Instructor Resource
Neck, Self-Leadership, 2e
SAGE Publishing, 2020
Case Notes
Chapter 2: The Context of Self-Leadership: Mapping the Route
Darrius Simmons
Learning Objectives
1. Explain how our behavioral choices largely shape the world in which we live and yet are also
shaped by the world in terms of factors such as rewards, laws, and rules.
2. Understand how behavior takes place at two levels, an observable physical level and an
unobservable mental level, and how self-leadership strategies influence behavior at both levels.
Case Summary
Darrius Simmons earned high acclaim for his musical abilities, discovered when he began
playing the piano at age ten. By the age of 15, he performed a piano concert at Carnegie Hall
with a well-known concert pianist, Yiruma. In addition to playing the piano, Darrius writes
music and plays the trombone. He plays in his high school jazz band, and dreams of a career in
music. His video of one of his original compositions has gone viral.
Case Analysis
Darrius Simmons had many opportunities to let his physical challenges not only define what he
could do, but let his disabilities define who he was. Because of his ability to look beyond his
disabilities, he demonstrated the power of self- leadership in several important ways. He chose a
Sample Answers to Case Questions
Question 1. Did Darrius Simmons believe that his own actions and choices would have effects
on his life’s outcomes?
Sample Answer:
Instructor Resource
Neck, Self-Leadership, 2e
SAGE Publishing, 2020
a. Yes, Darrius believed he could play the piano with five fingers. When he tried that, he found
he not only could play the piano, but also could play it well.
Question 2. What external factors placed limits on Darrius’s abilities to achieve his dreams?
Sample Answer:
a. Darrius had physical deformities and disabilities: four fingers on both hands, and the
amputation of both legs.
Question 3. To what extent was Darrius able to shape his world through his behavior? To what
extent did the world around him shape his behaviors?
Sample Answer:
a. To a large extent: Darrius modified how he played the piano from the traditional ten-finger
format to his four-finger capability. The world, beginning with his mother, supported his ability
to make the required modifications.
b. To a large extent: Darrius modified the expectations of what could be achieved musically
Question 4. What personal factors have caused Darrius to follow his dreams despite his physical
limitations?
Sample Answer:
a. Darrius had the ability to define himself.