Act of Good Leadership Assignment
Due: Wednesday, April 6, 2016 at Noon
Use the $10 to do an act of kindness/generosity and post a 250 word essay in the comment section summarizing what you did, how you felt about it, how the people felt about it (if it was not anonymous), and how your act contributes to good leadership.
Also--write up a brief description of your act and post it on:
Also--write up a brief description of your act and post it on:
“Generosity is the most natural outward expression of an inner attitude of compassion and loving-kindness.” ~Dalai Lama XIV
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ReplyDeleteWhen I was given the assignment to spend $10 on another person in a prosocial way, I was originally perplexed on how to make the most out of this assignment. I tried to think of the best way to spend the money and the most worthy person. Finally, I decided to spend the money on getting dinner for a friend who had come back to the dorm from a difficult midterm. She was so thrilled and surprised by my act of generosity. I think it strengthened our friendship. I am also in positive psychology and I learned about a study in which students were given money to spend on others. Some were told to accompany the person while they make the purchase. Others were told to just give the money to someone else and not accompany them while they spend it. The outcome of this experiment was that the person who gave the money to another person experienced the best outcome and felt happiest when they accompanied the other person. Therefore, I decided to eat dinner with my friend to experience the positive effects of spending pro socially. I know that I felt happy about the experience and I know that my friend was excited and surprised too. I would love to do this again in the future and try and donate the money to a charity or to someone I do not know very well and experience the benefits.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was first handed $10, I thought it was a joke: was a professor actually allowed to give us money? However, I quickly realized that Dean Stratton was serious, and we were actually meant to do a good deed with that money, so I decided that I had to come up with a plan to do something kind for someone else. I am in Professor Tim Bono's positive psychology course, and so I had learned that when spending prosocially it is best to share the experience with the other person. While I was not entirely certain as to what I should do, I felt the best course of action would be to enjoy an experience with someone else I knew, rather than simply sliding someone some money or donating to a charity of my choice. Ultimately, I decided to take a friend out to dinner who had been going through some more difficult times--her boyfriend had recently broken up with her, and she had a series of difficult exams on the horizon. I felt good about myself because my friend is a truly good person, so I am glad that I was able to support her during one of the less pleasant times of her life. We had an enjoyable meal, and while she may not have felt completely better after our dinner, I do think she was able to get into flow and forget about some of the bad things going on in her life, at least for a little while.
ReplyDeleteWhen Dean Stratton gave me the $10 bill, my mind blanked on what to use it for. As the week went on, I realized that the assistant swim coach for WashU was leaving for her new position at Luther College. Coach Kaupp was integral in my development as a better swimmer, so I wanted to do something more for her than just a team bought gift. I decided to buy a nice card and some chocolate and give it to her at her going away party. This gift made me actively and sincerely think about how Coach Kaupp positively affected my freshman year. By writing my thoughts on paper, I realized how much she actually did for me and the team as a whole. I thanked her for forcing me out of my comfort zone and challenging me to swim tougher races. When I gave her the card and chocolate, she looked grateful and happy. It felt good to sum up my first year of college swimming in my writing and give it to someone who helped me so much along the way. By personally writing the card, I hoped to express my gratitude for all her hard work and how I’ll miss her as one of my mentors for the next three years. I also wished her the best at her new position. I don’t expect any kind of response, but I’m excited to see her next month at the swim team banquet to talk about her new job and my future regarding swimming.
ReplyDeleteAt first, I was unsure about what to do with the $10 from Dean Stratton. I could buy a friend dinner who was having a bad day, get food for a homeless person on the loop, or donate it to any charity. I procrastinated a bit while deciding exactly what to do by scrolling through Facebook. It is not unusual for my newsfeed to be filled with different people posting about why they participate in relay for life, including a link to donate money. However, during the days that I was deciding what to do for this project I stumbled upon a post that really stuck with me. It was a post by a friend of mine who apparently had cancer when she was 4 or 5. This is a friend who I met in college, and I never knew that she was a cancer survivor. It gives me the chills to think about how people who once suffered so much can recover and lead such normal lives. When I clicked on the fundraising page, I saw that she was not too far from her goal, and I decided that this was something I wanted to donate to. Relay for life is a good cause no matter what, but donating it in honor of her strength and perseverance made it feel even more special. One way this could contribute to leadership is that people follow by example. If this were in a leadership situation, and people knew I was participating or donating to relay, they might too.
