Alcohol Use Among Veterans And The Military Essay

Alcohol Use Among Veterans and the Military Alcohol use and abuse is prevalent among members of the United States military as well as among the veteran population. Binge and heavy drinking is commonplace among the military and veterans. Veterans and members of the active duty military face a unique set of challenges when compared to the civilian population. There is a trend of combat exposure leading to a higher risk to abuse alcohol. For over a decade the United States military was involved in combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). This has lead to a generation of service men and women as well as veterans with a host of physical and mental injuries as a result multiple combat deployments. There are many veterans and active duty personnel suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as traumatic brain injuries (TBI) as a result of their deployment in support of OIF and OEF. There is a link between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumati c brain injuries (TBI) and a higher potential for the abuse of alcohol. Veterans and members of the armed forces deal with a host of psychological injuries related to the stresses of combat which can lead to the abuse of alcohol as a coping mechanism. Veterans and active duty military personnel face unique problems and special considerations when it comes to the abuse of alcohol. There is a drinkingShow MoreRelatedEssay On Military Veterans1027 Words   |  5 PagesMcKinney, Hirsch, Britton (2017) state that the â€Å"disproportionate rate of suicide in the veteran population may be due to various risk factors†, including symptoms of PTSD and depression (p.100). Their study population was comprised of 545 military veterans who completed a Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire indicating a link between higher PTSD related suicide and depression (p. 100). McKinney et al. (2017) found that â€Å"Depression, as well as other disorders, often serves as a mediator of the relationRead MoreMost Common Means Of Suicide Among Military Veterans1469 Words   |  6 PagesActive Duty Service Members. Traditionally, the U.S. military has faced lower suicide rates compared to their civilian counterparts. However, the suicide rate among active duty military personnel has increased in the last decade, almost doubling in the Army and Marine Corps. Unlike the low active duty suicide rates of Vietnam, OEF/OIF active duty suicide rates are at near record highs (McCarl, 2013). 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More and more, we see veterans of the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, and the war on Terror, return with not only debilitating physical wounds, but longer lasting psychological wounds of war. Furthermore, there’s a stigma with mental health in the country which dictates; if you seek help for mental health issues, you’re weak. This isn’t only a problem amongst returning veterans, but all citizens. The returning warrior shouldn’t haveRead MoreVeterans Of The Us Military861 Words   |  4 Pages Veterans of the US military should be some of the most respected men and women of the United States. They risk their lives for years to fight for the freedom of Americans, and yet when they return home some are left homeless, financially unstable, injured, or worse. These men and women need help and should no longer be left to fight on their own. Veterans should be provided with a center to get back on their feet because many veterans suffer from mental disorders and substance abuse due to the thingsRead MorePost Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd ) Essay1472 Words   |  6 Pagesof the military. One of the main risk factors in of suicide in this population is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There is a great deal of research which analyzes this relationship. There are many elements that serve as contributing factors to the correlation between suicide and PTSD. PTSD-related suicide among soldiers is due to a number of intervening aspects including combat exposure, moral injury, self-forgiveness, social support, and traumatic brain injury.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Regarding military personnelRead MoreVeteran Suicide Perspectives And Assumptions . There Is1456 Words   |  6 PagesVeteran Suicide Perspectives and Assumptions There is an epidemic running rampant throughout the ranks of veterans and current active duty military within the United States. Even if we try to turn a blind eye or ignore the problem, the fact is that roughly an average of twenty-two veterans commit suicide each and every day across America. Some would say this is due in part to the service members experiencing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), others would say this is due to service members

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 11 Free Essays

