Ethical Leaders

To be an ethical leader is to make decisions that better the majority. I have met student leaders as well as professional leaders that have qualities that make them ethical. They are selfless rather than selfish and advocate for helping everyone as a whole rather than meeting the needs of one or two people in particular.

Debbi, my former dance teacher and good friend is a great example of someone who puts her own agenda aside to better serve her students. Dealing with over one hundred girls ranging from the ages of 4-18 years old, Debbi is wonderful in dealing with people of all ages. Not only does she have to remain patient, understanding and level headed but she also has to deal with the parents. Debbi would sometimes confide in me of how stressful her work could be, which I can only imagine can be difficult at times. There are parents who complain, don't pay tuition on time, don't approve of costume choices, changes in dance schedules...and Debbi has to deal with all their complaints. Although Debbi wants to please all of her students, and their parents, she knows that she can't please everyone and has to make the executive decision that will better help her dance school as a community.

Famous people that come to mind who resemble ethical leaders: Our Founding Fathers...Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, to name a few.. men that fought for our freedom and created our government system today. They took an ethical approach in trying to meet the needs of as many people as possible. And as other people have mentioned, leaders whose purpose in life is to help the "greater good" and those who possess values and morals who treat people with respect and whose laws and regulations help others rather than hinder. People who are fair and do not favor one group of people over the other and respect everyone equally is someone I feel is a good leader.

And now for the unethical leaders, sure we could talk about Hitler but everyone talks about Hitler. Hitler was insane, a man who had the desire and means to execute so many people just based on a hatred is sickening to me. A leader who brainwashes the minds of others I feel does not deserve the right to be considered a leader, or at least a good one. Everywhere you look you can find someone who holds a leadership position; whether it be a high school teacher, principal, coach, lawyer, doctor, architect, chef...basically any sort of profession you find you will be sure to find SOMEONE who is disrespecting the people he or she works with...it's just bound to happen. There are certain people who hold a certain amount of power and don't know how to channel all that pride and confidence in a health way without creating conflict.

Principles of Leadership

When assuming a leadership role, those who follow you expect you to be ethical. They expect that everything you do will be honest, right, moral, and positive. For me personally, no leader at a national and international level is completely ethical. Each leader makes a deals to try to get what they want and need for their constituents. However, some leaders struggle by simply not making deals with the devil and being ethical. For me, when deciding if a leader is ethical, I look at the product they produced, the scandals that erupted during that time and how they handled it, the period in which they lived in and the issues they were fighting for and against.

One great example of an ethical leader was Harold Washington. He is a lesser known mayor of Chicago, who died tragically in office during his 4 year. He was the first and only African American mayor. His tenure as mayor was from 1983 through 1987. During his time in office, he faced racial hostility from white democrats and white ethnic voters. He constantly fought for what was fair. This included fighting the city council's decision to deny his appointments to council and using his power to veto to overrule their decision. His many bills proposed-that were either proposed and died in the house or either implemented after his death and later repealed by former Washington adversary and later mayor Richard Daly-included a human rights bill (which extended the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965) and an bill to protect the GLBT community in Chicago.

Harold Washington was very positive and real. He spoke to the constituents as if they were friends and laid the cards out on the table. He held carnivals and went door to door and gain support and earn the trust of his followers. He was very headstrong and listened to the peoples concerns. He went to problem areas and looked at how he could make Chicago beautiful and end the racism and corruption. He was a man for the people.

Despite not being able to finish his work in office due to his untimely death, Washington was up against a lot-the Council, racism, and failure. However, he gave Chicago a taste of change with his initiatives and his grassroots approach to politics. His tenure in office influenced a very young Barack Obama and to this day, in Chicago, on the anniversary of his death, they play an interview he had, where he talked candidly about his life, time in office, and struggles to get where he was at the time of his death.

An example of an unethical leader would be Rod Blagojevich, the former governor of Illinois. Blagojevich's tenure saw a 0% approval rating and many scandals erupting including fraud. His legacy is tarnished due to his decision to sell President Obama's senatorial seat to the highest bidder. He is also noted for threatening to cease business with Bank of America over a shut down factory in Chicago.

Blagoveich acts reckless and has a very non-chalant attitude. He appears to act in the interest of the people but cut corners to get results.  He is very private and most of his scandals erupt after months have expired since the deal happened.

Both of these leaders have represented progress and recession in Chicago and Illinois as a whole. Furthermore, these two leaders represent different leadership styles and how contrasting styles can lead you into dangerous territory-i.e. corruption and etc. Lastly, to me these leaders represent the famous quote, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely", in which Blagoveich's complete rule over Illinois corrupted  him, while Washington's control of Chicago saw no corruption due to the check and balance system.

Believe in the good and rise against the bad...

" An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" - Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi was a man of brilliance, honor and integrity. He was viewed to many past leaders as the foundation of their beliefs when it came to non-violence and civil disobedience. Gandhi's belief in non-violence was a principle he followed called Ahimsa, which is defined as doing no harm. He encourage everyone to conquer evil with the good in the world through our inner strength. When Gandhi said," An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" he meant that if people react in violence to another and so on, there will be a never ending chain reaction of hate.
He strived to reteach everyone what has already been taught, that the two most important things in life are the truth and non-violence.He loved everyone and believed that those who have wronged others was still had hope, the hearts of even the cruelest and most violent individuals could be won. Gandhi practiced for the greater good, he wanted everyone to realize that there was a way of 'fighting' back, but with our love and inner strength. It wasn't all about the guns, the warfare, and the anger that made a person win a battle. It was and still is about how a person makes their point across without harming those it their path.
In 1930, Gandhi made a bold move, for he was a bold man. He started a campaign of nonviolent protesting against the British salt monopoly in India who taxed India for their salt. Mahatma Ghandi challenged the authority of the British by marching for 24 days and 240 miles, along the way he gained supporters that took part in his march. This man wanted what the people deserved whether it be the truth or no taxation on salt, he did it in the most unconventional way that many saw as humble, strong and powerful.
- "Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will" - Mahatma Gandhi


Its funny that those who we look to lead this country tend to be the biggest group of unethical leaders. Most politicians make decisions upon the greater good for the country but lead us down the wrong path. As of right now we are slammed by a Recession and a war, and not to forget we are bombing another country 'to save civilians', but in reality that may possibly start up another war that we don't need. There are a long list of unethical people that have led this country with lies, deceit, and injustice all so they can be remembered for they did for this country which was cut another gash into the flesh of this earth leaving their scar behind. The wars will stop when we realize its the most barbaric way to show our power.


But going into specifics, I would have to go across the waters and pick Saddam Hussein. He was a horrible man that thought only of himself. He lead with the promises that he would change Iraq. Instead he lead for 24 years suppressing his people and causing an Iraq - Iran war that lasted eight years. He invaded other countries that had no reason to be, and held "weapons of mass destruction" with the intent of killing millions in other countries, specifically America. This man had no inner strength, he lead with the idea that power was violence and he could bulldoze whoever he wanted with the force of his military.

