in order. Danielle. the District Manager was
already there, and she was so relieved when she saw us. I repeated to her,
“What happens to one store happens to us all.” Danielle and the Manager
were truly touched, and we grew stronger together as colleagues and as a
Magenta family.
This quote really spoke to me as I realized how gift-giving can
20
be seen as an obligation. For example, for my birthday my
boss provided me with a gift. I was not expecting it and when
I received it, I thought what a kind gesture she has provided
me. I didn’t realize it then, but soon after that, I realized it was
her birthday coming up and I felt inclined to provide her a gift
“The object of the exchange as a sign of respect. I am not sure if I would have provided her
was to produce a gift if she had not provided me one first, though I feel I
a friendly feeling between would have. I now try to be very aware of my actions as I do
the two persons concerned, not want to provide an obligation to anyone in the future, but
and unless it did this it failed it is rather difficult to not provide gifts even when “YOU”
of its purpose” want to.
(Mauss 1966, pg. 18)
Like most people, when I thought about gift-giving, I always thought of it as a selfless
act. I was doing something nice for someone else because of a special occasion or to
21
be “nice,” however, the more I thought about the exchange, the more I realized that
reciprocity is alive and well in all gift exchanges. For example, one day, I was asked to
speak about my experience as an apprentice. I decided to accept, thinking I was “If things are given and
giving back. After the initial engagement, I sent a note and gift to the event returned it is precisely
coordinator. I wanted to keep open communication in case any opportunities arose in
the future. A couple of months later, I was invited to speak once more. As I reflect on
because
my experience and the motive for speaking was thinking about what I would gain in one gives and returns
return. I felt selfish for thinking this way. While I believed in the apprentice program, I ‘respects’ and
could see my intentions. I felt honored to be asked to speak, it was a great feeling, ‘courtesies’.”
but subconsciously, I was seeking a future exchange. (Mauss 1966, pg. 44-45)
“ Humans are cutthroat in anything just to get the next
level. I just think about how life if different outside of
the US.
During our triumvirate meeting, we talked about the movie SELMA and how it made us feel, and how it inspired or even
”
challenged us to think differently. We also spoke about Ubuntu and what Ubuntu means to each of us. This week we all felt a
little emotional after watching Selma. We talked about how angry we felt seeing how African Americans were treated and
targeted for many years. All they were looking for was to be treated fairly, with dignity and respect. I challenged myself and
the team to think about how we would have reacted during those times. Would we have stood on the sidelines and watched
the blatant injustice, or would we have stood as advocates and fought alongside our brothers and sisters? We all agreed that
we hoped we would have the courage to stand with them, not mere spectators.
The quote I chose was from Jacob, he said something that stood out to me. “Humans are cutthroat in anything just to get to
the next level. I just think about how life is different outside of the US.” Jacob is not wrong, many of us including myself have
been cutthroat at one point in time to get ahead at work or in our personal lives. Ubuntu is all about community you and me
both, how can we live as Ubuntu when I am out for myself? In chapter 9, we read and learned about collaboration and how
important collaboration is in building trust, “You can't do it alone” is the mantra of exemplary leaders—and for good reason.”
(Kouzes and Posner 2017, pg. 218) Ubuntu is the foundation that leaders and human beings must bring ourselves back to, it’s
the only way we can live in harmony.
WEEK 10: WELCOME CHALLENGES/OPPORTUNITIES
“TO-DO” LIST
"Simply put, people
23 1. Challenge myself to write
who reciprocate are a PEAK NOMINATION for
more likely to be a peer who nominated or
successful than those
supported me
who try to maximize
individual advantage.” 2. Work with my mentor and
ask them what kind of
(Kouzes and Posner 2017, support I can provide
pg. 212)
them
3. Write a note to one of my
support partners and
thank them for their
One of my main responsibilities as a CEC Operations Manager is to resolve escalations, continued help and
remove obstacles, and identify process gaps. I need to build and sustain strong partnerships support
with my system and support teams to ensure a positive relationship. When they need me, I
am there and when I need them, they are there to support and help. Recently I ran into an
escalation that came down from our VP. It was passed 5 PM and most all support teams were
already gone for the day, I called in a favor and immediately got the support I needed. I went
out of my way to ensure that the support teams knew I appreciated their assistance and sent
them a recognition thanking them for their immediate support. In addition, one of them had
a call on Sunday and sent me a message for some help clarifying process steps for our teams,
I got on the phone and answered his questions. I showed Todd that I will always be there, and
Todd has shown me the same respect. I feel a sense of obligation in a form or a commitment
to those that provide the support I need to do my job.
WEEK 10: WELCOME CHALLENGES/OPPORTUNITIES (CONT’D)
"Creating a climate in
which people are fully
24
engaged and feel in
control of their own
lives is at the heart of
strengthening others.“
WHEN YOUR LEADER GIVES YOU
221)
Reflecting on the times I have felt energized, confident, and in control of who I am
as a professional has been while working for leaders who have created an
environment where I can flourish and grow. A leader, in particular, has been my
current Direct, Erin Corson. Erin does not micromanage; she communicates the
goal, and what she expects, and allows you to execute. If I hit roadblocks, I can
count on her to assist and help me. Recently Erin asked me to create a process for
new hires who would be hired under a new title, Team DE. New hires previously
hired under this title were confused about what role they were hired under,
causing a negative experience and some HR issues in some cases. She
communicated the goal, timeline, and who were the people she had already
spoken to; it was now my job to make it happen.
ALL THE POSITIVE VIBES YOU NEED
TO BE BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
"By building people's belief in