string(212) " were still deeply engrossed with their own wares, so I inconspicuously slipped into the dressing-room line, hoping to be in and out before either of them could investigate what sweet, innocent Tabitha was into\." When I went inside to relay this to Bastien a few minutes later, he took Dana’s presence on the proposed shopping trip much better than I had. â€Å"That’s fantastic! More time for – â€Å" â€Å"So help me, if you say ‘reconnaissance,’ I’m going to smack you. I’m only in this for the clothes. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus on Top CHAPTER 11 or any similar topic only for you Order Now † â€Å"Fair enough. But this is a golden opportunity, and you know it. You can feel her out. Put in a good word for me, maybe. Something. Anything. I need this. But,† he added, â€Å"don’t do it at the cost of being†¦detrimental.† â€Å"Give me some credit here, all right? I understand the situation’s gravity. I’ll help you.† His roguish smile lit up his face, or rather, Mitch’s face, which was kind of weird. â€Å"While you’re at it, maybe you can brush up on your female bonding.† â€Å"What’s that supposed to mean?† â€Å"Do a count of all your closest friends someday. I don’t think you like female competition.† I made a face at him just as Jody and Dana showed up. They took me to some astonishing shopping nexus a couple of miles away. I couldn’t believe that much retail space could be crammed indoors. We had a few enclosed shopping centers in Seattle, but nothing like this. Browsing stores with Dana was about as horrible as I could have imagined. She eyed scantily dressed teenagers askance and spoke to a black saleswoman like an underling. Still, despite my distaste, I remembered my duty and attempted friendliness. Over and over, I tried to bolster Bastien’s reputation. â€Å"He’s so into what your group’s doing. He’d like to get more involved. Maybe you could come talk to him about it sometime.† Fortunately for â€Å"Mitch,† these comments did elicit a warm response from her. Yes, she’d be happy to give Mitch some one-on-one time. Anything for the cause. How nice that he cared. Truly, he was a smart and compassionate man. Blah, blah, blah. She always enjoyed spending time with him. Yet, despite this fleeting progress, her demeanor remained stiff, and her attention always shifted back to me. She peppered me with all sorts of questions, as if she were specifically probing for some key piece of information. She wanted to know what I did for a living. How close Bastien and I were. Where my â€Å"relationship† with Seth was going. What my take on the CPFV was. What my values – race, sexual orientation, etc. – were. I felt like I was being grilled, but she pushed on in that honeyed voice of hers. Despite her aloofness, she always managed to sound friendly and nonthreatening. I could see why she so enthralled her fans. This isn’t just curiosity, I realized. She doesn’t trust me. Dana knew something was going on with Bastien and me, and now she was trying to figure it out. That was probably why he wasn’t really getting anywhere; she was on to him. True, she probably didn’t suspect a covert plan featuring an incubus, but I’m sure she had her share of more mundane enemies. She was on guard for such things, hence her skepticism about our cover stories. Bastien had no idea what he’d gotten us into. So, I worked hard to maintain our innocence, answering her queries as best I could. My usual charm still wasn’t working on her here, but I performed better than in previous encounters – except for the questions about Seth. The reality with him was weird enough without having to live another version of it via Tabitha Hunter, and I found myself stuttering and blushing when she brought him up. When Dana left us at the Christian Dior counter of Nordstrom to go look for slips, I nearly sagged in relief. â€Å"What about this one?† Jody held out a tester of pale pink lip gloss that would look great on Tabitha, less so on Georgina. I opened it and studied the color. â€Å"Too light. Besides, it’d probably come off with one sip of something.† She gave me a mischievous grin. â€Å"Or in other activities.† I rewarded her with a look of mock astonishment. It wasn’t hard to do; she was full of surprises, it seemed. Fun ones. â€Å"Why, Jody. Here I thought you were a respectable married woman.† â€Å"Are you kidding? Marriage only makes you less respectable. Gives you a lot of time to invent new things.† Grinning back, I swapped the pink lip gloss for a red one. â€Å"Better not let Dana hear you talking like that. I got the third degree about my boyfriend, as it is.† Jody’s mirth dimmed a bit, though she held her smile. â€Å"It may feel like the third degree, but she’s just curious about you, that’s all.† â€Å"Yeah, I guess. No other reason, I suppose.