Culminating Experience

As I approach the end of my program, I was asked to reflect on my passions, values, and future aspirations. I centered on three main areas of focus: crisis management (pre-crisis, crisis event, and post-crisis), non-profit volunteering, and generating effective verbal and written communication. As the final step to completing the culminating project and leadership program, I formulated a proposal to combine those three attributes with my knowledge of leadership to make a positive impact on my community and the organizations within it. As a student at Fort Hays State University, I was highly involved in volunteer initiatives and worked with organizations such as the Denver Food Bank, Denver Rescue Mission, Food Bank of the Rockies, Humana SWIPE-Out Hunger food packing events, Convoy of Hope disaster kit initiatives, Breathe Coffee House Community Meal Program, Hays, Kansas after school programs, and numerous other opportunities. These experiences taught me valuable life skills such as communication, problem-solving, project planning, task management, organization, and most importantly, networking with others who foster the same passion to work on something bigger than themselves. I was in the final semester of my undergraduate program when COVID-19 impacted us globally. It was then that I noticed these organizations did not sit idle or close down when disaster struck. Rather, they were prepared with resources (food, water, shelter, educational resources, mental health resources, etc.) to protect their community. If every organization was prepared to react in this nature, there would be fewer negative repercussions. Naturally, this inspired me to create a Crisis Communication Plan (CCP) for the Manhattan Area Habitat for Humanity organization. The first purpose is for them to use it successfully in crisis events. However, holistically, the hope is that they will take the document and share it with other organizations and disseminate the importance of employee, reputational, and financial safety.

As you progress through my proposal, you will learn that one of the main learning objectives is sustainability. Once the Manhattan Area Habitat for Humanity team deploys the new Crisis Communication Plan (CCP), they must work diligently to support the change without using me as a facilitator. My primary goal is to “provide the resources, coaching, training, and appropriate reward systems to ensure the change is permanent” (Goertzen, 2019, p.36). Rather, I am taking a consultative approach in hopes that the members of the organization can adopt, modify, and utilize the document using their discretion. Notably, by highlighting the importance of sustainability in my proposal, you may be surprised that I include resources for the post-crisis, learning stage. We are quick to forget the traumatic, stressful events that we endured. We want our lives to return to their normal state as soon as possible. Coincidently, returning to complete normalcy is not always possible. However, we would be doing ourselves and our organization an injustice if we did not reflect and learn from the situation in hopes that we could prevent a future recurrence. On a higher note, a crisis creates space for the reinvention of values, goals, and the organization's purpose. It stands as an appropriate time to reset the organizational culture. We must break away from what is comfortable to grow. Crisis events are excellent examples of adaptive challenges that require employees to solve problems that have no definitive answers. As a result of successful reinvention, organizations can possess a stronger culture, display democratic leadership, and produce creative, innovative solutions.

This internship experience demonstrated the program's six learning competencies. I was able to apply my knowledge of leadership concepts, organizational behaviors, and systems to a change initiative. I learned how non-profits were internally structured, how they receive and utilize their funding, the history of their organization, and which types of crises specifically impact them. Once I completed the background and needs assessment, I established a vision for the communication tool and took on the responsibility of implementing it among the staff. I supported my vision with research and observation. I utilized those resources to help me make appropriate decisions and to think critically. I practiced effective communication by conveying these complex ideas in a detailed communication plan that will continue as an ongoing working document for the organization. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to collaborate and create a successful team. This project would not have been possible without my instructors, my Manhattan Area Habitat for Humanity community partners, communication professionals who offered their advice, and my fellow classmates. It was important for me to tailor this plan to specific target audiences and ensure that I developed the right evaluation procedures for individual and organizational improvement. Lastly, by volunteering my time, I will have demonstrated an understanding of the responsibilities of organizations in society and developed the capacity to implement individual and organizational change to enhance society. In short, this internship experience provided me with a comprehensive understanding of how the theories of leadership could be practiced successfully in a complex, organizational scenario.

References: 

Goertzen, B.J., Kastle, S.D., Klaus, K., & Greenleaf, J. (2019). Discovering the leader within:

Learning leadership through service (2nd ed.). Available from:

https://www.fhsu.edu/leadership/student-resources/discoveringtheleader

NOTE: This project will continue to be developed until August 1, 2023 due to MAHFH adding new staff and resources.