Being Proactive

The first habit of highly effective people is proactivity. Being proactive means looking at the situation and developing a positive response for it. Proactive people are motivated by values that do not depend on weather or how people treat them. Proactive people use their resourcefulness and initiative to find solutions rather than just reporting problems and waiting for others to solve them. We can choose to use difficult situations to build our character and develop the ability to better handle situations as they come.

In my mentorship in aircraft maintenance, I’ve progressively developed a proactive mindset in that I try and find work when there isn’t much I can do. When it comes to my work, there are certain things I can do as an intern and certain things only an FAA certified mechanic can do. When things come up that I cannot do, I try and find little tasks that I can do to be proactive and help out, such as taking out the trash or sweeping out the hanger.

At home, I use my time to make up assignments and to do work that I should be doing for my Civil Air Patrol unit or my school JROTC unit, being that I hold leadership positions in both. I attempt to minimize downtime and maximize up-time in order to remain on top of things and to ensure I get the tasks done that need to be done. In the end, I use whatever time I have leftover to get the needed break and rest to ensure I can effectively start up when I need to.

Habits

Covey explains our character is a collection of our habits, and habits have powerful roles in our lives. Habits consist of knowledge, skill, and desire. Knowledge allows us to know what to do, skill gives us the ability to know how to do it, and desire is the motivation to do it. The Seven Habits help us move through three stages: dependence, independence, and interdependence. Dependence is the paradigm under which we are born, relying upon others to take care of us. Independence is the paradigm under which we can make our own decisions and take care of ourselves. Interdependence is the paradigm under which we cooperate to achieve something that cannot be achieved independently. Independence is not the optimal model to follow in personal and professional environments because, in reality, we are interdependent, and the independent model promotes a selfish attitude of “I can do this myself,” and one loses support and help progressively when they remain independent; not everything can be done by yourself.

Paradigm Shift

I experience a paradigm shift when, in kindergarten, I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). I’m sure you know what that is, but, with this disorder, I found it hard to focus in class and found myself disrupting class on a regular basis. Not until the issue was brought to my parents did I finally get tested and diagnosed with ADD. Major effects of this included having to take medication and see a psychologist. I had to remind myself to focus in class and made myself think twice before doing something. It took a couple years of practice, but eventually I learned to cope with ADD. Now, after going through puberty, I have found myself with not a hint of ADD symptoms; it is able to be overcome.

Principals that are most important to me are integrity and respect. Integrity builds how others see you and interact with you and can influence how you work with individuals in a working environment. Respect is needed anywhere. If you want to be treated with high regard, you treat others likewise. Just remember the golden rule: treat others as you would like to be treated.

Ethics

Where do people learn about ethics? From family, school, religious leaders, television, friends, etc.?
After reading the article and doing further research, I’ve concluded that ethics are learned from a very young age from family members. Just like learning to say your first word, parents usually start by getting you to say a word by saying the word over and over again. Let’s say the words you happen to hear most from from them are when they’re cursing. The first word they hear from you will most likely be one of those curse words. Once you move up in the world, you receive more ethical influences. As you watch more television, based on what you watch, you will learn more habits that may be good or bad. If someone watches more violent television than another, then that individual tends to possess more violent thoughts and attributes. One’s friends are another ethical influence. Friends that, for example, do drugs in much of their free time or find fun out of shoplifting, you are more likely to possess those same activities.

What is the difference between ethics and morality?
Morals define personal character, while ethics stress a lifestyle in which those morals are applied. Ethics point to standards or behavior expected by a group an individual affiliates with. While a person’s moral code is usually remains the same, the ethics practiced can be dependent on other variables.

What makes some people more ethical than others?
Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Toronto did an experiment and looked at the ethical tendencies of more than 1,000 volunteers from various social and economic backgrounds. The volunteers filled out surveys and took part in seven experiments testing their willingness to act unethically. Conclusion point to those with an upper-class background being more likely to break the rules and the law. I believe feelings of entitlement, inattention to the consequences of one’s actions, and an increased focus on achieving goals also play a role in unethical actions in today’s environment.

