Transitional Moments

As a teacher, you live for the transitional moments when students evolve. Today I was lucky enough to experience three such moments. My teaching days on Mondays run from 8am to 7:45pm and the traditional moments were perfectly spaced throughout my day.

The first moment was at the end of my morning class when just one of the students and I were still in the room packing up our belongings. The student said to me, "you know what, I like what we are discussing. Next quarter I graduate and I would like to pursue this as a job focus." Wow! Fantastic! During the class I noticed that the student was catching on to the concepts and presenting some very sophisticated ideas. I told the student I had noticed this and their eyes lit up.

The next transitional moment occurred on the elevator between classes when I ran into a student from a previous quarter. This student told me that they had figured out how to balance their workload and get A's. Three classes was the perfect balance and they had recognized what work with that mix and were trying to increase their load to four classes with all A's. "I'm keeping my eye on the end goal" said the student - we had discussed goals in their class.

My evening class had the third transitional moment. A student with a big personality had been wavering between adding to and distracting (as well as detracting) from the class with their powerful presence. I talked to the student before class and said, "you are a leader in this class and set the tone. How can we use your powers for good?" The student came up with some ideas and in class they demonstrated their positive leadership. Other students who were on the fence responded to the this student's new focus and were also more engaged.

For me, these interactions were also learning experiences. I am recognizing when to step in, step back and step aside. Perhaps this an evolution of my work as a teacher. Confrontation is not easy for me and I believe that I embraced my personal values of open-heartedness and helping people reach their dreams to be successful. Plus, I found my grounding.

Every day is a learning experience as a teacher.

The Big Five in Leadership

As I plunge into my EdD in Organizational Leadership studies I'm like a sponge absorbing information. We're using e-books which makes highlighting so much easier and I'm finding myself underlining big chunks of our first text: Leadership: Theory and Practice (fifth edition) by Peter G. Northouse.

You may be as surprised as I was by the first characteristic on the list of Five-Factor Personality Model and Leadership.


Neuroticism:
The tendency to be depressed, anxious, insecure, vulnerable, and hostile

Extraversion:
The tendency to be sociable and assertive and to have positive energy

Openness:
The tendency to be informed, creative, insightful, and curious

Agreeableness:
The tendency to be accepting, conforming, trusting, and nurturing

Conscientiousness:
The tendency to be thorough, organized, controlled, dependable, and decisive

The text states, "Specifically, in their study (Judge, T. A., Bono, J. E., Ilies, R., & Gerhardt, M. W. (2002). Personality and leadership: A qualitative and quantitative review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 765–78), extraversion was the factor most strongly associated with leadership. It is the most important trait of effective leaders. Extraversion was followed, in order, by conscientiousness, openness, and low neuroticism. The last factor, agreeableness, was found to be only weakly associated with leadership."

Fostering Leadership in Partnership

Something I've learned about myself, over the past few years, is that I am loyal to partnership - specifically romantic partners. Not sure why but I hold on tight, even if it hurts me, even if the person is the wrong fit. In the rest of my world I'm all about self preservation, protection, privacy - the three "p's". That is why watching shows like Sons of Anarchy and Mafia films pulls me in - I'm so interested in that cross-over of loyalty to self, to the partnership and to the "pack".

Recently I've been spending time with dogs. Growing up we had a dog but it wasn't integrated into our family, shamefully. The dog craved our attention, needed our interaction yet we pushed him away. Unfortunately, I was the one who found him at the end of his life. Over the years I have had dreams of this dog speaking to me, he is a lion, he is strong, glowing, and loving.

I'm learning that dogs look up to a pack leader. They need a power above them in order to stay sane. This is yet another lesson I learned from TV - watching The Dog Whisperer. For me, following a leader always feels like selling out or bowing to religion. I don't do those things. But dogs need that order, and perhaps people do as well.

This balance of leader and follower has always been a challenge for me. Yet it is different when I'm in a one-to-one relationship. I wouldn't say I'm a follower, just loyal to my partner. Being on my own has been an interesting challenge as I am now a bit of a drifter, a floater, unattached. My inclination is to be attached so that I have that balance, that greater meaning. This loyalty is indescribable and insurmountable, a gravity to which I am pulled.

Over the weekend I met a Staffordshire Bull Terrier and was blown away by this dog's brilliance, loyalty and affection. He was eager to meet me, so different from the barking dogs that immediately go into defense mode. As my visit to his home extended he began to guard me and by the time I was ready to go home he was cuddling on me with his had on my neck. It was such a surprising interaction, especially from a pit bull. It reflected on the relationship he has with his "pack leader" who clearly provides stability, continuity and strength. A very safe feeling.

