Due: Wednesday, April
4, 2018 at Noon
Use the $5 to do an act of
kindness/generosity and post a 250 word essay in the comment section of
the blog website 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:
"A single act of kindness throws out roots in all
directions,
and the roots spring up and make new trees."
~Amelia Earhart
This past week, I was given $5 by my Professor, Dean Stratton, to perform a good deed. As soon as she mentioned the assignment, I knew what I wanted to do with the money. Many times I find myself on the Delmar Loop being asked by presumably homeless people for money or food. When I am near a food store, I try to buy them something, often Insomnia Cookies because it is the closest and easiest place to drop a few bucks on food.
ReplyDeleteI decided to team up with fellow classmates Adam and Alex and pool our money together, so that we had $15 in total. Then, we bought a pizza pie and walked down the Loop until someone came up to us asking for food or money. Upon this, we gave the person the pizza pie and instantaneously saw their satisfaction and gratitude. I was in awe by how excited and blessed the person felt after we gave him a pizza. This really made me stop and think about how lucky we are compared to other people in the world, and how we can and should give back to the community in order to improve the lives of other people.
Katie Bry
ReplyDeleteWhen I first received this assignment I began thinking of the people that I could do my act of kindness for. My first thought was to target someone small in my life that I appreciate like a stranger that doesn’t understand their impact on my life. As I began thinking of who and what I would do I realized that, for me, this was the easy way out. It is easier for my to be nice to strangers, give servers big tips, volunteer and do charity work. What is hard for me is to tell people close to me how much they really mean to me and how I appreciate them. I decided that today when I went home for a family dinner I would bring my mom yellow lilies (her favorite color and flower). I went home an hour earlier and brought the flowers inside, when she saw me and the flowers her face lit up and I gave her a big hug and told her how much I love and appreciate her. Immediately she began grooming the flowers and put them in the vase on the kitchen table. She even thanked me again hours later when she dropped me off at school, so I know that she really appreciated it. It has been a hard year for my family and in her own way my mom really has been there for me but I know that it is difficult for her to understand that because I am very independent, and it is difficult for me to admit that I have needed her. Taking time to express gratitude for people that you assume their love and support should be automatic is just as important as making strangers feel happy, and that is something I need to remember.
Dominic Enriquez
ReplyDeleteThis past weekend, I was driving down the road and was stopped at a stoplight whenever I saw a man walking up and down holding a sign. The sign said that he was an ex Vietnam Veteran who was homeless and that all he was looking for was a smile, someone to talk to, and whatever donations anyone could give. I thought to myself that this would be the perfect opportunity to use the $5 that I was given to help this man out. I took the time to stop and roll down my window and got the man's attention. I asked him what he was doing out in the rain. He told me he had nowhere else to go and laughed. I told him I didn't have much time to talk since I was waiting at a light, but I told him that I hoped he found what he was looking for soon and good luck. He smiled and said God Bless, have a good day. I was inspired by this man simply because in the face of his situation, he continued to smile. I hope he was reminded of the kindness of people. I know that this random act of kindness was an act of good leadership because giving back to people who are typically turned down and brushed aside is a gift that can be expressed and learned from. By giving that man the $5 I had received, he was reminded that kindness exists and I learned that it feels amazing to be able to make a change in someone else’s life, nor is it difficult.
Alex C -- For my act of kindness, I joined my fellow classmates Michael Spiro and Adam Glotzer to buy food for a homeless man on the Delmar Loop. At first, I was a bit nervous and worried about giving it to someone I didn’t know in a way that was not anonymous. In the past, when I have donated food to others, it has been through food drives or other anonymous methods. These previous experiences have been incredibly rewarding; they made me excited about doing an act of kindness like this in the St. Louis community. Whenever I walk past the Delmar Loop, I notice homeless people asking for food or money; I know that these people need and deserve any help I can provide.
ReplyDeleteWhen we bought the pizza, we gave it to a man who approached us and he was extremely appreciative. He gave us such a genuine smile—it showed me that we were doing a good deed. Doing this act of kindness made me think about the way we interact with other people and how humans are innately supportive. It is human nature to notice and be concerned about the people who are homeless on the streets; it requires action to make a difference in those people’s days, to make them feel loved and happier. We always think about what could improve for others but we don’t always act on those ambitions.
This activity makes me think further about social equality. I think about activities that we—the Wash U community—can do to give back to the community. Noticing student groups such as Relay For Life campaigning on campus reminds me of the powerful, selfless things that our community does to benefit others.
Trevor McKee
ReplyDeleteI decided to make a very personal gesture for my act of kindness. A close friend and I recently had a falling out. We were very close to each other, and then suddenly, we didn’t talk. I know that I am partially responsible for what happened, and I wanted to make it up to her. I put together a shoe-box present, filled with her favorite drink, Blue Powerade (where the $5 was spent), and a letter apologizing for having dropped out of her life so quickly. I detailed that I had been frustrated with the relationship, but that I didn’t want my friendship with her to end. I know it’s a small gesture for a big problem, but I am hoping it will help us reconnect.