† Best not to mention my theory that Dana suspected Bastien and me of duplicity. To my surprise, Jody looked back down at the eye shadow display, pointedly avoiding my eyes. I was reminded of that day in the yard when I’d had the sense she wanted to tell me something about Dana. Something bad. â€Å"Jody,† I murmured, setting down the lip gloss, â€Å"what is it? What’s wrong?† She shook her head. â€Å"Nothing. Forget about it.† Dana returned just then, and the moment was gone. â€Å"They don’t have what I need. Let’s check Victoria’s Secret.† I perked up. That was the best thing I’d heard ail day, aside from another possible insight from Jody. We entered what had to be one of my top five favorite stores. We split up, Jody going to pajamas and Dana looking for some slip that would undoubtedly match that god-awful underwear of hers. As for me, I promptly sought outrisquelingerie sets – once I’d ascertained the other two women were occupied. No way was I having a repeat of the swimsuit incident. Unfortunately, the store had a more outstanding selection than usual, and what I’d intended to be a mere browse turned into a full-fledged mission when I found a few sets I simply had to try on. Dana and Jody were still deeply engrossed with their own wares, so I inconspicuously slipped into the dressing-room line, hoping to be in and out before either of them could investigate what sweet, innocent Tabitha was into. You read "Succubus on Top CHAPTER 11" in category "Essay examples" I had just made it to the head of the line when both of them squeezed in next to me. â€Å"What a crowd,† Jody said. â€Å"Mind if we just share your room? They’re huge here.† I felt the blood drain from my face as I tried to think up some reason to decline. An idea for a contagious, flesh-eating disease was forming in my mind when the sales associate ushered us into a room that was indeed more than big enough to hold the three of us. Dana only had two skirt slips to try on, and she pulled off her slacks with unconcerned efficiency. I winced upon seeing the granny panties again. Meanwhile, Jody tried on a set of cute flannel pajamas. When I made no moves of any kind, Dana asked me if I was all right. Swallowing, I slowly began removing my clothing. She watched with narrowed eyes. The first bra and panty set I tried on was made of ivory lace decorated with black bows. The second consisted of deep magenta satin and was cut so racily it was barely a few scraps of fabric. When I got to the third one – sheer black mesh decorated with embroidered pink flowers – I wanted to die. Jody and Dana had finished and were waiting for me. Jody’s face was pleasant and casual. Dana maintained a look of neutrality, but still radiated disapproval. Great. I could feel myself blushing furiously. Bastien would kill me if he found out I’d not only damaged the wholesome image, I’d completely destroyed it. While Dana stayed stone-faced, Jody cocked her head at me curiously. â€Å"I think you have the wrong bra size, Tabitha. They all look too big.† Of course they were too big. Tabitha Hunter didn’t wear a 34C. Georgina Kincaid did. I’d intended to shape-shift to my preferred body when I was alone in here. â€Å"Oh,† I said stupidly, feeling like the whore Dana thought I was. Make that a dumb whore. â€Å"Well. I lost some weight recently.† I tried on the last one – red with glittering silver flowers – and even in the wrong size, it was stunning. â€Å"That looks great,† Jody said, echoing my thoughts. â€Å"I wish I was brave enough to wear something like that.† Dana studied me thoroughly. â€Å"That bra offers no support whatsoever. It has no purpose.† â€Å"She doesn’t need the support. Besides, that’s the point. It doesn’t have to be functional. She just wants to be pretty.† â€Å"Pretty for who? And why? She isn’t married.† â€Å"So what? It’s none of our business.† Dana glared daggers at the other woman. â€Å"None of our business? Humanity is our business.† She must have read Dickens recently. Icy silence filled our little room. I felt invisible, regardless of the fact that I was half naked. â€Å"Hey guys? Maybe we should go. I’ll just take this off.† â€Å"No,† said Jody sternly, eyes locked with Dana’s in a battle of wills. â€Å"It’s beautiful, Tabitha. You have nothing to be ashamed of.† â€Å"She is beautiful,† concurred Dana smoothly, â€Å"but that outfit would be better suited to a married woman.† Her tone suggested that even that was questionable. I was on the verge of just leaving the room as is, but seeing Jody defy Dana like that kindled something warm and fuzzy inside of me. Bastien would kill me, but I couldn’t keep myself from joining the fight. â€Å"You know,† I remarked to Dana, making sure she noticed my blatant examination of my backside, â€Å"if that’s the case, then maybe you should try this one on. It’s just your color. Kind of Christmasy too. I’d love to see it on you. And I bet Bill would really dig it. â€Å" Dana just stared at me, biting her lip again as she held my challenging gaze. She looked like she might snap back but instead simply pursed those lips together in a hard, straight line. Without another word, she left the dressing room, door banging loudly behind her. Jody stood there uncertainly for a moment. â€Å"It looks great,† she reiterated before following Dana out. By myself, I decided I might as well use the alone time to shape-shift and try on the lingerie in the body they’d been intended for. As expected, they looked pretty hot, so I bought them all. I figured I deserved to salvage something from this disaster. â€Å"So how’d it go?