1. My leadership style is defined as a personal and interpersonal skill sets developed through the life experiences and professional growth during my tenure within a structured organized environment and/or organization. Leadership skills are enhanced and refined throughout your career as you develop and move upwards within the organization by life learning experiences. These experiences along with your inner strengths afford you the ability to think through and overcome the obstacles you encounter as a leader.
2. Throughout my career in law enforcement and the Coast Guard, I was fortunate to work with and serve with several outstanding leaders. These leaders afforded me the opportunities and instilled their trust and faith in me to make decisions
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My leadership philosophy was developed and established through my learning experiences in the Coast Guard and the law enforcement community. My leadership philosophy is leading by example and not merely by words, since actions speak louder than any words. In today’s work environment of doing more with less, it’s imperative that a leader is working closely with his/her team members. This shows the team you are committed to their individual growth as future leaders as well as getting their buy into the organizational goals and growth path. In my career, I have learned and experience as a leader the best results you will achieve from your team is to developed them individually through tasking with a clear defined direction and provide them support and positive feedback during and after the completion of their project. This affords them the growth opportunity to grow and develop their individual leadership skills while working on the project. This allows them to apply their individual thoughts and merge them with the direction provided to gain a sense of empowerment and buy into the project for you as their leader have entrusted them to do this. This is a key part of the process in developing and mentoring your team members on the path to becoming a future leader. I have always afforded and made them even with being multi-tasked with deadlines to work with and mentor my team members to develop their leadership’s skills since they are the future leader of the organization. My leadership philosophy has always been to teach my team members to analyze all aspects of a problem to determine the best solution and results regardless of their individual or personal views or beliefs. This enables them to make sound and responsible decisions to the solution of a problem and develop a strong strategic solution with achievable and measurable results. These leadership skills are critical and essential to the job I do and the team I lead since any decision not thought through or
Developing a personal philosophy of leadership is essential for every leader to establish prior to becoming a leader. A leader should be aware of their strengths and weaknesses and then develop a philosophy that would best compliment that leader’s personality traits and strengths as a person. Leaders need to have their personal philosophy established prior to becoming a leader because once you are in a position of leadership it is time to lead others, not time to determine what philosophy would be best used to lead. I truly believe that a personal philosophy of leadership should be fluid as the leader continues to learn about leadership and people throughout the leader’s career but the four core principles of integrity, ethics, positive attitude and honesty must remain constant.
I believe that as a leader we should all have a leadership philosophy that we live by and teach our subordinates to live by as well. However, even at this stage in my life I still have yet to figure out what my leadership philosophy really is. Crazy right that at the rank of SFC with 18 years in the United States Military, I do not have this one simple thing figured out. As I write out my thoughts pen to pad hopefully I can come up with something that makes sense is enlightening and that I can pass on to my soldiers as a guide. So that as they enter into the Senior Enlisted ranks they are better equipped then I to lead there soldiers.
My Senior Leader Philosophy is based on what I have learned through the study of leaders, both good and bad, over the course of my career. I believe these principles offer the best chance for individual growth and unit cohesion, and ultimately to cultivate an environment for success so the unit I am part of can meet the high demands levied upon us by our nation’s Air Force.
You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink is a proverb I have heard since I was young. Leadership is the skill of influencing people to accomplish goals (Huber, 2014). In today’s world with policy and technological changes the leaders must use their leadership skills to not only get the horse to the water, have him drink, but also do it with a smile an invite others to join him. Leaders use a variety of styles to accomplish their goals. I will discuss the leadership style that I utilize most often, how my style relates to leadership theories and the work type environment it is most useful in.
Before defining leadership style one must define exactly what is leadership? There are many interpretations of leadership as well as leadership styles but one common term pertaining to leadership is the ability to influence others to achieve a common goal or vision. Leadership is not an innate characteristic, but a complex suite of competencies, personal attributes and vision that requires development via education, exposure to work and issues, role modelling and mentoring with existing leaders. (Huges, Ginnett, Curphy, 1999)
Leaders do not just appear out of thin air and automatically start making great things happen in the world. A leader must learn from prior leaders or role models that they are surrounded by that they look up to. Not everyone can be a leader, only some people have the correct characteristics it takes to lead others in the right direction. Those who do great things, for example volunteering at a homeless shelter, are not leaders. Many people mistake a “great person” as being a leader, which is completely incorrect (Kouzes and Posner, p. 3). While playing an active role in your community is a positive thing it does not make someone a leader of that community. All leaders have a group of people they have inspiration too and that is a good way of determining who your personal leaders are. My mother, brother, and grandfather are my leaders because I have always looked up to them and tried to mimic some of the great things that I have seen them do. My mother has always been an independent women with goals and an action plan to accomplish those set goals. Stephen, my elder brother, is outgoing and tends to have a leveled head when it comes to evaluating stressful situations. My grandfather is the most caring person I know and he is amazing at keeping situations under control in order to please everyone. These are all the qualities I want to combine into my own leadership style. I know I am not a efficient leader of these actions yet, but I plan on growing into this as I more on into my career, fulfill my set goals, and adjust to the curve-balls that life throws at me.
