Cyrus

Ernestasia Edwards

Write about the person in your life (someone you know personally) that you would say has shown the most and best leadership in their course of their life.

Showing leadership to me using some of Cyrus “motives” like his love for humanity and his love of being honored, using this to pick out the personal leader I decided upon my aunt. I choose her because she’s like a role model to me and I feel like she wanted/wants to be for me and my siblings. She loves seeing everyone around her have a good time but more like “thanks to her” and not in a negative connotation at all. She justs like to satify those she loves. For example she keeps us close and around each other (my siblings and our aunt and uncles), with B-B-Q’s and game nights. She has a degree and is back in school for another, teaching and influencing me with her methods of getting through it but also letting me know the mistakes so I wont have to make them on my own. This is all the more reason why she reminded me of Cyrus “motives” revolving around the love of being honored. She likes that role of being the reason to great things and outcomes. Using Cyrus to compare them I thought about passage four when it says, “ Cyrus, because of his kindness of heart [philanthrōpia] and his desire for popularity [philotīmia], made every effort to secure for the boys whatever they asked. [2] And Astyages could not refuse any favour that Cyrus asked of him”… “ he would jump up to perform whatever service he thought would give him pleasure, so that he won Astyages’s heart completely”. As said in the quotes Cyrus just wants to “secure” and please people because of his “desire” and efforts of bettering himself. He doesn't do it specifically just as a way to get appreciation from people he does it to make other people happy which makes him happy that shows the more genuine side of his leadership development. That is the reason why I said it had no negative connotation when my aunt wants to be thanked, because this is only because it helps her with herself.

How young were they when they first started showing leadership? In addition to describing the specific leadership behaviors that this person has show, you may want to include information about their education and upbringing, their physical appearance and style of dress.

When I was born she was 8 years old. This may or may not be young in some persepectives but assuming those that said young, I think this is really the speak to why she decided to become a role model. She was like a big sister to me and my brother before we were old enough to understand family concepts like aunts and uncles. She helps us out and shes older and seen as an adult in our eyes but not like a “mom adult” if you get it..lol. She is educated and was a real go getter! In middle school to high school she had honor roll each year and was in multiple extra curriculars. She graduated on time and went to college and right out of college she started working at a prestejuse law firm in Boston, MA (where were from and live). This plays a big role in why I went so hard in school and wanted to do my best to please my mom and show her I see great examples like my aunt (plus my mothers hardworking influences) so I set out to serve my best. My aunt, Chanelle, is a fairly average-tall height, skinny yet fit and very dressy. If I were to input the physical apperence factor then I’d say no matter what, if the leader is good looking the chances of people taking them serious and viewing their leadership ideas as logical. She can dress and that attracts people’s eye, especially people like my brother and I who loved fashion and looking nice. Making her more idealistic to us , just overall a great influences for multiple reasons.

Part One: Becoming Better at “Knowing How It’s Going to Go”

What is a problem that you would like to have phronēsis (wisdom, forethought, or “knowing how this is going to go”) in solving? This could be any kind of problem–environmental, economic, societal, political, scientific. What is your plan for cultivating phronēsis? How will you establish your reputation for phronēsis, so that others will take you seriously?

I would love to have ‘phronesis’ in controlling of ones emotions. Personally I feel like I have a hard time expressing and controlling my serious emotions. If I were ever upset or irritated by something it easily comes out and I quickly express it but can’t do the same for my other emotions. Although it wouldn’t be any easier if I found out it were just a me problem but it is. All around the world people have trouble with expressing of their emotions and exterting in healthy ways. I know this might sound strange or something from a fantasy/utopia kind of society but it’s honestly something I’d like and think the world will benefit of of. I think some meditation, and therapeutic methods dispersed throughout the world will really benefit in many ways revolving around crime rates, accidents, and even healthier relationships established everywhere. Knowledge goes a far way and helps people improve for the better because it knocks away ignorance. Im not sure how to establish such a huge thing especially with how messed up the world is now but as far as taking me serious, I wouldn’t give up until others did!

Part Two: Managing Phthonos

Identify times in your life when your feeling of phthonos interfered with your ability to lead, e.g., on a sports team, a student group, a group of coworkers, or even within your family. Were you able to overcome these feelings in the moment or at least afterward?

One time phthonis interfered with my ability to lead was when my lack of ignorance in a work space didn’t get me “liked” causing me to struggle in the environement. The co-workers were very disrespectful and got a kick off of dividing up the crew up so some people can have it harder in the job and feel left out. When I got there they accepted me to what I learned to be “those people”. That was the top people in the job, the slackers who got away with things and bossed others around. The kind of people always setting out to pull a fast one on someone. I didnt like it. It wasn't me nor a reflection of my character. I knew “right from wrong” and I couldn’t just be in an environment where I can’t be comfortable or others will be uncomfortable around me. I overcame those feelings by quitting, but before I dd I made great friends with a few of the people who were treated bad and actually were able to put them on to the new job that I had found myself so they didn’t have to endure that. I would say it might lack leadership development because I quit but I see it as me being a leader in my own way by finding something better for myself and helping others realize they can do the same.

Another time it interfered with my ability to lead was when I was assigned to talk about this contraversial topic on this podcast oppurtunity I was apart of. I need the ideals they wanted me to discuss were not only unalligned with my morals but went against a community directly affecting me. I decided to go against what I was told to do on the podcast with the expectation that I would be taken away from that oppurtunity. However, lucky for me the person who help fund the program oppurtunity was listening and called in the middle of the sit down I was having in the office. They said they can tell that I was saying something I felt strong about but was clearly off the script in the way the others had to respond based off of what I was saying. Once I explained why I couldn't lead the discuss as it was scripted to do so because of it’s infliction with my personal belief they applauded me. This made my decision worth while and saved me from having to overcome the negative emotions.