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.

A good leader leads from the middle and not the front. Leadership is working with people in order to complete a task, instead of telling others what to do. Delegating and helping others realize their potential and work to their strengths is what leadership is all about. Leadership is the ability to listen to others and show them the right path. I strive to be a leader in all I do. As a pharmacist, I will be the leader in the community and be able to help patients with their medical needs. While I have had times in my academic classes that I am able to step up and be the leader, I often use my leadership skills most in extracurricular activities. I have served as President of my cooperative house, where I learned so much from the constant leadership.

Leadership is defined as the action of leading a group of people or an organization. To me, Leadership is so much more. Leadership is a way to shape the future and improve your community. I grew up worshiping to my father’s soccer players, leaders like Trisha Krewson and Katie Burr. These girls taught me at a young age how to lead and strive to improve the world around you. To me, one of the best ways to improve your community is through helping shape the leaders of the future. These women worked with me and showed me the value of education, athletics, pirate pride, community service, and leadership. Through opportunities like helping with bitty cheer clinic, soccer camp, and student dance teaching I have lead young girls and helped mold them into young leaders. The best part of this is seeing girls that you taught at younger age taking the initiative to help lead the generations younger than them. I was inspired by older girls to become a leader in my school and community and I hope that my leadership has

A leader by its meaning is one who goes first and led by example, so that others are motivated to follow. To be a leader, a person must have a deep rooted commitment to the goal that they will strive to achieve even when nobody follows! This definition is not even half the meaning for a leader especially for my leader this meaning does her no justice. My leader is an award winning writer and communications professional who leverages extensive media experience with a solid writing/producer background to develop and execute content that increase engagement and heightens awareness. She is a highly effective story teller with proven track records in launching creative initiatives that appeal to large audience and are completed within tight deadlines

Who I am as a leader is derived from my personal fundamentals of leadership. The essence of leadership is having the following character traits: integrity, showing mutual respect, inspiring people, setting vision, making decisions, owning the failures, sharing the accomplishments, leading by example and never pressuring anyone into unethical actions. To me, at this time, those qualities are what make a leader. However, I am not that leader today, it is what I aspire to be. Before revealing the leader I am today, I will explain where the fundamentals, listed above, originate.

Leadership is an indefinable word. There is no definitive leader because every single group needs a different leader. For example, a group of children need a different leader than a group of adults and a group of rowdy people need a different leader than a laid back group of people. A leader needs to be constantly adapting to each and every situation, assessing every little reaction and changing their approaches. As well as being constantly adapting, a leader is constantly learning new ways to handle a group and gain their attention. Leaders need always be flexible with their methods, always be ready to learn new methods, and ready to be proven wrong.

Being a leader does not necessarily mean having a big title. A leader is someone who has a positive attitude no matter what issues are passing by. Not only is it your attitude towards issues but towards people too. How can you expect people to follow when you know what to do to solve the problem but you don’t know how to lead the people? Being a leader is not a simple task, but it is not something you choose to be, it just comes naturally.

As a classroom teacher, my philosophy is “always more, never less”, and I apply this philosophy as I work within my peer unit. A person who is willing to put themselves “out there” and accept more responsibility for the good of the group I believe, is a person who can evolve into a successful leader.

Leadership is something that I must use every day in my career. When people watch how you lead, one’s actions must show concern for others and inspire them to do

A great leader creates an environment in which teachers feel a sense of empowerment. This means that the leader is able to recognize the different strengths and weaknesses that each individual staff member has. The leader is then able to provide the teacher with opportunities to better themselves through staff development or with other empowering trainings. Secondly, a great leader is able to identify when the morale is low within the school. Low morale can become very toxic in a school if it is not properly addressed. A great leader is able to ensure that all teachers feel that they are valued and highly respected. It is important that the principal is aware of all past and current procedures that promote professional compliance. TEA Principal Stand I; Competency 003 states: “Standard I: Learner-Center Values and Ethics of Leadership: A Principal is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by acting in an ethical manner. The Principal knows how to: (B) Implement policies and procedures that promote professional educator compliance with The Code of Ethics and standard Practices for Texas Educators.” (Texas Education Agency2010)

It’s not very hard to make someone excited and energy-filled for the rest of the day if you’re using your words in the “right way.” For instance, complimenting someone about their smile or their outstanding fashion sense can really encourage others in a positive way and make a chain reaction. This conveys that not only showing kindness can impact one person, but many others. Being a leader is a perfect fit for getting the ball rolling for a positive school, community, etc. Never back down to being friendly to others because it can make a positive imprint on you and your

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.

Leadership in education should be embraced and the challenge should be taken with great pride and integrity. The belief that you are an agent of change is the essence of teaching. Faith in progress and value in every student embody the schools culture and morale. Learn from veterans and carry the importance of education to the next generation. Be courageous, challenge inequality and allow every student to have the same opportunity learn. A leader is fair, firm, friendly, and on a mission to transform boys and girls into productive and contributing members of society.

The ability to lead takes heart and patience. One might say that leadership is a God-given gift; de facto not just anyone can be a leader. Education today is an embodiment of diversity. Each aspect of the educational institution’s architecture demands an array of varying needs be meet with precision, dedication, mastery, and fortitude. A leader must personify patience, enthusiasm, and a desire for continued learning. A leader must lead by example. These traits embody an exceptional leader, which in the fast-paced, instant gratification society of today, are few and far between. Leadership, specifically educational leadership, can be difficult to delineate and differentiate from mere management. Moreover, educational leaders have a vast amount of responsibility to those they inspire, motivate, and influence in the school environment from students to staff to community (Avolio, Walumbwa, & Weber, 2009). Successful administrative leaders in education employ various theories of leadership, as well as self-tendencies and understand the need to cultivate a personal authentic leadership style.

Furthermore, they act as healers who have the responsibility to ensure that the students feel comfortable and conformed to their learning environments. Through such an action, these symbolic principals create value for life in their areas of jurisdiction (Deal and Peterson, 1994). In some cases, these types of leaders act as historians and actors. By doing so, they pass adequate knowledge to their learners as far as their visions are concerned. They have the mandate to show the learners the best course of action that ensures mutual relations and success in life.