Post 15

1. Attitude is the way that you perceive something. It all depends upon the outlook that you have on whats occurring.
2. It's the attitude that a leader has that will lead them and their team to success. If they don't want to work and have a lackadaisical attitude then the rest the team will follow. If the leader wants to work, then the rest of the team will work.
3.Your attitude is your choice:
The attitude you have is ultimately determined by you. It's your choice to "wake up on the wrong side of the bed" or not. Even though bad things can happen, it's how you look at it and move on that will determine your attitude.
Your attitude determines your actions:
If you have a bad attitude about something then chances are you will never come to meet the full potential that is offered in your task.
Your people are a mirror of your attitude:
The leader influences the attitudes of the followers. If the leader has a bad attitude, then so will the team.

4. We have the ability of free will, meaning that no one thing or things can affect how we look at the world around us. We can choose to find join in our day if we want to, or we can decide that it was worthless.

Post 13

When Mr. Cain made the comment, "You have the choice to entertain your own thoughts" it left me with the impression that you don't have to accept other people's thoughts and opinions about how`you're leading. If you are being criticized by others about what you may be saying or doing even though it's for the betterment of the team, you have the ability to ignore them and not let those comments get to you or be "entertained".

In his story I'd say I'm an egg. I'll face an obstacle in life and to keep it from getting absorbed into my life I'll harden and then plow through it with little if any concern for others. I can stop and look at the problem and examamine why it's occuring and then use it to try and turn it into something good.

Post 12

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the Strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man whom is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again..... who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at least knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, while doing greatly, so that his places shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat."

This quote to me reminds me of the importance of the people who do the dirty work and don't get recognized for it. For example, the linemen in football are rarely congratulated for the holes made for the running back or the blocking up front for the quarterback to pass. The scout team goes even more unnoticed. They're just looked upon as someone on the sideline who must "suck" because they're not on the field when in reality they are the ones who should receive the credit for the victory.

Mr. Diers:

Being on time is huge for me. I'm rarely informed on anything, for example I found out just now about needing to turn in names this year for aeration and it's due tomorrow. Over Spring Break no one told me about baseball practice, so I didn't go and come to find out that they were mandatory. I need to improve not only being on time, but being knowledgeable in what time to be there and where. I need to become more consist ant in with becoming more informed so I can be present at required events.

How is “empowering good people” or “hiring good Huns” a good leadership move? Explain yourself…

By surrounding yourself with good people you will then have a lighter workload and be able to trust more. By being able to trust people more you'll then force yourself to build a relationship with that person, even if it is just superficial or strictly work or job related.

Post 11

As a player who has gone through times of depression and lack of motivation, I would first start making comments of encouragement to the struggling teammate. I've seen players who just feel like they aren't needed or cared about and enter a depression or slump. You'd have to ask them questions to identify why they are feeling like this.

What is the problem?
Often times they know what the problem is and they just need an outlet. Offer yourself to be that outlet.

Does this pertain to a certain person or group of people?
More often than not someone will go down into the dumps because they would rather be somewhere else... They might be verbally abused by a player(s) or coach or they would rather spend that time with their boyfriend or girlfriend who makes them feel valued.

Does this pertain to a certain event or group of events?
Sometimes a person may be on the downside of life's rollercoaster and lost sight of the finish. Find this out and how they lost sight so you can help fix the problem.

Post 10

In the ESPN E:60 video Walk On, a man with cerebral palsy decides to overcome his disability and achieve his dream of walking every hole of every course in every tournament on the 2008 PGA Tour (roughly 900 miles). He had to show courage and belief in himself in order to accomplish this since nobody thought that this was even possible. Not even the golfers themselves do that. Those who helped him had to sacrifice themselves by:

A-helping a disabled man who you may or may not know
B-face the possible fear and discomfort of being around a disabled person
C-be willing to accept criticism of straying from their game to reach out and help him if they are one of the participants.

Everyone he knew and helped him achieve this had to give up something, whether it be time or even bandaids (he put up to 8 bandaids on his toes that overlapped to minimize blistering). The courage this man had to face his disability and accomplish his dream was greater than what most people will ever put forth.

Post 9

"The heart of good leadership is sacrifice."

All good leaders must sacrifice. For example, this year one on our starting football unit quit because he wasn't playing the position he desired to play. Though our team went without him, because of his selfishness our team lost an asset that could have made a difference in some of the outcomes of the season. On the flip side, a leader that chooses to play for the team rather than himself will be sacrificing what he may desire. In doing so, he will then have earned the respect of his teammates and add to the influence he has on others.

In what ways do you display courage to those whom you influence?

In all honesty, I cannot answer this question. With the definition of courage being to face your fears I do not know a situtation that I have publically done this. I know that I make sacrifices for the team and though I do fear things, I have yet to encounter a situtation that has struck fear into my heart on the playing field or when those whom I influence are around. If something has happened where I have displayed courage when others were watching, I cannot recall it.

What does courage have to do with leadership?

"Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities... because it is the quality which guarantees all others." Winston Churchill

Courage places your fears aside and allows you to progress. For example, if Coach Arledge were to annouce that we were going to scrimmage Cherry Creek before we go and start the season, most people would freak out once they found out the reputation that this school has. It would take the leaders on the team to stand up and offer encouragement and inspire all the players to go ahead and play, even though they themselves will be feeling the exact same emotions.

Post 8

On Thursday March 3, 2010 we had our schools atheletic director come in and give a lecture on sacrifice. He made reference to past coaching experences that he has had and how each team that had success portrayed that each individual made sacrifices for the bettering of the team. He posed a question to the class asking that if we had a magic wand and could instill one characteristic in our team what would that one thing be? He made the comment that sacrifice was the one thing he wished his teams would automatically have. In response to that question, I put down unity. From both experence and observation a team that acts as one will attain all the tools they need to accomplish their goal. This would force people, not just a person, to make sacrifice.

Sacrifice=Selflessness
"Selflessness is the role to greatness" Phil Jackson