I don’t think good leadership is about pretending to not make mistakes; I think it’s about doing everything you can to make it up if you do make a mistake. I made a mistake when I lost her as a friend. I watched it happen instead of fighting for a person that I really did care about. Now, it’s about fixing that mistake by letting her know that I still care and that I would like to reconnect if she does too.
She has not yet received the gift, so I’m anxious about how she will respond. But, I am happy that I realize what I did wrong, and I am happy that I am trying to make it better. I hope she will accept my apology and reach out to me. I really miss her.
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ReplyDeleteThis weekend, my family drove 13 hours up from San Antonio, Texas to visit me for the Easter weekend. After mass on Easter, my family and friends decided to go out for brunch at Rooster, a popular St. Louis restaurant. Due to our large party of 7, the restaurant could only accommodate us on the outdoor patio. Of course, on April 1, St. Louis had the joy of snow, something Texans are not especially adapt to.
ReplyDeleteAfter being seated our smiling waitress, Megan, greeted us and expressed gratitude that she finally had a party seated in her outdoor section, which had been rather slow considering the chilly weather (this meant Megan had not received many tables to serve and therefore was working for no tips.) As we chatted with Megan and shared our stories with each other, she noticed our slight shivering. Without even asking her to, Megan acted as a courageous follower and requested to her manager that we may be moved inside at the next available table. Minutes later, Megan brought us the news that a table had opened for us inside and that since she "valued our comfort more than her getting to be our waitress" she was having us moved inside and into another waitress' section.
Struck by her selflessness, I decided to use the $5 from the Dean of Joy to enclose in a personalized Easter card for Megan. Using crayons from the kid's menu, my family decorated a thank you card for Megan and enclosed the $5. I then delivered the card to Megan, who insisted on coming over to our indoor table to thank us all and tell us how much the act of kindness and gratitude had made her day.
Megan had prioritized us, the customer, over her personal monetary gain without expecting anything in return. It was heartwarming to see the joy the personalized card and our acknowledgment of her kindness brought her. This act of kindness also brought my family and friends together in service and gratitude, which left a smile on our faces for the rest of the day.
I believe that both Megan's act and my family's reciprocal action can contribute to good leadership. Megan was both a courageous follower in requesting her manager to give us the next indoor table and a leader in taking the selfless initiative to notice her customer's discomfort and do something about it. On my side, I believe that treating Megan with respect and gratitude for her astounding action was a good sign of leadership-leaders should constantly be aware of others and act with initiative and appreciation, and I believe this was witnessed in this chain of kindness on this beautiful and chilly Easter.
Kyra Hamerling-Potts
ReplyDeleteFor my act of kindness, I joined my classmate Alex K and used the ten dollars to buy snacks from Target. In addition to it being nice having an excuse to get off campus, looking for healthy, cheap, and yummy snacks for others was quite enjoyable. We bought granola bars, apple juice, chocolate covered raisins, and goldfish, then brought our stash back to Olin. Our goal was to bring a little joy to the stressed out youth of WashU. Especially with so many exams taking place these past few weeks, it’s not difficult to find WashU kids cowering over their homework in Olin and Whispers, many of whom have probably been there for hours. We decided to look for people who were clearly engrossed in their work, but not so much that we would be disturbing them at a bad time. We gave out snacks mostly on the bottom floor of Olin and the second floor of Whispers, handing them the bag and letting them pick which snack they wanted, or an apple juice snack combo. Many people seemed to cheer up, thanking us for the random snack and smiling as they went back to work. It brightened my day to see the morale in a quiet study space shift to one with more happiness, even if only for a of couple minutes. It’s important, both as a leader and a follower, to understand and try to improve the spirit of your group. Taking care of and looking after your community shows that their wellbeing is important to you, building trust within the group and forging relationships. I imagined how much my mood could shift from a simple act of kindness like being handed a granola bar, which motivated me to do so for my WashU peers.
Amelia Schmitz
ReplyDeleteI used my five dollars to go to the Bear Sweet Shoppe and buy my friend and bag of some of her favorite candy. She has been talking a lot recently about how stressed she is with both her school work and her social life, so I decided that she could use a little pick-me-up. When I gave her the candy, her face lit up and she kept thanking me and telling me I didn’t have to do this. She kept mentioning how I shouldn’t have spent money on her, and she didn’t want to accept the gift. Even after I explained where the money came from she was hesitant. I found it a little surprising that she didn’t want to accept a gift, but understandable because I think I’d react the same way. I think that for a lot of people, it is hard to accept gifts, or even simple acts of kindness. Maybe we don’t think we deserve them, or maybe we don’t want to be a hassle for someone else. Nevertheless, I think it is important that people continue with the random acts of kindness and that people, myself included, learn to accept them for what they are—a person wanting to help. By showing people that you are there to help them in good times and in times when they feel less than their best, we can build more trusting relationships. If we can learn to give and accept help and kindness, we can work, lead, and follow better together.
Alex Kattan
ReplyDeleteFor my act of kindness, I wanted to do something that I wish someone would do for me. In a way, it was trying to enact the golden rule in an "as if" matter: treat someone the way you would want to be treated, as if they were treating you. That's what first gave me and Kyra Hamerling-Potts the idea to do something on campus.
