Reading Reflection 2

It's about that time to continue to reflect on my reading of The Engaged Leader : A Strategy for your Digital Transformation. I have had a very busy week, so I did not get as much reading completed as I wanted, but some progress is better than none.

When I have to take time away from a reading, I will usually go back and reread the last 2 pages from the previous chapter, and I cannot believe that I did not mention the last page in my previous post. So far that has been my most favorite page in the book. It states "Being an engaged leader in the digital era means knowing what your goals are and what tools to use to achieve them. It also means being brave and bold enough to step into the fray: listen to followers, share yourself with them, and engage them directly in new and amazing ways." Beautifully said! It is all about having a plan and demonstrating the courage to get there!

In the reading this time listening was the main focus. It was entitled Listening at a Scale. Too many people in today world listen to respond rather than listen to understand. This chapter has taken a moment to really break down what it means to listen. Now this doesn't mean literally listening, but rather paying attention to what is being said either directly or indirectly. "The key is that you listen with your eyes to many people all at once, anytime, and from anyplace." How can one listen with their eyes? Well, they have to be involved with digital tools and resources.  David Thodey, the CEO of Australia's telecom giant Telstra, is the model of listening with our eyes. He gets up early every morning and reads what is being said about his company. He pays particular attention to his enterprise social network on Yammer to review the overnight activity. He isn't just listening to fancy critics, but what real people with real problems are speaking about. He not only looks over these, but will usually post discussion in response to keep them moving along. Thodey is engaged and active in listening therefore giving him the knowledge needed to make better decisions.

When reading different post, it is important to remain aware of the source. Find a small group that you trust the most and rely on them. These should not be your best friends, but someone who is honest and trustworthy. It is also a great idea to follow specifics. Twitter is a great source to use for this because you can search a specific # and filter comments only based around specific ideas.

The last step in listening is assigning guardrails when listening. It is important to not have any distractions. If distractions are present, listening is not the main priority and listen will not last long.

Overall, I am really enjoying this book! I hope to really stay on pace or actually finish early! I enjoy reading the material and seeing how I am or can use the idea in my own life!

The Engaged Leader - Introduction

The Engaged Leader
Introduction:
After the 1st paragraph I was sold on this book! It starts off mentioning Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM and easily one of the most powerful women in the world. She has a twitter account, but has yet to post anything! I immediately thought "that's me." I have a Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter account, but I do not post on any of them. I only follow others. Then I thought, what if the world was made up of only people like me, followers? As I continued to read about Rometty, I notice the way in which she is described and how she chooses to lead. "She maintains a laser like focus on her larger goals, recognizing that there's a big difference between a strategic embrace of the new digital world and superficial symbolism."  I completely agree with this statement. People these days seem to focus more on the superficial symbolism rather than their actual goals. Do I want my learners being superficial or obtaining the learning goals? As I continue to read about Ginni Rometty, I keep telling myself, I really need to meet this woman!

With all the technology of the world, it is truly difficult to know what tools are valuable and which are not. "Rometty and other similar leaders know the value of social and digital tools, and they use them wisely. They don't chase every bright shinny app or platform that comes along." Too many times teachers and leaders want to be cool or hip and they try these new tools without any knowledge of them being valuable. It is time to start being a Ginni Rometty and using valuable tools wisely. The Engaged Leader: A Strategy for Your Digital Transformation  defines a leader as someone who uses digital, mobile, and social tools strategically to achieve established goals as they relate to leading people and managing organizations. This just sounds fancy doesn't it? My favorite sentence of the entire introduction followed that definition. "If your palms aren't sweaty and your stomach isn't churning, then you probably aren't practicing engaged leadership." This made me laugh because since June 3rd, when class started, my palms have been sweaty and my stomach has been churning because I am not the most comfortable person with technology. I don't know all the tools and neat ways to teach content, so here I am. Expanding my knowledge and taking a leap of faith to become a better engaged leader in my community and school.

"Leaders now have a direct link to customers."How true is this? 100% True. The first example that popped into my mind when I read that statement was Chic-Fil-A. The customer service displayed at most Chic-Fil-A restaurants is phenomenal. The mangers are out speaking with the customers. They are taking trays and cleaning them to help with staff. This speaks volumes and that is a direct reflection of how well the business does. It sure isn't the prices on the menu. Don't get me wrong. I love the food, but I can find food equally as good at another restaurant cheaper, but I choose not to because of the direct link I have as a customer to their leader. My thought process behind this is, what if I take this approach to my classroom. I don't lower my standards (prices). I increase my link to my students. I make myself more available with the incorporate of technology. The days of simple email as the only form of communication are over. Email is great, but to have the full interaction or direct link, leaders need to embrace more than email.

The book is broken down into 4 chapters: Listen at a Scale, Share to Shape, Engage to Transform, and Transform to Organize. Sounds like an easy plan for a leader right? Simply listen, share, engage, and transform. I am really looking forward to reading more! Who knows, I might finish it early! :)