A520.1.2.RB - Self-Awareness Reyes, Cassandra

1. What do you notice in your results?

I feel as though my results were pretty consistent with my thoughts and personal feelings towards the questions as I felt I answered them as honestly as I could. My emotional control and diagnosis seemed to relate to my responses the way that I though it would as I tenfd to be an emotional person both personally and toward other individuals.

The Defining Issues test through me for a bit of a loop as I noticed I didn't really agree with the options that were listed in the answer key. I had a totally different opinion and outlook on what I considered of great importance and what I considered irrelevant information to the story at hand.


2. How much of this rang true for you?

I believe the self asssessment test was very straight foward in proving the person I am today. I think if an inividual was basing my personality off of this test, they would get a very good feel as to who I am, how I treat people, how I may feel toward people and my level of emotional intelligence and control. However, I feel as though, if an individual was basing the Defining Issues Test on my personality, I do not believe they would come out of it with a great understanding of how my thought process worked. I believe that the Defining Issues test doesnt allow for the individuals thought process to shine through and can therefore have conflicting results as to what the individual may actually feel and why.


 3. What did you see that you were expecting in the results?

I expected to see similiar repsonses or higher points for the self awareness assessment as I felt confident in the answers I was providing, as the questions related to emotional stability, control and diagnosis. I already had an idea of what my responses would be like considering I am naturally an emotional person and considered myself to be pretty stable and straight forward in this area.

The Defining Issues results test showed a high level of intolerance which I was unsure was looked upon in a negative aspect. Was high intolerance considered to be positive or negative? Did it depend upon the situation or story at hand and what the dilemma was, or was it just basing it upon an overall view of what I considered to be socially acceptable?


4. What were the surprises?

I didn't think I would be so far off in what was considered relevant information and irrelevant information in the Defining issues portion of the assessment. I think this is because I went more with emotion about the question rather than actual logic. I noticed I tend to do this as I am an emotional person.

If the story made me feel angry or mad, I may have had a different opinion on how I would react or what I would deem relevant or irrelevant. If I could relate to the story it may also sway my decisions. Therefore, I felt as though the test may not have been the greatest assessment of who I was or what my thought processes would be. I believe I would have to throught out almost all emotion behind the stories, so I could make decisions that were based upon straight logic instead of emotion.

5. How will you make use of this information?

I believe that these assessments have just made me more open minded, just like the other two courses in this program has. I feel as though the more excercises I do, the more open minded I become to so many various situations and examples both personally and professionally. The one thing I enjoy about this program the most is that pretty much everything is open for discussion and interpretation. I love reading on my classmates interpretations and learning new views, skills and lessons from them all. I think these assignments, my professors and my classmates, offer up such an open welcoming enviroment for allowing me to express my own thoughts, but challenge me to see things in a new light, instead of in such a static way. I will continue to use this information, as well as everything else I have learned to think and look outside of the box, and look for alternatives in the ways I view things or address them.

A520.1.6.RB - Self-Awareness Reyes, Cassandra

Describe how your level of self-awareness has changed since you began your MSLD program with respect to the "Five Core Aspects of Self-Awareness"

Core Self Evaluation

I feel as though my self- awareness has changed in a variety of ways since beginning the Leadership program. In regards to my Core Self Evaluation, I feel as though I have been able to guide my personality attributes to help guide my behavior and decision making, in both personal and professional environments. Core self evaluation uncovers levels of self esteem, self efficacy, emotional stability and self control. Therefore I feel as though my self esteem and self efficacy level has risen a great deal since joining the course.

As an introvert, I used to feel as though, I was at less of an advantage due to the personality traits of the extroverts I would be in competition with or working with, however over the course of the last two classes I have grown to realize the benefits of being an introvert and actually learned about a number of famous introverts who have been extremely successful, which gave me the confidence to embrace the introvert I am at heart. I also feel as though my emotional stability and self control have grown a lot since the beginning of the course as I feel I am more in control of my emotions and actions in a professional environment but even more so in my personal life.

