DIRECTIONS NOTE: Remember that your discussion response must include the following: A reflection on the concept we are discussing. Give us a summary of things you learned about this concept from your assigned chapter readings. A thorough example/discussion to support your reflection. A final statement that tells us what you take away from this week's lesson. Properly formatted in-text citations and references. Strong grammar, spelling, and mechanics. In total your discussion should be at least 250 words. When responding to your peers, be sure to connect on both personal and theoretical level by reacting to what was said, supporting your reactions with scholarly sources (e.g., your textbook), and identifying potential additional concepts or communication strategies to consider. End your responses with open-ended questions to extend conversations. Kashayla Holmes RE: Journey into self-awareness COLLAPSE Dr. D. and Classmates, Good evening everyone! How are you guys today? I pray that my message reaches you all in good health and spirits! Our first weeks discussion asked us to preview our assigned readings and gain understanding about one of four discussion topics. The one I chose is about the importance of self awareness. Our textbook, Interpersonal Skills in Organizations, defines the term self awareness as the capacity for introspection and the ability to reconcile self as an individual separate from the environment and other individuals (de Janasz, Dowd & Schneider, 2018). From gathering empirical and professional experience, I have come to understand that self awareness allows us to fully flourish and more effectively in any setting. Being able to identify who you are as an individual, and your uniqueness allows you to reflect on adversities, negativity and find that sense to control themselves, in a different manner as far as reactions, behaviors and thoughts that are exhibited in the process. Personally, enduring traumatic experiences that life threw my way, from losing my father as a child, the only man I knew that loved me unconditionally, having a strained relationship with my mother and sister, the two leading maternal figures in my life, and having experienced two near death experiences. Recognizing that everyone is not for you nor do they always have your best interest, really pushed me to find my true self and learn to love, respect and be true to me, since all I have had to rely on to never disappoint myself was, me. While enduring these hardships, I was gifted the opportunity of learning the relevance and the effect of optimism, positive thinking and constructive criticism, while also gaining sense of and also becoming more knowledgeable about my worth, all while improving my interpersonal communication skills that included my strengths, weaknesses which also helped me to really empathize with others in their times of need. Researchers from Wright State University’s, Department of Management, stated in .

1. DIRECTIONS
NOTE: Remember that your discussion response must include
the following:
A reflection on the concept we are discussing. Give us a
summary of things you learned about this concept from your
assigned chapter readings.
A thorough example/discussion to support your reflection.
A final statement that tells us what you take away from this
week's lesson.
Properly formatted in-text citations and references.
Strong grammar, spelling, and mechanics.
In total your discussion should be at least 250 words.
When responding to your peers, be sure to connect on both
personal and theoretical level by reacting to what was said,
supporting your reactions with scholarly sources (e.g., your
textbook), and identifying potential additional concepts or
communication strategies to consider. End your responses with
open-ended questions to extend conversations.
Kashayla Holmes

2. RE: Journey into self-awareness
COLLAPSE
Dr. D. and Classmates,
Good evening everyone! How are you guys today? I pray that
my message reaches you all in good health and spirits! Our first
weeks discussion asked us to preview our assigned readings and
gain understanding about one of four discussion topics. The one
I chose is about the importance of self awareness. Our textbook,
Interpersonal Skills in Organizations, defines the term self
awareness as the capacity for introspection and the ability to
reconcile self as an individual separate from the environment
and other individuals (de Janasz, Dowd & Schneider, 2018).
From gathering empirical and professional experience, I have
come to understand that self awareness allows us to fully
flourish and more effectively in any setting. Being able to
identify who you are as an individual, and your uniqueness
allows you to reflect on adversities, negativity and find that
sense to control themselves, in a different manner as far as
reactions, behaviors and thoughts that are exhibited in the
process. Personally, enduring traumatic experiences that life
threw my way, from losing my father as a child, the only man I
knew that loved me unconditionally, having a strained
relationship with my mother and sister, the two leading
maternal figures in my life, and having experienced two near
death experiences.
Recognizing that everyone is not for you nor do they always
have your best interest, really pushed me to find my true self
and learn to love, respect and be true to me, since all I have had
to rely on to never disappoint myself was, me. While enduring
these hardships, I was gifted the opportunity of learning the