With our combined value of $10, we decided to grab a few snacks at Target - raisins, granola bars, Junior Mints, and goldfish - and hand them out to students who were working at Olin, particularly in less-social areas for more intensive studying. Last semester, I remember going to the top floors of Olin to work on my college writing papers. While I was grateful for the peace and quiet the top floors offered, I remember tension building up as well. Surrounded by people doing their own thing, right next to my chair but still seemingly enclosed by their own bubble, it felt almost uncomfortable to be sitting in my chair endlessly typing.
Our primary goal of bringing snacks to people in Olin was to mitigate as much stress as we could, but I also think we helped break some of that tension I recall having felt when I was in College Writing I. The reactions we received certainly confirms that theory. I was slightly worried that some would be more upset than glad because we were disrupting them from their work regardless of the reason. After all, most of them had headphones on, highly concentrated on their work. As it turns out, most didn't mind being briefly interrupted once they saw what our intentions were. In particular, I remember one student who looked excited to grab something from our bag, and unlike some of the other students, who simply took whatever was on top of the bag, perhaps to waste as little time as possible, he dug through the bag for the goldfish, which, considering we had only bought one of those boxes, must have felt like a needle in a haystack.
Coincidentally, the first student we approached in Olin was a friend of mine, whom I will leave anonymous. Previously, he had spoken to me about his struggles at this point and time, which I could easily relate to. I was glad I happened to run into him while he was there. Out of all the stressed students in Olin, I knew he was one of the ones that really needed some kindness in his life.
Sam Lee
ReplyDeleteAs I thought through what acts of kindness I could do, I realized that I first needed to decide who I would want to do them for. Although I've volunteered and served others in the past, I realized that I don't really go the extra mile for the people closer in my life. Specifically, I find myself taking my friends for granted, without ever considering their own hassles in life. Thus, with my $5, I chose to buy pork buns from a student group selling on campus, and surprise my friends with them at lunch. I knew that they would appreciate a simple gesture as well as a delicious one. As expected, they instantly had smiles on their faces and received the buns with joy. But they were also quick to offer them to the other people sitting at the table. It was fascinating for me to see my friends receive this gift but turn around and share it right away. In a very tangible way, it was one act of kindness leading to more acts of kindness. Although it might not seem like much, I think what was more important was the reflection this act of kindness inspired in me. I love helping others that I don't necessarily know, but how can I forget about the people important in my life. It is so easy to go about my day, worrying about everything on my plate, without any regard for those same concerns of my friends. While it is unfortunate that it took a class assignment for me to realize this, I'm grateful for the opportunity this simple gift gave me.
Julia Dannenbaum
ReplyDeleteI decided to mail a photo collage to my best friend from home with photos of us, her sister and our group of friends from high school. In just the first few months after she went to college, she realized that she didn’t fit in with the general culture and values of the rest of the student body. Since then she has been incredibly anxious, wondering why she was the only one who felt this way, depressed, since she hadn’t made any good friends, and under an incredible amount of stress using up every free moment she had to work on application essays, while needing to get good grades in school to send to her prospective schools. Since she goes to school is North Carolina, and I am at school in St. Louis, I’ve felt so useless as a friend because it’s difficult to feel like I can be a true support system from so far away. While I was on the phone with her last week, she expressed that her motivating factor in her last five weeks of school is the summer and getting the chance to hang out with me and our group of friends again. After getting this assignment, I figured this was the perfect opportunity to do something to lift her spirits a little and get her through the next five weeks. She hasn’t received it in the mail yet, but I’m hoping that it serves as a motivating factor for her to keep pushing through the tough times, and as a reminder of home and all of the people that care about her. I think this contributes to good leadership because it shows that you are never too far away to show people that you care and help out in some way.
Anna Herman
ReplyDeleteFor my random act of kindness, I got a random small gift for one of my close friends. He was feeling really stressed this week and had a lot of projects due, so I knew that he needed an extra little something to cheer him up.
One of my other friends was going to Walgreens, so I decided to go with her to pick out something fun. This ended up being a mini random act of kindness in itself because I got to talk to my friend and hear about how she is doing and be there for her in her business as well. At Walgreens, I saw a “Hatchimal” and thought that it was so random and funny that it would make the perfect gift to make my friend smile.
Giving my friend the gift made me feel really good because it was so out of the blue and such a goofy gift. I enjoyed being able to be there for him since he is always so supportive of me when I am stressed. When I gave it to him he was surprised and thankful. I think it will be a silly way for him to take a break from work.
This act contributed to good leadership because leaders should be attentive to those around them and always looking for ways to make everyone’s lives better. A leader’s job is to serve, not be served and in order to do this, they must take action, even in little ways. Leaders should know what is going on around them and create a supportive environment where everyone feels valued and that they belong. Random acts of kindness contribute to creating this warm environment.
