Leman And Pentak Reflection

A wise woman once said “A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.” These wise words were stated by the 32nd U.S. First Lady and civil rights activist, Eleanor Roosevelt. This quote has shaped the leader I am today and inspired my leadership philosophy. I believe a leader should always lead in a way that inspires others to be greater. As an older sister, I aspire for my sister to have confidence in me but also in themselves. This also applies to any leadership opportunity. I also believe that a great leader must also be a great follower. This has proven essential in my life and strengthened my leadership skills. My time as a follower has made me the leader

“Leaders don 't create followers, they create more leaders,” Tom Peter famously proclaimed. As the principal of Crestview Elementary, I have always taken this quote to heart by continuous striving to empower my faculty and staff. Most recently, I have decided to train my assistant principal, Kathy Robinson, who was appointed to her position this summer after ten years as a classroom teacher. I quickly recognized that she possessed many of the qualities that make great leaders. Kathy is an excellent communicator, a great problem solver, innovative, very personable, and cares about the students and staff (Sheninger, 2011). Therefore, I have decided to mentor her and hone her skills so that she will be prepared for a transition to the role of principal.

I was able to pull many leadership ideas that are applicable in both my military and civilian careers as a National Guardsman. The easiest thing to boil down in the book are the traits people wish to see in leaders, the Be. In research reported by The Leadership Challenge surveying thousands of people in business and government, four results are remarkably consistent- honest, competent, forward-looking, and Inspiring (Hesselbein 48). These are attributes that have become instrumental in identifying successful leadership and should be used as my basis. Within these traits lay four skills that every leader must acquire knowledge and mastery of; Interpersonal, Conceptual, Technical and Tactical skills. The Know. What is profoundly interesting is the authors description of civilian tactical skills "involving negotiating, human relations, and the like are often necessary to achieve objectives" (Hesselbein 52). Being able to effectively and strategically utilize key units (both in and out of the military) to achieve success falls under such tactical skills. The last portion of effective leadership I'll take with me is, Do. The biggest thing to takeaway here is that successful leaders act in three ways: "they pull together in teams…with a unified purpose, they execute to achieve results, and they lead change to leave the organization stronger than they found it" (Hesselbein 55). With emphasis on the latter part, a successful leader leaves the organization in greater health than originally

My interview of Mark offered great insight into the continued practice of this leadership habit both professionally and personally. Mark is currently in his second year of teaching and has a great deal of insight into being prudent in my future career field. In addition to professional practice, Mark exemplifies a true servant leader in his everyday life. Toward the beginning of the interview, Mark and I quickly began to talk about success, goals, and achievement. In his own classroom, Mark

A true leader stands high on on the pillars of success: dedication, servitude, respectability, and honesty. The mark of a fulfilled life is not one who has collected many awards, not one who has an insurmountable amount of money and fame, it is one who has touched the most souls in his journey of life. A leader destined for greatness will touch many people along their journey to the top. In my short years on this Earth I have made it my mission from the start to leave a lasting impact on everyone I come in contact with and as a student of Howard University I will continue my mission without fault. From birth my parents noticed I had an insatiable thirst for knowledge, a heart of gold and an unconquerable ability to lead. In the 5th grade I was awarded the

A leader takes diligent time in considering the ability to adhere to other people’s interests and presents their followers with a positive mindset. This summer, I accepted an invitation to participate in the Dale Carnegie Young Adult Leadership Program. Attendees of this program learned several skills that can be applied to future experiences, especially on how to become an effective leader. Everyday, the attendees acted as leaders by accomplishing various tasks that forced them to reach out of their comfort zones. We acted as leaders by leading group

I have been fortunate throughout my life to have excellent influences, leaders and mentors. Even with all this, I have made my share of mistakes. Some of my mistakes as a leader can be contributed to my strong desire for

Coming to Wartburg I had an idea of what a leader looks like and who I thought I was as a leader. I also had an idea of where I wanted to go with all that. Now, going through this course I have learned and solidified that a leader is a person, any person, who acts in such a way that influences themselves and others around them to reach a common goal. I’ve learned that there is a difference between a good leader and an effective leader. I believe that I have not changed my definition but strengthened it and created a deeper more descriptive and detailed definition. Going through this course has helped me identify the different skills specifically that go along with leading.

