Achieving and Maintaining Excellence

I believe myself to be a work in progress, as I get older I find myself wanting and desiring more out of life. Especially, when it deals with goals and objectives that can ultimately change my thought process. In order for me to achieve my set goals as well as achieve excellence I would have to change my current situations with family, education, work environment as well as on a personal note marriage. These entities provide stability and help me in moving forward in the right direction. There are so many factors in relation to achieving certain things and I believe that Peter Senge’s Five Disciplines help in achieving those measures.

Ideally they relate to your very existence in effectively and efficiently carrying out those stepping stones towards gaining greater insight, a need to learn, understanding your surroundings, view points, and systematically understanding the measures of possibilities from within and in our daily lives. Five Disciplines Personal Mastery ideally is the spiritually mechanism that we have inside of us, personal growth is a strong entity to need and want. For me my personal growth would be to change my attitude towards certain things, learn from them and focus on being a better me in the process.

This will allow me to be open to more things that will bring me ultimate joy. Becoming one with self, god, work, education, family and life helps me to achieve so much more than what it appears to be, happiness is something we inspire for and personal mastery is that for me, almost like connecting to my inner self. It also has been said that it is also legitimate to develop one’s own personal sources of power, such as one’s reputation, technical abilities, clear personal objectives, positive relationships with others, communication effectiveness, and self-con?dence and optimism (Lynch, 1993, pp. 39–44).

Mental Models sometimes I think that I prejudge or even assume things that are not really there. Until I had jury duty, and honestly saw firsthand the way we as people judge others just because of what they are being charged with. Until you hear all sides you begin to see the bigger picture, and notice a shift in your thinking process and that happened for me. We place everyone in little boxes, clusters of sorts and generalize them in a negative undertone that can be farthest from the truth.

I believe that everyone has a story and it’s up to us to decipher what is the truth. Myself I now believe that we are all on the same playing field and deserve to be treated equal. This is one area whereas I will focus on changing about myself, understanding others in the process. Building Shared Vision is something that I have aspired with connecting to. One of my goals is to move to a low income area where the need is great and open a non-profit organization that will help addiction, teenager concerns, gay, lesbian and transgender, or even a place where children can have place to be children.

I know that might be difficult, but for me it is a challenge that I am willing to struggle for. I may not have all the answers or the money to do so but it’s my eagerness to want to help those particular populations. Chapter 11 states that eventually there should be a “guiding coalition” (Kotter, 1996) whose members have the power, expertise, credibility, and leadership to make change happen. And that’s exactly what I will need in order to make this dream a reality. Team Learning with this I have learned that working as a team benefits what you are trying to accomplish.

Since being in this school and experiencing this type of learning environment made me take note that one has to communicate, respect others and value everyone’s input. So this is how I approach my every day work and life exchanges. In chapter 11, Perlmutter (1985–1986) proposes four “approaches for proactive leadership,” each of which requires political sophistication. These approaches include working with the appropriate political subdivisions, utilizing the voluntary sector, mobilizing external constituencies, and pursuing legal options.

We have to understand our surroundings in order to learn from and build off. Systems thinking is just an integration of all of five disciplines. I would think that each provides a specific role in how we are to function on a daily basis. Ultimately, we want change and change is of the essence, Proehl (2001) suggests “acting quickly and revising frequently” (p. 109) to ensure that changes have the desired results or can be modi?ed. Integrating certain entities changes the response and how we do what we do in terms of service and self-growth.

In terms of skills for growth and assessing myself, I would have to say that I believe that I can accomplish more with believe that I can and learning all that I can with work, school and life in general. Understanding that there is no difference in how we see things if we put the shoe on the other foot, this is the only way to change that thinking pattern. Noting and believing that I can do whatever is necessary (with the right tools and approaches) to believe that I can make a little difference in the lives that I cross. Communication is key to success and how we formalize the necessary measures in finding what we can do as a people.

I believe in what I have said and to the degree of finding solace in my thinking process and motivates me to want and need more. If one was to integrate each of the discipline into an assessment one would have to understand the direct need to do so. In chapter 11 page 254 it states, this function of leadership is essential in ensuring integration of and alignment among all aspects of the organization. Personal Mastery and Thinking Systems as we integrate these two entities one would have to really dig deep inside to form an association between the two.

There is a hunger or desire to want to improve on self, relationships, friendship and family. Before one can ultimately do this you have to change from within, for me this is what I inspire to do. I have changed a lot, I no longer think of self first, changed my beliefs and aspirations, and have a yearning to learn as much as possible. This will help me to build on my dreams and be able to pass that hunger for education to my children as well. I want to lead by example by showing my children that you have to work hard for what you want and that education is your primary focus at all times.

Mental Models and Thinking Systems it takes a strong mind to want to change ones outcome, changing the way we see people is showing that we can change out assumptions on others. For me it’s seeing past the rough exterior and looking at the totality of the situation or person. I used believe that if two people were together and something happens then they are guilty as one, or if you wear your pants off your behind then you are from the streets or if you used street slang you are ghetto. That is the farthest from the truth, the most powerful person is those who have street smarts and an education.

You may not know this but what I have described was once my life, lived in the ghetto, had wore the tradition garb of those in the ghetto and used street slang. What ultimately changed that for me was when my mother died and I began to take life seriously. Shared Vision and Thinking Systems my thinking is putting the needs of other before my own, wanting to change or help someone with their issues as well as providing resources that will uplift their lives of a particular population. Sometimes the need is to provide a helping hand rather than having a door slammed in your face.

I think what generally made me come to this conclusion is when my mother died. It made me understand who Natasha truly is and what I was doing with my life. It humbled me in so many ways, no one really knows the impact was living with an addict and having choose drugs over you. That has always been a catalyst towards everything I have ever wanted to do, that’s why I sort out the field of human service, I want to be there for someone like I couldn’t be for my mother without judgment or looking down on them. Team learning and Thinking Systems I have always been a team player, whatever specifics was needed I would get it done.

I enjoy working and communicating ideals that potentially change the prospects for myself as well as anyone I am working with. We build off of each other, learn from each other, work together and help each other for a purpose. We all have different outlooks, ideas and aspirations which form an allegiance of sorts that makes us better people and facilitating the process of helping others. This is my framework in understanding the true me, identifying the things that make who I am, were I have, and who I have grown to be and inspire to be.

The changes that I have moved passed have inspired me to achieve so many wonderful things like children I didn’t children (before my mother died but because I was the only child that changed right away), education I took it for granted by dropping out of high school and look at me now, I have my Associate’s Degree in Human Services and working (4 more classes) towards my Bachelor’s Degree and I am going forward with the Master’s Program in Social Work, Public Health or staying in Human Services. These are all attainable goals because this is something I want and will achieve.

I will of course stay in the hospital I currently work with because they have so many opportunities but through my union I can relocate to another city (that’s another goal that I have), I plan on within the next 2 years to move to a southern state because it would be better for my children as well as myself (peace in spirit, mind and soul) all of which will be done with my husband as well. My goals are a priority and they will be made a reality, one step at a time, with the intent of focusing on me first and everything else will come into play.