Bill Corbett Public Relations Essay

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” John C. Maxwell

“In order to be a good leader, there are two things to remember. Lead from the Front and always set the Example. From these two leadership principles, everything else will fall into place.”

What makes me unique is that I am not afraid of failure. When I set a goal I do not focus on whether I might or might not be successful; I concentrate on doing my best and putting all of my effort into the task. What separates me from others is the adversity I’ve been through, my diverse skills, leadership abilities, my contribution to the community, and my work ethic.

"There is a difference between being a leader and being a boss. Both are based on authority. A boss demands blind obedience; a leader earns his authority through understanding and trust." Klaus Balkenhol

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." This inspirational quote came from the sixth president of the United States of America named, John Quincy Adams.

For many years, I have been told by teachers, family, and friends that I am a good leader. Until fairly recently, I had never truly thought about what it means to be a good leader and just took it as a compliment. Leadership is an intangible concept which cannot be properly outlined in a dictionary, but one which must be formed and explained only through one’s own philosophies and experiences.

There are many character traits that make someone successful in life. Some traits you are born with, other traits are mindsets. There are a few character traits that coaches, teachers, bosses, or any other significant figure looks for in particular. One of the most important character traits is a hard-working attitude. You aren’t born with a hard-working attitude. It is a mindset. You may not be the best employee, but an employer will be more willing to work with someone that works hard than someone that can do the job but is lazy. Although I am not the best at everything, I give 100% effort in everything that I do and believe that working hard is the most important trait a person can possess.

He adds, “To be a good leader, you’ve got to concentrate on bringing out the best in your people. People are no different than flowers — they need to be cared for and watered all the time if not they will shrivel and die. This is true whether it’s a switchboard operator or the chairman.”

You might just end up looking like something the cat dragged in. Also remember people who standout not only attract good attention or what they seek out. But they sometimes also become easy targets for gossip, brick bats and attention from negative characters. So when you are ready to stand out make sure you also need to come out as strong, mentally alert, with a no non sense attitude in place person. A brave, ethical, morally strong attitude helps to counteract any unwanted attention you may receive.

This action does not come easily as humans are always trying to reach the first place. “Given the fact that we are innately selfish, the requirement to lead in the public interest provides a real challenge for all leaders particularly as leaders are encouraged more towards achievement of competitive advantage, rather than collaborative advantage”(Brookes, 2014). A leader should have the strength to not be guided by personal aspirations or motivations, but to always work towards the benefit of the organization as a whole. “The proper motives of the leader directly spring from a spirit of Selfless Service”(Dees, 2013, p.

“It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required.”

In order for a leader to be a leader he/she must begin with the assumption that you are the one who matters most. As a leader you have to possess that level of confidence in yourself that you are capable of leading yourself “before you can lead others”. And when you develop this belief then you are better able of affirmative influence “on others”.

Laura and her boss Isabel have the garden variety marketing problem in the age of ubiquitous media advertising; how to reach the customer and sell your product amidst "ad-zapping devices and a decrease in consumer attention spans" (USAToday.com. October 10, 2006. PP. 1). Bob Gamgort, President of MasterFoods indicates that "the average American is exposed to 650 advertising messages a day" (Peebles, Ellen. October 2003 P. 32), however; that number may be drastically low, as a second estimate pegs the figure at 3,000 to 5,000 a day (USAToday.com. October 10, 2006. PP. 2). Regardless of which figure is correct, Bryant's marketing team must find innovative ways to compete in an ad frenzied environment; leading to the question of the efficacy of Laura's product placement/ celebrity endorser idea.

Whether or not a person admits it, everyone on the planet has the desire to be remembered. They want to leave an impression on the people around them and leave those people with fond memories of who they were and what they did. For me, the idea of making an impact on someone’s life was my ultimate goal. However, it took me a while to discover how exactly that goal would be achieved.

For decade’s individuals, companies, and organizations have spent an unprecedented amount of money on researching, molding, modeling and working to define what a leader is and what characteristics make successful leaders. Despite all the research, there is not a quick answer or even full agreement as to what makes an individual an effective leader. The definition of a leader is “someone who can influence others and who has managerial authority.” (Robbins, Decenzo, Coulter, 2015. P.370)