ReplyDeleteWalking out of class with my $10, I wanted to do something with it that would help the Wash U community. My idea actually came to fairly soon after leaving class. I walked into the library, prepared for a night of studying. Part way through my studying, I realized how awesome coffee would be, and was thankful that I had the meal points to buy some. At that moment, I realized how I could complete the assignment. I wrote an anonymous note to another student, applauding their studying efforts, encouraging them to keep going, and stating my faith in their abilities. Then, I wrapped the $10 in the note, and gave it to the Whisper's Cafe cashier. I asked him to give the note to a person who came for coffee late at night and looked worn out. Though I did not get to see my gift in action, I hope that it made someone's night better. It also made me feel really good to make someone else's night easier. Thinking about how much they might have appreciated the note and money makes me feel like I really helped someone out. I think that it was an act of good leadership because it may inspire the recipient, or anyone around them when they received the note, to do something similar in the future. Therefore, I would be leading by example, and encouraging those affected by my act of generosity to do one for other people.
ReplyDelete^^Hannah Cohen
DeleteI did my act of kindness during a screening of Batman V Superman that I went to this past Thursday. I had been looking forward to this movie for a long time, and I thought it'd be nice to make it even more special by completing my act of kindness and making that night better for someone else. I decided that whenever I was paying for my admission, I'd pay for the ticket of the person behind me. I remember just the simple grin of the teenage boy behind me and how that just spoke to me that a simple act of kindness can improve someone's day. I could see it in his eyes that he was grateful for this act of kindness. This act of kindness made me more aware of others, and it made me realize how it’s nice sometimes to just tune out of your own world and listen in to the world around you. It made me feel like one of the characters I saw in the movie that day: Batman himself, just another hero giving unselfishly to others to create a better world. More importantly, I learned that all it takes is one act of kindness to start a chain of good deeds. Upon paying for his ticket, I just told the guy to pass it on. I like to think that this good act was passed on. Little acts of good that get passed on can be started so easily, and in a world filled with a lot of exchange of insults and hate, I believe it is necessary to start a chain of good will and love unto one another. I think it's these little acts of good that ultimately add up and create a greater good in the world.
ReplyDeleteAfter leaving class being 5 dollars richer than I was coming in, I began to think of the best way to use this money. I knew I wanted to use it to contribute to a charity that I cared about because I knew that this way people would be benefiting from the money in a direct way that could help them do or get something they need. I then realized that the next day was Purim, a Jewish holiday commemorating the day Jews in Persia were saved from a massacre. On this holiday there are several customs one of which is ‘matanot levyonim’. ‘Matanot levyonim’ is Hebrew for ‘presents to the poor’. I decided that I would use the ten dollars to practice this custom. Although this money can be used to serve people in many different charities and organizations, the money I donated is being used to help poor people who wish to celebrate the upcoming holiday of Passover. I feel fortunate to have been able to celebrate such a great holiday and couldn’t help but think that while I don’t worry about the meal that accompanies this holiday there are those who do. Knowing that Passover is a very costly holiday (being that it is celebrated for 8 days) I felt that by contributing this money on one holiday to help someone celebrate the upcoming holiday was a fitting way to use this extra cash.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was given the ten dollars to do an act of kindness, there was no doubt in my mind where the money would go. Just a day before our class, my friend from summer camp had past away. She had been suffering from depression but had ultimately kept that very quiet. On the outside, Sam seemed proud and brave. She was in the middle of transitioning genders and was very vocal about each step of the process. Every Facebook post regarded another step of her transitions or was a related article on the topic of LGBT. Nothing seemed to be tucked away or unspoken about. She went to Oberlin, had a great group of friends and supportive community. That being said, I was extremely shocked to hear the news that she had past away. Sam seemed strong and prideful. It did not seem like she was struggling a little. The next day her parents organized a foundation in her name, describing how important it is for campuses to provide the comfort for students struggling with their identities. They wanted to make people more away of LBGT and allow other’s struggling to know that they are not alone. So while I did not get a personal reaction back from my donation, I hope that it may help to reach others along the way. I hope that it could add the the beautiful cause, in Sam’s honor, for allowing others to express who they are, and let their stories be heard.
