[nabs-l] Individualism and Following a Leader

Sun Jun 22 21:17:49 UTC 2014

Hello Arielle,

I have always enjoyed your posts to the email list, and this one is no
exception. I think you bring up a good point about people being able to
respectfully bring up things with others in which they disagree. I know I
have struggled with this myself, and I have most likely pushed people away
as a result. However, I have learned that when you have an attitude of
simply wanting the best for the organization that it helps to make these
kinds of conversations less personal. I think when you share the common goal
of making the organization the best that it can be that it helps people find
some common ground when there are disagreements.

However, it has taken me quite some time to learn this lesson in life, so I
hope leaders in our organization can understand that not everyone may
possess this skill. As difficult as it may be sometimes, I think one of the
most important things about being a leader is being willing to listen to
everyone regardless of what they may have to say. Whether it be good or bad,
simply taking the time to seriously consider what someone has to say can
really go a long way in my opinion.

But again Arielle, thank you for providing your point of view on things as
someone who has served as a leader within this organization. I believe your
thoughts, insights, and explanations of how things took place under your
leadership is rather valuable for those who wish to become the next leader
within our organization.

Warm regards,
Elizabeth

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle
Silverman via nabs-l
Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2014 4:42 PM
To: Kirt; National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Individualism and Following a Leader

Hi all,

I generally agree with the statements made so far. Obviously people join
organizations because there are clear benefits both for the individuals in
the group and the group itself. When one becomes a member of an
organization, that organization becomes another identity the person has.
Ideally the new identity shouldn't conflict with one's other identities.
I do have some comments that are more about leadership vs.
follower-ship, if we want to call it that. Based on my experiences with NABS
leadership, my philosophy is I think a little different than what's
typically discussed in the NFB. I don't think an organization should
"follow" its leader, at least not blindly follow or blindly trust. Instead,
I think a leader is a person who has chosen to serve the organization and
carry out the organization's wishes. In this role, the organization chooses
its leader and then tells the leader what should be done. In that way, a
leader is "following" the organization in that he or she endeavors to carry
out the activities that the organization identifies as important. Of course,
leaders should have special experience and skills that make them ideally
suited to carry out the organization's vision. And leaders should have ideas
and visions of their own for the organization. But the organization's
members have the power to accept or reject the leader's new ideas.
So in the case of NABS or an NFB affiliate (or NFB national), I think the
president's primary responsibility is to carry out the organization's
wishes. Doing so requires active engagement with the membership and the
humility to accept opinions with which the president might disagree. The
board members serve as elected representatives of the membership who tell
the president what to do when the entire membership is not able to meet
(i.e. between conventions). When I was NABS president, I had ideas about how
things should be done. Some were good ideas and others were flawed. The most
growth and change occurred when board members pointed out flaws in my ideas
and especially when they came up with better ones. I think it benefits an
organization tremendously when members, or board members, question and
challenge the president and build on the president's work. I don't think
NABS would have gone very far during my term if my board had blindly trusted
me without questioning things I proposed or contributing their own
proposals. Perhaps this is the academic in me, but I would suggest that if
you are on any kind of board or committee, listen to what the chairperson
says and try to think of problems with their ideas or ways to make the good
ideas even better. There is a way to do this that still comes out of respect
and loyalty to the president and support for the organization as a whole. I
cannot and should not take much credit for the growth NABS saw when I was
president. The only thing I can take credit for is that I tried to create a
board culture where all opinions and disagreements were appreciated. From my
perspective, there was a nice bonus to that, which was that board members
felt empowered and respected so they were willing to really work hard and
follow through. A micromanaging president risks alienating the board and,
thus, getting stuck with all the work.

