# data[].attributes.body
My first goal is about knowing more about myself. During the development of the course we did many activities related to this, and I learned a lot from that. One of the things I discovered is that it is much easier to find what I am doing well, our abilities and strengths, but it is harder to realize that we also have things to improve. We called these areas blind spots. According to Daft and Lane (2018), they are “characteristics or habits that people are not aware of or don’t recognize as problems, but which limit their effectiveness and hinder their career success” (p. 101).

The goal that I set for me then, is to develop self-awareness by discovering my blind spots and work on them in order to be a better leader.

# data[].attributes.body
This song is interpreted by the choir where I sing. Lyrics are in the description.

# data[].attributes.body
Another topic that we studied during the course, was the different types of leaders. In chapter 6 of our book, it is said that Servant Leadership is the ultimate expression of “turning followers into leaders, thereby developing their potential rather than using a leadership position to control or limit people” (Daft and Lane, 2018, p. 176).

For the assignment where we interviewed an exemplary leader, our interviewee showed the characteristics of this type of leader. The example of our interviewee plus what we studied during the course made me want to set me the goal of becoming a Servant Leader, applying love when leading.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
LEADING WITH LOVE - A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

# data[].attributes.body
In order to meet my first goal, I will start by doing two things. The first one will be “undergo ruthless self-examination” (Daft and Lane, 2018, p. 101). The idea is to analyze myself thinking about my strengths and weaknesses, but focusing in the last ones in order to be mindful and take action into changing what is wrong. I plan to take a moment every day, maybe at nights, to think back to a situation that did not go so well for me. I can ask myself what my thoughts were during that moment or what feelings I experienced. By doing this I will be developing self-awareness and looking for my blind-spots.

The second step that I will take is what the book recommends in chapter 4, to “seek feedback from others to avoid being derailed by blind spots” (Daft and Lane, 2018, p. 101). The plan is to talk to people that know me and ask them what they see when I am not at my best, what they notice about my behavior, words and body language, among other questions that may help me see my blind spots.

# data[].attributes.body
In order to reach my second goal, there are two actions that I will take. The first one will be studying about and trying to apply leading with love and moral. Those aspects are relevant in a servant leader, that is why I want to be able to lead having them in mind. According to Daft and Lane (2018), “rational thinking and technical skills are important, but leading with love builds trust, stimulates creativity, inspires commitment, and unleashes boundless energy” (p. 158). I want to generate that environment when leading a group.

The second action that I will take will be paying attention to the leaders that I know. “Quality leadership is all around us every day, in all facets of our lives” (Daft and Lane, 2018, p. 4), therefore, learning from those who are applying servant leadership around me will be a good way to reach my goal. If I have the chance, I can talk to them and ask them how they lead with love, what the challenges are and how to face them.

# data[].attributes.body
Meeting my two goals will bring benefits for me and also for others. Regarding the first one, the book mentions that “when a leader understands himself or herself and overcomes blind spots, it becomes easier to understand and interact effectively with others” (Daft and Lane, 2018, p. 101). It also says that “when leaders deeply understand themselves, they remain grounded and constant, so that people know what to expect from them” (p.101).

In terms of my second goal, the benefits for me will be that I will feel better when leading, less stressed, because I will be capable of delegate and trust in my team, and, by applying love, the whole environment will be different. According to Daft and Lane (2018), followers respond better to love than to fear, their motivation will be different, as they will be doing their job because they love it and because they believe that their leader genuinely care (p. 158). By reaching my goal, the performance of the team will be improved.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of PA - SONGS—The Best Life Ever

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.artist
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of PA

# data[].attributes.body
Daft, R., & Lane, P. (2018). The leadership experience (Seventh ed.). Boston, MA, USA: Cengage Learning.