ReplyDeleteAs I walked out of class, ideas were immediately running through my head on how I might use $10 for a good deed. Some of the ideas were pretty appealing: I thought about giving the money to my mother, who volunteers at the Center for Indian Cultural Education here in St. Louis, or to some dining services folks in BD who brightened my day every day. I’m sure these ideas would have been great, but looking back I’m glad I chose instead to pay for a meal for my suitemate. I had been hoarding snacks off of him since the beginning of the year, so I wanted to make it up to him somehow. The day after class, I learned about a fundraiser on campus, and the student who was in charge of it was delivering Mission Taco meals to people’s dorm rooms. I thought this would be a great way to both give money to a fundraiser and make my suitemate’s day, so I ordered a meal. I took pride in this act because I truly felt like it was an act of kindness rather than payback for all the food I had taken from my suitemate. My suitemate and I are so close that he does not care if I take food or other items from him, and so I didn’t really feel like this act was ever an obligation. Moreover, while I knew that the money could have been used elsewhere, I’m glad that I had a personal attachment to my act. I definitely laud people who donate time and money for a great cause, but I felt like the personal aspect of the act was crucial to enriching my experience because I could actually see the impact I made.
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction upon hearing about the nature of this assignment was actually cynicism; I honestly didn't like the idea that showing generosity toward another person was associated with monetary value. That being said, I understand that money and physical resources are certainly powerful ways to show someone you care about them (can you tell that "gifts" isn't my top language of love?). Because of my initial reaction, I wanted to do something with the $10 that, ironically, depersonalized the monetary value of the act. I didn't feel comfortable putting a price on kindness, especially if I were to have bought something for someone I know. So, in honoring both my concerns and my desire to still do something positive with the money, I decided to leave the $10 paper clipped to a note in a corner of the DUC for a stranger. The note gave whoever found it the autonomy to spend the money in whatever way he or she chose, with one piece of instruction: "Use it for something kind, for yourself or for someone else." At the time the assignment was given, academic life was pretty stressful on campus; I was hoping that -- best case scenario -- whoever found the money would spend it in a way that was meaningful and helpful, whatever that meant for him or her. I fully realize that there is a chance the money was used thoughtlessly, and that I will never know how much or how little of an impact my act of generosity had on someone else. But it was an act of good faith; and I believe leadership is about having faith in the good of other people, believing that others are willing and able to be genuine, thoughtful, intentional, and have integrity in their actions.
ReplyDeleteWhen Dean Stratton gave me the $10, I automatically thought to go down to Skinker and take food to the homeless/out of work people that sometimes is there, however they were not there. I was disappointed. Then, I realized that there was a woman who wanted to go on a weight loss journey, and I agreed to pay for half of a trial 30 minute session with my personal trainer, so price wouldn’t hinder her Journey. However, after contacting my trainer he said that he will do it for free, she and I were ecstatic because it was such a blessing that I even decided to ask before she emailed him. I think this displayed good leadership because I made the effort to express how Personal training can help her as much as it’s helping me and being there to support her whenever should would need it because I would have paid for myself to train with her for that 30 minutes so she won’t be struggling alone.
ReplyDeleteWhen figuring out what to do with the money, my friend’s family, unfortunately, refused to give her money to drive back to Chicago, so I gave her the 10 dollars to get gas, or lunch, or whatever she needed. She cried when I gave it to her and I supplemented it with an extra $10. I think that being a good friend and offering help without being provoked is a sign of leadership. Knowing that she needed it was enough even if I had other plans for the money. Being willing to adjust and give is an important part of being a leader.
I donated my $10 to a Make-A-Wish Fund created in honor of the 12 year old son of a family friend, Jack, who was recently involved in a serious ski accident. I matched Dean Stratton's $10 with $10 of my own. I had been meaning to donate to the fund, and this assignment motivated me to do it. It felt really good to donate, even though my donation was not specifically acknowledged by the family.
