My Leadership Philosophy

Leadership. It is something that everyone strives to achieve and is a trait that can affect every person in the smallest of ways. It is quite a unique feature, and one very hard to come by, with so many leaders nowadays in short supply. As I always like to say, “One million starts with one”. It only takes one person, only one idea, to revolutionize the way that one million people can think. A leader can open our minds and touch our hearts in ways we didn’t know possible. They can help shape the world with their ideas and the foundation of the people supporting them. Like I said before, true leaders today are in short supply. However, I can give this University a new type of leadership that has not been seen before.

Growing up, I realize the important leadership roles that should be recognized in every day life. Leadership is an important part of one's self character because when someone sees you as a leader they tend to grow more onto you so they can be like you. Part of this statement fits a powerful quote i've always lived by while being around others. "It is the men behind who make the man ahead," this quote by Merle Crowell, fits the man I've molded into, simply because I have realized in numerous ways on how my actions can impact other people's actions. My parents always raised me to believe that what you put in is what you get out. So of course, I believe that if I make the decisions to be a follower of the wrong path, then wrong will follow me as well. Instead, I choose to take the golden path and promote a better outcome for my future and hopefully other's also. Sticking to the routine of a leader builds you into an even better leader. Being a better leader, makes me a better man each day that I choose this route as the leader of my path.

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 leader is someone who guides and motivates you. Leadership is a responsibility, and is very important. Without leaders what would the world look like? People need leaders to help, aid, and guide them through tough times and make important decisions. I play multiple sports, and they all have a captain to make sure everything goes right, and is there for the team when things do not. Leaders set an important example for others. Overall, leadership is putting others before yourself, and showing the world that anything is possible.

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 has been present throughout my life. I can remember being able to take charge of groups when I was only in elementary school. I have been able to have many opportunities since then to be in a leadership role. Each one of these roles has had an impact on my life and the way that I view leadership.

Leadership is a privilege that carries with it many responsibilities to inspire others, and to direct individuals to attain the vision and goals of an organization. As an effective leader it is my job to be flexible, be an excellent communicator, be a person who leads by example, and is an individual who is committed, resourceful, and reflective. Achieving the characteristics above, I have developed a definite purpose in mind; one that is shared and modeled in and outside of my school environment. With such growth mindset, I teach, present workshops and empowers others to make decisions that will develop future leaders. To lead by example, I became a mentor for first-year teachers. Furthermore, I orchestrate educational committees, encouraging

Throughout my short life, I have come to realize that a leader does not necessarily, although they may, maintain a defined position of leadership. A leader is one who will rise to the challenge even when the odds in opposition. A leader will tackle any barrier that stands in the way of the goal. A leader is willing to be hated and face criticism for doing what is right. Leaders come in all different forms, but a leader is the one who is always willing to make the difficult decisions.

I have been put in a leadership role many times. Going on mission trips, and having part time jobs throughout high school have put me in places where I have had to be a leader. I have worked children's camp through my church for over five years. This

Imagine you’re going on a hike through the woods, and after an hour or two you’re ready to head back, but as you look around at all your friends you realize no one knows how to get back. Being a leader means coming forward and taking charge, and figuring out the safest and fastest way to get you and your friends back home to safety. Many leaders have many different behaviors and ways that they lead. Many times my friends turn to me to make decisions about what we will do, where we will go, or simply where we will eat. My actions toward the situation define my leadership skills.

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.

Being a leader is no easy task. A person needs to be able to overcome their own obstacles if they want to be able to help others overcome theirs. My ability to be a leader is still not fully flushed out due to the fact that even though I can overcome my own struggles/problems, it's much more difficult for me to try and lead others past their's. This is why I am very interested in the Leadership Program. Austin is a huge city but unlike many large cities, its people prefer to work together, they aren't big fans of the "every man for himself" ideology. That of course means that the city and university themselves will have countless opportunities for me to try and smooth out the rough edges of my leadership skills. But I

"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

I believe that I'm good in coming up with optimizing and innovative solutions. I feel good when I learn something new. I like when I can do something in a new way. I believe I have leadership skills. I’m emotionally stable and will remain calm under difficult situations. I can manage people with different personalities and can encourage them for improvement.

Throughout the history, until now, we have witnessed many great leaders. But what leadership skills make them a great leader? What are their strengths and weaknesses, their values and credibility? I have never asked these questions to myself up until taking this course. I have realized that being the one in power or being the one that leads is not enough to make you a great leader. There are many different elements of leadership and everyone has a different leadership style. Keeping all these in mind, I thought about my leadership and my personal vision. I have learned a great deal about leadership in this course and I aim to apply them all to my leadership experiences in the future.