Outcasts United is a fantastic book for everyone to read. Numerous lessons and values are taught throughout the book dealing with refugees, immigration, and basic life lessons of perserverence. Every aspect of the book is relatable to the Social Change Model of Leadership.
Luma personifies individual values to the T. Consciousness of Self: Luma's self awareness stands out in particular when looking at the definition of Consciousness of Self. Despite her early struggles after being cut off from family, Luma remained strong and true to herself. She stayed true to her values and was willing to take the risk of living on her own when she could have easily gone home to Jordan and lived off of her parent's wealth. This kind of self awareness builds a great leader: one that is able to stay true to themselves through the best and worst of times. Congruence: Luma "walks the talk" on numerous occasions, but most specifically when she begins coaching the girls volleyball team, she does the running and conditioning with the team, helping her athletes understand that if she is able to do the conditioning, they should be able to as well given the age difference. Commitment: If Luma doesn't show commitment to the boys on her teams, call me crazy. She is committed to their safety, success, and well-being on and off the soccer field.
Society/ Community Values is embodied throughout the book in at least three distinct ways. Citizenship: One example of citizenship in Outcasts United occurs when Bill Mehlinger goes out of his way to change the entire focus of his grocery store to cater to the needs of the refugees of Clarkston. Although he is benefitting from the sale of the groceries, the reader can tell that he cares about the citizens of Clarkston enough to stock his shelves with familiar ingredients, no matter how difficult or expensive it is to get them.
Group Values is clearly defined in the book through the Fugees. Collaboration: The boys on Luma's teams collaborate with each other. Although there are multiple nationalities represented on the teams, they collaborate with one another to win games and be successful. Common Purpose: Along with collaboration, the soccer players share a common purpose for being on the team. It is a way for them to bond with the other players despite their backgrounds. (They also just want to win.) Controversy with Civility: The team is clearly diverse. Many backgrounds, nationalities, and personal stories are brought to the team with each player. It is important that each player understand the diversity, while being able to look beyond it towards the common purpose of the team as a whole.
Approaching Leadership
Luma approaches her leadership a little differently with each family/player. On the field she is a hard ass that has one set way of doing things. The boys will listen to her and obey her rules or they will be kicked off of the team. She adapts her approach when dealing with the boys and their families off of the field. While during practice Luma can seem like she can never be satisfied with her players, she has a strong bond with each of them in other aspects of life. By taking them to movies and eating dinner with their families, she can seem like the "best friend" or aunt to them. It's an interesting approach, seeing as she takes on the role of two different people.
Outcasts United might be my favorite book I've read in college (International Business just isn't cutting it). Everyone loves a success story, and this book is no different. From the beginning, I felt inspired by Luma's courage with her family. Taking the path already paved is so easy, and yet Luma sees past the ease of her life back in Jordan and sets out to stick to her values and beliefs in America. And yet, that's only the beginning! Throughout the book Luma takes on challenges and responsibilities that astound me. Her passion for helping these refugees is limitless, and her caring nature is shown everywhere. I am truly looking forward to hearing her speak (unlike Greg Mortenson).
And just in case you forgot how awful Mr. Mortenson was...
P.S. Sorry I posted 45 minutes late...I know you were all waiting anxiously to read my thoughts
City,
ReplyDeleteVery straightforward blog, I like it. The things you said about Luma's self-awareness and being indepentent definitely make sense...I had not thought about it like that. Staying true to yourself during times like those requires tons of self-awareness, something that would be a big challenge for all of us. Rock on!