Summary:

"The Giving Tree" is a children's book which was written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. The story follows a young boy and the friendship that he shares with a tree, which he is able to communicate with. As a child the boy enjoys imaginative play with the tree and often climbed her branches for fun. As the boy grows he begins to ask more of the tree. As an adolescent he asks to pick her apples to sell for a profit. When the boy grows to adulthood he cuts down the trees limbs to build a house. Many years then pass and the boy returns to the tree as an old man to cut her down in order to build a boat to sail away. This reduces the tree to nothing more than a stump. However, the ma eventually returns to his old friend, asking for a place to rest, and falls asleep on what is left of the trees stump. 

Shel Silverstein was an American poet, singer-songwriter, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books. His books have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold more than 20 million copies. 

Message: 

As a leader it is important to remember the risk of taking too much and the consequences for doing such. It is also good to keep in mind the joy and reward that comes with giving. 

What did you learn about yourself from this assignment?

This assignment made me realize that I am guilty of both taking and giving too much at times. It is important to find a balance in leadership. This assignment has caused me to realize that as a leader you need to be both a giver and a receiver in order to get the most out of a group. In the past I have often given too much into a group dynamic and this may have unintentionally stifled the ideas of other group members that may have been superior to mine. This has taught me to find the correct balance between receiving and giving as a leader. Overall this has been another step in my progression to become a better leader. 

How can you relate the message from the book to your personal leadership development?

The message of this book relates well to my personal leadership development as I have learned to be appreciative of what others give and to not take for granted what I have received. As a leader you need to be careful not to take advantage of the efforts of your followers and this book provides an excellent example of the negative effects of taking too much. As far as my personal development is concerned this book as a whole was more impactful than I originally perceived it to be. Reading this book in my childhood I truly enjoyed it, but applying its message to leadership has made it even that much more meaningful to me. Overall I think that the book is a great example for becoming a better leader.