A521.5.4.RB_TAYLORHEATHER

    It was reaffirming to see Bible excerpts in the course readings from this week's lesson.  As I reflected on the use of parables to teach and communicating ethical values, I thought on the life of Jesus.  The man who was able to feed thousands from barely enough food to feed five people is the same man that is influencing our future leaders. I was so excited to know that His teachings were woven into the curriculum, as they are still true today.
    With leaders like Jesus, I do not feel he spend time doing personal surveys or hiring consultants to analyze His value system.  It is more His honest reflection on what is being preached and what is being practiced.  Denning (2011) refers to this as "Distinguishing between organizational values and espoused values."  It requires a firm hard look into what is being communicated from a personal level to a corporate level, and what is being acted upon in the organization on a daily basis.
    In order to align the practicing and preaching of values, Denning (2011) suggests the use of storytelling and structure, a consistent reward system and creating shared values among employees of the company.   In the Ms. Wheelchair Florida, Inc. organization, the values espoused are of equality, education, advocacy and empowerment.  These are communicated through written format, through personal interaction and through public service events.  The organization has to ensure that the titleholder will be able to maintain the three critical components of an ethical organization- trust, loyalty and solidarity.(Denning, 2011)
     The organization is able to do this by maintaining a board of directors that is representative of persons with disabilities.  It is also made up of diverse individuals that have a common purpose of promoting independent living and dignity of life for those that are often  robbed of their dignity.  This past weekend Grace and I had the pleasure of spending an evening with the State Coordinator of the organization and we discussed these values.
   During our discussion, the State Coordinator, Shari Wilson, shared her experiences in years past and witnessing the other state competitions through the years.  She explained that while the organization is intended to be a platform for social change, there are still instances where contestants at the state and national level will become catty.  I was a little taken aback by this.  While I do tend to look at things optimistically, this statement helped me prepare for what may occur at the national level.  Understanding that human nature is often one of competition, I could see why there may be less than ethical behavior among contestants.  Shari and I then spoke about how our state could espouse the ethical values that we stand for as an organization.  Specifically, we began speaking about the upcoming fundraiser needed for national competition qualification.  Some states will have contestants just do a gofundme page and raise the funds.  While that is often done to qualify for the state level, once you are the state titleholder it is somewhat understood that your fundraiser should give back to the community.  Therefore, Shari and I spoke about doing an event called "Tea and Tiaras."  The event would bring together key community stakeholders, all adorned in their bonnets and fashionable attire, as well as amazing young women throughout Florida that being recognized for the wonderful efforts they are doing in their community.  There will be a donation system setup and the attendees will be able to enjoy a nice afternoon tea while hearing the inspirational stories of these incredible women.  The idea is not to make the event about raising funds to pay for the national competition.  The event is to recognize the contributions of these amazing individuals and create community awareness for attitudinal changes for women that are facing significant disabilities.
     While this is just one example of how we are trying to ensure our organizational values match our espoused values, we are aware that there are always missing values in our organization.  For example, we recently collaborated to ensure that there would be no question of whether the finance and operations is being unethically handled.  Due to the limited staff to support the organization, the State Coordinator is required to be the CEO, CFO, and COO all in one.  She has to make decisions and then have the board review to ensure the agency is staying aligned with the organizational values.  In order to make sure there was no question for reimbursement expenses, she worked to create a standardized system in which the titleholder can log expenses and then submit monthly for review.     This practice allows for the trust that is needed to continue year after year.
     It is exciting to know that I am able to be part of an organizational change, and I feel very blessed to have the wisdom of my teachers, my classmates, my coursework and my personal faith renewing those values each and every day.

