"In our first two weeks, you have read several articles, seen several videos and been engaged in several discussions related to the concept of academic leadership. At this point, and in your own words, what does the concept mean to you? What subjects or interests do you have a sophisticated, intellectual understanding of that you may want to turn into a major academic project in this class? How do people sometimes abuse academic knowledge to manipulate others? How would you feel if someone used your work to manipulate others (as Jared Diamond claims Mitt Romney has)? How can creating academically sophisticated, intellectual leaders help prevent such people from taking advantage of others the way they do? How can this create a stronger democratic society?"

                 

                In the first two weeks in Academic Leadership, we read several articles, which gave me a broad knowledge about concepts connected to academic leadership. As I read the article Educational Leadership by John W. Gardner, I could reflect and think about my actions relating to this and also connect some ideas that I have been in my mind before, formulating a concrete thought. When defining academic leadership, I need to define leadership first: in which a leader just a representative and have other members to help, of course each one has a role they should follow, respecting the others. Therefore, when combining the terms, academic leadership, we use your knowledge - in a correct and positive way - and all experiences in life to progress your level of leadership. A common fact , which became a problem seen by teams and groups is the fact that leaders constantly confuse the concept of organizing, helping and representing a team, turning it on a manipulative process. As seen in the article read and discussed in class, "Romney Hasn't Done His Homework" by Jared Dimond, Mitt Romney used Diamond's ideas to manipulate others, using a different approach to his ideas. Thus, we can see this as an example of an irresponsible leader using academic knowledge to manipulate others. If someday this happened to me - someone used my idea and my knowledge incorrectly - I would be insulted. Since I used my academic skills in a proper manner and someone changed its meaning, using it for their own benefits. However, I would act patiently and just re-state my idea and clarify to the person how a superior leader should be like and what he should do to fulfill his role in society. This way, we would create more academically intellectual leaders , without misunderstanding ideas. That being said, bright leaders would know how to interfere in other leaders' thoughts with reliable and concrete arguments. Also, it would help the democratic society, for it would be aiming at the whole group - what is the best for the majority, not permitting manipulation within the group.
            In continuation, in academic leadership we also are planning on an academic project, which includes an interest on a specific area that we may show interest in the years to come. I'm really undecided as to what topic I should choose, but I have two ideas which I may explore: Sports, specifically volleyball, and psychology. The first one, volleyball, I thought that it would be interesting since it is a sport in which I really enjoy and I have been playing since I was 7 years old, experiencing many tournaments throughout my life. But I still need to develop this idea, making it academic. The following topic - psychology - I think it is a subject that I'm fascinated in ,which involves the study of mental functions and behaviors - the understanding of each individual. Thus, I want to explore how this study has been changing society as whole and each one of us, and how significant this study is.