HDF 190:

FIRST YEAR LEADERS INSPIRED TO EXCELLENCE

LEADERSHIP PORTFOLIO

Emily McCormack
SPRING 2018

emilym262@my.uri.edu
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Strengths SLIDE #3
Opening Statement SLIDE #4
Section 1: Self Leadership SLIDE #5
Section 2: Leadership Theories SLIDE #6
Section 3: Leadership Theories Continued SLIDE #7
Section 4: Inclusive Leadership SLIDE #8
Section 5: Interpersonal/Organizational Leadership SLIDE #9
 Signature Strengths
Woo
Learner
Input
Strategic
Intellection

Values in Action Strengths

Love
Fairness
Teamwork
Judgment
Perspective
 OPENING STATEMENT
I began to realize my love for leadership during my last two years of high school mainly
because I saw that if I put drive into any goal, it could be accomplished. My leadership
journey here at URI took off after I attended Leadership Institute and learned about
the Leadership Studies minor. I love working alongside other people that share the same
visions as I do and want to make a change, whether it be small or big. Leadership is all
about continual growth and adaptation, which means it is not a competition. Throughout
HDF 190 I have learned that as a leader you have the potential to push others to see
themselves as a leader, and to guide them in recognizing their strengths/values and how
they can apply them. Sometimes when one hears the word leader they think that it has to
be a specific type of person so they naturally shy away. That is why I want to reach out
to others throughout this journey so that they do not feel that way. Instead I want them to
be able to see that everyone has leadership potential no matter where they are from or
what their background is.
 SECTION 1
Self Leadership
In Nursing 100 we learned Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs when we discussed a chapter about
health and wellness. Abraham Maslow developed a hierarchy of human needs in 1971, which include five
levels of priority in the form of a pyramid. Maslow believed that people are motivated to achieve certain
needs and some of those are considered more important than others. The goal of this level system is to
eventually reach the point of self-actualization, which is the fifth level. The first level represents the most
basic physiological needs that humans yearn for such as air, water, and food. The second level contains
the physical needs such as safety and security, which can also be connected to psychological needs. The
third level is the need for love and belonging which can be found in friendship, relationships, and sexual
love. The fourth level is categorized by self-esteem needs such as respect, dignity, and the approval from
others. The top level is self-actualization which is the state of fully achieving potential. At this level one
should be able to ask themselves reflecting questions such as “Did I do a good job?”. Most of the time, an
individual does not reach their full potential until later in their life. Once one is able to reach the point of
self-actualization they will be accepting of others, express a genuine quality, get along easier with others,
have a desire to want to serve humanity, and have a greater ability to solve problems and cope with hard
times.

khanacademymedicine. “Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs | Behavior | MCAT | Khan Academy.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 Sept. 2013,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6PEf9WtEvs.
 SECTION 2
Leadership Theory and Models
In HDF 190 we learned that social change addresses the root causes of problems and is a completely
collaborative effort. The Social Change Model is made up of three levels: individual, group and society. The levels
work together in a feedback loop with the ultimate goal to create change. Each level consists of a critical set of
values, together forming the seven C’s of social change. The individual level is where one focuses on developing
and understanding their personal qualities, self-awareness, and values. The three C’s associated within the
individual level are Consciousness of Self, Congruence, and Commitment. To have Consciousness of Self means
to practice mindfulness, and to be aware of personal beliefs, values, attitudes, and emotions. Congruency means
to walk the talk, so that your actions match your words. When one is committed they follow through with plans
and tasks, show involvement and an investment of time. The group level of this model emphasizes Collaboration
and interaction between the group and the individual. The three C’s that fall within this level are Collaboration,
Common Purpose, and Controversy with Civility. Collaboration means to work together, share responsibility, and
to use the multiple talents or perspectives in the group to get creative results. When a group has a Common
Purpose, it means that they have the same collective aim, values and vision. Controversy with Civility is the
ability to realize that disputes and disagreements are unavoidable but still allow differing opinions to be shared.
The society level focuses on bringing about change for the common good and contains the remaining C which is
Citizenship. Citizenship challenges individuals to see themselves as part of a bigger whole, and to engage with
the greater community (Astin, Helen S. and Alexander W. Astin).
 SECTION 4
Leadership Theory and Models (Pt. 2)
In HDF 190 we learned that Robert Greenleaf created the foundational idea of Servant Leadership in 1970. According to Greenleaf, a
servant-leader is someone who has a natural feeling to want to serve. There are ten characteristics of the Servant Leadership Theory that are central
to the development of a servant-leader. Those ten characteristics are Listening, Empathy, Healing, Awareness, Persuasion, Conceptualization,
Foresight, Stewardship, Commitment to the Growth of People, and Building Community. These characteristics are split into three categories
represented by a Venn diagram. One of the circles contains characteristics of the Servant which include Listening, Empathy, and Healing. Listening,
a foundational communication skill, is important because it demonstrates respect towards others and results in a greater understanding of who they
are. It is also necessary to listen and then reflect to grow and improve as a servant leader. Similar to Listening, Empathy as a servant-leader is the
ability to further understand others by accepting and recognizing how they feel by how they express themselves. An empathetic servant-leader
rejoices the uniqueness of others and does not focus on the negative attributes that may be associated with them. The Healing characteristic is
about being collaborative and working to restore the faith of yourself and others. Servant-leaders recognize the opportunity to lift the spirits of
others in certain interactions, and also need to be able to realize when their own spirits need to be lifted. In the Leader circle of the diagram the four
characteristics that are represented are Awareness, Persuasion, Conceptualization, and Foresight. Awareness is the ability to be conscious of
others values, beliefs, cultures, and opinions. A servant-leader should also be self-aware of their actions and words to establish an inclusive
environment. The reliance on Persuasion is what servant-leaders use to convince others to see their way rather than to force them. A servant-leader
might express why they believe serving others is vital to one’s growth, but they will be respectful if someone does not agree with their thoughts.
Conceptualization means that servant-leaders are able to see beyond day-to-day realities and focus on broad concepts within an organization or
planning initiative. This takes a lot of discipline because it is hard to take a step back when day-to-day operations are extremely energy consuming.
However, a servant-leader will be able to find a balance between conceptual thinking and a day-to-day operational approach. Similarly, Foresight is
the ability to foresee the likely outcome of a situation based on past experiences and present realities. A servant-leader will be able to foresee a
consequence while experiencing a specific situation but has the power to change the outcome through action. In the middle section of the diagram,
where the two circles of Servant and Leader overlap, the remaining three characteristics are Stewardship, Commitment to the Growth of People, and
Building Community. The characteristics of the Servant and the Leader are combined to show how a servant-leader can be involved in the greater
community. Servant-leaders use Stewardship to hold their institutions in trust with society, which means that they express a commitment to serving
others and demonstrate reliability. It also means that openness and persuasion are emphasized, instead of power or control. The Commitment of the
Growth of People is how servant-leaders show that they are completely committed to the growth of all people that they are serving. They do that
through actions of encouragement, offering assistance, and showing an interest in the ideas and suggestions of others. Finally, servant-leaders
notice that there is a need for community building and have the ability to share their realizations with others to create awareness and movement.
Building Community is all about bringing institutions or organizations together to form a wider community and collaboration on respectful levels.