Ethically Leaders in History

   Abraham Lincoln has shown himself as a leader who towers above the rest and a leader who has dealt with some of our nation's most difficult issues. Lincoln may admittedly be a typical choice for an essay on leadership, but people do not seem to really understand just how powerful of a force he was to the country at the time and shaping of what it has become today. Obviously, the abolition of slavery and the addition of t he 13th amendment are fundamental steps that Lincoln took to push America towards industrialism, and thus make America a world power. However, what made Lincoln such a great leader, capable of such gargantous task? Lincoln carried with him a finely tuned series of ethics, these ethics were found in his attitude, behavior and character.

   Lincoln's attitude towards life and those he interacted with was a just has he could make it. His career prior to presidency was in law. There he gained the knowledge of ethical choices and skills to implicate fair decisions based upon the law of our land, which is derived from core morals that were inherit in those who then transcribed them into written form. It was not uncommon for Lincoln to face opposition in his line of work, both in law and as president. However, even though he may not have like someone, in order to get the job done Lincoln would find a way to negotiate and find some sort of common ground to agree on. As he even said himself: "I do not like that man, I should get to know him better". His behavior to his work and the people in his life were given his full commitment. That commitment was essential to his achievement of preserving the Union. Lincoln's behavior towards his duty and his country were not only full hearted but also considerate of others. Though he is know to have a sturdy opinion and a well built argument, he is not opposed to listening to what others have to say. Besides, an argument can't technically be when only one person is speaking. Lincoln also established reconstruction methods for healing the devastated south after the Civil War as well as provide aid for newly freed slaves, even though much of these methods were acted out by his predecessor Andrew Johnson. Though leniency on the South became a debate, on how and to what degree the states should be punished. Lincoln fought for fair treatment and leniency, knowing full well the great resentment the South would carry for years to come.

   King George III on the other hand lacked many attributes for a successful leader. Many of his faults were inherent, and are the product of leadership that is thrust upon someone. Having his father suddenly fall ill and die, being prepared for the daunting task of ruling the kingdom and colonies of Britain was virtually impossible. Instead, George III spent a large portion of his later rule entertaining himself. George III lacked keen management skills when it came to organizing and handling national and international affairs. He also was never a very strong role model for his people and could have provided much more moral for the British army during the American Revolution. His dealings in that war alone are subject to leadership scrutiny. Overall, George III suffered from mental illness brought about by porphyria. This certainly put a toll on how he operated ethically. George III was know to isolate himself and play with little toy soldiers, even during the war in America. The people did not approve of George, and thus turned away from him. Any chance of him making a turn around would have been pointless due to the lack of faith people had in his ethical judgment. King George III, with his mental decay, poor judgment, and skewed management skills, is just one example of a leader who would not qualify as a proper leader.

 

-Arlen

A Stark Comparison of Ethical and Unethical Leaders

When I ask myself whom do I know of in history who is an ethical leader I would have to say Martin Luther King Jr. I know it is like going for the obvious but it is the truth. The man never made any decision with out careful thought to how his actions as a civil rights leaders would effect the people of America as a whole not just himself or African Americans. "Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." King was always for peaceful resolution to injustice. King also had a flawless understanding of what was moral and immoral a when it came to whether a law was just or unjust. King also possessed courage. He was willing to put himself at risk for the greater good not matter what the conviction or consequence. He sat in a Birmingham jail cell for the people of Birmingham, Alabama. Anyone willing to do that and face any conviction for another person is an ethical leader.

As we talk about an ethical leader lets talk about what makes an unethical leader, like oh I don't know...HITLER for example...we are talking about a man who wanted to create an arian race of German people and exterminate any one else on the face of the earth who wasn't like him. When we look at him from the scope of how ethical he was we can mention concentration camps and how he used them to torture, kill, and keep captive the races he wanted to rid the Earth of. He made decisions based of his own interest and did not care what others thought. His actions costed his country millions of dollars in debt after WWII and left an entire group of people scared for life. Dangerous toxic leadership like his is poison to others and is not ethical to say the least.

Ethics in Leadership

What does it mean to be an ethical leader?

From our discussion last class I have been thinking a lot about the difference between values, morals, and ethics, and how they fall into my life both as an individual and as a part of society. While all three play an important and often-distinct role, none can stand alone.

This, I think, is even truer for people with authority over others, or people who lead. We talk about whether or not a leader is “ethical”; but I would argue that we must consider also whether they have strong values and hold true to their personal moral beliefs as well. As Mr. Nayor noted in his lecture, a leader has to a) do what’s right—not necessarily what’s popular; b) be fair and consistent; c) lead by example; and d) admit when he is wrong. I think these expand further than ethics alone: they consider personal morals and values too.

That said, an example of a great historical leader is Alan Paton. He is most noted for his ant-apartheid activism in South Africa in the 1940s-1960s, as well as his seminal—not to mention heart breaking and beautiful—novel, Cry, The Beloved Country. He founded the South African Liberal Party in opposition of the apartheid legislation in 1953, and was known worldwide for his commitment to peaceful activism.

First, he did what was right for the greater good, though it certainly was not popular: he suffered at the hands of the separatist National Party because of his efforts. However, over time the influence he created eventually swung the pendulum and exposed the corruption of the National Party to the global audience. Next, he maintained fairness and consistency when the opposition did not; he practiced what he preached. He even denounced the actions of his own colleagues when some turned to violence to oppose the apartheid. Certainly, values and morals such as integrity, respect, commitment to personal beliefs surrounding freedom, and empathy drove his actions as well as ethical considerations defined by society. Thus he achieved his goals via ethical, moral and value-oriented means.

More common throughout history we find unethical leaders. Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Castro, Pinochet…of course, the obvious examples, probably take home the cake here, but I see unethical practices happening everywhere I look, whether I’m looking in a History textbook, today’s paper, or at an FDA-approved nutrition label. So because it seems rather obscure (although I argue that it is the opposite) I’ll take the example of the FDA. The FDA is a vastly influential agency, essentially overseeing the regulation of one-quarter of the nation’s economy, as well as having a very direct influence over us individually with each bite of food, each pill, each prescription, and each piece of health advice we take. Thus the authority of the FDA comes with enormous responsibility. Not only does unethical behavior in the agency have momentous consequences, but also inaction—failure to take progressive, honest, and purely ethical action—is likewise a crime. The recent history of the FDA has shown leadership that has either acted on a personal—and thus unethical—agenda, or has failed to take action at all, supervising the degrading health of our nation with utmost apathy.

The FDA Commissioner in 2005, Lester Crawford, was one of the worst offenders, ultimately charged by the U.S. Department of Justice for violating conflict-of-interest laws and falsely reporting his ownership in stock by companies regulated by the FDA. Among other offenses, he falsely stated in a 2004 government filing that he and his wife sold their shares of Sysco and Kimberly-Clark, when they actually continued to hold them. Further, he opposed progressive policies such as non-prescription contraceptives in the light of his own popularity with the Republican Party. For the cherry on top, Crawford was also involved in investigations surrounding an extra-marital affair with an FDA Board member. Obviously, moral and ethical considerations were forgotten.