Arielle

On 6/22/14, Kirt via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Sophie,
> Yes I agree with a lot of what you're saying. However joining any 
> specific organization with a. Detailed political platform, behavioral 
> norms and the like is, in my view, sacrificing a part of a person's 
> individual identity for a greater good. If I disagree with the 
> official stance of the Federation on a few important issues iamb, as 
> per the NFB pledge, obligated to present a united front with the rest 
> of the organization in public. I've made that bargain and, at least 
> for now, I'm alright with it because I do support the vast majority of 
> the Federation's policies, programs and philosophy, but it is 
> nevertheless a willing sacrifice of a small part of my individual
identity.
> Best,
> Kirt
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Jun 22, 2014, at 11:25 AM, Sophie Trist via nabs-l 
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>> I don't believe that following a leader in an organization infringes 
>> on individualism. In fact, I believe that in some cases, joining 
>> organizations can actually promote individualism because it allows 
>> people to meet others who have the same interests and goals as they 
>> do, and a group can do more than one person alone. The organization 
>> is made stronger because it receives input from lots of different 
>> people, and it must accept that those people won't always agree. An 
>> organization that promotes individualism is one that accepts 
>> disagreement and takes all ideas into account. If an organization 
>> refuses to accknowledge any view but its own, it's stifling 
>> individualism. I've only been a member of the NFB for a few years, 
>> but it's changed me, made me a better, stronger person. I've realized a
lot about my abilities and responsibilities as a blind person.
>> So I believe that joining an organization can and does change an 
>> individual's identity. The task of the individual is to assess that 
>> change with the synicism that Justin talked about. We should examine 
>> ourselves to see how our affiliations with others have changed us. 
>> And if we like what we see, great! If we don't like how an 
>> organization has changed us, we should take a look at why we're 
>> following that leader and see if it's really worth it.
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Zachary N. Griego-Dreicer via nabs-l" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> To: Justin Salisbury <PRESIDENT at alumni.ecu.edu>,National Association 
>> of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org Date sent: Sun, 22 
>> Jun 2014 00:53:08 -0600
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Individualism and Following a Leader
>>
>> It's a great morning! I'm in Complete agreement with you. Choosing to 
>> be a part of an organization only makes the organization stronger. I 
>> do not believe it would make an individual weaker Thank you.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone 5S Using VoiceOver
>>
>> On Jun 22, 2014, at 0:31, Justin Salisbury via nabs-l 
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Fellow Federationists:
>>
>> Let us have a discussion thread about the relationship between 
>> individualism and following a leader. It appears to me that our 
>> generation has been taught to focus heavily on individualism, 
>> especially in questioning the ideas presented to us by leaders and 
>> establishments. I appreciate this part of my upbringing, but 
>> sometimes I wonder if this modern way of thinking can lead us to 
>> maintain our distance from an outfit in which we might have otherwise
more actively embraced.
>>
>> I have analyzed organizations for years as an outsider and, 
>> sometimes, as a member. For me, two primary organizations stand out 
>> as ones where I have come to trust the intentions of the leadership: 
>> Epsilon Chi Nu Fraternity (the first Native American fraternity) and 
>> the National Federation of the Blind. Epsilon Chi Nu was founded to 
>> help Native American men graduate from college, and it has added a 
>> general purpose of helping native men be the best we can be. We are 
>> based in love and trust, and we understand that we are stronger 
>> together than individually, especially as we try to create a more 
>> positive image of native men than the stereotypes perpetuate. I don't 
>> have to tell you what we do in the National Federation of the Blind, so I
would now like to pose some questions:
>>
>> Does following a leader or identifying with an 
>> establishment/organization infringe upon one's ability to be an
individual?
>>
>> Are we relinquishing any of our own identity if we identify with an 
>> organization?
>>
>> Is an organization a collection of individuals, and do they have 
>> individual voices?
>>
>> Is it an individual decision to follow a leader or identify with an 
>> organization?
>>
>> I look forward to reading all provided opinions.
>>
>> Yours,
>>
>> Justin Salisbury
>> Board Member
>> National Association of Blind Students 
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