My life doesn't feel unsafe but I am drifting, place holding, looking. This is such a difficult dilemma as a woman of nearly 41. I never thought I would be on my own and although it is good to be strong and independent it is incomplete. Out here in CA I have my peeps, my friends, family, career...I work with artists who form their own packs, with Boards of Directors that are also packs. Perhaps in the classroom I am the "pack leader" and I am embracing that role as well.

But in my personal life I crave that partnership, union. All these other roles are merely foster relationships in which I overindulge to fill in that empty space. Striking a balance is oh so difficult.

Taking it a Step Higher

Yesterday I reached two career goals that are taking me to the next level in my leadership evolution. These accomplishments seem sudden on one hand, but they've been years in development. Or, I've been years in development.

The first is that I have been elected as President of the Board of Pro Arts, an artist service and exhibition organization based here in Oakland. I've been involved in the organization for years - acting as a Board consultant and also as an Artist-Member. Over the past six months in particular the organization has found its footing by taking over a gallery space on the Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in Oakland's City Center. Their level of professionalism has increased and I'm impressed. Being involved in a leadership role, that is steeped in accountability, has me jazzed. I know that under the direction of Executive Director, Margo Dunlap, the organization is in good hands. We're going to make a great team - taking it to the next level.

The second is being hired on as the Interim Director of Operations and Communications for an Education Foundation based in San Francisco. This organization, which I'll identify in later a post, provides amazing college-prep programs for High School students. I've had the opportunity to participate as a volunteer over the past year. Several of my colleagues are involved in the organization and I trust them and clearly they trust me.

Both of these roles take me to the next level in my career. Now is my opportunity to utilize my leadership teaching and put it into practice. Stepping into my stretch zone in 2010 and living my dreams. Now to work on my art!

Pulling Myself Together

Yesterday I rented a Uhaul and picked up my final two moving boxes from San Francisco and brought them to Alameda. It was like a right of passage riding my bike to the Uhaul place, renting the truck, sitting in Bay Bridge traffic, paying the toll, working my way across San Francisco, picking up the boxes, again sitting in Bay Bridge traffic, dropping the boxes off at my new place, returning the truck and then riding my bike back home. This was bookended with my favorite yoga class and seeing the movie Mama Mia.




Unpacking the boxes this morning I discovered all the little bits and pieces that make a place feel like home. These are the collections of things I brought to London and continued to grow over the years. A collection of glass hearts, hand crafted eggs, my etchings, scarves, and ceramics. Placing them around my place I instantly felt like this is home. Unfortunately there were a few broken items but not bad considering they were shipped from the UK to DC and then on to SF.


Seeing Mama Mia with Rachel and David was the ultimate ending to the day. Meryl Streep, as always, is an inspiration. Clearly I identified with her character as I dreamt last night that I had her long, long blond hair. More than her hair I felt touched by the duality of her character's strength/vulnerability, calm/panic, age/agelessness, creativity/practicality. This photo captures it all, especially the setting - her bedroom in Greece.



After leaving the film we chatted about saving for the future. What is it that I am saving for? Rachel reminded me, the farm and continuing my work in international civic leadership. How quickly I was distracted from my clearly-stated goals during my whirlwind reconnection with Bay Area life.


This image of Meryl stretching herself apart and at the same time pulling herself together while jumping madly on her bed is how I'm feeling these days.

Go ahead, ask me what I do

I've evolved my career description to:

International nonprofit business development consultant and leadership coach

Simone says it is too long but it is what I am. Notice arts and culture has slipped away. Interesting. I was reflecting on my Linked In title and realised that I have evolved beyond Arts & Culture Management Consultant. Feeling really good about the evolution.

Being Decisive

I meant to post this on the Career Goals: Take the Lead blog. You can read it there.

Midcareer Arts & Culture Managers Survey

Arts management consultant Victoria J. Saunders (we both participated in the Americans for the Arts leadership think tank in July) is conducting a research survey amongst midcareer arts and culture managers. She has been asked to write an article about the state of the arts and mid-career leadership for CultureWork (an online publication from the University of Oregon's Arts Administration program).

Participate in Victoria's research by taking a few minutes to complete the online survey. Deadline for participation is Wednesday, September 12. Also please feel free to pass the link on to others who you feel fill the - mid career criteria (defined by Victoria as 15-years in the field(+/-) and 35 years of age and older.)