† asked Bastien when Jody and Dana dropped me off at his place later on. â€Å"Fine,† I said, having already stuffed the illicit purchases in my car, lest they raise questions from him. â€Å"Just fine. Well†¦sort of.† I told him about Dana’s interrogation and my theory that she might suspect us of something insidious, even if it wasn’t what we actually planned. His face grew grimmer and grimmer as I spoke, and I knew he thought I had a point. When I finished, I leaned my head against his shoulder, hating to see him so miserable. â€Å"Hey, don’t worry. We’ll get through this. I mean, look on the bright side: Dana and I did a lot of bonding today. I think we had a real†¦breakthrough.† I knew doubts still plagued him, but he had cheered up by the time we – no longer as Mitch and Tabitha – arrived back in Seattle later that day. We picked up Seth on the way to Peter’s apartment, promptly ensuring that neither man spoke to me for the rest of the car ride. Once again, Jerome chose not to grace us with his presence, but everyone else had turned out for more good food and poker: Peter, Cody, Hugh, and Carter. Carter seemed quietly intrigued by Seth’s presence while the others greeted him like a long-lost brother. Considering how often he came up in conversation among us, I think the other immortals regarded him as one of our inner circle already. He stuck close to me for most of the night, but turned out to be a pretty damned good poker player. I think his quiet, placid nature fooled others into forgetting he was there. Amusingly, he seemed pretty pleased about his winnings too, albeit in a mild, Seth sort of way. It made me happy to see this side of him, happier still to know he was enjoying himself with my friends. I didn’t really know what side of me he saw that night. My friends sure didn’t pull any punches when it came to teasing me about my various idiosyncrasies, and Bastien seemed to think it was Memory Lane Night. He kept telling all sorts of stones from my past, trying to lure me into inside jokes no one else knew about. I stayed away from that path as much as possible without offending him. My priority was still making things work with Seth, and as I held his hand all night and only gave polite smiles to Bastien, I think it became clear to the incubus where my loyalties lay. He didn’t seem too thrilled. Halfway through the game, I received a joint call from Mei and Grace. â€Å"Hello, Georgina,† said Grace. â€Å"It’s us,† said Mei. â€Å"Did you find out anything?† â€Å"No matches,† Mei told me. â€Å"Oh.† So much for that avenue. â€Å"But that may not mean much,† said Grace. â€Å"We always miss some.† â€Å"And it doesn’t really matter,† said Mei. â€Å"They’re not a problem if they don’t meddle in our affairs.† â€Å"And most don’t?† I had run into countless immortals over the years, from all sorts of cultures and powers, but I had not paid much attention to how they operated with each other in a political sense. I had always been content to worry about my job and my job alone, safe in the knowledge that the authorities I answered to wielded enough power to deal with anyone else. â€Å"Most don’t,† the demonesses agreed in unison. The poker players regarded me curiously when I hung up. â€Å"Who was that?† asked Peter. â€Å"Grace and Mei.† Hugh made a face. â€Å"Ack. The crazy-bitch-dyke twins.† â€Å"Hey, that’s uncalled for. They’ve been very helpful.† â€Å"Yeah? Well, just wait,† he warned. â€Å"Next thing you know, they’ll be wanting to cut your hair and dress you in black too. â€Å" Cody smiled at my outrage. â€Å"Why do I get the feeling there’s another illicit Georgina investigation afoot?† â€Å"It’s not so illicit.† â€Å"Illicit enough,† remarked Bastien with a yawn. â€Å"You and your mortals.† He pocketed the money he had left, downed his bourbon, and thanked Peter again for another fabulous evening. â€Å"Leaving so soon?† I asked. â€Å"Off to find fairer company. No offense to you, Fleur .†He leaned down to me and brushed a kiss over my lips that lingered a breath too long for friendship. â€Å"Good night.† His departure spurred a new round of the Bastien Fan Club as they all speculated what sexual escapade he was about to embark on now. â€Å"How does he do it?† asked Peter. â€Å"I wish I was that good,† added Cody. â€Å"Hey,† I complained, â€Å"pursuing women isn’t any harder than men. Sometimes it’s easier. â€Å" â€Å"That guy’s amazing.† Hugh acted like I hadn’t even spoken. † Going after a new one tonight when he’s still sporting a glow that can’t even be a day old. I wish I got lucky that often.