Ariel Troy
ReplyDeleteMy friend Sophie works very hard. She is Pre-med, started and runs two clubs, lives off campus, and is taking way too many credits. A lot of the time, she overbooks herself and gets overwhelmed with her packed schedule. A couple months ago, she mentioned to me that she sometimes lights a nice scented candle before bed to reflect on the day and bring her to a calmer state. She loves smelly candles, and they help her go through her day-to-day life. Recently, Sophie ran out of these candles. Because she went home for Passover and missed a lot of work, she was feeling particularly stressed and overwhelmed the past couple of days. I though perhaps a scented candle would calm her nerves a little and allow her to relax before bed. So I bought a candle, her favorite scent, and gave it to her. She was so happy and surprised. She exclaimed how thoughtful it was for me to get her exactly what she needed at that moment. She was so excited to use it and sent me pictures of her lighting it right before bed. I was so happy to make Sophie happy. Part of good leadership is being mindful and thoughtful about others. I believe a good leader can recognize what and when her follower’s need something. A good leader is constantly thinking about others and trying to do good for the individual and the group.
This past weekend, I went home for the first couple nights of Passover. On the phone with my mother Thursday night, I learned how stressed she was about hosting so many people for the two seders. She told me that somehow we ended up with 18 people the first night and 12 the second night. I was excited because I like guests, but I understood her nervousness and I thought that it would be really amazing if I could help her out as much as possible. So I used my 5 dollars to buy strawberries and grapes because these are the things that my mother mentioned in passing that she still needed to buy. I came home early, gave her a big hug and showed her my groceries. Then I took over in the kitchen, baking desserts and making salads. My mother gratefully sat down and let her feet rest. We spent all Friday afternoon working together and it felt amazing. It was so good to simultaneously help her and spend time with her. We were both relieving our stress, just in time for the seder.
ReplyDeleteI think there is much to be said about doing kind things for strangers or anonymously. But I think that it is at least equally important to do kind things for those who you love most and whose love for you is unconditional. It’s hard to explain exactly why, but it is there and it is powerful. It felt so good to first be able to save my mother a trip to Schnuck’s and then continue to help her prepare in various other ways. It was a successful, interesting, and fun night.
Katie Plotkin
ReplyDeleteOne of my friends has been struggling a lot recently with school; she wasn’t able to go home for weekend for Passover as she spent most of it studying. She has seemed really overwhelmed every time I have seen her recently, and I have been wanting to do something to help out. When we got this assignment, I felt like it would be the perfect opportunity to do something for her. I remembered that at the beginning of the year, she told me how much she liked one of the desserts at Cherry Tree. I checked for a couple days to see if they had it in stock and finally found it and bought some for her.
When I gave her the dessert, she seemed happy to have it but also grateful to have both a quick break from studying and know that I had been thinking about what I could do for her to make her week less stressful. Even though this was a small act, it felt good to show one of my friends that I was thinking about them and know that I could at least make her day that much brighter.
I think this relates to good leadership as it addresses the importance of being aware of the feelings of others and perceiving when someone may need a little treat or a couple minutes just to be able to talk about what is going on; a good leader must always be aware of others.
I was planning to spend my $5 in a different way than I did. I was thinking of combining my $5 with few friends' $5, also in the Bad Leadership class, because we thought that we could afford to do something that would a bigger impact. However, I found that my lone $5 could make just as significant of an impact. Last Wednesday, right after the Bad Leadership class I decided to get food at Blueprint coffee (on the Delmar Loop) and finish an essay there. When I finally got a table and started working on my essay, I saw a man standing outside of Blueprint Coffee, with no umbrella or coat, staring at the food. Not only was it extremely cold that day, but it was also pouring rain. He was shivering and holding a sign that asked for food, and specified that he didn't need or want money, he would just be beyond thankful for something to eat. I decided to use my $5, along with Bear Bucks, to buy him a vegetable hash with chicken and a warm drink. I knew that those $5 held more value than I could comprehend when he started to tear up with the sight of food. It really made me think about the value of money. $5 doesn't sound like a life changing amount of money to most people in the WashU community, but it really can be used in a way that does change lives, as cliché as that may sound.
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ReplyDeleteThis week, I used the $5 given to me to buy a birthday card and flowers for my floor’s housekeeper, T. T is one of the friendliest, kindest people I have ever met, and when it came up in conversation that her birthday was April 3rd, I knew that I wanted to get her a card. Right before winter break, I gave T a holiday gift which she so greatly appreciated, but she even more so appreciated the card, telling me that she has a board that she hangs all the cards she’s gotten from her students on. Originally, I was going to just have my suitemates sign it, but when someone used my floor’s group chat to see if anyone wanted to pitch in to buy T a cake (we ended up getting her flowers instead), I decided to ask everyone to write messages to T on the card. Including myself, twelve (possibly more) people signed the card to T, writing heartfelt messages about how much we love her and appreciate everything she does.
ReplyDeleteToday (T’s birthday), when I got back to Dardick 3, I saw T with a cookie cake that I found out she had received for her birthday from a co-worker. True to her generous spirit, T was offering everyone that she encountered a piece of her cake. Despite having to clean around forty bathrooms on her birthday, T was in high spirits. When I gave T the card, she appreciated it so much. She gave me a hug, beamed as she read all of the nice, genuine things we wrote about her, she exclaimed, “You guys are the best!”, and said that she’s definitely putting the card on her wall. And, when I asked T whether she was doing anything later on for her birthday, she very happily said, “I’m spending it with you guys!” I was so happy to have touched T in this way because she does so much for our dorm, going above and beyond by leaving uplifting post-it note messages in every bathroom. I felt like I had committed an act of good leadership by, as simple as it is, being kind and thoughtful. It’s amazing how something so simple can impact a person in such a profound way (or in this case, two people: T and myself).