Over the course of my career I have had the opportunity to work for dozens of leaders that aided me in the development of my leadership style. As one would easily recognize not all leaders had a constructive impact on my career but rather provided leadership traits to avoid. One person that I have learned a considerable amount from is my father. My father instilled in me the fact that I need to work hard, complete the task at hand, dedicate time to the betterment of my people, and myself and have fun while doing all of this. Another person that introduced considerable leadership influence on me are my grandfathers. My grandfathers lived very different lives; one was a businessman, while the other was a US Army post-WWII veteran, yet they had a uniformed message. That message was continuously grow, be aggressive in studies and work, stay active, and finish what you started. Two additional influencers of leadership are CDR Michael Fredie and MCPO Darrick Dewitt. CDR Fredie is a natural leader, and lives the quote made famous by Theodore Roosevelt, “Speak Softly and carry a big stick; you will go far”. He has the uncanny ability to influence others to work harder through passion and inspiration. Whereas MCPO Dewitt is an authoritative figure that demands respect and continuously inspires his workforce to better themselves in pursuit of bettering the unit, rating, and service.

I find myself most inspired by those who are not afraid to step outside of their comfort zone to create positive change, remaining steadfast to their mission both professionally and in their personal life. Based on the definition of leadership found in Leadership Theory and Practice, Sixth Edition, which defines the concept as “a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (Northouse, 2013, 5), my fellow University of North Texas classmate and friend, Dominic Murer, encompasses the qualities that have inspired my goals and aspirations, and has helped me to realize the kind of leader I want to become.

Sunday afternoons, I had the responsibility of overseeing junior babysitters and the children while parents in the neighborhood held a local bible study. Unlike my prior experiences, I had to set an example for both younger leaders and the children, challenging me to examine how I led and taught the other leaders. The lessons and wisdom I gained also translated into my other activities. My interaction with young teenagers and small kids yielded an understanding that assisted me when I led my band’s trumpet section. The patience and communication skills I developed gives me a consistent advantage as a leader at school and in the community.

Growing up, I always knew the importance of loving others as yourself and being kindhearted; however it was not until the course the I learned that these are also the qualities of an exemplary leader; specifically that you can lead others without being hard, strict, and callous. Therefore, this course has not only taught me the true definition of a leader, but also the qualities, traits, and attributes that I should embody to be a great Christian leader. Referring back to the introductory blog, my views are basically the same and have not changed. However, my knowledge and understanding of how to develop into a great leader has greatly expanded. I feel that I had the foundation of what a great leader was prior to this course, however, after completing this course and interviewing an exceptional leader; I have the tools necessary to build upon the

I have been a part of a plethora of leadership roles, ranging from assorted tasks at work to simply being the one who takes charge in a group project for school. However, I believe the most prominent leadership roles i take on are at work. Perhaps one of my more influential roles at sobeys would be training new hires. In this role I exhibit many key characteristics such as establishing shared values and providing direction as well as setting clear guidelines and expectations. Other lessons I have learned through this job include the importance of leading by example, demonstrating confidence, being enthusiastic, having faith in the creativity of others, and providing effective feedback. As well as how to delegate tasks, and how to monitor progress

Ever since I was little, I knew that I was meant to be a leader. Whether it be for group projects in school or a church camp for little children, I always found comfort in leading a group and being a role model for my peers. In my summer of going into 10th grade, I was offered the opportunity to be a group leader for a Vacation Bible School at the Palm Desert Presbyterian Church. I jumped at the chance to be a leader for youth, because I love being a positive influence and I’m very skilled with working with kids. As a group leader, I was privileged with explaining to the kids what the Christian Faith means, as well as doing fun activities with them such as arts and crafts. Also, as a leader I was responsible for any questions the children might

Over the years, I have worn many educator hats such as a Director of Resource, classroom teacher, Head Start teacher, special’s teacher, and as a teacher’s aide. My leadership experiences have not been ones in an administrative role, but I have had leadership experiences both informal and formal in nature. My years as a professional educator with a Virginia Collegiate Professional license has allowed me to teach in public settings as well as Catholic schools, at many different grade levels and for me, all of those experiences have influenced my leadership skills.