Denning, S. (2011).  The Leaders Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative.  San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

A521.4.3.RB_TAYLORHEATHER

Two days ago, I was honored to be the guest speaker at Daytona State College's Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk.  With approximately 100 people in attendance, we began the event inside of a large stadium type auditorium which had audio/visual equipment to help with the presentation.  In my previous Suicide Prevention presentations, I had always made sure there was an available computer to utilize for Powerpoint slides and I would ask about the length of time provided for the presentation.  I never had to worry about asking if a stage was accessible by wheelchair.

I am learning that I now have to check about wheelchair accessibility prior to my presentation.  Although, in this instance, we would not have been provided an alternate location.  I did the best that I could with the facility and it was an eye opening experience to me how much more I have to put into my message to compensate for the environmental and nonverbal limitations. 

According to McKay, Davis & Fanning (2009), a message is impacted by many variables.  The speaker can completely change the meaning behind the message by their facial expressions, posture, movements or lack thereof, intonation, inflection, and changes in rate or speech.  The words and the nonverbal cues can be contradictory and cause confusion in the audience about the intent of the message.  Knowing this helped me prepare for my presentation Friday night.

In the past, I have been an audience member for presentations delivered about suicide prevention.  Some people come in with a very somber demeanor which is somewhat appropriate when around grieving families.  They then speak about how much the community needs to work together and make changes in society about mental health stigma.  Yet, their words are completely without passion and it left me with a feeling of wondering how far this individual would go in making changes when they were unable to motivate me through their message.  Being a very passionate mental health advocate, it doesn't take very much to motivate me.  To know that the opportunities are there to have people make changes and really leave an impression on the audience and then have those opportunities lost due to a poorly executed delivery of a profound message really motivates me to deliver a message of hope that is not lost on the audience.

So how did I attempt to execute a successful delivery on Friday?

To compensate for the postural limitations where my condition requires me to lay back or slouch, I ensured that my words were delivered with a very firm and heartfelt tone.  I included hand gestures that let people know I was still lively and had energy behind the message even if I couldn't sit all the way upright. The proximity and use of space was an issue, as I was required to be in the middle of the room off to the left side of the stage, since there were only stairs down to the front of the room and then stairs up to the stage.  Yet, the audience was willing to work with me and they were able to turn their chairs to see me as I spoke.  A nice part of this was that I had a slideshow playing simultaneously so as to direct attention to the front of the room and I could focus more on the words and the variations in my speech.

When the presentation was over, I had many people come up to me and express how they were so thankful they came out to the Suicide Prevention Walk and that they knew God was speaking to them through the message that was delivered.  What an honor!  I had prayed about delivering this message of hope and perseverance.  A message that we who have survived loved ones passing of suicide need to make sure we take care of our own mental health and well being.  A message that together we can spread awareness and help others understand the warning signs.  The message made it's way to the ears and then to the minds and hearts of the audience that night.  I have continued to receive messages from attendees and it is so affirming that no matter what obstacles are placed in the path of being a presenter, with congruency of passion and purpose behind a message, nothing can stop it from being heard.

 Mckay, M., Davis, M., & Fanning, P. (2009). Messages: The Communication Skills Book (3rd ed.). New Harbinger Publications.

A521.3.4.RB_TAYLORHEATHER

It was the summer before I started middle school.  A hot, humid Florida day, I was excited to report for my first day of work.  I got dressed, put my boots on and ventured off to Mr. Ritchie’s house.  I left the long driveway of our home, crossed the road and walked up the cobblestone path to the barn of our next door neighbor’s three-story home.

Mr. Ritchie owned several horses and had a large barn full of tools and grooming equipment, riding equipment and equestrian supplies.  With chickens and roosters racing between our legs and dogs barking louder than we could speak, Mr. Ritchie told me what his expectations were for my work.  He said he wanted the barn neat and organized and the stalls were to be cleaned.  He showed me how to do the job of a “pooper-scooper.”  I can still feel the excitement of knowing that I had a job!

