During Week 1, I received some impactful feedback that truly made me reflect. One of our school’s guidance counselors praised me for remaining calm and composed during a challenging situation. We had planned a town hall event in the library, but when we arrived, the library was occupied. As a result, seventy-five middle schoolers were lined up in the hallway, waiting and creating quite a bit of noise. Despite the chaos, I reassured a staff member that we would find a solution, which helped to swiftly address the situation. The guidance counselor noticed this and appreciated how I handled it, highlighting the importance of maintaining a steady demeanor in the face of adversity.

This first week’s lesson, Personal Lesson #1, directly ties into Dr. Lorraine Monroe's leadership teachings from her book, The Monroe Doctrine: An ABC Guide to What Great Bosses Do. Dr. Monroe emphasizes the importance of attaching value to what we do daily, urging us to focus on our function rather than our position or title. She reminds us, "It's okay to enjoy the perks that come with the title. But [we] must earn the title and the trappings in the only way possible: by producing results!" (Monroe, 2003).