Ashley Frey
ReplyDeleteFor my act of kindness this week, I decided to do something for my MEC290 case competition group. Our case competition is with Boston Consulting Group, and our presentation this Friday is rapidly approaching. My group consists of me, my friend Lizzie who I went to high school with, a freshman from Chicago who loves to wear bandanas and calls himself a "Deadhead" for his love of the Grateful Dead, and a 23-year-old graduate student from a three-hour-plane-ride-outside of Shanghai, China. We're certainty an eclectic and diverse group, and a group that I've enjoyed getting to know and working with.
Our project has been very demanding and consists of us working together several hours a week from 9:30-11:30 at night. A few nights ago, it was snowing and I could tell over text that no one wanted to make the trek to the Simon study room. I realized that everyone needed a little something to get through the meeting, so I decided to go to the Bear Sweet Shoppe and buy everyone a small bag of candy. I thought about what I thought everyone would like and selected each person's candy individually.
Right when I got to the meeting, I handed each person their bag and I could tell the whole atmosphere in the room changed. Everyone said thank you and that it was exactly what they needed to get through the meeting and their day.
In doing this for my teammates, I felt like a really good leader! I was happy that everyone enjoyed their candy, and I actually felt like our group got closer and were more efficient during the meeting. Part of good leadership is being mindful of others and trying to do good to advance the team.
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ReplyDeleteUpon receiving $5 from Dean Stratton to perform an act of good leadership, my first thought was to pool the money together with a couple of my classmates in order to buy food for a homeless person. During the week, I tutor elementary school students in a rundown area of St. Louis, and occasionally we bring snacks to the children. Seeing their reaction when given food inspired me to go out of my way and buy food for one of the many homeless people in the area. An act as simple as buying food for someone else can go a long way. I joined forces with my fellow classmates Alex Cohen and Michael Spiro, and on Saturday we bought a pizza and delivered it to the first homeless person that we saw near the Delmar Loop. The look on their face replicated the look on the faces of the children I tutor, and it made me feel just as good to know that I helped out one person. He repeatedly thanked us and expressed his appreciation for our little action. In the future, I hope to contribute more to society and do my part to end the struggle of poverty faced by millions of people. The feeling of helping someone else is contagious, and I hope to be able to contribute even more. If everyone went out and bought pizza for a homeless person today, I guarantee the world would be a better place. As we learned in class, there is no leader without the first follower. It only takes a few people to create a movement, so we should all be that courageous follower and begin a movement.
ReplyDeleteThis past week I was recently given $5 by my professor to give as an act of kindness to anyone. I chose to throw my money at a friend that was performing for their first time in a Drag Show performance put on by my university’s Pride Alliance. I decided on placing my money here because I wanted to support my friend in stepping out and doing something they had never experienced before and watching their face light up in happiness made my night. In addition, I also wanted to show my support of the LGBTQ+ community and dragtivism (using drag as a platform for social change). Especially my support for the transgender community that tends to be overlooked in activism discussions for transgender rights. My act of kindness contributes to good leadership because good leaders support others. The friend I gave the $5 to is someone that I do not see very often, but I appreciate her strengths and her passion and I knew that watching her performance and contributing to her success would mean a lot to her.
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ReplyDeleteBeth Grundy
ReplyDeleteI had a hard time deciding what to do with my $5. I wanted to do something meaningful so I waited for an opportunity. I waited quite a few days to start because I thought that I needed a special thing to spend it on. I noticed over the weekend how stressed one of my friends was. She had a lot going on, and I could tell how much it was affecting her at school and in her relationships. I decided that this could be an opportunity to use my money from the assignment. I went to the bear’s den to buy her ice cream and her favorite drink. I left them for her with a note telling her that I was here to support her or talk if she needed me. Though I considered it a small act, it made a difference to her, at least in some way. I did not solve her problems, but it showed me how small acts can have an impact. Afterwards she came and thanked me and told me that it made her forget about her problems, even for a small time. I did not need to go searching for some meaningful act, it was right in front of me the whole time. This exercise has reminded me about the impact of really knowing friends by name and story and being attentive to their needs. It is so easy to get caught up in school and clubs and rush through life without being intentional. I am so grateful to my friend for helping to remind of this important lesson.
Angelina de Leon
ReplyDeleteWith my $5, I decided to buy a cookie cake for my dance team (WashU Dance Collective) and choreographers to celebrate all the hard work we’ve spent rehearsing for our upcoming concert this weekend. My team and I have been practicing for several hours, every single week since September for the show, and we had never really acknowledged each other’s dedication and commitment before. In general, I also noticed that we sometimes forget the incredible amount of time, creativity, and energy that our choreographers put into creating and refining our pieces. For the 15 years I’ve been dancing, one of the lessons my old coach taught me was to express my appreciation whenever I could. When I brought out the cookie cake, everyone immediately thanked me, and I could tell that the director was extremely surprised. Although I’ve bonded with most of the company, I’m definitely not as close to them as I was with my old dance family, so doing this pushed me out of my comfort zone. However, feeling uncomfortable is just another aspect of being a courageous follower and a good leader. Expressing our gratitude can easily be forgotten, so we should always make sure that even the smallest contributions aren’t overlooked. Overall, I think that doing this for my team helped to achieve that.
