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 see someone who stands out. I see someone who is courageous and wants to take the lead. I see someone who chooses to create there own path, rather than taking the one everyone else is taking. As I learn about the qualities and the traits of leadership, I began to self evaluate on how I see myself as a leader.

When leading troops it is essential for the leader to understand his or her command environment and how they fit in to that environment. For me, becoming an effective leader begins with this: How do I fit in to my organization and what can I offer my organization and the Soldiers that look to me for guidance. To become an effective leader I have had to address this issue first and foremost. My philosophy is simple, know the needs of the organization, know my personal strengths and weaknesses, and know my Soldiers. This is the philosophy that I try to pass to my subordinates. By knowing these three simple statements I have found that I can become a more effective team member as well as leader to both enlisted and officers alike who look to me for guidance.

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.

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.

Throughout my life, God has been working in my life to prepare me for a life of godly leadership. He started off giving me small responsibilities which quickly grew to be leadership opportunities. I believe that everything I do ought to be my best for God. As a Christian, I have strived to work harder in school and in ministry than my peers so that God would be glorified through my work. As a high school student, I was blessed with the opportunity to lead two robotics teams into competition on the college level. He has given opportunities to lead on the mission field and in the states. Since the Time of my salvation, God has been preparing me as a leader through my ministry experiences and academic pursuits.

Forward. The motto of my home state, Wisconsin. It inspires a sense of effect, the sense of pushing towards the greater good; a faith for humanity and it’s endeavors. To move everyone forward towards a goal is the guise of leadership, but the way in which one leads will determine the effectiveness of a leadership effort.

As a leader, it's important to know yourself. In fact, I believe you can't lead if you don't have some basic knowledge of who you are as a person; like beliefs or strengths and weakness. My leadership must incorporate not only my positive attributes but must be willing to make changes with aspects of my personality that don’t work. Admittedly, I am sensitive and also passive. I tend to avoid conflict as much as I can. These characteristics might lead to issues of weakening my leadership. Being a leader to me shows having to show a strong front to most people. That doesn't mean a person should compromise who they are. I have to have a certain image when I enter a classroom. I can learn to be more assertive and have a firm voice in a classroom. I looked at the Johari Window website, to see what results I would get on their quiz.

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.

To me, leadership is taking responsibilities, inspiring others decision and creating a vision for the future. I think leaders are those who use their skills in leadership to make a difference in others. All great leaders had something unique about them and yet they were bound by the greatness that helped them to lead the masses to innovation. To be a leader means you always be on point to influence others and also willing to adapt accordingly if things are changing in another direction. As a role model, it is very important to listen and react to problematic concerns in a timely manner. When holding a leadership role, you have to admit to fault and fix issues. A leader must accept the fact that everyone has flaws at one time or another. Being

I believe some people are born with leadership tendencies, while others are thrust into positions and develop leadership abilities over time. I have been fortunate to be in environments where individuals in leadership capacities have exhibited both contemptible and admirable leadership traits. By fortunate, I mean I have gained wisdom from all of those experiences which have aided in the development of my leadership skills. Characteristics such as abusing power and making decisions which are egoistic and unethical are not traits I aspire to possess.

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 leaders have a great attitude – sometimes known as a “can do” attitude and irrespective of whether they have the skills to do the specific job, they have the inspiration and focus to motivate their team to see the vision and this creates a certain energy that allows all to harness the opportunity. Take a look at a sport coach (this is a form of leadership) and look at the focus required to get their team to be the best they can be and to realise the objective.