From this course, I want to learn how to become a quality leader. By quality, I mean a leader who has patience, understanding, compassion, and cooperation. I want to learn how to effectively communicate with my colleagues without becoming defensive and without getting angry because I feel someone is getting the praise for my work. I want to learn how to organize my time effectively in order to be productive, creative, and fun.

I believe people should love their jobs, and while production is important, a person should actually enjoy going to work. It should not always be "balls to wall," as the saying goes. I want to learn to make this happen. I work in an industry where we see people who have suffered spinal cord injuries or strokes, who have debilitating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, or who have suffered traumatic brain injuries, but who come to participate in our research studies, with smiles, because their participation may help future generations. These people may never walk again or speak clearly; they may never be able to drive or to hold their grandchildren; but they are grateful for every breath they take. I want to learn this philosophy and to instill it in my colleagues. We do amazing research to help people with disabilities live quality lives.

I tend to be impatient and bark at others if I am having a bad day. However, once I speak to one of our participants, I realize I need to change my attitude. After reading the first two chapters in The Leadership Challenge (4th edition), I realize it is possible to become a leader who is compassionate, supportive, understanding, and liked, as well as possess the knowledge to effectively run an organization. My goal is to obtain these skills. I have the compassion, and after 20 years of being a business administrator, I have the skills to manage. However, I want to strengthen my skills in patience, understanding, and cooperation. I want to be an inspirational leader; I want to use my participants as a guide to my effective and quality leadership.