Emotional Intelligence

I feel as though my emotional intelligence has also grown a lot since the starting of this course, as I tend to be more aware of the emotions of the individuals around me. I have learned that this is key in a professional environment, especially in a team setting. I think it is very important for managers to know and understand the emotional cues their subordinates are giving off, as their job performance may sometimes suffer from internal or external issues that are going on. I also think it is important for employees to understand the emotional intelligence of their managers or supervisors, so they may have an understanding as to why certain decisions are being made sometimes.

Attitudes Towards Change

            I believe that this is probably one of the areas I have grown most in so far, since starting this course. I think that my adaptability to various situations has allowed me the ability to gain control of certain situations I would usually have been uncomfortable with. I have grown to learn that I must continue to work on my weaknesses so they are no longer looked at as weaknesses but simply as an area that may need improvement.

            I also believe that while I have always taken responsibility for my actions, that I am also more in control of expressing the mistakes that I have made, taking responsibility from those mistakes and in turn learning from them. I believe that I have become less fearful in voicing my mistakes, as I know that mistakes are a part of everyday life and without them, you would never have the opportunity for improvement. I feel as though I am more successful in learning and growing because I have less of a fear of being viewed as someone who makes mistakes, instead of someone who makes them and learns from them to become better.

Cognitive Style

I feel as though my cognitive style has also grown a great deal from the start of this program until now. I feel this way because I feel as though my personal thought processes, perceptions and methods of acquiring and storing information is at a more advanced level than it used to be. I feel as though I look at a problem with a more open mind and allow myself more options in figuring out solutions to the issue at hand. Before I began the course, I would choose obvious solutions to an issue I would face and then most likely get stuck with how to solve the problem. Since the start of the program I feel like I can think outside the box now and come up with resolutions that are not so obvious to come to better, more effective solutions that can be used in the long run.

Values

I feel like my values have allowed me the ability to identify my personal standards and moral judgments and have allowed me to grow as an individual as I learn to embrace the challenges that I face throughout the years. I feel that professionally I have grown to be loyal and honest and hard working. I feel that I have learned to be a team player and have also learned what it takes to be a manager and leader. I truly believe that my level of integrity and confidence has also grown a great deal throughout the years and has provided me with the ability to truly believe that I can do what I set my heart on. I feel that my values have and will continue to strengthen as I continue to expand upon my education and challenge myself to become a better mother, wife, daughter, sister, and employee.

 Cassandra R.

MSLD 500_Module 9_Activity 9.4_Course Reflections Blog_Reyes,Cassandra

Reflect on the value of the course. Include both positive and negative aspects of your experience. What might you have done to improve your learning experience in the course? How might the University or your instructor provide additional support for your learning? Were there topics covered in this course that seem particularly relevant or irrelevant to your experiences and future?

There were a number of things I enjoyed in this course and a few things that I felt could have been done a bit better for the overall course. In Module 1, I enjoyed learning about the various different type of fallacies and reading the discussions my classmates posted on the fallacies they felt they had. In Module 2 I enjoyed reviewing the claim versus fact material as that specific assignment opened my mind on what the difference between a claim and a fact was.

I also enjoyed learning the difference between a body of information and a systems of thinking as this exercise also opened my mind to viewing the two types of information in very different ways. Another thing I enjoyed was being able to use the Hunt Library in a different way than I really ever have before. After learning all of the scholarly information the library held, it gave me a new outlet in looking up general information as well as valid and reliant information for my projects.

I also enjoyed the TED video by Sheena Iyengar on the art of choosing. I thought what she discussed and the way she spoke was very interesting as she was blind, and viewed the information in a very unique way. She gave me insight on the art of choosing and having options and the pros and cons of having too many or none at all. She held my attention in her speech much more than other speakers who were not blind and had more of an ability to interact with their audience.

I also liked the conspiracy theory assignment as I had seen a documentary on Amelia Earhart and enjoyed reviewing whether or not my classmates agreed or disagreed with the theories that were presented in the material. Lastly I enjoyed learning about good presentation design as presentations will always be an integral part of a business. I am glad I was able to use the Brain and Prezi so I may use these software systems in the future at my discretion. I also enjoyed the Blog submissions we have contributed to the course as it left a place for me to express myself in a more open way.