Succeeding Crawford was Andrew von Eschenbach. In fact, he was listed in the Times’ Time 100 “People Who Shape Our World”, writing that as head of the FDA, which "wields enormous influence on American lives", von Eschenbach "could make a signal contribution to the public's health" by focusing on issues of diet and obesity in addition to drugs and disease. Too bad he failed to do so. Under Eschenbach as well as his predecessors, the FDA has done very little to proactively address the descent of the public’s state of health. In fact, the agency does not even seem to acknowledge much of a problem, much less a plan for solving it. The leaders of the FDA have allowed this toxic approach in the interest of Big Pharma, Kraft and Monsanto. Last on their priorities is the interest of public health. Ethics here are not merely forgotten; they are denied.

Ethics....

In class we defined ethical decision making as doing what is right for the greater good. My dad is an example of an ethical leader.

For sixteen years he has served the City of Boston as fire fighter and prior to that he served in the US military. He’s a humble civil servant; always ready to help out on and off the job. He has shown his leadership skills on scene by carrying out whatever task he is assigned, whether it is leading the incident command staff, or being an active team member on the hydrant crew. Any member of his house can attest to this.

I remember when my father took us on a road trip to Disney Land. My sister and I were so excited the whole way there; we barely slept. It was dark outside as we were driving on the highway, and my dad saw a crumpled up car on the side of the road. It was late so there weren’t many people out. My dad pulled off the road immediately to assess the situation. There was a young man stuck in the car, probably in his twenties. My dad pulled him out and laid him on the back seat of our truck while he told my mom to call the paramedics. My dad made sure the young man was as comfortable as possible by removing as much glass as he could from the man’s clothes, tying towels around wounds, and talking him through everything, telling him to breathe through the pain. I remember being scared listening to the man crying out in agony, but I knew he was going to be ok because my dad was the best fire fighter on the job. I will never forget that day; I got to watch my dad save a life. My dad didn’t have to do this but as an ethical leader, he could see how his actions would impact others in a beneficial way.

Adolf Hitler is an example of an unethical leader.

His methods were based only on his moral beliefs; he saw the Aryan race as right and everyone else as wrong. If someone did not fit into the Aryan description they were to be burned, slaughtered, or sent to concentration camps. Because Hitler was acting with his moral compass, he failed to see what was important for the greater good. Killing millions was actually detrimental to the greater good.

Both leaders demonstrated a strong sense of self, which is important. A leader has to know who she is before she can be an example for others. As an emerging leader, I am trying to gain a better sense of myself so I can affect positive change in others.

-Arielle

Leaders and Ethics

To understand the difference between ethical and unethical, we must first understand society and its collective views of the world. However, this is too broad a statement to make it simple enough to narrow down a list of leaders adhering to these guidelines. What defines ethical? I believe that the definition of ethical can change in each and every society along history's timeline. Does this mean that a leader can be ethical in one time period and unethical in another?
Not only is that a possibility, but it can even vary from country to country and time period to time period.
Ethics are therein imposed upon us via our own society and our own era. This ideal provides us with an open invitation on leaders. And so, for my pick on ethical leaders I choose: Adolf Hitler. Yes. The initial reaction is probably shock, or if you've already thought about this idea, than you know where I'm going with this. We are talking on a pure leadership scale right here and now, not what they did with that skill. It cannot be denied that Hitler had more charisma and motivation than most of todays leaders. He was what is defined as a firebrand, meaning he had the ability to move people with his voice. And his speeches were nothing short of amazing. They told the people exactly what they both wanted, and needed, to hear. His understanding of the human psyche was unparalleled and nothing about the way he held himself was to the contrary. People were so compelled to follow him that they killed millions because of it. Hitler was everything a leader needed to be, and he was ethical in his own right. At that time, in his society, he was 'right'. This, of course, varies from individual to individual. But his scale of right to wrong was not far off from what was acceptable at that time. If it had been, would that many people have followed his every order? They believed in him. They truly believed that the perfect race was made up of people with blonde hair and blue eyes, and that this was the right way to be.
Now, the impact of Hitler's superb leadership abilities, and the fact that his people believed in what he was doing and the things that he preached, does not make the result of his reign 'right'. I, personally, do not necessarily believe in a system of 'right' and 'wrong'. There is chaos, and some things are more orderly than others. However, in terms of the general will of society and its derived sense of ethics, Hitler was absolutely wrong. He was undeniably morally wrong, as well. I believe that a justification for murder cannot exist. Hitler is an example of wonderful leadership turned horribly against itself. It begs the question of what we believe in as a human race, or even what you believe in as an individual. Can we be persuaded to do things that are morally/ethically wrong in a time of need and chaos? Salem Witch Trials, Holocaust, Concentration Camps, Pearl Harbor vs Hiroshima & Nagasaki.
On the other side of the spectrum, what happens when we end up with a barely capable leader driven by his own selfish motives? By we, here, I mean Americans. And by barely capable leader, I mean George W. Bush, our previous President. While my statements on Hitler are mostly historical in combination with opinions, my views of Bush are purely opinionated and are of what I see when I look at our country's last leader. I saw a man incapable of leading the country. He was contradictory, unmotivated, and failed to really band the country together. In the end, the country banded together because of their own underlying need to do so, rather than an overview from his leadership. He found reasons to go to war with another country, and single out a group of individuals based purely on his own selfish gain and a paranoid assumption. We have soldiers dying over in foreign lands because Bush wanted some oil. Instead of inspiring people to band together and try to make an advance in other fuel type technology, he persecuted a set of human beings believed to be behind attacks of proclaimed terrorism without much proof.
Personally, the idea of war is getting old.
War, in itself, is ethically wrong, and yet this too can be said to be 'right' depending on the situation. Today, both of those leaders, continue to push the limits of what had been done in the past and remind people there is a way to strive higher.

Professional Interview with Doctor Andy of Circuit Six

I had the opportunity to interview a good friend of mine and someone I rather admire who happens to be a leader in his own way: Doctor Andy Lange. Andy is the owner of a New Jersey based lighting, video, sound and networking company called Circuit Six. They sponsor a monthly event called Dorian's Parlor (amidst other things) that I happen to be a part of in the Philadelphia community. The Doctor is someone with a bit of a differing mindset from those that I usually encounter and interact with, and so I was lucky to get this chance to sit down and interview him.

I think the best format for this is to just post the QnA session we had here. I had a recording of it but the file became corrupt, so I can't use that. The answers are reproduced as best as I could while he was chattering....

Q: Tell me a little about yourself.
A: No.

Q: Okay then. Moving on, so I heard you own a business. Is this true?
A: It is true, I have owned a business for approx. 2 years and technically this is my second business.

Q: Is owning your own company something you always wanted to do?
A: Mother says had entrepreneurial spirit. I was always trying to find a way to sell things. And to create things that have value.

Q: Would you consider yourself a leader?
A: Yes, but I don’t think of myself that way in my own head. If begged the question, one of the necessary skills for leadership and management [in a small business] is team building. You need to be able to assess the strengths and weaknesses of people under you, for you, or around you, based on the people around you and for the right outcome. As such it was always one of my strengths. I can usually find the right people to do the right job and motivate them to get this done. This kind of leadership skill is paramount in a small business.

Q: Do you think that leadership is a skill that can be taught?
A: I define the term leadership very broadly, I believe that when you call someone a leader or describe leadership it encompasses many skills. Some of which can be taught, while others are more readily classified as talents on which we build a leadership skill set. For example: empathy, understanding other peoples motivation. But this doesn’t really teach easily, however you can build off of it to learn to teach people about it. (Me: I think what he was trying to say here is that there are certain skills of leading that can be taught, however there are some that are merely talent on which we build a set of leadership skills.) It means many different things in many different situations.

