End of the semester progression

I can't say whether or not I am working towards my leadership style, but I can definitely say that I am working on who I am. I am not sure if figuring out who I am makes me a better leader, but to me a better leader it is important to know I am. This semester has been a rough one, but through it all, I am learning many things about many different things.

One of the moments that are sticking out as I think about this is friendships and the role it has played in my life. Being a part of a clique makes things harder and makes it harder to get to know other people. Due to the break up of a strong friendship, it has led me to interact and socialize with people that I otherwise would not have. As a leader, it is important to be open to associating with different types of people. Actually, I am grateful that I was able to become Tamasia instead of a member of some 'clique.' It's important to be able to become a person, stand along, and be an individual, especially if one wants to be a leader.

Specifically, when it comes to my leadership style - It is hard to say which leadership style is MY leadership style. Simply put, and I can't remember which book said this, but it is hard to have one leadership style. One has to be able to adapt and flip flop depending on the situation at hand. So, I guess I am working on my leadership style by being able to adapt and know how to take charge and make progress by looking at what needs to be handled.

Personally speaking, and like Madsen's book, things that take place in one's childhood or life- add to their leadership potential. With the many downfalls that has taken place within the past few months, I have learned to remain optimistic and believe that things will work out how they should be, plus being able to cope and sustain through the hard times makes one able to be a strong leader. Simply put, I am working on my leadership style by dealing with the discrepancies that are tossed my way.

Being a leader means a lot... but one has to have the personality to go along with it. The personality has to be many qualities; too many to name in fact. It's hard to think about what I am doing to work on my leadership style because although I am a leader and capable of taking initiative and making change, most times I do not consider myself a leader. Having taken this class, I have learned a lot and was enriched greatly.

Tamasia J. to the rescue!

One night, I was hanging out with one of my guy friends. He's a really cool guy. He makes me laugh, he's really sweet and for the most part, he does all the right things.. some of the time. We're hanging in his dorm, talking and laughing like we always do and he gets a phone call. It was weird because his phone was flipped over and on silent and somehow I saw it lighting up. I tell him is phone was ringing. He answers and from that point on it was not good.

As he is on the phone listening to whomever he is talking to, his tone does not sound good. I'm listening and hoping that it's not what I was thinking it was. Unfortunately, it was. A man who has had a strong impact on his life has suddenly died an awful death. Now, at first I didn't know this and I also did not know what to do, because for the most part, we are fairly new in each others' lives. People respond differently and need different things when they are hurt or angry or even happy. Honestly, I did not know what to do. All I could do was what I would have wanted if that would have happened to someone close to me. Oh man, I would be devastated.

When he began to cry, I knew it was something major. Still a little unsure, I took him my arms and told him if he needed to talk I was all ears. He began to cry on me and it was so sad and cute at the same time. After a while, he began to talk. I never said anything. All I did was listen. I still did not know what to do. Something like this has never happened to me before. I continued to hold him and if he began to cry harder, I would hold him tighter just to show that I was there. I was.

For the next couple of days, I checked on him here and there. I did not want to smother him. I mean, this person is something like a stranger. I did want him to know that I cared because I sincerely did.

Now that I think about it, I am glad I was there because I was not going to go and hang out with him that night. It’s weird the way things work out.

What would I do differently? Nothing. I think I handled the situation quite well. The entire time, I was thinking about my favorite person. If she was to suddenly not be in my life, I would go crazy. Even though her and I do not communicate all the time, just knowing that I CAN makes me smile. It would be difficult knowing that I could not call her for whatever reason, especially when she has been there for me through the tough times the last couple of years. I don't know, life is tough sometimes. One just has to be able to take the ball that's thrown at them and run with it.

I wonder, did I run? Or did I drop the ball?

TJ.