The few things that I would have changed would be the critical thinking test, as I feel the test didn’t really give a fair overall view of what we learned critical thinking was. I felt the questions were too broad and seemed to make it very difficult to what the answers would or could be. The only other thing I would have changed would have been the directions to some of the assignments. Some of the assignment questions or directions were very broad in general and it would have been nice to have a clearer picture of what was being asked of the class.

Overall I really enjoyed the course. It challenged me in a variety of ways and opened my eyes to a variety of views. While there were a few things I would have changed, I feel the course has helped me develop my critical thinking skills and has better prepared me for the next course I am looking to pursue in this program, as well has provided me with the ability to use a number of skills in my everyday personal and professional life.

MSLD500_Module 8_Activity 8.3_Good Presentation Design Blog_Reyes, Cassandra

            I think that a good presentation should include a variety of factors which will make it effective for both the presenter as well as the audience. A few suggestions in order to perform a good presentation are to ensure that you have a good introduction.  A presenter’s introduction is a great way to catch the attention of the audience. Tell them who you are, give a short story about yourself, but most importantly inform your audience of what you will be discussing and why it is important.

            Another suggestion would be to divide your presentation into several parts. Presenters must ensure that the information they are providing is clear cut and dry. Make sure you are not jumpi9ng from one point to another. You wouldn’t want to lose your audience because there are too many ideas you are trying to pitch at once. Your transitions should be smooth and seamless. After you have reached the end of what you are trying to express for a specific section, make sure that you conclude that section, reiterate what you have just discussed and maybe even address how it fits into you presentation as a whole.

            A great suggestion for presentations would be to use visual aids. If you happen to use too many slides or aids with wording, it is likely that it will be overlooked as the audience may not want to continue to read the information you are trying to discuss. Many people learn and understand material better by having a visual of what you are talking about, especially if you are discussing statistics. Use visual aids that are simplistic and are able to get your message across.

            Discuss your results. Explain the research you may have done to get the results you are currently discussing. Discuss all the positives and negatives of those results if necessary. Inform the audience of any further research that will be done to enhance those results or gain new ones. You want your audience to know that you have researched the information and gained the knowledge necessary to come to your conclusions. However, you also want to inform them that if necessary you will continue to continue to research new methods or ensure that your current results are up to date.

            Other suggestions for great presentations would also be what I listed in my class discussion, as I feel that presentations are a bit more about the way an audience is engaged than what is being presented. What good is it to have an informative presentation when no one is paying attention? Therefore, I think it is necessary to incorporate the following tactics into a presentation, so you may have as good of a presentation as possible.

Next, try to use your charisma, character and energy to your advantage. No one wants to sit through a boring production, and no presenter wants to see people falling asleep through their own presentation. Try and make the information you are providing interesting and engage and interact with your audience as much as possible.

Tone is such an important element in a speech/presentation. Try to change your tone for different parts of the presentation or to what you are saying. Again, if something is exciting say it in an exciting manner, if something is funny, smile or even laugh, if something is serious, change the tone of your voice and speak slowly so the audience understands the importance of the information you are speaking. 

PAUSE. Think before you speak and use pauses to your advantage. This will ensure you are not running through the information too quickly and will give your audience the opportunity to think about what you are saying and come to their own conclusions. This is an extremely effective way to get your audience engaged, and have them remember what was discussed.

Communication is probably one of the most important factors in a presentation to make it successful. The audience must be able to understand what you are saying. Therefore, don’t use language that is too formal or fancy. You run the risk of a good number of people in your audience either losing interest or not understanding the information. It is best to present the material in easy to understand ways. Remember, you can still be professional without having to be overly formal.

The last two suggestions I have for great presentations would be do not overload the audience with too much information. You want to make sure your presentation is as clear and concise as possible. Providing too much information at once, may start to confuse some members of the audience. Lastly, make sure that you are on schedule with your presentation when it comes to time.  Time is important as you never want to move through the information so fast that you lost some of your audience or you move so slow, you are unable to finish your presentation. A balance of each of these factors and a lot of practice can help any presenter make a great presentation.