25
themselves, you are bolstering
their inner strength to forge
ahead in uncharted terrain, to
make tough choices, to face
opposition and the like
because they believe in their
skills and decision-making
abilities.“
(Kouzes and Posner

2017, pg. 240)
When you have a leader who believes in you, there is nothing you can't
accomplish. Believing in yourself is half the battle, and having a leader that
builds you up, makes you see there isn't a challenge you can't meet. Lloyd was
one of those leaders, the kind who hyped you up when you needed it the most.
Six years ago, I had the opportunity to speak about my success in Mobile
Internet sales. I was nervous and felt imposter syndrome starting to creep in.
Lloyd knew I was a nervous wreck and decided to tell me a story about the day
he interviewed me. He proceeded to tell me the reason he hired me was because
of my passion for people and success. "This is your time to share that passion
with your colleagues," he said. "No one else was invited to speak, only you." At
the end of our conversation, I smiled and felt empowered to deliver my success
story. If Lloyd knew I could do it, there was no reason for me to disagree.
“That friendship lasts
the longests-if there is
a chance of its being a
success-in which
friends both give and
22
receive gifts.”
(Mauss 1966, pg. xiv)
In my opinion, friendships are one of the most beautiful and challenging relationships.
When we become friends with someone, we choose to be part of their life and vice-versa.
According to Marcel Mauss, friendships that last the longest are friendships that give and
receive gifts. Within the last year, I began to work with a colleague I had previously worked
with indirectly. After a few weeks, we instantly became friends. She loves to be recognized
and needs it often; it helps her build confidence. She was sending me recognitions weekly
along with gifts at my desk. At first, I did not reciprocate and discerned that she had
noticed. I love to recognize others, but I do it when I feel it's appropriate, not for "doing your
job," or so I thought. I realized this was taking a toll on our friendship and decided to talk to
her about it. Once we spoke about what was happening, I realized that the recognition she
sought was more of my approval that she was learning and getting the job done. I had not
realized how important to her growth this was. I let her know I heard her and made a
commitment to recognize her more often, even if it was verbally. I let her know how I
expressed my appreciation, as it was important that she knew how I conveyed my own
recognition.
In the last 30 days how has your direct manager inspired

others to achieve and guide to objectives and key results?
Please provide one or two examples.
This question is important and indicates how a direct leader