David Easton
ReplyDeleteThis weekend, I was in Chicago for a Model UN trip. I traveled with 20 other freshmen to a conference hosted by the University of Chicago. It was a great time, due in large part due to the effort the students contributed towards its success. Hosting hundreds of kids from around the country over a weekend is not an easy task. I spent my $5.00 in an effort to show appreciation for one of the staffers at this conference. I was standing in line one morning at Starbucks -- coffee is definitely the fuel needed for such long weekends. I heard her talking on the phone to one of her friends about how she had stayed up until 4:00 am printing out documents and planning things so that the many committees of the next morning would be successful. I wanted to express my appreciation in someway, but thought it would be weird to directly tell her that. When I paid for my coffee, I gave the cashier the five dollar bill to cover her drink as well.
I never talked to this girl or even got her name. I ordered and stepped over to wait for my coffee. From watching her, she seemed confused at first but then very genuinely surprised. I don't think she remembered who was in front of her in line, because she looked around but didn't really focus on me. I can't say how big of a deal it was to her or how moved she was, but she did seem genuinely happy afterwards. It was a very positive experience - one of a nature I think often goes underrepresented in the competitive and often somewhat shallow world of traveling Model UN.
Jessica Yu
ReplyDeleteHere I am, 3am in the morning, and I just finished baking all the cookies (using cookie dough I bought with $5). Initially, I was also (like Beth) waiting for the perfect situation to give this "perfect" gift for someone who I thought would need it. However, that moment never seemed to come along with the time span of a week. However, I had been thinking of baking cookies these past few days to share it out with others. I was nearly tempted to wait until tomorrow to bake them (as it was already very late at night), but after reading everyone's reflections and posts about these acts of kindness, I was motivated to keep going. I was encouraged by these posts not because I felt like I had to do it, but rather that I realized the value in taking a step back and giving.
While I was baking the cookies (which took 2 hours, because I am slow) and writing small notes to people who I wanted to appreciate for being a critical part of my first-year at Washington University in St. Louis, I found myself evaluating the space I have been in for the past few months. Thus, these two hours allowed me to reflect on how my year has been, but also appreciate the people in my space.
After I brought the cookies to my floor (and finding only one person was still awake), my friend was really happy to see the cookies (and me, hopefully). I gave her the cookie and the note and she said "Thanks!" and told me to include that she really liked the note. She also plans to keep the note with the other nice notes that she has received.
This cookie baking and note writing session is a method for practicing gratitude in leadership. Good leadership recognizes the importance, contributions, and humanity of others. Sometimes, leaders (and just people) get caught up in their own world and their own minds and own schedules (and busy and busy and busy) that they forget to appreciate the people around them. Sometimes, it takes just a few short minutes or hours for people to reground themselves back into the present, and realize that the space they share is filled with valuable people.
Adina Ornstein
ReplyDeleteWith my five dollars I sent a surprise gift to my sister. I did this for a couple of reasons. One reason is that she is always doing nice things like that for me; such as sending me gifts or helping me with my problems, even though she lives all the way back in my home state. Another reason I sent her something cute and lighthearted was that I had heard from some of my family members that she was having a tough week. I wanted to help cheer her up even if I couldn’t be with her in person or hand deliver the present. She hasn’t received the present yet (a cute pair of socks) but I think she is going to be really appreciative and she will hopefully know that I am thinking about her and am always there for her. I felt really good about doing this because it showed me that it definitely doesn’t take a lot to make someone’s day. Even with just 5 dollars and a few minutes of time you can make someone else really happy and show them that you care. This act contributes to good leadership in a few ways. One way is that it is a good leadership practice to see which people in your life need some cheering up and provide that for them. Another way is that it uses the skill of generosity, which is a key aspect that makes someone a dependable and well-regarded leader.
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ReplyDeleteA close friend was having a very rough week. He had been telling me that he was struggling to juggle all his responsibilities and last week he had to stay up until 7 am for two days. He was also getting sick and I knew he wasn’t going to take care of himself in the middle of his responsibilities. I was sick most of last semester and didn’t want him to go through that on his own-especially when he was so busy. So, for my act of kindness, I used the $5 and put a little more myself and bought him DayQuil. I texted him and met up with him to give it. I also visited him with snacks during one of the nights he was pulling an all nighter to make sure he was doing better. He was still a little sick and had forgotten to take DayQuil that day. So seeing me reminded him to take it. A couple days later we were getting lunch and he was feeling a lot better. I was surprised and happy when he thanked me for taking care of him. I was so gald to see him get better quickly and hear him say that he could survive the past week partially thanks to me. I didn’t think I was doing that big of a difference-I just thought I would help him go through his illness. But I realized having someone there ready to help is the greatest emotional support one can have. And he needed emotional support more than anything. As leaders, we need to think about our followers’ emotional wellbeing. Even the smallest acts can make a difference and having that emotional connection goes a long way in establishing trust, which I think is crucial in a healthy leader-follower relationship.