Q: Do you have any advice for people that want to become leaders?
A: Learn an honest self assessment. Don’t spend time… a leader does not spend time specifically building up their own areas of weakness. They build on their strengths and find others in areas in which they are less strong. Know yourself; know what you’re good at and what you’re not. My primary motto in trying to build the right teams: right people, right outcomes.

Q: You talk a lot about motivating people, was this something that was ever difficult for you?
A: No. I could always assemble followers. As a small business owner, your greatest asset is the will of your peers. People want to be a part of something that feels good and will be a success. Motivation is everything. People don’t line up and follow you because they don’t have something better to do. They do it because it fills a need. They need to have a reason to follow you.

Q: What is your opinion of the upcoming generation and the problems they will be faced with in the times to come, in terms of leadership?
A: Every generation has had alphas, betas, gammas, and deltas. It’s not a popular opinion but it holds true historically. The greatest challenges that upcoming generations will face, in the arena of leadership will involve, context. (Me: Define?) In todays schools, kids learn math, but they don’t learn problem solving and word problems. They learn scientific formulas but they do not learn the practical implication of these. They take geometry but not metal shop. They learn to diagram sentences but not how to read and write with passion. A young adult coming out of most of todays educational systems; they seem to have an outset of skills making them ready to leave. But they cannot place these skills into a worldly context. They cannot do anything with this knowledge. It is not enough to know that 2 + 2 = 4 but two apples plus two apples is four apples. The young people that manage to understand that will have a perspective that will allow them to lead the others with great challenge.

Q: Do you think that a change in the way leadership is implemented will be necessary or important?
A: I don’t think that kind of societal or cultural change happens deliberately. Historically, these changes happen because of a broader evolutionary need.

Q: Are there any last things you’d like to say?
A: Overall, there is the distinct smell of fried onions.

Doctor Andy is a reminder that, no matter who you are or what you do or who you lead, if you lead at all, you still need a sense of humor. It was a pleasure to interview him, and from him I was given a look at a rather different perspective to the way we do things and the way people think. In Andy's line of work, it is a more blatant and obvious sort of leadership that he exhibits. He is literally giving people orders and directions; he is the boss. It is about getting people to do what he needs without anything extra. As someone who has seen him work, it makes it easier to believe that being compelling can get the job done. You don't necessarily need to be the one to 'step up to the job' if people simply follow you for being you. I think it is also important that when you are placed in a leadership role you make people feel good and accomplished. Andy said it himself in one of the first few answers: people want to be a part of the greater good if they feel they can have a successful part of it.

Professional Interview with Tyria K. Joyner

After many emails and missed calls, I finally was able to conduct an interview with someone whom I view to be a perfect example of a leader. Tyria K. Joyner is my boss; she is the regional proprietor and general manager of Ted’s Montana Grill at the Philadelphia Broad Street location.

I am inspired by the leadership skills I see in her on a daily basis. On the one hand she is strict, maintaining the highest expectations of all of her employees and holding each person accountable for the demands of their job. We must succeed, because the consequences of a mistake or a neglected duty reach far beyond one’s own job status. A mistake comments on the business as a whole, including its reputation and its revenue; ultimately, it determines a business’ success. On the other hand, she is warm, understanding, approachable, and fair. From calling everyone ‘sweetie’ and ‘baby’ in an endearing and encouraging way, to joking around when appropriate, to telling someone they did a good job at the end of the night; Tyria is a caring person. She also seems to truly listen to guests and have a sincere desire to make others happy. In my opinion, she is the ideal candidate to run a restaurant. So what are her opinions?

With the first question (do you consider yourself a leader?) we both agreed that Tyria is a leader both by profession and by nature. So then the follow up question was, why? —From where does the motivation to lead come? She answered, “Innately, I am always looking at things from a standpoint of ‘how could I improve on this?’ I think I have a lot of ideas, and having the authority to lead allows me to put my ideas into practice.” It is agonizing for her is to watch corrupt leadership. “It kills me when I see inefficient, dishonest or otherwise corrupt policies, especially in business. I see them and wish I could have the authority to make things right.” So at Ted’s Montana Grill that is exactly what she strives to do.

What does she love the most about the responsibilities of her job and authority? “I love that, in the restaurant business, even the position of highest authority is constantly being checked. I hold the highest position at our TMG, but my co-workers, and even more so, our guests, are constantly challenging my decisions. This always puts me in my place and allows me to constantly reflect on my own performance as a leader.” This is her way of ascertaining that ethical leadership can be maintained. As a server, I watch as she discusses issues with the chefs, with the other managers, the servers, and even the guests. This collaboration, she said, is critical to “our little checks and balances system” within the business.

So it sounds perfectly organized, honest and—well, flawless. But what are the downsides to her job? She regrets most the fact that she must be harsh on her employees, or as she calls us, her “team members.” She explained that mistakes really can’t be tolerated because each mishap brings guest satisfaction down, and the success of the business in jeopardy. While understanding that it is necessary, she doesn’t necessarily enjoy being harsh. “But you know what? It’s a good thing. I would say there is a huge difference between being strict and being mean. Holding each team member accountable lets them know that it’s not okay to lose focus and make mistakes. And it’s never personal; I think we all understand that.” Then, her next words summarized our entire conversation thus far. When I asked her what she believes are the most important qualities of a leader, she responded, “knowing the balance between demanding discipline and showing empathy; and between using authority and distributing it.”

I then moved our conversation in the direction of her personal goals. She told me her goals as a leader are far-reaching: she strives to set a strong example, not just for how to run a restaurant, but for values and ethics in dealing with life in general and its inevitable bumps. Issues that come up in the restaurant business are actually very reminiscent of things that surface in daily life. A server who neglects to be clear to the chef about a guests’ special request is essentially breaking a promise made to the guest, similar to any commitment we make in our daily lives. “So I want to teach my employees life skills, not just business skills.”

Finally I wondered, in the grand scheme of things, how does she perceive leadership in the world today? What is lacking and what kind of changes does she hope to make or see? “If I were an idealist I would say that I hope other restaurants can follow the lead of Ted Turner, and now myself, who make a commitment to transparent, eco-friendly, fresh food that was produced sustainably and ethically and truly holds the health of the consumer as first priority. And in general, of course, transparent and honest business dealings, and decisions made based on the benefit of those they affect. Unfortunately what I see around me are restaurants and businesses that only care about revenue and efficiency; and consumer well-being and transparent procedures are of lowest concern.”

Undoubtedly, Tyria Joyner has a secure handle on leadership. Further, she has strong ideas about ethical and responsible leadership, and makes no compromises on those values. Upon reflection, what inspires me most about her is her acute awareness of the crucial balance between authority and responsibility, and her ability to maintain such a balance. I am fortunate to have such a leader as my boss!

Professional Interview with Tyria K. Joyner

After many emails and missed calls, I finally was able to conduct an interview with someone whom I view to be a perfect example of a leader. Tyria K. Joyner is my boss; she is the regional proprietor and general manager of Ted’s Montana Grill at the Philadelphia Broad Street location.

