Leadership, Thursday, Period 1, Class 10 (11/13/08)

[1petrelli1.livejournal.com]

"As leaders you will not always be popular," Nathan said as he passed around that week's handout. "Let's face it, if absolutely everyone agreed on what was the right thing to do you'd be out of a job. I don't care if you're running on a free chocolate for everyone platform. Someone out there, somewhere, won't like it.

"We'll get into making unpopular decisions in the next couple of classes. For today I want to focus on this: you are not a leader to be liked. You are not a leader to make friends. You are a leader because you can do what it takes to bring about what's best for the whole - be that your company, your squadron, your country, or anything else.

"If you want unconditional love get a dog. Though frankly those might not always agree with you either." Nathan smiled briefly, remembering something. He shook it off and moved on. "When you make your decision you have to stick to it, even if people don't like you. Now part of this is your own leadership skills. You have to believe that you've made your decision for the best possible reasons. Everything we've worked on up to this point has helped give you the foundation for that.

"This is also not about ignoring good advice. Again: you need to understand before you make these decisions who gives you good information and insight. And this isn't about what if you're making a bad decision - we'll get into the fun of that next week. No, what this is about is those moments where you know what needs to be done and people hate you for it. There's going to be tension all around you. Your popularity has dipped so far in the polls it's hitting negative numbers. Your own mother is giving you the evil eye and muttering about writing you out of her will. You have to find it in yourself to ignore all of that and stuck to your guns. Remind yourself that you're not in it to be liked, you're in it to do what you think is right.

"For today's class you're going to practice that. Pair up. Take turns with one of you as the leader and the other as the one who doesn't like the leader. Leaders, you've decided to abolish a law that says guys named Nathan aren't allowed to own property. Now I like you a lot, but your partner hates this idea. Dissenters - your job is to try to put pressure on the leader to change his or her mind. This law's been on the books for thousands of years, if the law is changed there'll be rioting in the streets, the entire economic system will collapse - whatever. Have fun. Play around with it. Leaders, stick to your guns. Remind yourself that it doesn't matter if this person agrees with you or not. See how long you can hang in there before you switch roles.

"Remember to play nice and don't make anything personal," Nathan added. "Though once you have the job you'll find that the press and everyone else might not be so kind. But we're not so life or death here.

"As always I'm here if you have questions."

[ooc: OCD is up!]

Comments

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[1petrelli1.livejournal.com]

Collapsy!

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[talks2objects.livejournal.com]

Dor

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[endsthegame]

Andrew Wiggin

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[meg-powers.livejournal.com]

Meg Powers

During the Lecture

[1petrelli1.livejournal.com]

Take notes, talk amongst yourselves...

Re: During the Lecture

[meg-powers.livejournal.com]

Meg couldn't help but think that he was describing life in her house during the campaign.

Re: During the Lecture

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

Joan listened and jotted down some notes.

Re: During the Lecture

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

Incredibly interested in this lecture, Turtle was in rapt attention, trying to simultaneously take as many notes as she could without missing anything.

Re: During the Lecture

[momslilassassin]

This was sounding a little too much like Jacen's mindset for Ben's comfort.

Re: During the Lecture

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

She took notes carefully, making sure she didn't miss anything. The concept itself wasn't new, but Hinata was well aware of her own failings in this area according to her father, and she didn't want to mess up.

Re: During the Lecture

[imcalledandros.livejournal.com]

Andros took down some notes.

Re: During the Lecture

[heromaniac]

Momoko took notes and wondered if she even wanted to be a leader in the way that Mr Petrelli was describing.

Re: During the Lecture

[finding-x-dream.livejournal.com]

Agnes did her best to take notes while keeping her baby Ewok quiet. It sure was a fussy little thing today.

Pair up!

[1petrelli1.livejournal.com]

Take turns having to be the unpopular one.

Re: Pair up!

[meg-powers.livejournal.com]

Meg looked around for a partner.

Re: Pair up!

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

"Hey, Meg, you wanna work together?" Joan asked.

Re: Pair up!

[meg-powers.livejournal.com]

"Sure," Meg said. "What part do you want?"

Re: Pair up!

[stocksgrrl.livejournal.com]

Turtle glanced around for a partner.

Re: Pair up!

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Luckily there was a mun with much the same.

"Partners?" Teddy suggested, moving over toward Turle's desk.

Re: Pair up!

[finding-x-dream.livejournal.com]

Agnes bounced the Ewok on her knee and looked around for a partner.

Talk to Meg!

[1petrelli1.livejournal.com]

When she pings in.

Re: Talk to Meg!

[meg-powers.livejournal.com]

Meg was trying to keep the baby Ewok entertained but she was here to help.

Talk with Nathan

[1petrelli1.livejournal.com]

Unpopular decisions are his life. In so many, many ways, really.

OOC

[1petrelli1.livejournal.com]

Oh CANON.

Re: OOC

[joan-notjane.livejournal.com]

*hugs Nathan SO MUCH*