Project Summary

At first, figuring out what to do was difficult. Everyone was confused, and half of us were not very active in the discussions. Getting everyone on a call was even worse, some were working while others had prior engagements, and the other half were MIA during the scheduling. Once we had a leader, things started to move smoothly, but it was still frustrating.

Initially, I was the project leader, and the most frustrating thing for me was that when I finally got everyone on a call, someone would say that what I was trying to do, give out temporary roles, was pointless because we didn't even know what we were doing. But then when we would try to discuss what our project was, there was confusion because most of us didn't understand what to do. Half of us were not reading the document summarizing our current project idea, and the other half were frustrated with trying to organize things and reiterate the project idea to each other. However, all of that changed when Jenna came in and pitched her idea to the group. Of course, there was still a bit of confusion because we didn't understand what our project requirements were, but when that was cleared up, Jenna's idea was perfect.

The biggest thing that I learned about myself so far is that I'm quick to step in and take the lead because I often get the impression that everyone else is either freaking out or just being quiet on the sidelines. And I'm often told that I do bring a sense of stability when I step in and calm everyone down and get others engaged. That was why I was originally chosen as project leader. However, when it came time for me to step down and trade roles with someone else, I was hesitant to give up my position. At first, I wasn't sure why I was hesitant. I used excuses like "Jenna can be brash" or "everyone is so quick to panic, so why put one of the people who panic in charge?" As I took a day to think over my reasoning, I realized that the real reason I didn't want to pass on the leadership role was because I myself wasn't sure if I wanted to follow someone like that. Yes, she has potential, and she stepped up quite maturely without trying to shove others aside; but she can be so focused on carrying out what she wants without taking a moment to listen to others. That's when I realized that I was being wrong and unfair to Jenna, so I decided to let her try to foster her leadership potential in a safe environment. And, I let her know that I was there if she needed help. And, so far, she's been great, and I've learned that just because I can lead doesn't mean I need to. I took over her role as the point of contact for the nursing home, and it worked out great. I was able to get all the information we needed at the time and share it with the group in a timely manner.