Can people follow different codes of ethics?
I believe an individual lives by a set code of ethics that they follow. Now, can those codes change over time? Most certainly. From a young age, you develop a code of ethics that you adhere to, but that code evolves over time as people enter and leave your life and your standards of life change.

Discuss an ethical dilemma you might face in the area of study you have chosen for your mentorship?
With regards to my area of study, aircraft maintenance, ethical issues arise constantly. As a mechanic, you encounter deadlines to meet when completing maintenance on an aircraft. Mechanics cannot overlook areas of the aircraft that may seem unimportant in order to meet the deadline. If a mechanic misses metal fatigue in an inspection because they rush through an aircraft inspection, the problem may cause the loss of life before it can be caught in the next inspection, which is why mechanics must live by an strong code of ethics in daily work.

Habits

Part 1

Be Proactive: Similar to taking the initiative, being proactive, to me, means utilizing your time effectively with little sidetracking; maximize uptime, minimize downtime. I try to be proactive as much as possible because I can get things done quickly and efficiently without having to worry about getting it done when the deadline approaches… aka: procrastination. When I’m assigned a task, I consider it my duty to get the task done efficiently as quickly as possible because that individual is depending on me. The same with schoolwork, even with teachers piling quite a bit of homework on my plate, I need to work effectively to get it all done by the deadlines.

Put First things First: In my position, school takes to the top of my priorities, especially with my future depending on my performance. Even though I attempt to maintain a social life and enjoy my fun with hobbies and extracurricular, school needs to be put first. If school does not come first, my grades suffer and my future does the same.

Part 2

Looking back at my life mission statement from last year, I don’t think I’d change much. I feel like I need to repost it so I can reflect on it:

I stick to my beliefs and faith in Christ.
I am kind, trustworthy, and dependable.
I believe a positive attitude is contagious, but so is a negative attitude.
I live by three core values: Integrity, Excellence, and Respect.

I’m ready to take on the world and all its new challenges.
I aspire to succeed in whatever I do.
I shoot to reach for my goals and never give up.
I don’t lose hope if I don’t succeed.
I reach for the skies every moment of my life.

This year, I seek to gain further insight into how mechanics operate. I gained so much knowledge last year of what aircraft mechanics do and what deadlines need to be met and to what standards are aircraft mechanics held to. This year, I hope to further that knowledge to where they can give me a task and I can just do it. I feel like I’m given more trust to do things on my own now, and with that comes more responsibility; responsibility which I’m willing to accept.

Part 3

I learned so much at the “Perfectly Polished” meeting on Friday. I learned the proper way to shake hands, introduce myself and others, and how to carry on a conversation. I look forward to using the knowledge I gained at the meeting to WOW the interviewers that I encounter over my life. Everyone should go through this class because it provides the basic knowledge that anyone can benefit from. I feel this class will definitely help me impress interviewers and succeed in life. I look forward to part two in a couple weeks.

Provocateurs (3/18)

From what I took from David Rock’s lecture, provocateurs are agents of positive change who pursue positive change no matter what. This immediately took me back to the age of segregation and Martin Luther King Jr. Why, well he was an agent of positive change with regards to integrating change into how minorities are treated. In the 1960s, he pursued the purpose of establishing equality between whites and minorities. He was extremely resilient and did not let him being put in jail stop him. Even when he was put in jail, he still organized peaceful protests. Facing harsh treatment from people and the police, he displayed courage and pushed on. His great leadership and determination gave other people the drive to do the same.

Vulnerability (2/11)

How would you answer, “Sometimes, I am afraid that I am not ……enough.”
Sometimes, I am afraid that I am not determined enough. Ever since I was in elementary school, I’ve had my mind set on pursuing a military career and to fly. Recently, I’ve been feeling like I’m not determined enough to pursue my goal.