Leadership is contagious throughout the world and most importantly in the Army. It is not just my view, but of all leaders, at all levels, that organizations are responsible for setting conditions that lead to long-term organizational success. As I reflect on my experiences, through experience and observation, I realize how my values, beliefs, and perspectives about leadership continuously evolve over time. Recognizing these changes over time helps me better understand that people in organizations have different perspectives in life. This leadership narrative serve as important guiding principles for how I will lead at the organizational level and represents my thought, values and beliefs.
When people think of leadership so many things rush through their heads. For example am I a leader, am I apart of a group that has a leader, and what does being a leader mean? A common definition of being a leader is a person who leads or guides a group of people. So now knowing the definition of a leader who pops into your head; Phil Jackson, Mike Krzyzewski, Martin Luther King Jr.? All of these people are great leaders, but the real question is why are they so great? One very important thing that all these men have in common is they have a philosophy of leadership. This philosophy is going to help guide these men during turbulent times, or when they need guidance themselves. Nobody is perfect and everyone needs direction no matter how wise or gifted you are. I am no different, which is why writing this philosophy of leadership is going to be a fruitful experience for years to come.
Leadership demands for skills, and abilities to address responsibilities of today’s challenges while thinking ahead into the future. Mehmet Karaarslan puts it in better words “Leadership is an interpersonal influence process of setting direction and inspiring others to achieve goals.” He has delineated eight tips of effective leadership values to build the “capabilities and performances of People” on the video.
A person’s title within the organization does not make them a leader. The driving factor which determines if someone is in a leader position is their behavior. This person who is a leader will guide those in the organization by influencing, guiding, giving direction, and opinions (Marquis & Huston, 2012). The culture as well as the climate of an organization begins with the leadership (Azaare & Gross, 2011). Each individual person has their own leadership style. Knowing one’s own leadership style will help them understand themselves and be able to grow as a leader. The purpose of this paper is to look at my own leadership style, including my strengths for leading others. A description of a potential challenge that I foresee due to my leadership style and a plan for my personal leadership development will be discussed.
Leadership is defined as the action of leading a group of people or organization in order to accomplish certain goals. A leader must possess certain power or ability to hold a leadership position (Al-Sawai, 2013). There are several leadership styles identified over the years. Regardless of his leadership type, a leader must be able to influence his organization and be aware what motivates his team members, so that the goals can be accomplished.
The leadership is a privilege and it is such a privilege and an honor which will carry the tremendous responsibility which will inspire others to direct them to accomplish goals and vision of the organization. Leadership is about influencing the people, by producing direction, purpose and motivating in order to accomplish the mission, vision and improving the organization. The leadership philosophy is evolved based on the experiences, both positive and negative, in most of the initiatives and activities that we undertake. It is also one among the collaboration and teamwork within which the team members can utilize each other’s strengths to counter the weaknesses of the individuals. By observing, introspecting and experimenting we can developed a leadership paradigm which is inclusive, collaborative and proactive. We can develop the ability to recognize which will approach in order to reach the productive conclusion. The great leaders know their limitations and are capable at utilize their strengths and also the strengths of others to compensate.
Leaders can have a powerful impact on the futures of many, and the way in which one approaches leadership is paramount to the type of impact one will have. Continual growth in the areas of knowledge I have and seek to acquire, as well as recognizing my leadership style and utilizing my personal strengths to the fullest, is vital to the successful implementation of my personal philosophy of leadership.
Throughout my life, my experiences and role models have shaped my understanding of leadership. I believe leadership is responsibly guiding and motivating others to use both my strengths and their own to obtain success. My personal leadership philosophy is guided by my core values of my family, relationships, loyalty, harmony, and responsibility. My ever-changing definition of philosophy helps my leadership and decision making routinely. New experience’s and external forces effect my translation of leadership daily which, in turn, helps shape me into a successful leader.
Some people were born to be great leaders and some were born to be great learners. I ask myself this question, “How was I created?” Was I born a leader or was I molded to lead. As I explain my philosophy on how I want to lead, I will first dive into my past to recognize and pin point my creator. October 27th 2004 I raise my right hand in order to serve and protect the United State against all enemies, foreign and domestic. At this moment in my young personal leadership journey, I get my first glimpse of a leadership style, “shut up and listen.”