HDF 190:

FIRST YEAR LEADERS INSPIRED TO EXCELLENCE

LEADERSHIP PORTFOLIO
Erika Pena
SPRING 2016

Erika_pena@my.uri.edu

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Strengths
Opening Statement
Section 1: Self Leadership
Section 2: Leadership Theories
Section 3: Inclusive Leadership
Section 4: Critical Thinking
Section 5: Interpersonal/Organizational Leadership

SLIDE 1
SLIDE 2
SLIDE 3
SLIDE 4
SLIDE 5
SLIDE 6

Signature Strengths
Strategic
Responsibility
Achiever
Discipline
Woo

Values in Action Strengths

Hope
Love
Zest
Honesty
Fairness

OPENING STATEMENT
The Leadership Theory I connect most with is Servant Leadership. It makes the most sense to me because I
am a servant leader. I can relate the most to this one because I always want to serve for my community and
make a change. In my eyes, I like to be the one who makes the change and puts it forward. I can also
connect with two of the ten characteristics of these theory very well. I can connect with conceptualization and
foresight because I am always looking beyond day-to day realities. I am constantly looking into the future at
the bigger picture/goals. As an athlete I can relate servant leadership to my everyday life because I get up
every morning for the Division 1rowing team at 4:45am as a walk-on. This is by choice and is very time
consuming, but I believe it is apart of who I am. It really shows that I am a committed human being that is
always wanting to achieve and be a part of something much larger than myself. Also, in the future I would
love to be a global representative for Nike or New Balance and I believe it is crucial to be a servant leader.
When I am older I want to have a family, however I am choosing to travel for my job in order to help achieve
great goals for a company and spread the word about fitness and athletics. Thanks to HDF 190, I have
influenced me to be the best leader I possibly can and make a change in the world.

SECTION 1
SELF LEADERSHIP
(Student will demonstrate practice of the personal code of ethics #7)
I practice my membership code of ethics in my rowing program everyday. This year I joined the womens
rowing team and I already feel as though my teammates are my family. At the end of each practice, we
have the opportunity to give feedback. Even though this is my first year rowing, I am not afraid to say
how I think the practice went; constantly giving my feedback on what we did well or what we could do
better on. I am very vocal and in high school I was my team captain because of this. I was always able
to incorporate what the team was think and what I was thinking (group think) and express those feelings
and ideas to the coaches. Hopefully, when I am an upperclassmen on my rowing team, I can speak up
for my team as leader as I did in high school. The best thing I can do is speak my mine and take
advantage of freedom of speech.

SECTION 2
Leadership Theory and Models
Students will describe personal application of the above theory (Grace: 4 Vs) #37
Being an ethical leader is an important part of who I am. My track and field coaches in high
school, told me that they could see the good morals and values I hold and demonstrate.
They later named me captain of my team. My first two years of high school, they leaders on
my team did not hold strong, ethical team values. They would go out and party, not do
school work, and come up with excuses as to why they could not attend practice. As an
under classmen, I knew not to look up to them because of my own strong beliefs and views
on the situation. Therefore, as a team leader I was able to demonstrate the 4-Vs: Value,
Vision, Voice, and Virtue. As an individual I value honesty, commitment, and hard work. As
captain, I am able to envision our team goals and share those with my teammates at daily
practices. Voicing our goals to the team daily, helps motivate individuals to work hard and
give 110%. Lastly, I have great virtue. Practicing to accomplish a goal daily shows
commitment and what we are striving for.

SECTION 3
Inclusive Leadership / Diversity and its application to leadership

(Students will create a personal code of inclusive leadership #83)

As a leader, it a key component to be inclusive. Every member has something to offer, and as a leader it
is important to recognize that their own voice is not the only one that matters. Being inclusive entitles
being fair and equal to others opinions, listening to them thoroughly before voicing your opinion back. As
a leader, I will never allow one person to take on a large task alone. That is unethical in my eyes
because when one person handles a task it can become very stressful. Therefore, as a leader, I will
help set up roles for each person to have. I will help set up meetings where we can all speak and voice
what we have to say, so we can reach a common purpose. Being an inclusive leader is the key to
success. At leadership institute, being inclusive leaders came naturally. We were all new to URI and
leadership institute. Therefore, we all easily listened to each others and wanted to get to know one
another better. Over the course of two days, we became not only friends but family. Heading into the
university, I had made new friends and connections I knew would last a life time.

SECTION 4
Critical Thinking
(Students will show knowledge of principles of critical thinking #88)
In HDF 190, we have to use critical thinking on a daily basis. Critical thinking is crucial as a leader.
Critical thinking involves diversity, judgment, engagement, time efficiency, and benefits. Diversity means
that we must see all the perspectives and different views. Independent judgment lets us understand that
everyone has different experience, making them different. Engagement shows that all ideas are
respected, valued, and considered. Time efficiency is highly engaged critical thinking at a pace. Lastly,
as a critical thinker you must think of every action for every step. Critical thinking can take up time,
focus, and energy.

SECTION 5
(Students will describe personal examples of group dynamics and group roles #117)
Group dynamics" describes the effects of these roles and behaviors on other group
members, and on the group as a whole. In FLITE, we have groups for the semester. We
also have a group project. Our group is filled with humor and positivity. We each obtained
roles such as the information seeker, elaborator, coordinator, and recorder. Assigning roles
truly helped us reach the goal: our presentation. I took on the role of organization, and
keeping everyone on track. My Gallup strength of discipline, responsibility, and achiever
were used. Another time I have used group roles and dynamics is for rowing. With rowing
each person has a different task. For example, on seat pair sets the rhythm, another pair is
the power house, the next pair stops the rush of others, and the last pair is great at
following others. Lastly, the Coxin gives commands. We come together with positive energy
and motivation to complete our tasks. Another example includes my family life. My family is
very loving and highly motivated. Each Sunday we clean the house and do yard work. In
order to be successful, we take on different roles. I will clean the bathrooms and my room,
my mom cleans her room and the living rooms, and my brothers cleans the yard and
kitchen. Together we are able to reach our goal.