My Leadership Philosophy

When I think of a leader I look back on how many people in my life that have helped me to get where I am today. My parents are authority figures in the sense that they are the ones that showed me right from wrong. There are the administrators that helped me along my way with school and completing all of the work that I needed to in order to make my way in this long road called life. Finally there are the instructors that have shown me the ways on how to become a leader myself. When I think of the word leader I do not think of myself right away, but now that I have taken on different roles in my life I have realized that maybe just maybe that I could become my own leader.

1. I believe a true leader, leads from the front. A leader is the first in all, showing the way, sets an example to all. A leader is trustworthy, loyal and approachable. A leader will support policy and always do what is right. A leader is looked up to and promotes motivation. A leader will take care of his crew, from his most subordinate to his commander. A leader knows when to allow others help and looks for innovative ways to improve. I would follow this leader and I wish to be this leader.

My potential as a leader comes from my drive, my belief in myself, and my ability to inspire others to believe in themselves. From my experience as a competitive figure skater and a performer in a professional choir, I know how important it is to be tenacious and have faith in one's own abilities. I have lost track of the number of times I have heard people call themselves stupid because they did poorly on a test and or have given up on a goal because they lose faith in themselves. I find this heartbreaking and I strive to fix it. I have potential as a leader because I can help people build faith in their abilities and teach them new things, leading them to be successful. My own belief in myself and my tenacity allow me to achieve my goals

There are various styles that create a strong leader. However, I believe that the best ideal way to lead, is by showing love. You can be motivational and you can be diligent, nevertheless if it accomplished without love it is done in vain.

There are two types of people in the work field. One is the leader and one is the follower. The people in the management do not necessary they are meant to be the leader. There are many reasons that a person became a leader, it is more important how to be a successful leader. A successful leader is able to lead the team, inspire the team and help the team to succeed and grow. There are people are born natural to be a leader, and there are some people because a successful leader by experiences or inspiration from other successful leader.

Leadership on many occasions has been misinterpreted by many individuals. Many assume that leadership is an easy skill people can develop, however, it isn't. Leadership comes with significant responsibilities such as establishing an influence, guidance, or encouragement on others. While there are some people who seek leadership with the purpose to obtain the power and abusing it for self-interest. I can proudly identify myself as a person who has been titled a leader because I have portrayed an influence. Around my last two years of high school, I became a youth leader at church. Being a youth leader was not only a major learning experience for those who I supported but also for myself. For instance, I had to go through a discipleship class

Being a leader means having the ability to compromise, the ability to listen well and to empathize. I have demonstrated leadership at work with my coworkers who are interns and are new to the job. I always show them what to do and how to do it right. I also encourage them that with time and practice they will get used to the job. At school, I always try to correct my classmates whenever I see them do something wrong. I show them how to do it right. It just never feels right to me seeing someone do something wrong and not correcting them or showing them the right thing. Some of my classes like art I have with students who are in a lower grade than me, students who are just learning to draw and paint. Most times I show them some drawing and painting techniques that would them. We also work in groups most times at school and I’ve learnt never to criticize anyones ideas. I respect people’s ideas and people themselves. The first and most important area of leadership is to show others respect and gain respect and I believe it is important to show respect whether the person deserves it or not.

Leadership is a skill that one is not able to learn based on a set teaching, but rather a skill based off personal experiences. I am the leader, everywhere I turn, everyone I talk to, from a school game to a class party – feeling like I am critiqued for everything I do and say.

If you were to ask people “what does it mean to be a leader?” You will likely get answers far and wide in meaning; each one unique upon itself. Then you might ask yourself, “who is right?” To try and get a grasp on what it means to be a leader, let’s look to the definition. Merriam-Webster defines leadership as the “capacity to lead.” This definition is a little vague. Rather than using that dictionary definition, allow me to tell you what leadership means to me.

In my experience, my idea of leadership is being able to inspire others, motivate, communicate, respect others, listen to individuals, and of course lead from the front. I believe that every leader needs to have the ability to convince his or her followers that they are worthy of being followed. Creating an environment that encourages people to share their opinions and to motivate them to be their best selves is an important aspect of leadership, and allows members of your team to trust you throughout the entire task or mission. No one individual is going to be the same and that is why you as a leader have to be able to push and motivate each individual differently. I strongly believe that good leaders are made rather, and not born. I believe

People view the role as a leader as something that someone has to have a lot of experience in, but in reality it is not about the past experience itself. As Robin S. Sharma says, “Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It's about impact, influence and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have to inspire team-mates and customers.” Being a true leader is based on how you develop as a person based on past experiences and based on the people around you who influence you. Being a leader to me is being someone who inspires everyone to push forward whether they are struggling or soaring.

"The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership." General Colin Powell

My definition of leadership is leading by example. Setting the pace and guiding from the front. Keeping your hand on the pulse of your people with open lines of communication and clear expectations. Ensuring all needs are met from the office paperwork, work space, and the family dynamic. Wherein you create an environment for success as your people are trained, equipped, and motivated to perform at their very best. Leadership influences during my career are good as BMCM Steve Hearn embodied all that is required of a leader. Steve was authentic and personable. He allowed people to get close and yet pushed them to be their best as he would speak to your strengths and weakness. His skills were unmatched yet he gave me a sense of purpose, buy in and belonging. Steve applied patience to help me get the basics of a specialty area that has made me very successful.

Many people are leaders but some are not. It take a lot to be a leader. What does it take to be a good leader? Am I a leader or a follower? How do I know I’m a leader or a follower? Who follows me and when do they follow? When and where do I follow and can leaders cause difficulties for Christians? All of these questions will be addressed in this paper. I hope these questions make you think about yourself and help you become a better leader.

Confidence, communication and commitment are just three of many traits that a leader possesses. Having those traits may help you become a leader but continuous hard work and dedication makes you one. To continue to be a leader you must also be intelligent, courageous, and determined. Becoming a leader is difficult but continuing to be one is even more difficult.