MSLD 521 Module 2 - The Danger of a Single Story

We’ve all probably heard the phrase, “never judge a book by its cover”. Although a title or main idea might give us a rough idea about something, the details that goes with it can give us an entirely different image. On a TED talk “The Danger of a Single Story”, novelist Chimamanda Adichie brought up some excellent points about the importance and need of understanding different sources and views. According to Adichie, “a single story creates stereotypes”. Though these stereotypes might be true, they are usually “incomplete” information (2009). Throughout the talk, Adichie shared her personal experiences to explain her reasoning. Several people: such as her college roommate initially saw Adichie based on common African stereotypes (poor, lack of education, interest in tribal music, etc.). After taking time to know who Adichie really was, they were shocked by the fact that she was from a middle-class family and spoke English fluently due to English being the official language of Nigeria.

                As a leader, it is critical to view and understand different point-of-views. By understanding what others think, it expands our knowledge of the main idea (more information): hence resulting in effective communication and decision making (Nosich, 2012). As an example, consider the pit bull controversy. Some people may consider these species to be blood-hungry and violent due to their genetics, and therefore believe that all pit bulls are to be banned from household ownership. Another group of people may fully disagree with this answer and argue that violent behaviors of pit bulls result from bad training and handling of the owners, and therefore should not be banned. Though leaders may have great ideas, it is always important for them to gather as much information and consider different points-of-view to avoid any complications. A successful leader considers the ideas of others and implement them to their reasoning and decisions.

                Though Adichie’s TED talk informed us about the importance of having details, I was also able to make a personal connection to her experience. I happen to be half-Japanese and I’ve came across numerous stereotypical comments throughout my life. The most common is in relation to anime, or Japanese animation (a popular modern pop culture). I often have people ask me if I watch anime, however in more extreme cases, I’ve came across people who asked me if the way young women were in anime is how most Japanese women really are. According to a research, there were evidence of stereotypes found in voices in anime. Comparing to male characters, females often had much more high-pitched, lengthy, and breathy voices (Teshigawara, 2004). In addition, Japan uses many onomatopoeic words. Though they are not gender specific, the use is more common in women to supposedly give them a more “cute demeanor” (Thy, 2015).   

                Considering my similar personal experiences, I realized that there’s likely a hidden message delivered through Adichie’s expression and tone. Personally, I believe that Adichie is spreading awareness that there’s a need for people to think in more than one direction since assumptions can lead to personal issues. Like myself, perhaps Adichie felt offended when people judged her based on common stereotypes. While sharing her experience, she spoke in a serious tone, and often raised her eyebrows when she mentioned the parts that perhaps made her offended (such as the wording of the charity announcement from her flight). Although she likely felt offended by the stereotypes, she also ensured her audience that she wasn’t fully angry. To avoid the miscommunication, she made a few laughs about her experience: such as smiling when she mentioned Mariah Carey in response to the tribal music comment. This move was beneficial for her speech since too much aggression can threaten the audience’s self-esteem (McKay, Davis, & Fanning, 2009).

References:

McKay, M., Davis, M., & Fanning, P. (2009). Messages: The Communication Skills Book. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications.

Noisch, G. D. (2012). Learning To Think Things Through: A Guide to Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum. Boston: Peason Education.

Teshigawara, M. (2004). Voices in japanese animation: A phonetic study of vocal stereotypes of heroes and villains in japanese culture. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/305104747?accountid=27203

Thy, B. (2015). Why do the Japanese Sound So Cute When They’re Talking?. Japan Info. Retrieved from http://jpninfo.com/21084

MSLD 521 Module 1 - Your Favorite Storytelling Leader

History has taught us many lessons on what to do and what not to do for the sakes of our future. At the same time, we came across many examples of famous leaders that taught or inspired us to be who we are today. Former United States president Ronald Reagan was one of my personal favorites. Though his career mainly focused on political subjects, there were often times Reagan included personal stories as well as retelling historical and tragic events in his speeches (Giuliano, 2004).

            Ronald Reagan is often seen as a great leader to many historians: he had amazing communication skills, along with powerful strategies to motivate people. However, what really made Reagan stand out was his ability to understand emotional drivers. Rather than playing “the big boss” and point America to what he believed was right, his way of connecting and speaking “in the language of a common man” truly inspired me. (History.com, 2009).

            Although I was not around at the time of the event, Ronald Reagan’s response to the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy on January 28^th, 1986 left an impression on me. On the day of the tragedy, the president was scheduled to give his State of the Union address. During the preparation, he and his staff heard the news and were in shock. Rather than continuing with his duties, he postponed all plans and instead made an urgent speech in response because America was “more than saddened” (Grier, 2011). Though the speech was not written by Reagan himself, the speech clearly expressed his mourning to the Challenger crew, along with the care and concerns of his people- particularly children.

            The significance of the Space Shuttle Challenger mission was that the crew included a school teacher, Christa McAuliffe. Many children looked up to her, and Reagan explained in his speech:

I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's takeoff. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them (Reagan, 1986).

The vision and purpose was clear, and Reagan wanted to not only honor and mourn the loss of the Challenger crew, but to clarify those confused and shocked about the tragedy, and to reiterate the continuation of the space program. He made this clear on the last sentence from the last quote, “The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we’ll continue to follow them” (Reagan, 1986).

            Though the speech may not have been written by Reagan himself, what really inspired me was his tone and body language during the televised speech. The speech had a combination of styles specified in Stephen Denning’s book: the raconteur, orator, and the romantic (2011). The first and perhaps most clear indication is that the speech was for the citizens of America: particularly those who watched and were involved with the tragedy. The raconteur, or the polished, elegant style were also present in the speech. It was very well-written and Reagan’s delivery to the crowd was flawless most likely due to his early acting career (Giuliano, 2004).

Though he may have once been an actor, we can see that he’s sincere, and cared for his people. Personally, I believe that it would have been difficult to see the romantic style if the speech was not televised. During the entire speech, Reagan maintained a straight posture and direct eye contact just as if he would be speaking to someone in person. I find the tone of his voice to be similar to father speaking to his own child during a difficult time: it was full of emotions and not only was it sad, but at the same time, it was also very comforting.

Works Cited

Denning, S. (2011). The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Giuliano, C. P. (2004). What made ronald reagan "the great communicator". Public Relations Strategist, 10(3), 46.

Grier, P. (2011). Challenger explosion: How President Reagan responded. Retrieved from http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2011/0128/Challenger-explosion-How-President-Reagan-responded

History.com Staff. (2009). Ronald Reagan. Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/ronald-reagan

Reagan, R. (1986). Explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger, Address to the Nation. Speech. Retrieved from http://history.nasa.gov/reagan12886.html