Greenleaf, R. K. (1991). The servant as leader. Indianapolis, IN: Robert K. Greenleaf Center.
 SECTION 3
Inclusive Leadership/Diversity and its Application to Leadership
In HDF 190 we focused on inclusive leadership throughout the semester. I aim my actions and words
towards being an inclusive leader with the help of my strengths and values. Some of the ways that I demonstrate
inclusive leadership is by being aware of myself and my surroundings, encouraging others to share their
opinions openly, showing empathy, and through active listening. My value strengths of Love, Judgment, and
Fairness along with my strength of Input are what I utilize most to be an inclusive leader. A specific time where I
developed my code of inclusive leadership was when I was a camp counselor at a ten-day Christian camp. My
main responsibility was to mentor campers and encourage them to grow stronger in their faith. Within my group
there were many different types of personalities that I had to direct my leadership skills towards. Since my group
was so diverse I had to enforce inclusivity so that they felt comfortable with me and with each other. I used Love
from the minute that I first met with my group to show excitement, high energy, commitment and my desire to
grow with them throughout our time together. I also had to use Love when dealing with emotional situations to
show that I care and am a support system. During brainstorming times for skit night and the talent show I had to
use my strengths of Judgement and Fairness to make sure that everyone in my group was sharing their ideas
and supporting each other. My strength of Input also helps me because I am always reflecting on how I could
improve my inclusive leadership skills by storing information from past experiences and using that to grow. I see
inclusive leadership as a way of being conscious of everyone that you are surrounded by and noticing when they
feel left out. It is all about being aware and then using words, actions, strengths and values to be inclusive or
encourage others to be.
 SECTION 5
Interpersonal and Organizational Concepts and Skills

At the FLITE retreat we were encouraged to practice active listening. It is an important skill to
be able to focus on the person speaking and show them that you are being attentive to what they have to
say. Active listening can be demonstrated in many different ways. The active listening grid that we used
as a guide is comprised of five ways to become a better listener. It can be practiced through encouraging,
restating basic ideas, reflecting feelings, clarifying, and summarizing. Each of those five components that
help guide active listening have a clear goal, the process to get there, and an example of what to say listed
under them. It is important to encourage someone to keep talking by head nodding or letting them know
that you understand what they have to say through simple phrases. Restating basic ideas can be
demonstrated by restating the speaker’s basic ideas to check for understanding and show interest.
Reflecting feelings means to focus on how the person seems to feel and acknowledge it by restating their
feelings to make sure you are not misinterpreting their meaning. Clarifying allows you to get additional
information and push the speaker to think deeper or elaborate on their thoughts or ideas. Finally,
summarizing means that you restate, and reflect on the main points or ideas that the speaker expressed,
to show them that you have stayed focus. Active listening also allows the speaker to improve their
communication skills, if they realize that they might need to explain things better to get their point across.