inspires his/her team in achieving key objectives. There are many
times when individual contributors may feel overwhelmed/ over
worked. There are times when people on a team will feel like they
are unable to overcome a challenge. It’s during those times that
leaders must be there for their team and inspire them to achieve
those goals.
SELMA (SLIDE 1): In this scene, Dr. King was taken to jail after his first
public demonstration in Selma. Dr. King was so
passionate about his cause that he was willing to
AFTER YOU HAVE HAD TIME TO REFLECT, ADD go to jail for what was right. I don't know if many of
us would have the courage to do what he did, but I
A SERIES OF SCREEN SHOTS (YOUR OWN, OR do hope and pray that I always dare to stand up for
what is right.
IMAGES YOU FOUND ONLINE) FROM THE FILM
SELMA HERE:
President Johnson wanted to

push change on his timeline,
but Dr. King had other plans.
During this scene, Dr. King
challenged Johnson to take
action now and not wait. He
This was a powerful scene; Dr. King made a plea to all those speaks about the millions of
Americans needing his
who had stood by and done nothing. It was now time to support and those who were
come together and stand by one another. In this scene, you suffering because of his lack
see whites, blacks, and various clergy men walking together of urgency. Dr. King would not
as brothers and sisters. allow anyone, not even the
President of the United States
to sit by as people suffered.
ADD MORE IMAGES AND EXCERPTS BASED ON YOUR CO-
SELMA (SLIDE 2): MENTORING TEAM’S DISCUSSION OF THE FILM SELMA HERE:
The first scene in the movie set the tone for my emotions. I was so
upset (poor Oprah) and so were my team members. When we
spoke about the scene, we talked about how angry we felt. The
power that these people had over others was unbelievable. Forcing
them to answer questions, memorize the preamble, or even name
the state judges. You could tell how defeated she felt and all those
who had tried to register before.
This scene was powerful for each of us, before

the police got violent, the protestors came in
walking, kneeled, and placed their hands on their
heads. They were there to demonstrate
peacefully. Dr. King stood back as the police
started to get violent and you could tell he
wanted to defend his brothers and sisters but
knew he had to stay back. In this scene, you see
how tired people are of being disrespected and
treated as less than others.
Within the last quarter, how has your direct leader been an
example and embodied our company's mission and values?
Please provide one or two examples.
This question will indicate if a leader leads through values in

action. Everything leaders do must embody the organization’s
mission and help paint the BIG PICTURE. How are individual
contributors supposed to know how their job, tasks, or even
projects relate to the larger organizational goal if their direct
leaders are unable to convey those missions and values?
Reflecting on this week’s module, I think about Practice 4, Enabling others to act. We learned about the importance of fostering
collaboration and strengthening others. We can see how Ubuntu, the movie Selma, and the gift of reciprocity all come together; they are
all connected by the trust. "Without trust, you cannot lead or make extraordinary things happen.” (Kouzes & Posner, 2017) If people had
not trusted Dr. King his movement would not have been as successful as it was, and he wouldn’t have influenced and impacted the lives of
millions. Ubuntu is all about trust, trusting your neighbor to look out for you as you do for them. Trust that you both are focused on helping
the community and not yourself. In reciprocity, there is a level of trust that is built through the giving and exchanging of gifts. You are
focused on building rapport and trust through your gift-giving interactions.
When we think of fostering collaboration, we learned it’s about building trust and facilitating relationships; when you do so it promotes
collaboration and success. Trust is a vital part of any team's long-term success. If you don’t trust those around you, how will be able to ask
for help, grow, or even develop your skills? It would be difficult to do. “If you cannot trust others, then you will fail to become a leader
precisely because you are not able to be dependent on the words and works of others.” (Kouzes & Posner, 2017)
When strengthening others, we see exemplary leaders engaging in self-determination and developing competence and confidence in
others. This is something that I look for in a leader when I am interviewing for a new role. I must work alongside a leader who will help me
develop and grow. Someone who challenges m, helps me build my skillset, and allows me time to learn. I've been fortunate enough
worked alongside strong leaders who have built me up. They have helped me to develop competencies like strategic thinking and placed
me in roles that will allow me to practice and build that confidence. "By building people's belief in themselves, you are bolstering their
inner strength to forge ahead in uncharted terrain, to make tough choices, to face opposition and the like because they believe in their
skills and decision-making abilities.” (Kouzes & Posner, 2017) If a leader is unable to offer me those kinds of development opportunities I
usually will not move forward with a new role.
In the movie Selma, we saw the power of Ubuntu, Community, support, advocacy, and even reciprocity. Dr. King had been building
movements across the nation, building relationships, and networking along the way. His immediate community trusted him and trusted his
actions. Dr. King earned that trust by being an advocate, taking action, building up people's confidence, and fostering an environment of
trust and collaboration. One of the key memories I have taken with me from the movie Selma was how courageous Dr. King, his leaders,
and the black community stood up for what was right, not what was easy. I believe that our society has lost the ability to be courageous.
People think that being courageous means not being afraid, but courage is acting despite your fear, pushing through that pain and
uncertainty, and jumping in. Francia, find the courage within yourself to never stand back and be a spectator. Do not allow fear to rule you,
what you think you can do or stop you from taking chances.
WEEK 11: ENCOURAGE THE HEART
It can be frustrating when men and women do everything they can to
discredit or hold back a female counterpart. We are living during a time
when feminism should be celebrated, yet we continue to see female
leaders struggle. Unfortunately, I experienced it firsthand with a new
District Manager. I was excited to have a female leader and welcomed it,
but my excitement was short-lived. Betsy consistently spoke over the
women during meetings, had different rules for female leaders, didn't
provide us with opportunities to complete interim assignments, and not
once promoted a female leader even though they were far more
qualified. She held us back consistently until four of us went to HR to
place an official complaint. Betsy was defensive when we spoke in a
facilitated meeting, and HR had to ask her to leave. She told us that we
were ungrateful. Betsy did not last a year, but during her time, she didn't
lift us up she held us back. Betsy was a clear example of a leader I did
not want to be.
“Indeed she has to “TO-DO” LIST