ReplyDeleteJack is on a ski team at Stratton Mountain in Vermont, and a few weeks ago, he slid across a patch of ice while going very fast down the mountain and hit a tree. He suffered a fractured skull, brain trauma, and injuries to his lungs and heart. He was helicoptered to Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital in Hanover and recovered there for about the next two weeks, where he remained in intensive care. Luckily, the dedication of the doctors and the resiliency of Jack's body allowed him to make a speedy recovery (out of critical condition). He has been transferred to the Rusk Institute for Rehabilitative Medicine in NYC for physical, speech, and other types of therapy. While he is not at 100% yet, he has been making an extraordinary amount of progress over the past few weeks. His parents have bravely shared his journey online at this site: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jackguthrie
They decided to set up a Make-A-Wish Fund in honor of Jack because they have a close relationship with the organization – their older son (my friend, ex-classmate, and high school lacrosse teammate) is a leukemia survivor and was able to go to the Beijing Olympics as a result of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Jack's parents are also very involved in the organization.
This act contributes to good leadership because leadership is built on trust, and trust, in part, is established through acting kindly/generously towards others as well as being there for them in their time of need/vulnerability.
The first thought that came into my mind after hearing about this act of generosity is its resemblance to a question that we were asked so often when we were little: what would you do if you have a million dollars? I remember my answer was always on the vague side, such as “I would use them to do good things.” Yet what good things in specific? I was initially put to shame when I started to deliberate on what I would do with the $10. I wanted to be creative, yet no good idea emerged. Eventually on my way to the library around 8:30 A.M. last Wednesday, it occurred to me that as someone who is used to study early in the morning, a little something can really drag me out of that morning drowsiness, and I ended up buying several pockets of mini candy bars at the bookstore, attaching an encouraging note such as “Whoever comes to the library early in the morning deserves a treat” to each of them, and put them on the desks/in front of the computers on the first floor of Olin. I planned to stay a little longer to observe others’ reactions. Though some students were nonchalant (I think at such a friendly place like WashU such act is actually not rare), some showed blissful surprise on their faces. I had smile on my face too on my way to my 9 P.M. class.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that the nature of my act is still an “effortful” one. I think that the real generosity is rather a sense of awareness instead of deliberate act: being aware of the chance to be generous such as paying for someone who forgets to bring her student ID at BD (this happened to me last week). This is not about money, but a state of mind. Certainly, I realize that I still have a long way to go in developing such awareness, but I will try.
P.S. Dean Stratton’s own act of giving $10 to each of us is a demonstration of generosity that has brought enlightenment and happiness to, hopefully, all of us. So thank you!
Xinyue Zhang
DeleteWhen deciding what to do with my $10, I tried to think of the people who have had an impact on my life thus far in college — perhaps the people I don’t often see or think about day-to-day — and in what way I could use the money to thank them. I decided to, on top of paying for my meal at Bear’s Den, add the $10 to give to Ms. Edith. I told her that I wanted to give her something to thank her for always being so nice at the check-out desk and for telling me something at the beginning of the year that I never forgot: “Don’t let anyone break your smile.” Ms. Edith gave me a hug but politely declined the money. She said that all I have to do to thank her is give her a hug every time I see her. This was a more visceral and emotional experience for me than I expected, as I started to tear up a little bit while verbally expressing my gratitude and realizing what not accepting it said about Ms. Edith’s character. Afterward, I felt some sense of defeat for not feeling that I completed the assignment properly; however, this is a feeling I then resented because I was propelled to put the money toward a different act of generosity. I went over to Paws & Go and told the cashier that I would like for the $10 to pay for all of those behind me who were to check out, until the money was used up. She seemed pleasantly surprised and said she would keep it going. Ultimately, I am so thankful to have been able to share out my gratitude to Ms. Edith, and now I understand that gratitude shouldn’t be reserved for planned-out acts but can be practiced regularly and without an assignment or incentive. From giving anonymously, I also noticed a change in how I think of kindness; I now appreciate kindness as something contagious that we can spread around.
ReplyDeleteWhen I got my $10, I immediately thought back to a random Wednesday night almost a year and a half ago. My brother and I were each having a rough week, and so we decided to frequent the fine establishment known as Waffle House. We rolled up at about 11:30 (which was way past my bedtime) and found that the restaurant was completely empty besides one young couple. Not thinking much about them, my brother and I proceeded to each order two chocolate chip waffles and catch up about what was happening in each other's lives. About an hour later, we asked for the check and were told that the young couple had covered it. I was amazed that I could remember one act of kindness a year and a half later, so I wanted to do something similar. I was on the loop on Easter night grabbing dinner with some friends, when we went into a restaurant that was completely empty. After working as a waiter for a summer, I understand how frustrating it is when there are no tables to serve. When it came time to pay, I decided to tip my usual amount, plus the $10. I know that was not the largest amount, but I hope that it at least made her night.
