My Featured Journal Entries
I got the vibe when I walked into Deer Valley Friday night that it was going to be a good time, but it was better than I had expected. I was surprised at how loud and involved the crowd was with the trivia, that was a great idea. (Norm, your team was in first up until the end). I've been anxious to hear about the night from my classmates perspective. I hate to see our last group project come to an end, which only means about two months left in this program. I've learned a priceless amount thus far, and I'll share some of the things I've learned while working on these class projects. You'll learn a lot about yourself when working on a team, if you allow yourself to. Being self aware isn't something I really took serious until my senior year. Understanding other people, and how they perceive you, is crucial. I think you can make a lot more friendships by being self aware, it's really a great thing to practice everyday. Another thing I've learned while working in these group projects is to be willing to listen to opposing views. I don't just mean wait for them to be done talking and then fire back your idea that you think is better than theirs. Consider what your peers say, let it sink in, and give them your thoughts about it. I think some of my classmates have had trouble getting their ideas across to others because of this concept. In summary; don't be a know it all, and if you are, let other people voice their opinions. Lastly, success is more achievable when your team is committed to one another. This one is kind of a no brainer, but it can be one of the hardest things to build. One of my favorite parts of class is being social with everyone. As relationships grow, there are inside jokes made, a real understanding of one another, and a sense of belonging. When this type of stuff starts happening, I know I have a commitment to my team and feel a part of something. Just some thoughts of what I've learned working with the class.
03/05/2017
With the talk of leadership in our classroom, I decided to whip out Leadership Excellence. I remember Le giving us a little preview of the book so I put it on my christmas list. I just got through the introduction but I think it will be one of those books I lend out to friends in the future, very insightful. This morning I read a little article on my phone that revolved around leadership. The title was Taming Your Own Ego. It was about how a leader's ego can really strengthen or weaken the relationship between the people who follow. The part that really got my attention was about humility. Some think that humility and leadership are incompatible but I don't see that to be true. Personally, I think that a leader who exposes themselves to humility makes them more humble. It's easier for me to follow someone who can admit to mistakes and show their true colors than to follow someone who hides their humility. The article mentioned some of the ways leaders can expose themselves to "humility." Appoint someone, not someone that will be your yes man, but someone who will criticize your ideas and warn you of hubris. This is like when we play devil's advocate in class. Most of our projects are over for the year but I wonder what it would be like if we had someone appointed to keep the project manager in check. Sounds kind of tricky. "A leader who strips him- or herself of a few material perks might find it easier to maintain a more approachable attitude." Then the article brought up the former Uruguay President, Jose Mujica, and how he donated 90 percent of his monthly salary to charity. Instead of living in the presidential palace, he chose to live on his small farm and ride his bike or drive his old VW beetle to work. It's a little different approach than what our current president is taking. The most humble athlete I ever played with was also the best athlete I ever played with. Weird how that works.
02/19/2017
"One last thought that came to my head while typing. I am learning what an impact the closing of the Steel Mill did to the Sauk Valley's economy and also what businesses were conceived because of it. Sauk Valley Container started because of the Mill's need for local boxes and they never once had a box made for the Steel Mill. Carol's Food Bank was created when the Mill closed down. I'm curious to learn of other businesses that are here today because of the closing."
***Editor's note: Tristen agreed it might be fun to see if any of our readers might like to weigh in on his curiosity. Send your thoughts to lhartman@wacc.cc
10/09/2016
"Having guest speakers is my favorite part of class (other than actually getting our hands dirty in a class project), they inspire me to do something with my life. The speakers Thursday were very successful and had a boat load of information for us. Cathy Kakuska story was the most interesting to me but the words she recommended to live by are what have stuck in my head all weekend. She said we should all be perusing excellence and dominance in our lives, but growing profitably while doing so. Also with having these speakers, I feel sort of obligated to be the best that I can because they expect us to be these great kids. That is not a bad thing though."
09/25/2016