encourage herself to 1. Be humble when speaking with the
write by supposing Frontline, encourage them to work hard
and dream BIG
23
that what she writes
2. Say thanks to two female leaders and let
will never be them know why their leadership inspires
published…” me
(Woolf 1928, pg. 33)

WEEK 11: ENCOURAGE THE HEART CONT’D
I have always asked for feedback, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Feedback
has been my one constant; I believe it to be the best gift anyone could offer
you. How else would I grow if it wasn't for people taking the time to provide
me feedback? Though I embrace feedback, it hasn't always been rainbows
and unicorns. One day, my direct leader asked me to come into her office, "I
am here to offer you feedback" I said ok and leaned in. She had noticed that I
had been a little too aggressive when delivering training completions and she
had even received some complaints. I was surprised and immediately got
defensive. I told her if I didn't need to repeat myself multiple times, maybe
they wouldn't have taken it to heart. As soon as I heard myself, I paused, and
said "Scratch that thank you for the feedback." I immediately realized that I
had gotten defensive and tried to redirect myself. I will continue to embrace
feedback because it is the gift that keeps giving.
“Why haven’t you

said anything? She
said ‘Well I just really
24
like her and it’s hard.’”
(Harley 2014,
counter/timer 1:17 )
WEEK 11: ENCOURAGE THE HEART CONT’D
“People who practice
Showing appreciation to someone doesn’t take much gratitude, compared to
time or effort, yet we see people/leaders who don’t those who do not, are
take the time to do it. Before working for T-Mobile, I healthier, more
worked for an attorney, her name is Marie. Marie never optimistic, more positive,
said thank you or please. She was very demanding and and better able to cope
made it clear, she did not have time for “the fluff”. We with stress“
received memos as recognitions and those memos were
never personalized or detailed. Her recognition felt like (Kouzes and Posner 2017,
27
pg. 268)
she was checking a box in her head and not trying to
express gratefulness or value. I worked for her for a year
and a half and received three memos. I never felt
appreciated and that took a toll on me. I stayed long
enough to gain experience and left as soon as I secured
another job. Marie taught me what not to do.
One of my current peers is the most grateful, positive, and
optimistic person I have met in my entire life. Her light shines
bright and with every interaction, she brings joy to those
around her. She doesn't allow small or big challenges to
26
consume her and that is something I admire. Her ability to be
positive and show gratitude is a direct influence on her
"Surveys reveal that the minimally stressed life. One of the things that Belinda does
clear majority of people each morning is write down three things she is grateful for
before starting her day. This practice allows her to center
(81 percent) indicate that
herself and take a positive step into her day. She says this
they'd be more willing to helps her to stay positive throughout the day. Earlier this year I
work harder if they had adopted her practice and think of things, experiences, or
an appreciative people that I am grateful for. This practice has helped me to
manager“ find something positive in each situation or interaction I am in.