† Seth didn’t like to speak much with this group – or any group for that matter – but like my other friends, he was in awe of the incubus. Hugh’s comment especially piqued his interest. â€Å"What do you mean by ‘glow?’ Like an afterglow?† Hugh grinned at him. â€Å"Sort of†¦you must know what I’m talking about. The post-sex thing? The glamour?† â€Å"Whose deal is it?† I asked sharply, not liking the conversation’s new direction. Seth turned thoughtful. â€Å"Well, then it is like an afterglow. I mean, everyone sort of has something like that after sex.† â€Å"Yes, but it’s different for an incubus or a succubus,† explained Peter professorially. Unless I was mistaken, he was starting to pick up a British accent. Too much exposure to Bastien. â€Å"In their case, it’s more of a literal glow – to other immortals at least. When they’ve had sex, they take that person’s life. Life force is alluring. To an immortal, a just-laid incubus or succubus will almost – â€Å" â€Å"Glitter,† suggested Cody. â€Å"Or sparkle. And yet†¦not. It’s kind of hard to explain. Hasn’t Georgina told you all this?† â€Å"Not this,† said Seth. â€Å"So I†¦er, mortals don’t see it?† â€Å"Are we playing or not?† I asked impatiently, raising my voice. Carter caught my eye. â€Å"Not like we do,† continued Peter. â€Å"But they – you – feel it. Or maybe ‘sense’ is a better word. It pulls you in. It’s very attractive. â€Å" I sunk lower into my seat, trying to decide if anyone would notice if I suddenly turned invisible. I might as well have been since no one was listening to my protests anyway. â€Å"You must have noticed it,† pointed out Hugh, taking a swig of whiskey. â€Å"There must be days when you see Georgina and practically can’t control yourself because of how hot she is. You can only stare. Of course, it’s probably hard to tell the difference since she’s always so hot, huh?† Everyone except Carter, Seth, and I laughed. I knew the imp had meant that last part as a compliment, but I wanted to throw my gimlet glass at him nonetheless. The hilarity soon died down, and we returned to cards. But the damage was done. Seth and I hardly spoke for the rest of the night, not that anyone – save Carter, I suspected – even noticed. When Seth and I left, I knew something bad was coming. I dropped him off at his place, and he invited me inside to eat Rocky Road ice cream. He was a big ice cream fan. I should have just turned around and left, but Rocky Road has supernatural powers. Plus, I remembered what Seth and I had discussed after the recent make-out session in bed – how we had to communicate about issues, rather than ignore them. I still believed that to be true, but theory and practice were two completely different things. He made up two bowls for us, and we ate the ice cream in silence for a while. When he finished, Seth played with his spoon, not looking at me. â€Å"So,† he asked, â€Å"is it true?† â€Å"Is what true?† Like I didn’t know. â€Å"Come on, don’t make me spell it out,† he said gently. â€Å"I just want to hear your version, that’s all.† I opened my mouth to speak, to find some way to neutralize all this, but my tongue felt thick and useless. No coherent words formed. â€Å"Is it true?† repeated Seth. When I still didn’t answer, he continued, â€Å"When I see you sometimes†¦when I see you – like that one night – and can barely even breathe because you are so beautiful†¦so beautiful that I can do nothing but act like an idiot, does that mean that you’ve just†¦slept with someone? But, of course, I don’t actually mean, um, ‘sleep’†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Damn, this communication thing really did suck. How to cite Succubus on Top CHAPTER 11, Essay examples

Impact on Leadership Style and Organizational †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Impact on Leadership Style and Organizational. Answer: Introduction: The practice of self-reflection and self-awareness for those in leadership position backdates to thousands of years ago during the era of ancient philosophers and teachers. Even though many leaders avoid making self-reflection, Nesbit (2012), argues that self-reflection is the key to effective leadership. Personally, I have to improve my leadership skills. Nurturing my leadership skills requires me to be aware of my values and behaviors, strengths and weaknesses, and ways through which we tend to influence other people. As such, self-reflection is about understanding our leadership styles. Moreover, Branson (2007), asserts that being self-aware enable us to understand how our values are congruent with our behavior. This will enable us to develop a culture of respecting the people we interact with and ourselves. In whatever we do, relating with people mutually enhance our professionalism and the organizational culture. For example, in the school set up, my interaction with teachers an d fellow students have