I am inspired by the leadership skills I see in her on a daily basis. On the one hand she is strict, maintaining the highest expectations of all of her employees and holding each person accountable for the demands of their job. We must succeed, because the consequences of a mistake or a neglected duty reach far beyond one’s own job status. A mistake comments on the business as a whole, including its reputation and its revenue; ultimately, it determines a business’ success. On the other hand, she is warm, understanding, approachable, and fair. From calling everyone ‘sweetie’ and ‘baby’ in an endearing and encouraging way, to joking around when appropriate, to telling someone they did a good job at the end of the night; Tyria is a caring person. She also seems to truly listen to guests and have a sincere desire to make others happy. In my opinion, she is the ideal candidate to run a restaurant. So what are her opinions?

With the first question (do you consider yourself a leader?) we both agreed that Tyria is a leader both by profession and by nature. So then the follow up question was, why? —From where does the motivation to lead come? She answered, “Innately, I am always looking at things from a standpoint of ‘how could I improve on this?’ I think I have a lot of ideas, and having the authority to lead allows me to put my ideas into practice.” It is agonizing for her is to watch corrupt leadership. “It kills me when I see inefficient, dishonest or otherwise corrupt policies, especially in business. I see them and wish I could have the authority to make things right.” So at Ted’s Montana Grill that is exactly what she strives to do.

What does she love the most about the responsibilities of her job and authority? “I love that, in the restaurant business, even the position of highest authority is constantly being checked. I hold the highest position at our TMG, but my co-workers, and even more so, our guests, are constantly challenging my decisions. This always puts me in my place and allows me to constantly reflect on my own performance as a leader.” This is her way of ascertaining that ethical leadership can be maintained. As a server, I watch as she discusses issues with the chefs, with the other managers, the servers, and even the guests. This collaboration, she said, is critical to “our little checks and balances system” within the business.

So it sounds perfectly organized, honest and—well, flawless. But what are the downsides to her job? She regrets most the fact that she must be harsh on her employees, or as she calls us, her “team members.” She explained that mistakes really can’t be tolerated because each mishap brings guest satisfaction down, and the success of the business in jeopardy. While understanding that it is necessary, she doesn’t necessarily enjoy being harsh. “But you know what? It’s a good thing. I would say there is a huge difference between being strict and being mean. Holding each team member accountable lets them know that it’s not okay to lose focus and make mistakes. And it’s never personal; I think we all understand that.” Then, her next words summarized our entire conversation thus far. When I asked her what she believes are the most important qualities of a leader, she responded, “knowing the balance between demanding discipline and showing empathy; and between using authority and distributing it.”

I then moved our conversation in the direction of her personal goals. She told me her goals as a leader are far-reaching: she strives to set a strong example, not just for how to run a restaurant, but for values and ethics in dealing with life in general and its inevitable bumps. Issues that come up in the restaurant business are actually very reminiscent of things that surface in daily life. A server who neglects to be clear to the chef about a guests’ special request is essentially breaking a promise made to the guest, similar to any commitment we make in our daily lives. “So I want to teach my employees life skills, not just business skills.”

Finally I wondered, in the grand scheme of things, how does she perceive leadership in the world today? What is lacking and what kind of changes does she hope to make or see? “If I were an idealist I would say that I hope other restaurants can follow the lead of Ted Turner, and now myself, who make a commitment to transparent, eco-friendly, fresh food that was produced sustainably and ethically and truly holds the health of the consumer as first priority. And in general, of course, transparent and honest business dealings, and decisions made based on the benefit of those they affect. Unfortunately what I see around me are restaurants and businesses that only care about revenue and efficiency; and consumer well-being and transparent procedures are of lowest concern.”

Undoubtedly, Tyria Joyner has a secure handle on leadership. Further, she has strong ideas about ethical and responsible leadership, and makes no compromises on those values. Upon reflection, what inspires me most about her is her acute awareness of the crucial balance between authority and responsibility, and her ability to maintain such a balance. I am fortunate to have such a leader as my boss!

Coach Louis Arnaud,

Boys/Girls Tennis Coach at Coatesville Area Senior Highschool

1. So how many years have you been involved as a tennis coach?

"I have been involved for two years now at Coatesville and I love it. I've been a full time tennis coach since last year"

2. How many years have you played the sport yourself?

"I have been playin since I was 10, I have always played."

3. Did you ever compete?

"I did in high school and also on the college level. I won a few small competitions but never anything major"

4. Would you say that winning those competitions contributed to you and your leadership role now?

"yea definitely I feel like those small competitions gave me confidence in my game and as a lead I feel like if you don't believe in yourself how can you coach others to."

5. What are the ideal qualities for some one to coach a tennis team?

"A coach needs to be able to make things easy to learn so students can improve. A coach needs to be patient because it takes time to learn nd it is not always easy for new players. The coach must also be easy to approach. People won't ask for help if they are intimidated."

6.What do you get out of Coaching these kids?

Tennis is my passion my favorite activity. I give all my time to it and when I'm not competing I'm coaching because I like to share my passion with others. I grew up here in Coatesville, These people are my people. I am happy to give back to the community. Its very rewarding.

7. Is there any downside to giving all your time to a sport?

"Eh I'm never home but at least I'm out doing what I love"

8. Do you ever find it challenging to to communicate the mechanics of tennis to your athletes and how do you over come that?

yes, after all I am high school tennis coach. Sometimes it's difficult to get the children to listen to my advice. It takes for them to do it their way and fail for them to try it my way the second time. Other than that they all tend to see it my way eventually.

Interviewing a Pro

Kim Lavelle. Stage Manager.



1.How long have you been a professional in the theatre?

I’ve been a member of the AEA Union for stage managers since 1998, so 13 years.



2.At what point in your life did you know that you wanted to study stage management?

I found out during college that I wanted to study specifically in stage management. I was in a college program for theatre studies, but the whole production side of things has always been much more appealing to me than performance.



3. Can you talk a little about your educational experiences for theatre before you became a professional?

I went to Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio and got my BA in theatre studies with a strong focus on stage management. But more of my actual education comes from interning and working in theatres, just really doing it. I learned a lot about stage managing from Bill Sanders- the artistic director at Civic [Civic Theatre of Allentown], and really I made my way from there. The key I think is to never stop learning.



4. What sort of advise might you give someone who is currently attending school for theatre?

Learn as much as you can about every aspect of theatre. The most successful theatre professionals are the ones who know a little bit of everything. And don’t party too much!



5. What are some important qualities you possess that are necessary to the success of a stage manager?

Well, organization is a really big one and maybe even more than that- quick responses. No matter what happens, you’ve got to be on top of it with 3 different solutions so that the director still has a choice, or whipping out the medical information if an actor falls over- just being able to respond quickly. The job of a stage manager really is very demanding.



6. What are the most challenging aspects of this career?

Usually the actors.



7. The most rewarding?

The most rewarding part is when the director hands the show over- it’s an all new sort of responsibility that you know you’ve earned.



8. It seems vital that a stage manager must have leadership skills. Have you always been a leader, or has stage managing taught you how to be one?

I think I’ve always possessed leadership skills but had never really put them into use until stage managing.