3. relevance and the effect of optimism, positive thinking and
constructive criticism, while also gaining sense of and also
becoming more knowledgeable about my worth, all while
improving my interpersonal communication skills that included
my strengths, weaknesses which also helped me to really
empathize with others in their times of need.
Researchers from Wright State University’s, Department of
Management, stated in a article titled, Self Awareness and
Personal Development, that self awareness is one of the most
essential factors for enhancing our management skills because it
allows us to enhance our discernment abilities when looking for
ways to excel both personally and professionally mainly through
self assessing to identify our personality traits, personal values,
habits, emotions, motivations, and psychological values and
needs that push us to behave in certain manners (Williams,
2021).
Even with everything that I have experienced in my life, I still
maintain a full life and motivate myself while guiding others to
be more optimistic in hopes of reaching their optimal state of a
healthier mind, happier lifestyle, and better decision making
skills. Also, when I found myself in need of a little pick me up
spiritually, I would confide in my very tight knit group of two
very close confidants who allowed me to freely vent and when I
allowed my weaknesses to make me feel at my lowest, those
individuals were always there to empower me with inspirational
scriptures, reminding me of the things that they admired,
appreciated, and loved most about my perseverance, strength
and resilience.
POST2 BELOW

4. RE: Establishing goals consistent with your values and ethics
COLLAPSE
I remember in my late-teens, hearing the term "glass ceiling"
and actually having to look it up to understand the meaning. I
attribute this to the values I was raised with. On the surface, I
seem like not only the average person, but the majority. I am a
middle-America, white, middle class female. Which means that
by the U.S. Census Bureau, I fall under a number of "majority"
categories. However, as in everyone, when you scratch below
the surface, everyone has situations that set them apart
culturally (US Census Bureau, 2021).
I was raised in what people refer to as a "broken home." Both
parents having been divorced prior to marrying one another and
children coming from those marriages. I was also raised in a
home in which my father was the only male. In addition, we
were not considered middle-class until late in my teenage years.
We fell in the lower-class category. None of these things are
what I would consider bad things. They are just part of what
formed myself and my sisters. We didn't understand the term
"glass ceiling" because we were raised in a home in which we
were never taught that being female would be a disadvantage. In
fact, quite the opposite. We have all been described as strong,
independent women and have each managed to be successful in
what we have pursued. We were always told that we could be
anything we wanted to be and no challenge couldn't be
overcome with hard work and determination.
I chose to join the military. At 18 I joined the Army. In 2008 I
was called up for a deployment to Baghdad, Iraq. At the time, I
was an E-4 (Specialist). At the time, we were considered over-
strength, meaning that they were going to have to choose
between myself and another person on who would be going on
the deployment. Because of my rank, age and gender, I was not

5. favored to be chosen. I was taken aside and it was explained to
me that the other person was, on paper, the better suited
candidate for the job. However, a higher ranking person had
made the suggestion that I be chosen based on my work ethic.
The caveat being that within three months of being in Iraq, I
had to be promoted. This would mean quite a bit of work on my
part. In addition to the usual deployment work that was
extensive, I would need to study and pass my board to become a
sergeant. I agreed and off I went. Within two months of being
there I "got my stripes."
I felt like not only had I personally accomplished a lot, but I
felt like I had lived up to the expectations of those people who
fought to have me on the deployment. I felt justifed and
vindicated and I knew that my hard work had paid off, both the
immediate hard work, but also the work I had been putting in
for years that gave me that opportunity. I was motivated not
only by my own personal standards, but those set before me by
my leadership.
On that same note, the next deployment I had set the goal to
once again be promoted. I did not acheive this goal and actually
didn't acheive it for quite some time. I could say that the stakes
were lower and I lacked the leadership I had in the first, but
realistically, by that time, me attitude had changed and my
motivation had changed. I did not put forth the effort I needed
to in order to obtain that goal at the time. A number of factors
played in to that, but in all honesty I can say my self-awareness
was impacted by a number of influences at the time. I lacked
aggreeableness, motivation, emotional stability,
conscientiousness and even openness to the experience. I was
closed off. It was not the appropriate time to set that goal and
the harder it became to acheive it, the less motivated I was to do
so and the more jaded I became at the situation. I learned from
that experience though. I learned a lot about self awareness that
I utilize today (C., Dowd, & Schneider, 2022).