contributed immensely to my current leadership stature. This leadership reflective journal will highlight my strengths, weaknesses, and some of the strategies that will enhance my leadership competencies. As stated by Cameron (2016), morning pages is a longhand three-page, a stream of consciousness writing usually done first thing in the morning. It provokes, synchronize, prioritize, cajole, comfort, and clarify the day at hand. Besides, it entails putting anything on three pages a day and others on subsequent days. In line with Cameron (2016) assertions, the following formed my seven-week morning pages. And for purposes of this report, I will be presenting my documentation of every Monday of the week. On that Monday morning, I drew a pen in my journal. Pens in our society are very important. People use pens to write sit in exams which gauge their understanding of the course material. Moreover, in the kindergarten, teachers use pens to teach us how to write which has a great influence in who we become in the future. According to Bean (2011), writing enable us to capture great ideas in life besides helping us to speed things in life. We can always note things that we encounter shortly. Leaders, on the other hand, carry pens wherever they go to highlight important stuff and improve motor skills. Bean (2011), concurs that when you note something, it will be very difficult to forget. That is why I often write short notes whenever am in a lecture hall so that I do not forget any important point. Intrinsically, leaders value pens, so do I. In week two, I noted down the topics I read, communication skills. Communication is very important in the society. Leaders who can communicate effectively have the power to influence the course of any action. On that morning, I learned the importance of effective communication in an organization which includes; building and maintaining good relationships and helping in facilitating innovation (Maguire and Pitceathly 2002). Notably, effective communication helps in building an effective team. A skill I acquired by constantly organizing students when we wanted to perform a task. In a work setting, I learned that effective communication skills help in managing employees which ultimately contribute to the growth of the company. I drew an image of a donkey. In our society, donkeys are often our servants, so does leaders. Donkeys help in performing a difficult task at home by carrying luggages. They often work without complaining and in the process inspire change in the community. From that image, I saw myself severing people tirelessly and staying focused on my goals and ambitions. I endeavor to work extra hard to achieve my goals of becoming the president one day. That Monday morning, I just work up and read the bible. I studied the book of Galatians. In particular, chapter 6 verse 9 was very encouraging, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." That verse encouraged me to be a good leader and stay focus on whatever I do, never to give up because my reward will surely come. As a leader, I find refuge in this verse. I drew my dream house. A house provides us with a shelter which is a basic need. In leadership, our character resembles a house. Whenever we encounter problems, our character defines us. Same to after a long day at work or from any activity, we retire in our houses to relax. I will endeavor to build a strong character which will encourage my peers to change their wrongdoing. Lanctot and Irving (2007) observe that good character makes a good name, and a good name possess riches. Therefore, as a leader, maintaining good character is the ultimate goal. Instead of reading and planning my day, I just visited the gym to exercise. Regular physical activity has several benefits such as helping in controlling weight, combating health conditions and diseases, improves mood, and boosting personal energy (Chou, Hwang and Wu 2012). Being fit is a way of staying alert and focused since there is an elimination of boredom. Successful leaders usually make it a routine to exercise regularly. It helps freshen the brain which consequently improves our reasoning on every aspect of life (Chou, Hwang and Wu 2012). I read "Think Big" by Ben Carson and noted important lessons. Some of the victory lessons learned include; success is what we do with our ability by incorporating our talents (Carson and Murphey 2005). I also learned that dreaming higher than the sky and deeper than the ocean is the key to achieving greatness. Additionally, I learned that taking risk is very vital because when we do not, we will only regret on things that we did not do (Carson and Murphey 2005). As such, leaders have a call of taking a risk to work on their ambitions. Personally, I will always follow my dreams since from that, I shall impact the society and world at large. Reflection of personal leadership strengths and weaknesses People possess different