Leadership Reflections
(From Left: Jesse, Elissa, Kelcey and Grant)
Kelcey: Hi there! I am 19 years old and I am originally from Seattle, Washington. I am studying International Relations and French. In my free time I like to travel, hang out with my friends, and dance. I love it here at Stanford, though I wish the tuition was free like it is in other countries. The campus is absolutely beautiful and the sun is finally coming out again! We have one week until our final exams so students are beginning to pack the libraries. One of my friends works in marketing for Starbucks (a coffee company). She walked all over campus this weekend passing out free Starbucks double shot drinks, which are very caffeinated and will be helpful for the long nights of studying ahead (I may want to find her before I head to the library this afternoon!).
What are your school schedules like? How often do you have class and for how long?
Do you travel in the summertime?
What are your favorite foods? Any traditional dishes?
How many languages do you speak?
I’ve never been to Sweden or Russia; if I were to travel there, which cities should I visit?
Through this class, I have found that I am even more interested in rhetoric than I originally thought I was. My research concerning George Mitchell, President Obama’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, has left me fascinated with how other nations perceive America. The American government has created a negative reputation for itself in the last few years, arguably one of arrogance which threatens our relations with other countries. Do you believe it is possible to reform America’s reputation through speech? If so, how?
I tend to think optimistically and I believe rhetoric is essential for effective leadership. I would love to hear about how you believe American leaders can successfully communicate with other countries. Would this mean the elimination of religious allusions?
Elissa: Hello everyone! My name is Elissa Flandro and I’m a sophomore majoring in Architectural Design within the Civil Engineering Department at Stanford. I’ve lived in Boise, Idaho my whole life. In Idaho, I like to spend my time skiing during the winter and relaxing in the great outdoors during the summer. I am part Native American, and my research for this class was centered on the leadership of my tribe, the Kalispels.
During this quarter, I really enjoyed learning about the general characteristics of leaders as seen through different cultural perspectives. While blogging with Uppsala, Sweden, Jesse and I found that we had completely different views on what an effective speech incorporates, compared to the students in Sweden. The two students from Sweden were shocked to hear a speech given by Bono, which contained many religious references. The students explained that a political speaker would never think to include religious themes in his speech, as it would be offensive and out of place. For me, this goes to show that leaders must adapt their strategies to the needs of those they lead.
Stanford life definitely fosters the creation of great leaders. I think the diversity within the Stanford community is its best trait. Before coming to Stanford, I really didn’t know many international students. My knowledge regarding culture and religions was pretty limited, as I went to private Catholic school for twelve years….! I’ve loved learning about the diverse lives of my friends over the past two years. It’s broadened my thoughts about global leadership and made me more open minded.
Why would Americans include religion so much more frequently in their speeches?
How did Obama do this during his campaign?
Jesse: Hi everyone! My name is Jesse Peters and I’m a sophomore from Martinez, CA. In my free time I like to sing with my acapella group, chill with my friends, listen to music, and play basketball and soccer. This quarter, we learned about the rhetoric of leadership. I became interested in leaders who had brought their nations in dark and dangerous directions and how this sort of leadership could be avoided. I ended up focusing my research for the quarter on George W. Bush, seen through the lens of Adolf Hitler—focusing on their emotive rhetoric.
Grant: Hi guys! My name is Grant Newsome. I’m a Junior at Stanford majoring in Sociology. I’m from the Southside of Chicago and am a die-hard cubs fan. In my free time, I work on producing music and extracurricular social work. In PWR 2, I conducted research about the rhetoric of African-American development that was extremely valuable to me as an aspiring public speaker and teacher. Particularly, the most valuable aspect of this research that I acquired was methods of analyzing rhetoric. I was better able to break down my own style of delivery in presentations and seminars and breakdown the styles of others to understand what works and what doesn’t with my target audience. Furthermore, the class was very engaging and taught extremely well my our committed professor Alyssa O’Brien. The process that I undertook to construct my eventual research-based argument was very detailed, which was arduous at first, but ended up producing a finished product that I feel legitimately addresses the questions of the project. What I really looked for in PWR 2, however, was more training with presentation and my usage of multimedia or visual aids to supplement my oral delivery. I spent a good deal of time on my presentation and making sure that I put in material that would engage my audience but not take away from the power of oral delivery. Overall, I felt this class really helped me become a better researcher and presenter. I hope to be able to incorporate what I learned in this class into any social service work I do in the future.
Comments
Hello!!!! My name is Alice and I am from Russia. I have been interested in your post and I really want to know what do you think about "Leadership". Now I would like to answer some your questions:
1. I am a 3d years student of Academy of Economic and Law in Khabarovsk. So personally about myself I can say, that we study from dusk to dawn:) It is exagarated of course, but not much. Today for example we have 5 pairs - 10 student-hours(wich lasts 45 minutes) - 7.5 normal hours. And every day we have approximately 3-4, sometimes 5 pairs. In Thuseday and Sunday we do not study - these are the days of self-preparing.
2. People who have money and who can afford it - they travell of course... and not only in summertime. My friend, for example, in this winter, during two-weeks vacation, was in Indonesia- Baly island. It was great, to see her with beautiful schokolate suntan, when we look as white toadstoods.:)))
In summer we travell all over Russia - St.Petersburg, Moscow, Sevastopol, Krasnoyarsk - these are the city that are worth visiting. But more often in summer people from the Far East went to the Sea - Primorie and The city Vladivostok - it is close to us and quite affordible. I was in Primorie for 7 times. Also to visit Chine is not a problem for us.