pg. 266)
EXAMPLES OF WEEKLY EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION (ENCOURAGING THE HEART):
EXAMPLES OF WEEKLY EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION (ENCOURAGING THE HEART):
VERBAL RECOGNITION
“ Ifchange.
you don’t say something nothing is ever going to
Everyone who I have worked has always been
worried that [senior] leadership is going to know who it
is.
During our Triumvirate meeting, we talked a lot about the power of feedback. When used correctly feedback can open the doors to
success and people’s growth. Jacob and I had positive experiences when providing feedback, but Jessica’s current peer group did not
”
have the same kind of confidence within their perspective teams. Jessica has always felt comfortable providing feedback, yet her peers
lacked that same confidence. She has told them often, “If you don’t say something, nothing is ever going to change. Everyone with who
I have worked has always been worried that [senior] leadership is going to know who it is.” This prompted me to ask her a question
about her senior leadership, did they communicate and talk about the importance of feedback? Did they foster an environment where
feedback was welcomed?
I see feedback as a gift and organization should too. Jessica and I have in common the ability to provide feedback even if we are not
100% comfortable. Yet, we need to remember that providing or asking for feedback is not everyone’s cup of tea. I embrace feedback
and welcome it, when I don’t receive it, I ask for it because feedback allows me to grow and develop as a professional and a person.
When it comes to providing or seeking feedback, it is the leader's job to ensure they create an environment where people want to
provide feedback, where action and change are based on feedback, and where feedback is welcomed. Without having that trust, it’s
difficult to buy into what you are trying to accomplish. When organizations fail to deliver this kind of environment it holds them back
from being able to accomplish their full potential. Feedback is vital within a team, department, and organization. In chapter 11, we read
about a respected law firm losing high-caliber associates within the first year. After an initial survey, they required every partner to say
“Please” and “Thank you”. This change was based on feedback that was provided. Without that feedback, the firm wouldn't have been
voted the best law firm to work for nor would they have reversed their attrition. Feedback is truly a gift and an underutilized tool.
WEEK 12: PRIORITIZE RECOGNITION
Recognition is one of the most essential yet underutilized tools for
leaders. Many leaders think giving out Starbucks cards or sending a
generic card to someone encompasses a feeling of appreciation.
Recognition should always be personal and never generic. During my
time as a Retail Store Manager, I created an appreciation wall full of
color, pictures, and personalized recognitions. On that wall, I would
print out everyone's recognition each month so everyone in the store
could read about why that peer or leader was being recognized. It also
provided an opportunity for visitors to read about the amazing team I
had. I would also place post-its from the in-the-moment recognition I
would provide the team during my time on the floor. My recognitions
were always specific, describing how their interaction impacted the
customer, team member, or the overall culture of the team /store. I
wanted to re-enforce the behaviors I wanted to see, hear, and feel. My “TO-DO” LIST
teams loved it and it became a staple in my store and my district. 1. Speak to coaches and help
them find ways to personalize
28 2.
recognition
Say Thank YOU by sending a
card to our Recognition team
"The form of through Appreciation Zone
recognition that has the 3. Show THANK YOU by writing
most positive influence, personalized notes to 3
and that should be used Coaches this week
most often, is on-the- 4. Take care of MYSELF by
spot recognition" taking time to meditate and
(Kouzes and Posner 2017, pg. be present with myself
265)
WEEK 12: PRIORITIZE RECOGNITION CONT’D
Recognition should never be a one size fits all approach; when delivered
that way, it demonstrates how insincere it is. Our interim District
Manager, Jessica had her heart in the right place, but she was one of
those sizes that fits all. She would go to Starbucks and purchase $5 gift
cards and provide them to the Mobile Experts during store visits. She
would give them out for "Just being cool, having cool hair, or wearing
her favorite magenta shirt." No one cared for the cards. Our frontline
felt like she was a phony. I cringed when I saw her take out the cards
and even tried to give her some advice, but she shot me down very
quickly. Her way of "recognition" validated what I knew, quality over
quantity matters. People desire true, genuine, and sincere recognition. “TO-DO” LIST
1. Fill out an impact reward for two people