9. Looking back as a professional in a leadership position, do you believe leadership courses are important to educational institutions? Why/ why not?

Yes, I think these classes are extremely important and a great opportunity for students to discover their leadership voices and hone their skills. I do regret having never really used my leadership in any effective way during school. I think these programs are great.



10. Has/ how has your leadership experience in stage management shaped you into a more knowledgeable person?

Stage managing was sort of my leadership course. This is where I found my voice and learned to use my leadership skills in a great and effective way. And through that, I’ve earned an appreciation for other leaders and learned to follow their example as well as what my own voice was telling me. I think stage managing definitely taught me a lot more than just how to manage a show. Life lessons too.

Professional Interview with Devon Fitchett

Arielle: What did you aspire to be as a child?

Devon: This is a funny story. So my mom had bad teeth, so she spent a lot of time at the oral surgeon. And we became really close to him, he’s almost kind of like a grandfather to us. But when I was six, he drove a jaguar. My mom said I had to do well in school and be something that makes a lot of money to drive a car like that. [So I decided I was going to be like Dr. Sibera. My mom convinced me being an orthodontist was a better choice because oral surgery is bloody]. So for years I wanted to be an orthodontist so I could drive a jaguar, but that didn’t last very long. In high school and up until I got to college I thought I wanted to be a high school English teacher. When I got to college that was my initial major.

Arielle: What did you study in college?

Devon: Going in, I intended to major in English. And then I switched to women’s studies. And then I think I wanted something broader, so I switched to American cultural studies. And I minored in dance; [Bates College] didn’t offer a dance major.

Arielle: What made you choose a career in dance?

Devon: Dance has been always like breathing. I think in college I just realized, as much as academics were important to me, dance was so much more important to me. I wanted it to be the integral part of my life. That was probably in my sophomore year that I knew I wanted to dance [professionally].

Arielle: What steps did you take to achieve this goal?

Devon: I was always involved in dance year round. I always did summer intensives and that was always an opportunity to network in high school. In college I did the Bates Festival in the summer. The reason that I started dancing with Ben (Ben Munisteri is New York based choregrapher. His company is named after him: Ben Munisteri Dance Projects) was that he came to Bates in my last semester, and he set a piece on us. He gave me his card and took my information and said, “let’s keep in touch.” A couple months after I graduated he emailed me and said he had a show at the Joyce and he wanted me to do it. So that was just lucky. And I had been teaching since my sophomore year of college.

Arielle: in maine?

Dev: I went to college and then Jimmy [Viera] at [Boston Youth Moves] asked me to come back and set a piece. So I was setting choreography in Boston while I was going to school in Maine. And then my senior year I taught a modern class at Bates. So I was always involved in teaching. (Devon currently is the Director of Dance at Dana Hall School).

Arielle: What were some of your most prominent learning experiences as a dancer?

Devon: As an adult my most prominent experience was being a part of Ben’s creative process. Just seeing how he builds dances directly on dancers. I think it’s special because he uses a lot of dancers input. Not necessarily “what do you think I should do here?” but he’ll describe a movement and you do it until it’s what he wants. He doesn’t really dance that much; he doesn’t show you what he wants. He’ll describe it and you have to do it until it’s right.

Arielle: What were the challenges you faced as a performing artist?

Devon: Money! Not now as an educator but as a performing artist, as a dancer in company, you don’t get benefits. Finding part time work around my rehearsal schedule was also a challenge. [Money] was probably the only challenge; it just informs a lot of other things.

After interviewing Devon I realized that being a quality student is very informative of what kind of teacher you are. The ability to lead a class stems from the ability to be active in understanding oneself and the ability to help others reach their full potential.

Here's a link of Devon dancing in Ben Munisteri Dance Projects. She's the one in the striped shirt and the blue skirt. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTUxJBjiwEo

Having Her Say: The Emily Mann Interview

When given the assignment to interview a professional, I wanted to give myself a challenge and see if I could do it. I choose to interview a professional playwright, who has achieved success in their career. I wanted to interview someone who could inspire me, relate to me, and who I could benefit from.  

Sarai, a friend of mine, has always spoken of one of her favorite playwrights named Emily Mann. Upon reading her play Annulla, An Autobiography,  it wasn't hard to understand. The work was lively, active, interesting, frightening, and out-of the box. I've only just begun to delve into the world of documentary theater and with this play, I became excited and intrigued. Ms. Mann writes testimonial theater, which relies on interviewing real people and telling their stories verbatim to the audience. This sense of being in touch with the larger world and people and their untold stories and history, struck a chord in me. As a playwright, I strive to do two things- tell stories that are truthful, honest, and find clever ways to combine my love of history into any play that I write. With this connection, I knew I had to interview Ms.Mann.

Ms. Mann is an award winning playwright, director, and artistic director of one of the most vibrant, risk-taking, and exciting regional theaters in America today. She has several plays including Execution of Justice, Still Life, Greensboro: Requiem, and her smash hit, Having Our Say: The Delaney Sisters First 100 Years. Her artistic home for the past 20 years has been the McCarter Theater, in Princeton, New Jersey at Princeton University. The McCarter has seen many productions including the original production of Thornton Wilder's Our Town, Ruben Santiago Hudson's Lackawanna Blues, August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean, and many others, just to name a few. She has often held world premiere plays at the McCarter of her new works to acclaim. 

As artistic director of the McCarter, Ms. Mann has many jobs to perform including commissioning new works, premiering the works of established playwrights, bring classic theater repertoire to the McCarter subscribers, and upholding the McCarter's mission statement.  Ms.Mann takes her job to a new level and raises the bar for other artistic directors to climb. She is active in bringing the stories of people of color and women to the stage, furthering arts education in schools, providing opportunities for young children and teens to be active in the theater and contributing largely to the national and international theater repertoire. 

To be where she is today as the artistic director wasn't an easy task. Upon accepting the position as artistic director, the McCarter theater was in the midst of renovating, in financial struggle, and not at its full potential. It is a known fact, that her first year as artistic director was challenging and saw the McCarter lose more than half its subscribers. However, under her leadership, she was able to turn it around within 5 years. When I asked Ms. Mann how she turned it around, her first answer was relatively simple. Without missing a beat she said "I called my friends in the theater community, who were experts. I called Peter Zeisler, who then called Bill Windgate." Ms. Mann had Mr. Windgate come in as an advisor and make recommendations to help her flourish in her new role. These recommendations include having someone oversee construction, having someone in marketing, and a complete overhaul of staff. Personally, for Ms. Mann, the hardest part of the process was letting go staff members who had been with the theater for 10 to 15 years. Ever resilient, Ms. Mann continued to lead and eventually brought in a staff that would best help her sustain her momentum and change the McCarter. After 5 years, her luck had changed. She credits a production of  Chekov's Three Sisters with Frances McDormand, Linda Hunt, and Mary Stuart, the McCarter winning the Tony Award for Best Regional Theater in 1995 and the production of her co-written work, Having Our Say: The Delaney's Sisters First 100 Years, for the helping turn the tide of bad luck at the McCarter Theater.

