HDF 190:

FIRST YEAR LEADERS INSPIRED TO EXCELLENCE

LEADERSHIP PORTFOLIO

Ryan Amadon
SPRING 2014

Ryanamadon@my.uri.edu
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Strengths 3
Opening Statement 4
Section 1: Self Leadership 5
Section 2: Leadership Theories 6
Section 3: Inclusive Leadership 7
Section 4: Critical Thinking 8
Section 5: Interpersonal/Organizational Leadership 9
 Signature Strengths
1. Empathy
2. Developer
3. Relator
4. Consistency
5. Connectedness

Values in Action Strengths

1. Hope
2. Leadership
3. Kindness
4. Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence
5. Fairness
 OPENING STATEMENT:

HDF190 has opened my eyes to the strengths and values I

utilize everyday as a leader. By learning about models
such as Servant Leadership and Relational Leadership, I
now have a deeper understanding as to why I lead the way
that I do.
 SECTION 1
SELF LEADERSHIP
(#10 Student will demonstrate the ability to lead a project from start to finish (follow -
through))

For my HDF190 class, we were assigned to create a learning contract. The goal as printed on EVIDENCE
10 states: To identify and utilize my Strengths in an organizational/interpersonal setting that aligns with the
mission, vision, values and sponsored programs and activities of URIs Center for Student Leadership
Development. The activity I decided to participate in was The Relay For Life. To demonstrate my leadership
capabilities to a broader array of people, I decided to create my team on behalf of my sorority, Sigma Delta Tau.
As the captain, it was my responsibility to recruit members, set fundraising goals, organize fundraising
activities, and most importantly, cheer on my team. All of these components were time consuming and stressful,
but paid off immensely. In total, my team raised $657 for the American Cancer Association. On March 4th, 2017
my team gathered in the Mackal Field House walked laps to show our support for the cause. By the end of the
day, I had walked almost 20,000 steps. The entirety of the planning process was time consuming and stressful,
but in the end it was extremely worthwhile and benefited an important cause. I am so grateful I was able to lead
a team and participate in this event. SEE EVIDENCE #10
 SECTION 2
Leadership Theory and Models
(#40 Students will show knowledge of the "Relational Leadership" model by
Komives, McMahon & Lucas)
In HDF190, we were introduced to the Relational Leadership Model by Komives, McMahon, and Lucas. This model centers around the
importance of forming relationships in order to be an effective leader. There are five main components which make up the mode l: inclusive,
empowering, purposeful, ethical, and process-oriented. Inclusivity means that you understand not only yourself, but others. You believe in equality,
and that everyone has the potential to make a difference. You practice inclusivity by engaging each member of the group, as well as listening to the
viewpoints of every member. Empowering is all about support and growth. An empowering person strives for each member of the g roup to reach
their greatest potential. They encourage others and promote self-leadership. The next component of the Relational Leadership model, purposeful,
centers around the individual commitment to the goal or task. They should maintain an optimistic atmosphere by involving othe rs in the vision-
building process. Everyone, either individually, or as a group, has the potential to make a difference. The next element of the Relational Leadership
Model is ethical. Someone who is ethical possess the ability to know right from wrong. They should promote high behavioral an d action-oriented
standards. If an ethical dilemma was to arise, they should be able to confront the problem, and make the appropriate choice. Lastly is the process-
oriented unit of the model. As stated in the title, process-oriented individuals believe good things happen when you trust the process. The journey is
just as important as the destination. Someone who is process-oriented should be able to facilitate collaboration, as well as make meaning of the
task at hand. Overall a leader who is able to master each of these elements would be classified as a relational leader, and b e able to make a
difference by benefiting the common good (Komives, S, Lucas, N., & McMahon, T. (1998). Exploring Leadership for College Stude nts What Want to
Make A Difference. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (68-72).
 SECTION 3
Inclusive Leadership / Diversity and its application to leadership
(#83 Student will create a personal code of inclusive leadership)