and print the certificate and present it to
them
2. Write a recognition and post it on
SLACK to three people
29
"A one-size-fits-all
3. Show thanks by taking someone out to
approach to lunch for all their hard work
recognition feels 4. Take care of MYSELF by taking a PTO
insincere, forced, day off for mental health
and thoughtless.“
pg. 260)
WEEK 12: PRIORITIZE RECOGNITION CONT’D
A simple act of kindness as simple as a smile can change someone’s
day, even life. I believe we take for granted the recognition or positive
interactions we have. Sometimes we are so focused on the task, the
project, or the escalation that we lose our own human nature of
interactions. When I worked for Marie, the attorney, her mood set the
tone for the office. She would come in sometimes and not even look
at any of us and shut her door. She was so focused on herself and her
needs that she didn’t care about others. Her lack of respect and
acknowledgment made it a negative and toxic work environment. It
made me realize how important it is to acknowledge those around
you and stop and have a conversation. That simple act of kindness can
make a difference in the world.
30
"All too often,
people forget to
extend a hand, a
smile, or a simple
‘thank you.’ “

pg. 267)
Within the last month, (this leader/colleague) has

developed cooperative relationships? Please provide one or
two examples.
There are very few roles in the workplace that have minimal
interactions. The majority of us depend on others to complete our
part of our job, project, or even task. Collaboration is key and this
question allows you to identify if someone is meeting or needs
improvement in developing cooperative relationships. At one time
or another, we have all faced working alongside a difficult person
where those interactions can be taxing. This question is vital, and
the feedback provided can assist someone in improving their ability
to work alongside others.
Within the past month, (this leader/colleague) has set a