3.Food..I dont know...I prefer Russian food to others. I do not like Chinese or Korean food. Traditional Russian food....it may be different soups - Borsh, Rassolnik (with cucumbers), soup with chiken. Vinegret and okroshka - are very popular in summer - these are somewhat about salad with different kinds of vegetables.
4. Exept English...I know German. I tried to learn Chinese... but gave it up.
Well...And I am interested too in What languages do you know? Is it difficult to learn another language? What countries would you like to visit? What are your preferences in food? Are you satisfied with your education level? Do you like it? Are you entirely involved in the process of education? What is your specialization? and do you think it is a right choice?
Thank you.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 19, 2009 03:22 AM
Hi everyone!:) My name is Gleb and I'm also form Russia. And I'm 3rd year student in The Khabarovsk State Academy Of Economics And Law too. Actually I'm Alice's groupmate:) (which means that we study in the same academic group)
I'm really fascinated in the questions of leadership, especially when it is connected with international politics. So, I wanna share my opinion about the ways how American leaders can improve their reputation and ease the relations with other countries.
I believe that American leaders should be more consistent in their politics. They should follow the same rules in relations with every country. And also they'd better perceive the interests of their partners equal to their own interests, and take others' interests into consideration fully while making any dicision. This would prevent them from taking such actions that other countries cannot accept and would reform America's reputation dramatically.
I'm sure that with the new administration of Obama it is possible to forget the discords of the past and build the relations on a new level, on the level of mutual understanding, respect and willingness to cooperate, with all of the countries which has complicated relations with the United States, including Russia.
As for religion questions, I agree with Swedish students, that politics shouldn't refer to religion. Politics and religion are copmletely different spheres of our life and to my mind it is incorrect to mix them. I know that today some religious statements are used to justify crimes, commited by terrorists, but in fact this is a misuse of religion, and such kind of things can never refer to the original, pure religious belief. That's why, in my opinion, different religion of other country must never be percieved as something wrong or even threatening (as it is sometimes claimed), it is just another national trait, like culture, which forms diversity of countries.
So, this is my point of view... And I also would love to know your opinion on the following question:
How do you think, what countries today are the leaders in the international politics? In what regions they are having their leadership? And what countries are trying to get the leadership?
Thank you for posting such interesting questions!
Posted by: Gleb Scherbina | March 20, 2009 10:58 PM
Elissa:
I think that you’ve posed some very interesting questions about the involvement of religion in American politics. It’s very interesting that the students from Sweden would find it so unusual for their political leaders to invoke religion in their speeches. People often argue whether or not our leaders should include religious references in their speeches, though it seems that few people ever question why our leaders actually include these appeals to religious sentiments. Obama frequently made references to religion in his speeches throughout his campaign. I am left wondering if Obama included these references because he truly believes he has a responsibility to acknowledge God, or if he felt that the majority of the American public would better accept him and his arguments if he included these religious references.
Posted by: Tom Corrigan | April 6, 2009 03:43 AM
Jesse,
I really like your research topic on the power of emotive rhetoric in persuasion. Mass populations can be tricked and easily persuaded by an argument solely based on emotion. With both George Bush and Adolf Hitler, they really utilized the nations' desire for strong nationality to fulfill their own selfish motives and drove both nations into the ground. It really goes to show how careful we have to be when we feel, and have to remember to actually think logically. It really goes to show what a powerful tool emotion is as a rhetorical device.
Posted by: Marie Dusch | April 6, 2009 10:39 AM
Hi there, guys! My name is Kirill, I’m 3ed year student from Russia. I’m studying World economics, English and French languages in university but also interested in politics and travel a lot during the summertime, that is why your topic looks vary attractive to comment for me.
Well now let me answer some of your questions:
We studying 6 days in a week and have about 3 two-hour lesions everyday.
I do love to travel in summer and think that traveling is one of the best ways to spend your free time. I recommend you to visit my native city – Khabarovsk (I know sounds strange and difficult to pronounce ahaha. But I can teach you how to say It and sure will love to speak to you, guys, if you find me in Skype or MSN) But still I think is the best city all over the world coz u know – East, West home is best =)
Yes I have my favorite food and it’s called – Borsch. Kind of soup. Have you ever tried? No? OMG find any Russian/Ukraine restaurant and try immediately because…mmm as a main meal it’s delicious =PPP
I speak English, a little bit French and Chinese. Ca va Kelsey? )
“Do you believe it is possible to reform America’s reputation through speech?” - Do you believe American government is really interesting in reforming reputation nowadays? I think that yes but only when reputation helps to do their own business. Really hope that Mr.Obama and his Team have enough skills and will to make correct changes.
Obama is revolution in American politics himself. He already promised to call off troops from Iraq and expressed his preparedness to continue negotiations for the placing anti-missile Arms in Europe. There is no doubt that this kind of actions support in reforming American reputation as a democratic and peaceful country of liberty.
On the other hand he also ordered to double number of American troops in Afghanistan.
Of cause it’s impossible to solve all problems at once. Reputation can fall at one moment but to restore it you may need to spend years. At long last, who knows what other dreams, Martin Luther King, had :
“I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.”
Thank you for your attention.
See you...
Posted by: Kirill | April 9, 2009 04:09 AM
Hello!
We have read your blog and info about you!We`d like to have pen-friends abroad. Could you leave your contacts(icq may be),so that we can communicate not only here!
Thank you!Or you can reach us at calambucha@mail.ru!
A bientot!
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