He left me with a shovel, a rag, a broom and a dust pan.  I looked around at the stalls and the wooden table tops of the barn.  I knew I could do what he expected and I wanted to get another chance to work again.  He told me he would pay $5.00/hr.  It was the mid 90’s and for $5.00/hr, I thought I was going to be rich!  I got right to work.  Scrubbing, brushing, cleaning, sweeping, and pooper-scoopering, my face was filled with dirt and my braid was far from tidy.  Yet, the barn was immaculate.  It looked brand new and I had finished in just under 2 hours. 

Mr. Ritchie came down to check on me at about the hour mark and said to “keep up the good work.”  I went up to tell him I was done and he came through the barn and the stalls.  He said he didn’t remember the last time his barn looked so clean.  I smiled from ear to ear as he handed me $10.00.  I was so excited.  Then he said that I was hired as his full-time pooper-scooper.  You would have thought he had promoted me to the CEO position with the window office overlooking the beachfront view. 

This experience taught me that if you work hard, and you meet the expectations that are set before you, you can move up and get the position you desire.

Today, I handle my work in much the same manner.  Or at least I did prior to doctors requiring me to go on medical leave.  I poured everything into my work and I ensured that I would meet expectations.  This mindset and work ethic allowed me to receive three consecutive promotions in a matter of six months just this past year.  It was incredible to see how hard work really paid off.  I had coworkers that would tell me that the expectations were unrealistic or that the work was too hard.  I would not let that dissuade me from achieving the desired results.  Those coworkers remained at the same level of employment during the time that I was with the company, and I feel it all goes back to enthusiasm and work ethic.

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I cannot remember how old I was at this point, but I know I had firmly established the difference between being lazy and being hard working.  My sisters and I were on summer break and my grandfather, Paw Paw, had asked which one of us wanted to help him with the firewood pile.  Because it was summer in Florida, there had been many humid days and lots of rain that had fallen since the last time we needed firewood.  I didn’t even hesitate when he asked for help.  I was so excited to be able to help my Paw Paw outside and do a “man’s job!” 

Spending most of my weekends cleaning, dusting and folding clothes, I yearned for the ability to learn how to mow the yard, how to tinker with tools or fix things around the house.  Whenever I tried to help, my grandma, “Maw Maw” would tell me that those were men’s jobs and that there was plenty to do in the house.  This was different though, Paw Paw had specifically asked for help outside. 

I put on my jeans and boots, got my hair in a ponytail and went out to the firewood pile.  It had a torn blue tarp on it that had been covered in leaves and rainwater.  When we started to remove the tarp, all sorts of critters came out and I did my very best not to scream.  I wanted to keep doing the “man’s work” and I knew letting out a shriek would not be looked upon highly by my Paw Paw.  So into the firewood pile I went with bare hands.

He had me reorganize the wood, have the pieces that were saturated with rainwater placed into the sun to dry, and then showed me what to do with the new wood, stacking them atop a crate that kept the pieces nice and crisp.  It was a full day’s work.  I hardly took time to look up from the pieces of wood.  I looked at them like pieces to a Tetris game.  I wanted to make sure we maximized every inch of the firewood pile and to stack them in a way that would ensure no pieces would fall over. 

When we were done, my Paw Paw came over and was smiling.  This was a man that very rarely smiled and never provided words of affirmation.  He grew up in an era where that just wasn’t what was appropriate or acceptable for men to do.  That smile though- that was the equivalent to him giving you the biggest compliment of your life.  He turned over his left shoulder and looked toward the screened in porch where my Maw Maw was watching us from her rocking chair.  I still remember him saying this, “Well Gran, it looks like the girls are going to get Busch Garden’s passes after all.”

I don’t remember my sisters out there helping with the firewood pile.  Maybe they were but I was so consumed with what I was doing that I didn’t pay any attention to whether they had been given a job or not.  I remember thinking to myself that even if they didn’t help, it really was an incredible feeling to know that we were getting a big reward for working hard and that I would be able to go to Busch Gardens with my sisters.  The next day, my Paw Paw took us straight to the theme park and we enjoyed a fun day together. 