personal example of what is expected? Please provide one
or two examples.
I call this the shadow of a leader; one can not expect others to
change when one fails to set a personal example. I saw this
often before I worked at T-Mobile and when I provided
someone feedback regarding the misalignment of their
communication and actions, they thanked me. No one had ever
taken the time to tell them what they saw. This question allows
someone to learn about their areas of improvement and
provides them an opportunity to improve and cast the right
shadow.
Encourage the heart was one of my favorite chapters in our text. During this module, we focused on Encouraging the Heart
through two essential behaviors. Recognizing contributions through appreciation of individual excellence and a celebration
of values and victories by creating a spirit of community. We also focused on the importance of providing effective
feedback. As exemplary leaders, we must model the way and ensure that we set those expectations for our teams. This
means we must communicate clear goals and expectations, create an environment where our teams want to provide and
receive feedback, and finds personalized ways of recognizing others. As our text stated, recognizing others isn’t a one-size
approach. "A one-size-fits-all approach to recognition feels insincere, forced, and thoughtless.” (Kouzes & Posner, 2017)
Leaders should be creative and find innovative ways to recognize their teams on their terms. I will continue to make it a
point to block out my calendar for 30 minutes each week to send out Appreciate Cards virtually or write thank you notes
to the partners that made a difference in my week. Anyone can give out gift cards, but sometimes a handwritten note or
even post can make a world of difference in someone's life. In chapter 12, we reviewed how to celebrate the values and
the victories. In this chapter, we focused on mastering the creation of a spirit of community and being personally involved.
This means creating new and fun ways to celebrate accomplishments, where people feel they are part of a team or
community. Showing how their presence and hard work impact the organization and team. People are yearning for
recognition to full part of the bigger picture. "Actions like these are especially important these days when seven in ten
Americans wish they received more recognition, while 83 percent readily admit they could do more to recognize others."
(Kouzes & Posner, 2017)
This past year I was fortunate enough to be nominated and win WINNERS CIRCLE. This was an all-expense paid celebration
to MIAMI. I was able to celebrate alongside my husband and for three wined and dined. It was the most amazing
recognition I have ever experienced. T- Mobile went ABOVE and BEYOND the call of duty and created a spirit of
community with personalized recognition. The feeling I had all week made me feel overwhelmed and blessed. It made me
feel honored to work for such an amazing organization where our hard work is recognized. I tell my story to others and
share the experiences I have had because it’s important to show others how T-Mobile makes it a priority to celebrate and
take care of their employees. Whenever I can, I tell leaders to take the time and nominate a Frontline expert, peer, or
leader. I will never forget my experience and now make it point to ensure I continue to celebrate and nominate others
who are deserving of this award.
12 WEEK PLAN | (BIG PICTURE) WRAP-UP
“Big Picture” 12 Week wrap-up
“ "When anyone asks me that question, I tell them I have the secret to success in life. The
secret to success is to stay in love. Staying in love gives you the fire to ignite other
people, to see inside other people, to have a greater desire to get things done than
other people. A person who is not in love doesn't really feel the kind of excitement that
helps them to get ahead and to lead others and to achieve. I don't know any other fire,
any other thing in life that is more exhilarating and is more positive a feeling than love
”
is.“(Kouzes & Posner, 2017 pg. 313)
The past seven and a half weeks have been a journey. A journey where I’ve had to look within
myself and identify what kind of exemplary leader, I want to be and why leadership matters to me. I
have used this time to assess my strengths and weaknesses. This course reminded me of my past
learnings and has challenged me to find ways to put into practice what I have learned in this course.
Leadership is a mixture of experience, failure, learnings, courage, collaboration, recognition,
inspiration, casting the right shadow, challenging the status quo, and doing it all over again with new
teams, a new organization, or a new day. Leadership isn’t something you accomplish it is something
that is living within you every single day. Leadership is a fire that never stops burning. U.S. Army
Major General John H. Stanford said it best, the secret of life is staying in love. You love people and
you desire for others to be successful, that is your love.
As leaders, you will never stop learning. Being a lifelong learner is what a leader is, a student for life.
Continue to look for ways to model the way by setting an example. Inspire those around you by
envisioning the future you want to create. Never stop challenging the process, and search for
opportunities that no one else is willing to take. Enable others to act through collaboration and help
others grow. Encourage the heart, by recognizing and celebrating others. Be the leader you inspire
to be.
“Big Picture” Appreciation!
Jacob, thank you for being a
phenomenal peer. You were
ready to answer every question
or doubt I had. Throughout our
co-mentoring meetings, you
helped me to learn from the
material, find different ways of
leading, and how to positively
influence others. Starbucks is
blessed to have you as you are
instrumental in their success! Jessica, thank you for a great
Dr. Davis, thank you for a Good luck with all your session! I really enjoyed our co-
endeavors! mentoring meetings; you brought
great session. I can see the
so much value and passion to our
passion you feel about the
discussions! You can tell that you
content we were learning. I LOVE people and want to see
can only imagine the time them succeed, and that marks an
and energy it took to build AMAZING leader. Thank you for
this course. Thank you for all being who you are, and I wish
the things we saw you do and you nothing but the best!
thank you for all the things
that we did not see. Your
course and your commitment
have inspired me to continue
working on being an
inspirational leader. THANK YOU!
Index of Authors Slide #s Where Quotes Are Found
Adams, John Quincy…………………………………………………….2

