HDF 190:

FIRST YEAR LEADERS INSPIRED TO

EXCELLENCE
LEADERSHIP PORTFOLIO

Amanda Diehl
SPRING 2017

amandadiehl@my.uri.edu
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Strengths
Opening Statement SLIDE #
Section 1: Self Leadership SLIDE #
Section 2: Leadership Theories SLIDE #
Section 3: Inclusive Leadership SLIDE #
Section 4: Critical Thinking SLIDE #
Section 5: Interpersonal/Organizational Leadership SLIDE #

*If you do not have one outcome from each area of the Inventory completed,
you may opt to choose 2 from one of the sections.
 Signature Strengths
Includer
Restorative
Positivity
Learner
WOO

Values in Action Strengths

Forgiveness
Hope
Kindness
Curiosity
Zest
 OPENING STATEMENT

In HDF 190 I learned many different way to lead. The two styles that stuck
with me the most were relational leadership and servant leadership.
Servant leadership makes the most sense to me out of the models we have
studied so far. I also understand and relate to potions of the relational
leadership model. I have always seen myself as a leader in the way of
helping other and leading people who need help . In high school I was the
coach of the freshman cheer team and through this experience I helped
younger cheerleaders become stronger and more confident with their
abilities as a cheer leader. I also enjoyed this position because as a senior
at the time I was able to mentor these girls on more than just cheer but on
anything they needed help with throughout high school. Servant and
Relational leadership both make sense to me because I want to serve others
and help others but I also want to do it in a way that I can understand them
and understand their strengths and what they are good at.
 SECTION 1:SELF LEADERSHIP
4. Student will demonstrate knowledge of stress management methods

Target Class: URI 101. Additional Experiences: Nursing 100

Both my URI 101 and my Nursing 100 class demonstrated and explained the importance of
stress management. This classes explained stress management in two different ways. In URI
101 they explained how to manage school stress by keeping organized with planners and
calendars. Whereas in Nursing 100 our professor explained how to deal with emotional
stress from things you might have to see or do at work. She explained that there are many
different methods for doing this but she suggested things like exercise, music and
meditation. Being a nursing major it is extremely important for me to understand how to
manage stress because once you finally get into the profession it is expected for you to not
only know how to manage stress during work and with your patients but you are also
expected to maintain your own personal well-being. (see evidence #4)
 SECTION 2: Leadership Theory and Models

