Erin Barcal

11/19/13
Leadership Presentation
FYS/Jay Platt

Jay Platt changed my viewpoint on academic leadership by introducing me to his acronym of

lead. For L, he announced Look, Listen, and Learn. He explained the four levels of learning
(unconscious competence, conscious incompetence, consciously competent, and unconsciously
competent) and reviewed the various learning styles (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.) This
provides a foundation in the classroom to be alert enough to perceive the information the
professor is instructing in order to lead others in the same direction. For E, he conveyed
Expect great things. He prompted us to be active in the classroom and workforce and ask, What
do you expect/What can I contribute to the team/What is expected of me/How can I become a
top performer in this setting? His underlying motive was respect your people because they will
either live up or down to your expectations. His analogy related to the Pygmalion effect and it
taught me to always look for the best in people and expect their utmost best. A related to
Attitude, attitude, attitude. He promoted the ABCs of attitude: A=Act as if (you do have a good
attitude). He introduced the saying of the Marines, fake motivation is better than no motivationfake it til you make it. B=Be Thankful-we each take so much for granted. Take time each day
and acknowledge your blessings. C=Choose. Simply choose to wake up happy-dont let others
determine your disposition. I did not necessarily agree with these principles. While I concur it is
imperative to be in a good mood, I do not believe in being fake over it and being your true self.
You should not try to be something youre not. Finally, the D is for Do as you say. It is actually
my biggest pet peeve when someone is not true to their word. He emphasized this point by
promoting leading by example because people are always watching. He also explained the
importance of forgiving, admittance, and moving forward. Overall, Platts confident personality
along with his challenging circumstances gave him authority over leadership as he has taken
leadership over his life in all aspects. It provides me, personally, with a firm foundation of
leadership that I can implement in all areas of my own life including academic.