Elton, Jon …………………………………………………………………….32
Gennep, Arnold van …………………………………………………….41, 44, 45, 46
Gibran, Kahlil ……………………………………………………………….33
Harley, Shari….……………………………………………………………..70
Horwitz, Tony (re. Capt. Cook)………………………………………26, 27, 28, 31
Homer (The Odyssey) …………………………………………….......14, 15, 17
Homer’s Odyssey - Thug Notes Summary and Analysis…20
Jovi, Bon……………………………………………………………………….30
Kouzes and Posner (6th ed.)…………………………………………4, 5 , 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21,
26, 27, 32, 33, 34, 40, 43, 47, 54, 58, 59, 60, 71, 75, 76, 77, 82
Mauss, Marcell…………………………………………………………....55, 56, 61
The Odyssey Animation ………………………………………………16
Varty, Boyd …………………………….......................................53
Woolf, Virginia …………………………………………………………..39, 40, 47, 69
References (Works Cited)
Boone, I. (2010, January 17). The Odyssey animation [Video]. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PglAFdKSJ_M&feature=youtu.be
Davis, Stephen (2021). Synopsis of Homer’s Odyssey.
Elton, E. (2010, September 1). Elton John - I’m Still Standing [Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHwVBirqD2s&feature=youtu.be
Gennep, Arnold Van (1925). The Rites Passage. London: Routledge.
Harley, S. (2014, June 19). Giving Feedback - 3 Funny Examples of Giving Employee Feedback [Video].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28N2p3smEsw&feature=youtu.be
Horowitz, Tony (2003). Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before. New York: Picador
Jovi, B. (2009, June 16). Bon Jovi - Livin’ On A Prayer [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDK9QqIzhwk&feature=youtu.be
References (Works Cited slide 2)
Kahlil Gibran. (2022). Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/to-understand-the-heart-and-mind-of-a-

person-look-not-at-what-he-has-already-achieved-but-what-he-aspires-to-kah--376543218815189099/
Kouzes, James, & Barry Posner. (2017). The Leadership The Leadership Challenge: How to Make
Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations. Wiley.
Mauss, Marcel (1966). The Gift: Forms and Functions of Exchange in Archaic Societies, London: Cohen &
West.
Quotable Quote [Online forum post]. (2016). GOOD READS. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/584047-if-your-actions-inspire-others-to-dream-more-learn-more
Woolf, Virginia. 2007 [1928]. A Room of One’s Own. Assessment of Leadership Effectiveness (OGL 360)
course document with the full text downloaded March 31, 2018 from Project Gutenberg Australia:
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200791h.html

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LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE

ONE STEP AT A TIME

Week 1 – Find Your Purpose 4-7

Index of AUTHORS 84 JOHN QUINCY ADAMS

References / WORKS CITED SLIDE 85-86

"Trust comes from

(Kouzes and Posner

One of the most important aspects of being an effective leader is

(Odyssey 2018, pg. 8)

(Kouzes and Posner

AND ASK FOR YOUR FEEDBACK

“Odie shakes off

(Homer’s Odyssey - Thug

YOU GOTTA SHAKE IT OFF

I chose this question because it shows if the leader is

During recent team meetings, to what extent did this leader

I chose this question because it’s in many organizations it’s

(Kouzes and Posner 2017,

16 exploring your future

“Banks credited this

“ But if he didn't have control over his faculties in the

“Woah, we're half-way

BUT YOUR BOSS HAS

IM DOING A GOOD JOB

YOU KNOW YOU’RE ALGINED

Knowing the personal and professional goals of my team is something that I

During the last 30 days how has your leader proactively

This is another important question that should be asked

Therefore to cross the

At one point in time, we have all crossed a threshold, whether it was

(Kouzes and Posner 2017,

Trusting others has been a difficult journey for me because I have

(Van Gennep 1961 pg.

(Van Gennep 1961, pg. 26)

(Van Gennep 1961, pg.

Within the last 30 days how has your leader challenged

As effective leaders, it is important that we challenge not only

I chose this question because there are many leaders and

17 “Mandela said that the gift

(Varty 2013, (Varty 2013, counter/timer

(Kouzes and Posner

Trust is essential in any partnership, whether personal or professional. I have always

and not to oneself,

(Mauss 1966, pg. v-vi)

When I think about Ubuntu, I automatically think of family. Whatever that

(Mauss 1966, pg. 18)

"By building people's belief in

(Kouzes and Posner

(Mauss 1966, pg. xiv)

In the last 30 days how has your direct manager inspired

This question is important and indicates how a direct leader

President Johnson wanted to

This scene was powerful for each of us, before

This question will indicate if a leader leads through values in

“Indeed she has to “TO-DO” LIST

(Woolf 1928, pg. 33)

“Why haven’t you

(Kouzes and Posner 2017,

1. Fill out an impact reward for two people

(Kouzes and Posner 2017,

Within the last month, (this leader/colleague) has

Within the past month, (this leader/colleague) has set a

Adams, John Quincy…………………………………………………….2