It was this experience that helped me realize that when you work hard and keep your mind focused on your responsibilities, you don’t need to worry with what is happening around you.  You don’t need to see if your coworkers are working as hard as you are, you don’t need to compare yourself with their productivity and you don’t need to worry with whether they are getting compensated equally or better than you.  I knew that I received the smile and approval of my Paw Paw.  That smile still is worth so much to me to this very day.

Sharing these stories creates a sense of vulnerability as these are very dear to my heart.  Yet, allowing myself to move from the “hidden self” to the “open self” provides for the ability to link these experiences back to my worldview on leadership within an organization (McKay, Davis & Fanning, 2009).  When that day comes where I will one day return to the work force and hopefully be in a position to mentor others, I will explain to them how even from a very young age, I valued a hard work ethic.  According to Denning (2011), this will help me build trust with my employees and will enhance my credibility as a leader (Whalen, 2007).

References

Denning, S. (2011). The Leaders Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

McKay, M., Davis, M., &Fanning, P. (2009). Messages: The Communication Skill Book (Third Edition). New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

Whalen, D. J. (2007). The Professional Communications Tool Kit. Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage Publications, Inc.

A521.2.3.RB_TAYLORHEATHER

Disabled.  The checkmark on the doctor’s paperwork pierced my heart and soul.  It could not be real.  Not me.  My whole life had been spent being “super-abled.”  From age 4, I was able to make meals for my little sister and get us ready for school.  I was the one everyone else relied upon. I couldn’t be disabled. 

Why did this one word have such an impact on my psyche?  Even being a teacher of exceptional student education courses, working with individuals with disabilities for years and helping in the community to promote equality, I was not willing to be in the group labeled as “disabled.”  It was because I had believed in what Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2009) refers to as the “single story.” 

What was the danger of being labeled as disabled?  I was concerned that it would cause me to somehow become the stereotypical less-than-productive member of society that could not contribute to the world around her.  I didn’t want to be viewed as the pitiful woman that was on the street corner waiting for public transportation to take her to the grocery store. 

Even having a dear friend that is an independent, affluent and influential lawyer who happens to use a wheelchair for mobility, I still could not see past the stigma around being “disabled.”  Knowing there was no logic behind my thoughts, I decided that I would create a new identity and image as a woman that uses a wheelchair for mobility. According to Adichie (2009), “Power is the ability not just to tell the story of another person, but to make it the definitive story of that person.”  I was not going to let anyone else have power to define my story.  I started praying about how God was going to use my different abilities to bring Him glory.

McKay, Davis, & Fanning (2009) discuss how important listening is for a leader.  I knew that I did not know the purpose for this life trial but I had learned over the years that when I hit these obstacles along life’s path, I need to stop, listen and wait.  That night, I was led to complete a web search to see if there was anything out there for women in wheelchairs.  Little did I know that would result in being crowned Ms. Wheelchair Florida 2016.

Denning (2011) discusses how leaders can motivate others to action by setting an example.  I wanted to be able to influence young girls and women, letting them know that a wheelchair does not take away their beauty or power.  Their life is not over when they become “disabled.”  Their story doesn’t end.

Now, I am able to help rewrite the single stories about not only persons with disabilities, but also individuals that have overcome the effects of domestic violence, child abuse, untreated mental illness, suicide and sexual assault.  Believe me, today was a day in which I felt less than empowered, yet I knew the strength that is inside me could not be shaken by anything this world throws at me.

 

References

Adichie, C.N. (2009). "The danger of a single story.” TEDTalk. Retrieved April 03, 2016, from http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story/transcript?language=en

Denning, S. (2011). The Leaders Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

McKay, M., Davis, M., &Fanning, P. (2009). Messages: The Communication Skill Book (Third Edition). New Harbinger Publications, Inc.