leadership traits that drive their lives. In particular, I possess various leadership strengths which include; sociability, integrity, determination, self-confidence, and intelligence. According to Northouse (2014), high levels of reasoning, perceptual ability, and strong verbal ability appear to make one a better leader. Basing an argument on this supposition, I can say I exhibit these qualities. Whenever I communicate, my verbal ability shows comprehension of verbal information and verbal reasoning. My classmates sometimes compare me with great orators like Martin Luther King Junior. Moreover, my reasoning and perceptual ability reflect attentiveness to detail whenever I interact with my fellow students. I often take time to listen and digest the information before talking. Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee (2013) identify such traits with leaders all over the globe. When a person is self-confident, people can easily identify his skills, and competencies and people believe in them as change agents possess self-assurance and high levels of self-esteem. Self-confidence enables leaders to influence the action of other people positively in the society. My self-confidence reflected in instances where I took challenges in life. Particularly, undertaking opportunities to start a business while at school. According to De Cremer and Van Knippenberg (2004), it requires self-confidence to change the society, more so taking a step to work on the maiden dream. Many people often wish to start doing something but it takes self-confident individuals like me to begin. According to Northouse (2014), determination refers to the drive, dominance, persistence, initiative, and intrinsic desire to get things done. Such characteristics only exist in leaders who do not have a limit with their desire to achieve greatness. Whenever we are given assignments in class, I do take my time to research adequately and in good time and submit my papers. Mart (2013), observes that such traits help leaders persevere when faced with challenges and thus become more proactive. One of my key strengths is personal integrity. My friends usually tell me that I possess a high degree of reliability, loyalty, trustworthiness, and honesty. Even though some of my classmates at times copy assignments from fellow students, I regard that behavior as an insult to my personal integrity. As such, I usually give a personal approach to assignments and exams without seeking for external help. Furthermore, I attended my secondary education in Catholic community school which required students to embrace gospel values. That experience helped nurture my leadership skills, attitude, and self-discipline which are key to becoming responsible, capable, and confident in the society. Leaders who are sociable often seek to be sensitive to others' needs, diplomatic, tactful, courteous, outgoing, and friendly (Stronge 2007). Leaders like me often interact with people. This played a crucial role in bringing my fellow students together whenever we experience a problem in class. Talking to teachers is essentially seamless to me. I find it very easy to talk to visitors and those from the neighborhoods. Such qualities have helped me win negotiations that my peers regard as impossible. Nevertheless, I always identify people as who they are, a people pleaser without looking down upon them. As the eldest child, I often work to unite the family. I always achieve this by honoring special occasions and anniversaries that make people smile. My classmates and friends always tell me that I am a good listener. In reality, I do honor my personal relationships, the happiness, and success of my friends. Being an industrious student, I find it very difficult to delegate tasks given in a group. When teachers give group assignments, I usually take the responsibility of bringing the members together but fail to delegate different sections. I feel that I am the best in doing things and if I delegate any responsibility, then, they will not handle it adequately since I fear to fail. Perfectionism is the act of wanting to offer the best (Kutlesa and Arthur 2008). Considering the fact that I am very intelligent, I always endeavor to give my best to tasks assigned or in whatever I contribute. This at times becomes tiresome since I give a lot of concentration to deliver the best. Moreover, it makes me be in wrong paths with friends since I expect them to meet my standards of delivery in everything we do together. Though it works to my advantage, it is strenuous and cannot hold ground for long when there are several responsibilities to execute. Owing to my level of intelligence and planning skills, I always endeavor to plan my activities in advance and portion adequate time to handle them. I usually do these activities to avoid pressure that comes with deadline tasks. As such, I don't fancy activities that have pressure as it at times renders