What are my strengths paper

Leadership and Self Development Fall 2010  Instructor Ross Peterson Veartch

Strength Based Leadership   Deborah Spears Moorehead       8-17-2010

What are my strengths as a leader?                 How do I think others see me ?

According to the report of the book  Strength Based Leadership written by  Tom Rath and Barry Conchie , four of  my strengths fall under the  category of a  Strategic Thinker.    The traits of a Strategic Thinker are Learner, Context, Strategy and Ideation.  I have another strength in the Influencing column as a Maxamizer.

Growing up in Rhode Island inspired and lead by example watching my parents and aunts and uncle’s provide a living supporting their families utilizing creative talents,  I knew  my talents would open doors of opportunities for me.

From the time I can remember, I knew my strength was a gift from the Creator.  It was very obvious that drawing was my strongest gift inherited from my family.

I saw this gift in both my parents families..   My mother was a strong willed Wampanoag woman artist who made it clear, what she expected of me.  I remember watching her hand fluidly drawing beautiful pictures while she gossiped with her friends on the telephone.  Aunt Doris made a fine living, as a Professional Artist focused in Jewelry Design and, Paintings. My father specialized in Woodworking and his brother Stone Masonry.  Their work was exquisite.    Uncle Russell carved and painted the rocks that were used for stonewalls.  I saw them as people who made a living on their creative talents.

One day my grandfather heard my sister and I singing.  It was though my grandfather ‘s few encouraging kind words of announcing to everyone in my family that I could sing, that I found the confidence to sing in front of audiences.   When I was about six my grandmother would make me draw everything in her house instead of talking.  It came from that old saying that children were to be seen and not heard. I wanted to talk. My mother called me Babbling Brook.   I ‘ve always been curious about how we came to be.   I am very content when I am sharpening my skills as an Artist or doing research on my heritage.  It helps me to understand the past to understand the future just as it says in my report.   I think life is too short to be wasting time repeating mistakes of the past.

Academically, consistently excelling in the creative arts, I began selling paintings in my early teens.  What motivates me, is the positive feedback I receive from people who praise my work,  encourage me, and buy my art.  I feel privileged to be able to do what I love and love what I do. .   I didn’t start out a great artist although I am self-motivated to be as great as I can be.

I enjoy collaborating with diverse talents while incorporating my research to foster projects that improve the lives of people in the community. It is what I consider a fun challenge.   My goal is to constantly make my work more intellectually stimulating to the observer.

When I was about ten years old,  I was caught carving my neighbors block of frozen  butter that was on their  kitchen table. They called me weird.  I saw it as sculpture. It was then that I knew there was something different about the way I heard music, saw shapes and saw the world.     I also realized others saw me as weird.  Weird was hard to take at times, but I realized that I had a different way of comprehending and it was part of the gift I had of being a creative person.  I stayed safe within the parameters of the Art classes in school where I was able to feel normal amongst fellow Artist.

My gift is unique because work is my own unique style.  I am a Wampanoag.  There are not many Wampanoag Indians left, never mind preserving our music , our ways and  sustaining our culture making traditional and  fine Art

I am told that I am very good at coming up ideas. People say I definitely like to have control over situations so it is natural for me to take the lead.  I tell them that I am equal with all. I was named the leader of my singing group because I have stayed involved the longest, networking, coordinating and pulling gigs together.   They say I know how to make things happen because I have good connections. It seems when I partner with perfectionist, as well as people who do well  in time management, and organizational skills there is no stopping the potential we have for making a project happen from beginning to end.