She describes her leadership style as responsible and inclusive. She takes all the credit and all the blame, once a decision is made. Also, she enforces the idea of consensus. She listens to every voice-from the youngest person to the oldest person. Furthermore, she has a staff that very risk-oriented in their choices and beliefs. With such a staff, she demands that her staff argue their points to her and persuade her to go with what they feel can best help the production. She finds that her leadership style of being inclusive is both her strength and weakness as a leader. At times, due to her inclusivity, she has felt that she should have lobbied harder for her staff but didn't.

When asked what makes a good leader, her answer was simple: vision and passion. Ms.Mann feels that her vision hasn't changed and her passion has grown. Sitting next to her during the interview, I can tell you that is true. She says, "My passion grows Through education, commissioning new works, supporting legends in the field , and bringing youth into the theater"

When asked how she decides who is a good artistic leader, her response reflects her mission and the responsibilities she has taken on as artistic director at McCarter. "I look at whats being produced on their stages and how well they are being produced on the stages. If I see plays that are consistently going up there that aren't ready, thats bad artistic leadership.…I look at what they produce, who they produce, how various, exciting risky and dynamic their seasons are, and how they are contributing to the growth and development of the national and international theater repertoire and their complete body of work. " She also looks at the staff at the theater. "If the staff is unhappy, they aren't doing their best work.You have to hire the right staff, trust them, and utilize them to the highest potential. If not, you have bad leadership." 

Ms.Mann, has grown as a person since her appointment. When asked how she has grown, she hesitated but confidently explained to me how she has grown."I came as a single mother with a six year old son, in a theater, that I didn't know, was hemorrhaging money and failing.  Two things had happened. First I had to work very hard to keep a home for us and stay a good mom. Two, my father was dying and I had to help myself through that, my mom through that, my sister through that and my son through that. Three, after my father died, I had been stricken with MS….I realize that my illness was a sign and was asking me to prioritize what was most important in life. …I learned who to cherish, appreciate what I have, and prioritize what was important." She has also learned how to take all of these situations and grow artistically, emotionally, and spiritually, through the rough times and use those feelings in a constructive way.

With such life in her voice and a warm smile, we concluded our interview. But the lessons that I keep referring back to, came from a question about her late father, Arthur Mann, who was a historian. Mr.Mann's work as a historian and parent has influenced Ms.Mann in positive ways. To listen to her speak about her father, touched my heart and gave me lessons and prospective, as his words had touched and guided her. Among the many lessons her father taught her was strength.

"He basically gave me the strength to know that no matter what the response is to the work at the moment, you must always take the long view as a historian. So, he said just do your work.  If you do your work for the right reasons because you love it, you need to do this work, and you need to tell this story, the money will follow and the recognition will follow. If you ever in anyway compromise your standards, you'll lose yourself and he's right. So I always kept my eye on doing the work I believe in….not working for fame or millions." My favorite quote from her father, that she passed on to me was, "In life there is love and work. If you have one, you're blessed. If you have both you have paradise."

Ms. Mann and I share similar views on leadership and collaborating. It was interesting finding out that she has the same writing process as I do: we don't write everyday but once we get in the zone, there is no stopping us. Her favorite moment in the directing process is opening night when the audience leaps to their feet at the curtain call and earlier on before the production 

when the light bulb goes off and she has her entrance into the play. Her favorite moment when she's writing is when the light bulb goes off and she hits the zone. Her favorite moment as a producer is when she tells a writer, composer, director, or any artist- "Yes. We'll produce you're work" and to see the look on their faces and then asking what they need between now and when their project goes into development. What I love most about Ms. Mann is that she is always learning and allowing people to affect her and inspiring them in the process.

Overall, the interview has inspired me to continue to move forward and explore being an artistic director and possibly producing. Also, this interview has motivated me to continue to make the right decisions for myself as an artist and a leader. I am thankful for having met Ms.Mann and for listening to what she had to say.

Bettie Geminder Interview

Having the opportunity to be home, I wanted to take advantage of interviewing a professional leader that wasn't necessarily involved in the arts and who had a career that had nothing to relate to my area of expertise but I was interested to learn more about nonetheless. My neighbor for over thirteen years and close family friend Bettie Geminder was someone I had to pleasure to interview. As I sat down with her and began the interview this is what she had to say:

What is your current job?

I am the Director of the HIllside Health Department and have been for the past ten years.

What are your responsibilities for this job?

I oversee a six member staff: two public health nurses, one environmental health specialist, one registrar of vital statistics and one clerical assistant. These are the people I 'manage'. I make sure the nurses do their clinics (communicable disease investigations, lead poisoning investigations, childhood immunizations, food poisoning investigations...etc) I also have to make sure the registrar keeps record of births, marriages and death certificates. Permanent records are archived and kept in the health department. I oversee to make sure that this person gets that all done. As for the environmental health specialist I make sure he inspects all the food, restaurants, stores, food establishments and make sure the are all compliant with health inspection regulations. He or she makes sure they are safe.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I would say the diversity. Each day is different. You're not going to get the same problems, resident concerns. Each day is a different problem that has to be solved. You're not going to be bored when you go into work. It challenges you to do something different everyday. I've never been bored in thirty years.

What do you least like about your job?

Probably the politics, dealing with the local mayor and other government officials. And the paperwork. All the stuff you have to do but don't want to do.

What leadership positions have you had in the past?

My first job was a staff nurse in Labor and Delivery at the University Hospital in Newark. I workedd there for two years and then took the position of public health nurse in Hillside for twenty years and then was promoted as Director.

How have these past experiences helped shape you into the person you are today?

I always had the desire to be involved in a lot of activities (I was High School Vice President and Senior Class President) This helped me move into wanting to be a nurse, in order to be a nurse you have to be and outgoing person to help know what your patient is going through. Constantly being involved helped me become a confident nurse that helped me get involved with the public. You're dealing with senior citizens, children, adults...you have to be able to adapt to each person's issues.

Have you ever taken on a leadership where the outcome did not go as you expected? What went wrong? What could you have done differently?

I put together a walking club a couple years ago where everyday during employees 20 minute break we would all meet and map out a route around town hall and walk half a mile. I had opposition from other department heads.Colleagues wanted me to discontinue this program because it was interfering with their work schedule. I could have tried to educate the department heads about the effectiveness of the program. Maybe I should have checked with them to make sure they were on board with the program and agreed with it.

In you mind, what constitutes a good leader?

These are cliches but being fair and understanding are two. Assertive yet flexible where there are certain things I want done. And I can be very demanding. Having that open mindedness gives you that respect from your employees. If you were tunnel visioned then that leadership quality isn't there if you aren't willing to be open.

Leadership in the peanut industry. It's awesome.

While I was home, I wanted to take full advantage of it and interview someone significant and particular to the region. I ended up gaining the opportunity of interviewing the owner of the Hancock Peanut company, Daniel Cartwright. Mr. Cartwright has been the owner of Hancock Peanuts for 14 years now, and has held a hand full of nut related responsibilities. Mr. Cartwright's duties are plentiful, and make him an important leader in Southampton County Virginia. Here I will recreate my conversation as best as I can with him.

Arlen: What are some of your responsibilities as a CEO of a peanut company?

Daniel: Well, I have to manage income, taxation on production, intake of peanuts, output of peanuts, payment of staff, travel costs. Lots of stuff. It's not easy to sell peanuts. You have to be diligent and respectful. Respectful not only to others in the business but also to the product itself.