ReplyDeleteOriginally, I was very unsure what to do with the $10, but when I saw that my friend was having a hard week and had tests on his birthday, I decided to use the money to take him to dinner for his birthday. Birthdays are supposed to be special, so I felt bad that my friend had hard week as a result of tests and papers. Making sure he did something to celebrate his birthday made me feel good because I know how it feels to be having a bad day. He was very appreciative that I tried to make his week better. Also, I am sure he will want to return the favor in the future, which is nice to know.
ReplyDeleteI think small acts of kindness contribute to good leadership because they show followers that you care about them, even if its small parts of their lives. When people feel a connection to their leaders, they have more trust in them to do what is in the follower’s best interest. Personal connections are a key way for leaders to prove that they are dedicated and small acts of kindness are one of the ways they can achieve this reputation. Even little acts can make a big difference in the way people are seen by others.
I carried the $10 around in my wallet for a few days, hoping that an opportunity would present itself to me - and it did! Over the weekend I went to Kayaks for coffee with a few of my friends, and while we were waiting to order, a young couple with a sweet looking baby walk through the door. After placing and paying for my own order, I handed the server the $10 bill and said quietly that I'd like to pay for the coffee of the couple behind me. I don't think that they heard me, because I was trying to be discrete, so we sat down at a table. After they ordered and were told that they didn't have to pay for their coffee, they smiled, looked around the room, and walked over to my friends at our table. They said thank you, that was really kind, (I said no problem, remarked on how cute their baby was) and then they sat down at another table. As we left I waved goodbye and so did they.
ReplyDeleteI think that the couple was very surprised at this small gesture, and they seemed very happy that someone decided to do something generous for two strangers. Such a small act of kindness, paying for two coffees, has so much power to improve someone's day. I kept thinking back on that moment for the rest of the day and smiling to myself. Both parties were made better off, and it only cost $10.
Good leadership can be something big, such as making strong decisions that impact an entire company, or it can be something small, like choosing to spend money on other people who you may not even know in a coffee shop. When you have a positive influence on people, I would consider that a sign of successful leadership. When a leader is kind, the repercussions of generosity make him or her more aware. Leaders will thus be more conscious of their actions, and strive to bring even more joy to the people around them.
Sarah Podolsky
ReplyDeleteAct of Kindness
When I heard that for “homework” I was assigned to spend $10 (given to me by my teacher) on a random act of kindness, I was so excited. I’ve always loved randomly getting gifts for friends, acquaintances, or even strangers. So this project was great. I immediately thought to do something for one of my “school friends.” By “school friend” I mean someone who I work with a lot and helps me with homework whenever I need something to be explained. I really appreciate this person, but don’t usually get to show the extent of my appreciation to her.
So with this assignment, I knew I needed to let her know that all of her help has truly meant a lot to me. I contemplated what to do for her with just $10. I remembered a conversation we had one day doing homework together late at night about how much she loves sour and gummy candies. With that knowledge, I headed over to the Bear-y Sweet Shoppe and bought her a huge bag of candy (you can get a lot of gummy candy for $10). I felt that this bag of candy looked exciting enough to show my appreciation. Giving it to her when she least expected it was so rewarding. She was so grateful to receive it and I explained that I just wanted to let her know how much she helps me. She responded with similar sentiments, which meant a lot to me as well. Overall, the experience has been a very rewarding experience.
Lindsay Hauptman (03/30/17)
ReplyDeleteI had actually been given the same task with $50 in high school, so when I received the $10 I started brainstorming ideas. When I did this assignment previously, I had bought food for homeless people and handed it out in New York City, however, I didn't have the same kind of time or money for this. I decided instead, to buy small gifts for my closest friends at WashU. I bought one friend her favorite candy, one a makeup brush she has been wanting, and one a headband like the one she wears everyday but lost. I gave the items to my friends and thanked them for being amazing friends to which they were extremely grateful. I love giving gifts so I loved being able to surprise them with small things, which I knew would bring them happiness. They were touched that I had thought of them for this activity and by the individuality of each gift. This act contributes to good leadership because it recognizes qualities and achievements in followers or peers, which encourages them to keep doing them and do the same to others.