ReplyDeleteI used my 5 dollars (with a little more cash) to buy a meal for a homeless couple on the loop. They told me how they were walking up the loop looking for money, because they were locked out of their motel and needed food and 9 dollars in order to get back in. They also told me that shortly after being locked out of their room, the motel removed all of their belongings and clothes, including clothes for their soon to come newborn, and placed them in the dumpster. The couple was in a car accident, and lost their car, and the husband clearly had a wrist injury. When we sat down to eat, we talked about the cycle of poverty, how difficult it is to break from a system that continuously steps on those that it deems unworthy, and how damn debilitating it is to have person after person simply ignore your very existence. We ate, talked, shared stories, and I gave them as many resources, names, phone numbers, and contacts I had to help them get off their feet. We texted the other day, and they're doing well.
ReplyDeleteIan Mallery
ReplyDeleteThis past weekend I traveled to Madison, Wisconsin for my fraternity’s formal dance. I was looking forward to having a fun time hanging out with all of my friends in a fun college city, but I also spent time thinking of a what I could do for my act of kindness. My older brother went to college at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and I have spent a lot of time in the city when my family would go to visit him. As we walked around the city enjoying the campus and trying to stay sheltered from the brisk wind coming from the lakes, I noticed that Madison has many more homeless residents on their campus than I notice at WashU. Most of my friends would walk past and look away like most people do, however I noticed that one of my friends would give a dollar to a homeless person whenever we passed one.
At one point our group was standing on a corner talking over our plans for the rest of the day. We were taking a while, and as we were there I noticed a homeless man across the street softly playing a guitar. A few others had heard the music too and were bobbing along with the tune. I felt that this man had brought a few of us a little bit of happiness, so I wanted to give him a little bit as well. I walked across the street and dropped the five dollars in his bucket and walked across the street. I didn’t stay and talk, but from the tone of his voice when he said “thank you” I could tell he appreciated it.
Laura Glanz
ReplyDeleteUsing the $5 from Dean Stratton’s Bad Leadership class, I decided to buy a blank card from the book store. Inside the card, I wrote a letter to Dorothy, one of the cashiers at Paws and Go in the Bear’s Den. Dorothy always has the most dazzling smile on her face, and although she may not know me personally, I wanted to show her love and kindness. She lifts my spirits each day, so I tried to do the same for her.
The closing lines of the card read: “Thank you so much for all that you do and for teaching me the meaning of kindness.” I decided to sign the card “Love, the students (as I think I speak on behalf of everyone)” to demonstrate how appreciated she is. As the card was anonymous, I asked a friend to give her the letter and say, “A friend asked me to give this to you.” I sneakily stood in the corner and watched her open up the card. As she continued to help students check out their food, she read the card laughing and wearing that dazzling smile from ear to ear. It warmed my heart, and the card appeared to brighten up her day. "Please thank your friend for me," she said in response. I think this act contributes to good leadership as I was able to reward someone for their kindness. If a leader can praise those who make the world a better place, those types of actions will be encouraged thus fostering an environment of mutual appreciation and mindfulness of others.
Brian Hall
ReplyDeleteI decided to use my five dollars to show my roommate, Lucas, a small gesture of appreciation by buying him some of his favorite snacks. Lucas and I are both well aware that we appreciate each other; we’ve been through a lot together since late August and it’s made us very close friends. However, it’s always nice to be reminded, and I think surprises are a great way to maintain and build upon mutual appreciation. He had also been pretty stressed out the past week or so due to multiple tests and essays, so this was a good way to congratulate him on surviving yet another midterm period.
When I showed him his surprise he reacted exactly as I expected, which is why I love him so much. Rather than thanking me for the snacks themselves, he thanked me for being thoughtful and caring and for looking out for a good friend. For me, the greatest feeling is knowing that someone truly cares about and empathizes with you, so his gratefulness made my small act of kindness feel so much bigger.
When thinking about leadership, this scenario has very important implications. It is absolutely crucial that a good leader makes those around them feel appreciated. I find that positive, uplifting social interaction is something that brings out the best in people, which should be one of the main goals of any good leader. Similarly, good leaders must be able to empathize with those around them to create an environment of mutual understanding and camaraderie.
Allison Holleb- For my random act of kindness I decided to get 5 dollars worth of quarters and go into Clayton to fill random parking meters. I decided to perform a random act on strangers who I wouldn’t directly interact with because I wanted to see what it would feel like to do something nice for someone without having the instant gratification of seeing their reaction or having them thank you. It was harder to feel motivated to perform the act of kindness knowing that I would never see concrete results, but when I remembered that even the toughest looking of strangers could benefit from kindness I was excited by the possibility of making someone’s day a little bit easier. It can be so much harder to make the decision that doesn’t necessarily lead you to reap immediate benefits, but keeping my end goal at heart allowed me to see past the possibility of nothing coming of my random act and I was once again invigorated by the prospect of making someone smile. Although I’m not sure who was affected by my actions or how they reacted, I feel good knowing that, potentially, a distressed stranger was put a little more at ease knowing that someone was looking out for them. As both a leader and a follower, it can be difficult to have empathy for people whom you don’t feel a strong connection or similarity to, but remembering that everyone, no matter their temperament or background, benefits from kindness is a good place to start.