How do you define vulnerability?
Vulnerability, to me, is letting your guard down and making yourself susceptible to many things you may not want to be.

Why do you struggle with vulnerability?
I struggle with vulnerability a lot with regards to my attention span. I tend to get easily distracted with little things, which cause me to loose focus on the tasks set before me. As a result, I can’t do the things I need to get done and I tend not to think about what’s going on around me.

What did you tell yourself when faced with something you thought insurmountable?
When faced with something I feel is insurmountable I first tell myself how it will feel when I complete the task set for me. Then I begin to tackle the task in bits and pieces; that way, I’m not overwhelmed by the entire task as a whole.

Three R’s (2/4)

Reflection – Relationship – Resilience

1. Which of the three R’s do you feel you need to develop?

In my opinion, the relationship part of the three R’s is the one I need to develop the most in; try and become a more out-there kind of person.

2. What are three books you’ve read in the past year?

In the past year, I’ve read a few books such as, “Under a War-Torn Sky,” “Shadows on the Sea,” and “Eclipse.” I don’t read often, but when I do, I enjoy reading novels or true stories centered around World War II.

3. As a child, what did you do in your free time?

When I was younger, and we had a lot more people in our circle, my brothers and I would gather in our circle with a bunch of neighbors the same age and slightly younger and older to play a friendly game of kickball. Unfortunately, in recent years, neighbors have moved away so coming up with a game would be extremely difficult.

4. What’s a goal that has been on your list for a few years?

These past few years, prioritizing has always been a goal on my list. Ever since I started high school, I’ve told myself that I need to start prioritizing my work because it will help me manage stress, get better grades, and become dependable.

5. What do you actually do with your free time?

In the little free time I get every week, I enjoy relaxing in comfortable clothes, chilling with a friend or two, playing video games, and flying flight simulators (as a hobby and a way of furthering my education).

6. What types of activities energize you?

Physical activities get me energized. For example, running is a major part of my life; it energizes me and keeps me active and healthy. I also love to play Frisbee, which keeps me active and it’s a blast.

7. What famous people intrigue you?

I’ve always been intrigued by my mentor. He’s not famous, but he has a famous job: an airline pilot. Ever since I learned he was an airline pilot for American Airlines flying worldwide, I gained a sort of interest in his field of expertise. I’ve always been stumped by the knowledge he has and the skills to get the job done right. I have a lot of respect for him.

Empathy (1/22)

I received a 30 on the empathy test, which is close to average. This test is somewhat accurate; I consider myself an empathetic person to a point. I consider myself empathetic to someone if they suffered with an issue beyond their control. I refuse to empathize with someone who deals with issue, but has no intention on changing or fixing them. In my opinion, empathy is something you either have or don’t have; you can’t be taught empathy. You can’t be taught how to have a certain emotion, but you can be taught what they are.

I consider my dad a very empathetic person. When you are sick, he’ll go out of his way to make sure you get what you need or even what you want, depending how ridiculous it is. If I’m going through a rough time, I can talk to him and he can always relate back to a time he suffered with the same issue. On the other hand, I know someone at school who is the absolute opposite. They have no care in the world for your well-being or you emotions. If you’re having a bad day, they have nothing to say. If someone is dealing with problems at home, this person thinks they are perfect and that the problem is nonsense.

Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics

An aircraft mechanic specializing in airframe and powerplant (A&P) will maintain aircraft airframe and engines, make necessary repairs, and troubleshoot problems and discover malfunctioning parts to ensure the aircraft conform with all FAA regulations. They also recommend part changes or adjustments to aircraft specifications to improve engine performance or comply with FAA directives. They will document and maintain paperwork for maintenance. A&P’s require a high school degree, an airplane mechanics license, and typically 2-5 years of experience in the field or in a related area. They must be familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within this field.

Source: “Airframe and Engine Mechanic.” Salary.com. Salary Wizard. Web. 30 Dec 2012. <http://www1.salary.com/Airframe-and-Engine-Mechanic-Salary.html&gt;.