HDF 190:

FIRST YEAR LEADERS INSPIRED TO EXCELLENCE

LEADERSHIP PORTFOLIO

Madison Parks
SPRING 2017

parksmt@my.uri.edu
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Strengths
Opening Statement SLIDE 3
Section 1: Self Leadership SLIDE 5
Section 2: Leadership Theories SLIDE 6
Section 3: Inclusive Leadership SLIDE 7
Section 4: Leadership Theories #2 SLIDE 8
Section 5: Interpersonal/Organizational Leadership SLIDE 9

*If you do not have one outcome from each area of the Inventory completed,
you may opt to choose 2 from one of the sections.
 Signature Strengths
Harmony
Empathy
Responsibility
Relator
Achiever

Values in Action Strengths

Humility
Kindness
Hope
Humor
Perseverance

M
 OPENING STATEMENT

I joined the FLITE class at the beginning of the semester

with the intentions of finding out the information about
myself I needed in order to know how to best serve and
lead groups effectively and positively.
 SECTION 1
SELF LEADERSHIP
(Outcome #6 Student will express a personal code of leadership / membership ethics)

In HDF 190 we started the unit on Relational Leadership, and as a part of that Ethical Leadership. We learned that our values are the
foundation of our ethics in leadership and in life. Previously in class, we took our value assessment online through VIA and I learned
that my top five values are Humility, Kindness, Hope, Humor and Perseverance. I picked Hope as my focal value. In a class when we
were studying ethical leadership, we made a Leadership Crest based around our approach to Ethical Leadership. The crest included the
4 Vs of Ethical Leadership, Values, Vision, Voice and Virtue. In the section, Vision, I wrote that I wanted to change the outlook on
differences and varied perspectives from negative to positive. For my Virtue, I choose Temperance, which to me means being
thoughtful in decision making and being understanding of others decisions. This connects to my Value of Hope because decisions
affect the future and Hope is about looking on the future positively. For the Voice section, I put Using temperance to take a step back
from ones personal goals and thoughts to view the big picture, and then to use Hope to look at the big picture as having the possibility
to move in the positive direction, if it is not already. I applied my ethics to the a cappella group Im in when we were trying to decide
whether or not we should go to competition next year. It was my vote that we should try to compete again next year because I was
channeling my value of Hope to try and better the groups future next year by giving it a purpose, even though having to compete next
year would be straining and stressful to me personally.
 SECTION 2
Leadership Theory and Models
(Outcome #26 Student will show knowledge of the Servant Leadership theory of leadership by
Greenleaf)
In HDF 190 our class discussed the Servant Leadership Model by Robert Greenleaf. The models basic message is that being a
servant leader starts with the natural feeling of wanting to be of benefit to other people, of wanting to serve them. It is often described
as having a gift and giving it away which means converting ones privilege and knowledge into something that you can serve other
people with. The model is divided into 3 categories, servant, leader, and then an overlap of both. It also is composed of ten
characteristics Listening, Empathy, Healing, Awareness, Foresight, Conceptualization, Persuasion, Building a Community,
Commitment to the Growth of People and Stewardship. In an activity held by the Peer Leaders of the class in the unions atrium, we
applied this model. The goal of the activity was to assemble a pipe structure, as created by one of the Peer Leaders, as a team where
there was only one member who could touch the pieces and they were blindfolded. Another catch was that we all sat in a circle and the
only way we could speak to the blindfolded person was by three words at a time per individual which means someone would say three
words and then the person next to them would say three and it would go around the circle like that. This activity allowed us to apply
the servant leadership model because in order to form coherent and complete thoughts we all needed to listen to one another and
empathize with one another in order to be able to continue what the person before us had been saying. It also had us use the
component of foresight and awareness to try and predict how the person we were instructing would react to the words we said to be
able to tell if our instructions were clear enough. The whole activity had us building a sense of community among our team because in
order to complete the task we all needed to be in sync with one another.
 SECTION 3
Inclusive Leadership / Diversity and its application to leadership
(Outcome #83)
In HDF 190 our FLITE class discussed, under the instruction of Robert Vincent, the Relational Leadership Model. One of the components of this
model out of the five, Inclusive, Empowering, Purpose, Ethics, and Process-Oriented that stands out to me is Inclusive. This component is listed as
the first component which to me signifies it as a foundation for the entirety of the model. You cant be empowering without being inclusive
because to empower someone they must be involved. Its not ethical to exclude people, so to meet the Ethical component one must be inclusive.
Purpose is defined as being able to find common ground among other individuals in the group, and in order for a group to have a full and unified
purpose they must be inclusive. Process-oriented is defined as how a group goes about being a group, remaining a group, and being successful as a
group and the way to be a full and unified group is through inclusivity. It is my belief that the building block at the foundation of being inclusive is
understanding. Understanding that there are going to be differences in opinion between people, understanding that differences in people are
valuable, understanding the only way to grow as an individual and as a society is to be exposed to differences in perspective and opinions. I like to
think I can apply this belief to my job as a Challenge Course Facilitator. People come to North Woods to develop their group dynamic, to develop a
strong relationship within their organization and the approach I like to take with that is through the Relational Leadership model because the way
to succeed as a group, in my opinion, is through Relationships. Being successful and effective, regardless of specifically what that means, is much
easier when there is a positive and full bond between the people trying to be successful and effective. The Relational Leadership model helps to