In my HDF190 class, I was challenged to create a personal code of inclusive leadership while learning about
the Relational Leadership Model. The Relational Leadership Model, created by Komives, McMahon & Lucas,
focuses on the the ability of the leader to create positive relationships within a group. One of the main
leadership components of the model is inclusivity. To be an inclusive leader, one must have knowledge of,
believe, and possess skills that accept individuals, regardless of differences in point of views. A time when I
found myself utilizing my personal code of inclusive leadership was the class we spent in the Atrium in small
groups. We were tasked to build a house using only macaroni pieces, marshmallows, and tape. Since our
smaller groups were a combination of students from both HDF190 sections, we were unfamiliar with each other.
Some members of my group immediately began taking charge, however I noticed some students were standing
in the back, keeping their thoughts to themselves. The inclusive leader in me began asking each member to
add input, since I truly believe that everyones voices should be heard equally. As a result, our group won the
award for having the best structured house (Komives, S., Lucas, N., & McMahon, T. (1998). The Relational
Model [PDF]. San Francisco : Exploring Leadership for College Students What Want to Make A Difference).
 SECTION 4
Critical Thinking
(#89 Student will demonstrate proficiency of critical thinking)

Each week in my NUR100 class, we were assigned real-life simulation case studies. These studies typically represented
actual nurse-patient interactions, and it was our job to determine how to accurately handle the situation.The point of these
exercises was to promote the importance of being precise, complete, logical, accurate, clear, and fair when accessing patients.
Specifically to nurses, bias and close mindedness are two pitfalls when it comes to critically evaluating patients. We spend an
entire unit understanding the importance of being impartial, no matter the situation. One specific case study we looked at wa s
a patient who was deaf and only spoke Spanish. In this scenario, my group came up with a critical thinking action plan. We first
would check the hospital for a Spanish-speaking sign language translator. Since those are a rare commodity to find in an
American hospital, we would do our best to communicate with the patient ourselves. Using hand gestures and writing down
basic terms are a method we learned that generally work well with culturally different, or disabled individuals. Asking yes o r no
questions to determine level of understanding is another way to convey important information in a simple manner. If we were
unable to accurately assess the patients health condition, we would stay with him until someone better suited to his situational
needs was able to come in for an evaluation. No matter the circumstances, nurses must have the skills to adapt to properly
advocate for the patients needs and well-being.
 SECTION 5
Interpersonal and Organizational Concepts and Skills
(#130 Student will show knowledge of Intercultural communication considerations)
In my NUR100 class, I was introduced to the term intercultural communication. Intercultural communication is the way in which
differing cultures affect communication. When dealing with patients of a different culture, there are several things to take into
consideration. Loudness, spatial distance, eye contact, gestures, and attentiveness are primary fundamentals of nursing to be culturally
aware of. Some examples we learned in class are that Arab people may avert their eyes when listening or speaking, Russian patients
may want to kiss you on the cheek to express their gratitude, or someone from South America may consider it impolite if you speak with
your hands in your pockets. While these examples may seem insignificant to our culture, it could be a huge barrier for another culture. In
my COM100 class, we discussed terms that generally follow intercultural communication. According to my Communications text book,
Culture shock is a feeling of disorientation due to the lack of familiar environmental cues. Whether you are the one experiences culture
shock, or the person you are talking to is experiencing culture shock, it is important to be mindful of the differences between both parties.
Another term from the text known as ethnocentrism is the tendency to view ones own group as the standard against which all other
groups are judged. Recognizing your own cultural attitudes, values, and beliefs will make you more sensitive to others cultures and less
likely for you to impose your own cultural attitudes on their ways of life (Alberts, J. K., Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2011).
Communication Fundamentals (University of Rhode Island Edition ed.). Retrieved April 24, 2017, from
http://view.ebookplus.pearsoncmg.com/ebook/launcheText.do?values=bookID::45712::platform::1027::fromloginpage::N::invokeType: :lms
::launchState::goToEBook::platform::1027::globalBookID::CM75960285::userID::5546146::scenario::1::scenarioid::scenario1::sessionID::
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5ffdfdffb0416c8a883e6f5268f.