WEEK 6 (3): Weekly reflection Books - Readings: CtW (chapter 5) - DtL (section 4)

Individual Reflection 

Dare to Lead

Brene Brown notes that in order to reverse shame, we need to be able to recognize it and to know it in its different forms. Brown has some sentence frames that help to do this. Complete the following sentences: 

1. When I hear the word shame, I think of being a bad example to my kids
2. If shame were a color, it would be gray
3. If I could taste shame, it would taste like rotten fish
4. If I could smell shame, it would smell like rotten fish too.
5. If I could touch shame, it would feel like a sharp blade
6. I physically feel shame in/on my brain
7. My shame symptoms include burning inside and feeling my head weighs a ton
8. I know I’m in shame when I feel like not looking at anyone in the eyes
9. When I’m in shame, I feel like burning inside.
10. When I talk about shame, I feel relieved
11. I can talk about shame with my oldest daughter or one of my best friends.

After completing each of the sentences above, answer the following: 

The new thing I learned about shame is that it needs to be spoken to make it disappear because it is the one thing that prevents you from being brave, from innovating, from becoming a better person.

Connected Wisdom

1. What comes to your mind after reading chapter 5 and its story? What are 2-3 ways, if any, that the lessons of the story link to your real life? Please describe the connection(s).

It reminded me of a story I read in which people didn't know when to say this is enough and thus keep looking for more thinking happiness is found where there is more; however, they just miss the present. 

I have an uncle who was never happy with what he had and was always looking for more. He had a good job here but was always trying to find a better one, had a good car but always looking to buy another one, had a good house but wanted a bigger one. You barely saw him home, he was always working and trying to make more money so he could always get something better. He had an accident and got paraplegic, lost everything he had and once he was sitting on his wheelchair by the window looking at the sunset, he said this: "I had never stopped to see the sunset, had this big window and had never realized the sunset was so beautiful..." 

We tend to believe what we have is not the right size and we look for something "better" or "bigger" but the question is: How do we know enough is enough? 

In terms of rightness of size, this keeps me thinking about it.

2. What would happen if there was no rightness of size and things can be as large or small as people wanted? (e.g. a virtual class with 200 students)

Like in the story, if there wasn't we may get hit by a pumpkin instead of a walnut and get really hurt. Things tend to get out of control when they are not the right size and not work properly or cause disorder. Education in schools is a typical example, you see classes with 30 or 40 students, is it possible to personalize and take care of every single student's need in one class? It may be impossible, or if it is possible, it may be really hard and take long. 

3. Provide 2-3 ideas on how you would introduce the principle of rightness of size with your students.

I think that the situation we are living this days is a great example to use to illustrate the principle of rightness of size; however, we need to keep in mind that this should be applied based on the context of each place, people, country, etc. so as to meet the demands of it. 

Right now what is right is fewer people in a place, the distance should be around 2 meters away from other people (social distancing); all these "right" things are necessary to be respected now, based on the situation we are living.

Transport, the use of our resources, the oceans look clean now, some animals have returned to areas that were inhabited by humans, all that is showing us that there is such thing as rightness of size. 

Collaborative Leadership

1.  What interests or excites you about Collaborative Leadership at this point?

Interdependent leaders take the most out of their meetings to listen to people because they understand they need other people. Bigger objectives, objectives which involve results that transcend need everybody's collaboration. This is what my country needs now, we need to work together for one common goal and it is in the hands of interdependent leaders.

2. What seems challenging or not-so-interesting about Collaborative Leadership at this point?  

What is challenging is convincing everyone in the team, in the community, in the organization, in the classroom to get involved. To find the right approach, attitude, way to lead people to meet objectives. To identify every person's skills to become accountable to meet the objectives.

3. What are 2-3 aspects of collaborative leadership that you would like to focus on in your own learning? Why? 

These past weeks have been difficult for some people, some have been giving and correcting final exams, others have been finishing final reports. In addition, some others have been facing more directly the situation Covid is forcing us to face and in my case, I felt the need to work with my group to discuss and share views on our topics, since working on it on my own is actually more difficult. 

This same way, I believe I need to work not only on my own learning but also in many aspects of my life. I mostly like to do things on my own, I hardly ever ask for help -I'd say never. And sometimes I stay longer not doing what I'm supposed to be doing and not finishing what I'm supposed to be finishing. We do need people and it is nothing bad to work together and accept different ways of thinking, different ways to see things. I've got lots of great feedback and stories, and views from people in my discussion group. I really appreciate the great effort they are all doing, and even though for the past weeks we have not been able to meet, it's been beneficial for me to get to know them and feel their cooperation.

I have started a project I had left on standby for very long time and I had left it like that because I was doing it on my own. I then realized I needed help to move forwards and started working on getting the people I needed -yes, I needed people to work together. I have two partners now, they are so involved and we have started working, we are far from where I was some months ago.