me helpless an anxious to perform. Besides, when under pressure, I will just smile or feel frightened to reason and give the best of my ability. One of my personal strengths is integrity. Therefore, I am always too honest to lie even in situations that require a lie to save a state of affairs. I feel it is unethical to lie as it compromises on my personal integrity. Despite Steinel, Utz, and Koning (2010) arguing that lying is healthy, I am quite uneasy to lie thus at times when I mess in some circumstances. Even when I cannot answer a question in an exam room, I do not glimpse my neighbors work. As an intelligent and hardworking leader, I sometimes find myself taking many risks at a time. My pursuit for change often pushes me to multi-task thus becoming overworked. Though leaders should have programs and schedules on what they do, I tend to achieve many goals at a go. For example, despite being a student, I also engage in income generating activity in addition to mentoring my neighbors' children. I offer private coaching to students, teaching them how to play tennis where I get paid every end month. Improving leadership competence requires taking bold steps and strategies in every decision that comes on the way (Bolden and Gosling 2006). When faced with situations, stopping as asking oneself how a leader would react is a gateway to changing personal behaviors. Consequently, seeing oneself as a leader inspires hope, acknowledges competence, and enlarge ones influence on others. After self-reflection, the next activity is to take maiden action to change the situation at hand. As if taking action is not enough, one needs to learn every step of the journey by leading the relationship with people. This entails becoming proactive, creative, and collaborative with every aspect of change (Contino 2004). Furthermore, on the path for change, one needs to manage personal stress and anxiety that might interfere with the working process. In particular, one can meditate, relax, getting enough sleep, healthy eating, and exercise. All in all, cultivating the right attitude is very important in achieving maiden goals. When an individual adhere to all these strategies to the letter, then achieving leadership competence becomes an easy task. In the current situation, overcoming my leadership challenges involves getting over my weaknesses. This involves avoiding taking many risks, planning to avoid pressure, minimize on perfectionism, at least delegate duties and at times lie to save a situation. One of the personal goals at hand is avoiding taking many risks. As a student, I should stay focus and avoid overworking which is tiresome though beneficial in terms of income generation. Instead of mentoring and training children to play tennis, it is prudent to pick on one activity, like playing tennis, which will not only earn me an income but also provide a good way to relax after school activity. As such, I will very active and offer my services effectively. Hackett and Wang (2012), regards honesty as a virtue that every leader should have. However, at times, I need to be keen enough in situations where I need to "lie" to save a situation at hand. That means by lying, I will be saving a situation which is very dangerous to happen. Particularly when someone is critically ill or in an emergency. Salvaging such a situation is a rare quality of a good leader. Therefore, I will strive to change my attitude appropriately. Working under pressure is a characteristic of many leaders. However, to me, I find it challenging. And for me to improve my leadership competence, it is high to learn techniques of working under such conditions since some come as an emergency. The best way achieve this goal is to engage in high demanding tasks with less help from colleagues which will then push me to work extra hard. I such situation, I will acquire skills to cope with working under extreme pressure without anxiety taking over me. According to Kutlesa and Arthur (2008), overcoming perfectionism challenge involves accepting the fact that I am human like everyone else and thus I am not perfect in everything I do. Moreover, after achieving a good enough result, I can leave it at that point and avoid stressing myself further. I should also realize that I am hurting the people around me and myself by buying into the myths of perfection which change behaviors. I will also be doing things that are right by shaping an environment of human standards around me. Therefore, I will avoid unnecessary tension to over perform and thus enhance my leadership competencies. Achieving personal leadership competencies will also incorporate learning the art of delegating duties. On the word of Salahuddin (2010), delegating duties provide an opportunity of developing other people's talents. During those times, we can take up other challenges which nurture our leadership skills. 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