27. Student will describe personal application of the above theory (Greenleaf)
Target Class: HDF 190 Additional Experiences: Sigma Kappa, VIA strengths, URI 101 mentor
In HDF 190 the servant leadership theory was discussed, as part of this discussion a panel of students came
and talked about how they practiced servant leadership in the organization they are a part of. As they were
talking I realized that not all servant leadership has to involve going to an underprivileged area and serving
them, but things like being a peer mentor could also be considered a servant leader. I personally have
never been involved in a program like the alternative spring break but I have always had an interesting in
helping people who I could relate to. By this I mean I have always enjoyed being a peer mentor or a guide
to new members of an organization. In high school I was the coach of my freshman cheer team. After
learning about servant leadership, I realized how this sort of servant leadership is the kind that I like the
most. Because of this a have also attempted to become the new member educator of my sorority and I
recently became a URI 101 mentor. These peer mentor positions fit my strengths well because I am an
includer, a learner, and positive. The includer strength is what causes me to want to make sure everyone is
acclimating themselves to the new environment well, whether this be a new school, a new sorority, or a
new cheer team. My learner strength means that I am passionate about learning about them and why they
are starting this new journey as well as being passionate about teaching them what I have learned from my
experience. Finally, my positivity strength is needed because many people struggle with big changes, like
coming to college and they need someone to be a cheerleader to help them realize they can do it. I always
had a passion for helping new people but after learning the servant leadership model I was more aware of
when I am being a servant leader. (see evidence #27)
 SECTION 3:
Inclusive Leadership / Diversity and its
application to leadership
83. Student will create a personal code of inclusive leadership
Target class: HDF 190. Additional Experiences: Multicultural overnight program-class host
In HDF 190 we reviewed the relational leadership model. This model as five leadership components, one of
these is inclusive leadership. It is important to know that inclusive leadership involves understanding yourself
and others, along with world views, believing that everyone can make a difference and processing skills in
building coalitions and engaging in civil discourse. This style of leadership can be seen in many different areas
however I felt that I realized how I use inclusive leadership doing the multicultural overnight program. At the
multicultural overnight program I was a class host which meant I took prospective college students to class
with me so they could see the difference between high school and college classes. During this experience I
was paired with 4 girls who were all from different states and had different perspectives on college. Just in my
short time talking with them I was able to realize the girls were all interested in different things and came from
different style homes, and they all had a different perspective on University of Rhode Island. I felt that while
talk to them and being able to understand at little more about the environment they came from I was able to
see what sort of things we had in common, even if it was something as small as liking fashion or being from a
state other than Rhode Island. Through this common thread I was able to relate to them in so many more
ways, but I was also able to see their differences, as I am sure they could sense mine, but the differences add
to a more interesting conversation. This experience should be that inclusive leadership is more than just being
welcoming to everyone, it is about ones ability to relate, accept, and make adjustments for people whom
have different ideas, needs and perspectives from you. (see evidence #83)
Team Engagement Checklist (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2017, from http://leadertoday.org/faq/relational.htm
 SECTION 4: Critical Thinking
88. Student will show knowledge of principles of critical thinking (logic is used in this
minor)
Target Class: HDF 190
In HDF 190 and throughout the leadership minor we have been exposed to the idea of
critically thinking. Critically thinking is defined by the critically thinking community as,
mode of thinking about any subject, content, or problem in which the thinker
improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully analyzing, assessing, and
reconstructing it. This type of thinking requires additional steps, the individual must
analyze, assess and form solutions. The processes of analyzing an issue refers to
identifying a purpose and realizing if there are any assumptions, implications or
points of views to take into consideration. Once an individual analyzes the question
they must then assess the question in order to decide what step is next. While
assessing the question an individual must look for clarity fairness, significance and
logic. The final step is the individuals result, this result should be clear and answer all
questions while also raising questions to the intent of the problem they are
responding to. Someone that is able to think critically will be open-minded and will be
able to communicate effectively when solving problems with others. (see evidence
#88).
Our Concept and Definition of Critical Thinking. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2017, from
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/our-concept-and-definition-of-critical-
thinking/411
 SECTION 5: Interpersonal and
Organizational Concepts and Skills
115. Student will describe personal examples of group development in use (Tuckman, Bennis or others).
Target Class: HDF 190. Additional experience: Sigma Kappa
In HDF 190 we learned about Tuckman s idea of group development. We then provided personal
examples within our small groups about how we have been a part of an organization going through group
development. I talked about my sorority. My sorority has been at this campus for much longer than me
and will likely be around for much longer after me, so I will explain how my pledge class specifically has
transferred through some of these steps, even though we have not completely completed the model. The
first stage in Tuckmans model is forming, for us this occurred on bid day when we finally finished the rush
process and found out what sorority we had made it into. The first few weeks we were in the forming
stage, many of us were uncertain what the expectations were from us. Most of us also did not know
anyone and we were unclear with what the mission of our sorority was. As we began to adjust to each
other and the new sorority we moved into the storming phase. For us the storming phase occurred
because of a lack of understanding the expectation of us from the sorority. Some members in my pledge
class had made bad decisions regarding drinking and that lead to our how pledge class arguing over these
issues. People were being caddy and our pledge class was quickly divided into cliques. Luckily, we had a
great new member educator who helped us reunite and move out or the storming stage. As we moved
into the norming stage many of us were finally familiar with each other and knew all of the names of the
girls in the sorority. We were now initiated and all of our missions and goals were clear. Some people in
our pledge class also took on some leadership positions so the struggle for power had subsided. We were
now at the same point that most of the girls in the sorority were at. We are likely going to waver between
this stage, storming and preforming until we graduate at which point we will move into the adjourning
stages. The preforming stage will come when we have big events going on every year, like rushing new
members and hosting our annual cards for a cause philanthropy event. This stage is when we will be most
prepared and ready to work together. We will adjourn by having a ceremony and then having the
opportunity to wear letters at graduation. (See evidence #115)