build strong and powerful teams, and because I believe Inclusive is the most important and the fundamental part of that model, I believe that it is
the most important part to group success and happiness. Inclusive leadership is not a one trick pony, its unifying. It connects multiple pieces of the
Relational Leadership model and even extends past that model into others like Group Dynamic through using relationships to build on group
dynamic.
 SECTION 2
Leadership Theories #2
Outcome #47 Student will describe personal application of the above theory (Astin et al)
In HDF 190 the class I was in, taught by Robert Vincent, discussed the model called Social Change Model of Leadership Development by Astin et al which is
broken down into three components, The Individual, The Group, and The Community/Society, and is focused around how the threes interaction creates
values that motivate toward positive social change. For the same class, FLITE, we were given a group service project to complete, and my group chose to
participate in the Walk for Multiple Sclerosis in Narragansett. Each of us as Individuals could find Commitment to the activity when we researched what the
walk stood for and about the organization putting it on. I found Congruence and Consciousness of self when I connected my strength of Empathy to better feel
for what the people in the walk were going through and by value of Hope to keep my mindset positive about the disease and the cause to give off an optimistic
vibe. I was also able to connect to the event because my mother had the disease before she passed away so volunteering for the walk meant a great deal to me.
The group was able to understand the Controversy with Civility when we realized that, because this disease often has no physical indications, it is often not
considered a true disability in the eye of the public or is not as well known, and therefore not as well funded, as diseases like cancer. The group found
Collaboration in understanding the goal of the agency and working with them during the event to complete it. The National MS Society has a vision of
eradicating MS from the world and a mission of making life for those with MS and those affected by MS full and positive. The walk helped to raise money to
put towards finding a cure for MS and the event helped create a sense of community for those who affected and living with the disease. We found Common
Purpose during the event when the whole team came together, first in the beginning to decorate before the event with balloons, in the middle when we worked
a rest stop together and told passerbys what the event was about, and at the end of the event when we handed out lanyards to those involved as they
completed the walk. After the event we did research on how to further the awareness of this disease and how to generate more walks, bikes and a list of other
activities that would help raise money and awareness for and about the disease. This would be the Citizenship component. The Change piece of the Social
Change Model comes in with the impact the walk we were involved with had. Even though it was a small walk and raised, in relativity, a small amount of
money, it had a big impact on those with the disease who attended the event because it gave them a feeling of community and that there are people who care
about what is happening to them. It affected the community around the event as well and help to spread the word about the disease, so regardless of the event
being just one walk in one place with one group of people, news travels and that is the change this event will have.
 SECTION 5
(Interpersonal and Organizational Concepts and Skills) Outcome #115
In HDF 190 our class discussed the Group Development model by Tuckman with Alison Jackson Fraser initially and then for the rest of the times it was
involved in the class it was taught by Robert Vincent. The model is broken down into five stages that are as follows, Forming, Storming, Norming,
Performing, and Adjourning. Forming is the stage of introduction where the group is meeting for the first few times and getting a feel for one another. This
stage occurred for my group, The Danimals, in FLITE class when we were first put together at the beginning of the semester. We all werent sure who one
another were and during the Day of Discovery we were able to learn more about one another and really come together as a group to start the rest of the
models journey. Storming phase is the stage in the model where a group has discrepancies and needs to debate and argue in order to move onto the next
stages. This is a crucial stage and it is sometimes one that not all groups make it through. My group faced the Storming stage when we were trying to decide
a day to have our Group Service project on. There were work time conflicts and debates about whether having our project on Palm Sunday/The day of the
Lil Wayne concert was the best idea. Luckily, our group got through the storming phase and came out the other side much closer than before. This led us
into the Norming phase which is described as the phase where people realize they are a part of the team and complete work more efficiently and effectively
if they work together. Our Norming phase was the classes leading up to our project where we worked together gathering research and making sure that
everyone was on board and ready for the event that was coming in a few weeks. The Performing stage is where the group works at its fullest potential and
pays no attention to hierarchy. It is marked by an open and trusting atmosphere. The Danimals performed together the day of the group service project, the
MS Walk in Narragansett. The moment that I felt this performing really come into play was when the half of the group that was working in the cafeteria at
the Mission table took the five minute drive up the street to meet up with the other half of our team at the rest stop. The coming together of our group gave
me a full feeling of togetherness and reliability in that we were all together and had the same purpose of making a lot of noise to catch attention and raise
awareness to passerbys and to hand out water and food to those in the walk we were volunteering for. Adjourning is when the group takes a final assessment
of what theyve done as a group and makes plans for transitioning roles of individuals into whatever is coming next. The Danimals have yet to had an
adjourning at the time I am writing this, but knowing it is coming in the next week leaves me with a feeling of completion and a bit of sadness.