ReplyDeleteSarah Czuker
ReplyDeleteWhen first presented with this assignment I was unsure what to do. Finding the right or perfect act kindness is really hard. Yet then I realized that was my problem: I was looking for the PERFECT act of kindness which does not exist. Kindness is a subjective emotion, one affected by your intentions, your mood or mannerism while doing this so-called act of kindness, and the interpretation by the recipient. I ended up spending my $5 to buy medicine for a friend who was not feeling well. Doing so showed her that I cared enough to go out of my way to make her feel better. One of the defining factors of good leadership, as we have discussed in class, is the ability to connect to others and care about the person. Although we are friends and she most likely would have done the same for me, buying medicine for my friend showed that I cared and that I appreciate her. Leadership should not just be something contained to a work or leadership position; exemplary leadership can and should be seen in all aspects of one’s life, but especially in relation to loved ones such as family and friends. Showing you care trains you and habituates the show of appreciation and respect so that you develop into a better leader.
Our assignment this week was to perform an act of kindness with our $5. The opportunities are endless on how we chose to spend our money, and how we chose to act. I chose to show gratitute to a staff member at Cherry Tree. While all the staff members do a good job serving the students, there is a particular worker who always goes above and beyond. She knows my name and always knows my order before I even ask. This week she was working additional shifts to cover for someone else, and I overheard her talking about being so stressed in addition to balencing another job. I decided to write her a apppreciation note and put the money inside the envolope. She didn't open it until after I left, but I was peering from a table in distance of the dinning area -- so she didn't see me. When she opened the note her face lit up and she beamed with big smile. It was really gratifying to see how something simple can positivly influence someones mood. As I completed this assignment, I realize that being a leader can come in a variety of degrees. We have the ability to create positive impact regadless if we affect 1 person or a 1000 people. The opportunities of showing kindness are endless, and moving forward I will continue to actively seek simple ways to positively impact others on a daily basis. -Shahd
ReplyDeleteWilliam- I spent the $5 I was given, plus a little extra, on a pack of Oreos for my roommates. I didn’t think it would be the best use of my time to think up some grand, magnanimous act of kindness- I would have felt then that I would be hunting for recognition or appreciation, and uncomfortable about my personal motives. Instead, I thought about my roommates, people who I see and say hi to on a daily basis and grouse about schoolwork to slightly less often, but to whom I don’t give a proportionate amount of kindness. I felt that free snacks would be the perfect, small thing to help fix that. Whether you’re trying to study or trying to avoid studying, it can’t hurt to have some sugar in there to keep whatever it is going.
ReplyDeleteBoth smiled and thanked me when I let them know that the Oreos on the fridge were communal. It was only later that I learned of the extent of their combined gratitude when I found the next day that about a solid third of the cookies were gone.
I would say that this sort of action can contribute to good leadership because a good leader because an act of kindness by someone, no matter how small, could help their followers and those around respect them a little more. That in turn can only strengthen the working relationships in a group of people and help them achieve bigger and better things.
For my act of kindness, I spent the $5 kind of spontaneously. I didn't have time to even consider how I wanted to use it before an obvious opportunity presented itself: I used the money to buy a bunch of donuts when a friend was broken up with. The break up kind of came out of left field and blind-sided him, and while it wasn't a super serious relationship it was still pretty upsetting. I showed up at his dorm with the donuts and his roommate and I talked it out a bit with him.
ReplyDeleteI felt really good about doing this. While donuts are nice, I think it's more feeling like someone is putting in effort and cares about you and how you're doing that makes a difference. From my end, it was really gratifying to feel like I made some small difference – or at least if I didn't make it better, made him feel cared about.
I think actions like these can be a part of good leadership because it makes people feel individually acknowledged and appreciated, and helps build a personal relationship outside of the authoritative one. I gave the donuts my friend didn't want to everyone on the floor, which still felt good to do and they were all very appreciative, but it was much more impersonal. I think the personal connection is what made the action so gratifying; that also makes sense from a leadership perspective, because when you have a positive personal relationship all other interactions are coming from a place of mutual respect.
For my act of kindness, I decided to buy my friend a large hot tea from Cherry Tree Cafe while she was busy studying for an exam. I know that my friend loves tea and usually drinks a cup a day but usually will not buy a second because the prices add up. I knew that she was having a pretty stressful day preparing for an exam the next morning, so I decided to get her something simple that would make her smile. When I gave it to her, she was so happy! At first, she was shocked that I went “out of my way” to get here something, and since it ended up being something she genuinely wanted and enjoyed, she was especially appreciative. I think bringing a smile to her face on a day when she had been anxious and worried was really special, and I am definitely going to go “out of my way” more often to make my friends happy.
ReplyDeleteI truly believe that paying attention to your friends’ needs and emotions is very important and good leaders tend to pay similar close attention to their followers. It is important as a friend and a leader to take charge of a negative or stressful situation and bring some brightness into the equation. By doing this, you demonstrate that you understand and respect the emotions of the other person and that you are committed to making them feel better and brightening their day.
This act of kindness made me feel full, and spending the money on a gift for someone else definitely brought me much more happiness than buying something for myself or pocketing the money would have. Therefore, I will be trying to spend a bit of money on other people more often, in order to both brighten their day and to brighten mine.