Arlen: The peanut?

Daniel: Yes, the peanut. It'll beat you up in this business, some years the yield is great, some years it isn't. Despite the yield, you have to try and work with what you got. God gives you lemons, make lemonade...except in this instance he gives you peanuts...and were not really making peanutade. Imagine that wouldn't taste too dandy. Don't get me wrong though, the peanut can be made into lots of products you use everyday.

Arlen: Do you feel your work then makes some sort of difference, whether in the community or more abroad?

Daniel: No. Not really. The peanuts here get shipped off to other countries, and we here in America get our peanuts internationally. Tell me that makes sense. I really don't see how nuts in general change the world, protein for vegetarians I guess. But no, I don't see how my work has influenced the world; maybe I've helped cured world hunger a bit...

Arlen: But you provide jobs for the local community

Daniel: Yeah I do, in that sense yes, I do see a change. Folk around here appreciate labor, and the fact I've helped provide that is nice. Good to help plain folk out. Without this business I manage, can't fathom they'd have much around here to do to feed their families.

Arlen: Then do you see your role as leader of this company, though small, as important to striving communities like ours?

Daniel: Well I don't want to take all the credit, really a business like this functions the way it does by trust in the employee and employer. This trust builds a better work ethic, and therefore produces more. So, yeah, I suppose the fact that I organize and manage funds and shipment helps, but that's only to grease the axles. The engine of my company is the people, the employees here feed themselves, clothe themselves. I just give them work.

Arlen: What sort of things would you like to see change here?

Daniel: More peanuts. More money. I'd love a gumball machine in here, but my wife says it'd look unprofessional. I looked online; you know you can only buy the machines that you have to put quarters in for it to work? Why would I buy a product that requires its users to pay for it again in order for you to use it? I think that's the most unprofessional part of the whole idea, making my guests pay for gum in my office instead of it being available to them for free seems stingy to me.

Arlen: So that's it? Just a gumball machine, money and more peanuts?

Daniel: Um, just about. Honestly, we're a simple operation here. In all honesty I would like to see a change in global economics. I mean, this whole buying from cheaper sources deal has got not on Hancock Peanuts under the weather, but all of the U.S. It has been an issue for a while now, but that's kinda out of my hand. So even if I sound like I'm kidding, those few things are really the only changes I want and can do anything about.

Arlen: Would you say time management and public speaking skills, if those are areas you feel you are fluent in, help keep things tuned in the factory?

Daniel: Yes to time management. It is very important to be sure everyone is here on time, that shipments are exported according to schedule that payments are made on time. Time really is money in this world, and if you can't keep up you go under. That's why I keep a personal calendar and that big one yonder back there to keep track of important dates and events. Before, I never carried a personal calendar, some people thought it was nerdy, but now I know the true value of managing my time. As for public speaking, can't say I'm the best with words. Ain't no Shakespeare or nothin'. You study all that at school right?

Arlen: A bit

Daniel: Yeah never could wrap my head around those fancy verses.

Arlen: Well I don't mean you have to be a poet, by public speaking I mean how well do you feel you can engage a group of individuals, how well do you communicate to groups of people.

Daniel: Yeah I gotcha, I donno, just always thought of people who spoke to large groups of people to always have some sort of profound long speech.

Arlen: Not necessarily

Daniel: Well I gotta know something. I sorta just go into staff meetings with an agenda of what I want to say. Say it. Discuss any matters that need discussing. Then we go our marry old ways. But that helps, the meetings, and being able to get straight to the point and addressing company issues goes along with the whole time is money thing. That's why I do the whole agenda thing, planning what to discuss and having it prepped in my head keeps my speaking skills fit. But, yeah, being able to speak to people is very beneficial, communication is key to any businesses function I suppose.


Arlen: Okay, and for my last question and it is more of just a curious one, how do you feel your position of leadership has altered you as a person.

Daniel: Makes me grumpy. Stressed. I suppose accomplished, but 'round here ain't no one really more successful than the other. I just make things run smoothly, and that's a rough job. Leadership, which I guess you could say I have and is the reason for why I am able to do what I do, is about the one tactic I have making sure everything works like it should.

Juan's Leadership

Event planning is not always the easiest thing to keep track of or pull together. It requires careful organization as well as helpful assistance. When there is a larger event to be held, you need to obtain the support of the group with which you are working. I do not think that what Juan did was right or wrong. In the end, it is implied that he was not able to successfully pull off the event, however without the proper amount of information no true inference as to the reality of the situation can be made. Was it Juan's fault? Partially. Well why is that? What prevented Juan from completing the task at hand with the assistance of an able-bodied crew?
There isn't any one answer, I think. I'm not even sure if my answers are correct. Instead, I can only really say what I would have done in his place. The first thing you do when planning an event is to look at the funds and see what options are open to you. It is wonderful to shoot for the stars, but only if you have the cunning and will to do so. If the group favored an idea that would push the allotted budget, then ways would have to be found to raise more money. There would have had to been a fundraiser in addition to the activity. This was entirely possible but rather difficult in the time constraint. If the leader could keep everyone together, it could have been pulled off.
With that established, it would have been time to divide up the crew and the work and assign everyone something they are good at. A capable leader would have been able to identify, after spending some time with his/her team members, who likes to do what and is most capable of what. For example, in my fencing team, I know who is more violant and who is more timid and how to play these up to their advantages. You assign the groups a task, maybe one to fundraising, one to decoration, one to posters, so on and so forth. Keep this up, and everything would function just fine.
(This activity was a little difficult for me, since it was so vague, I hope I can clarify myself when we have further discussions in class, and maybe learn some other strategies. I feel like this one heavily applies to me because of my fencing team.)

Is Juan a Good Leader?

Juan elected himself to be team leader and began calling meetings. I believe that approach was great and should not be criticized. Bringing people together and taking charge or showing you have the will to take charge is good. It was also good that he considered the other members ideas for the program. Everyones opinion matters when you lead. So you ask yourself how did Juan fail at being a leader?

Well He failed to communicate the focus and the scope of what need to be completed. The brainstorming was good but it was one of many dominos that fell in this story. Because Juan never clearly explained to his group members that the goal was to sponsor educational outreach and peer tutoring to chemistry majors. This left them shooting blanks as I would call it. Which is why they ended up with ideas like buying a bench and putting on a concert. Both having nothing to do with the main goal. When the group members got frustrated over what they role was once again you can blame it on Juan because it was his job to explain all of this and keep a focused train of thought for the entire group.

When you are the leader it is crucial to communicate the main purpose to your peers. Another thing I might add is that the leader must understand the purpose himself before he can communicate it to others. It seems to me that Juan did not have a clear idea of the goal because he allowed the group to agree on a concert that had nothing to do with the goal.

Knowing your budget is also key. Juan and his peers just dreamed up the money for a concert that was supposed to just happen I suppose because when he told them it was a go they must have believed they could do it. Knowing your pockets is being realistic when facilitating and conducting events. You can not say yes to your peers and then say no especially over money. This is why they were frustrated probably in part.

Juan is not the worst leader he just did not have a clear vision and without a clear vision and understanding of what needs to be down how can you expect anyone else to. You can not communicate what you do not know yourself. This is why the group failed.