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Personal Leaderhip Platform

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Personal Leadership Platform

Ryan M. Reynolds

University of Oklahoma

Personal Leadership Platform

My leadership platform will focus on three main leadership traits: vision, competence, and empathy. Without these three traits, I believe one may be considered a manager but not a leader. How these characteristics are developed, employed, and classified will also be covered. It is important to note that leadership must be built on a foundation of honesty and trust, otherwise, the successes will be far outnumbered by the failures as subordinates lose trust in the vision regardless of the competence and see empathy as manipulation. Built on a foundation of honesty and trust, however, subordinates will be …show more content…

92). Retired Lieutenant Colonel Harry C. Garner also writes, “to lead successfully, a person must demonstrate two active essential, interrelated traits: expertise [competence] and empathy; this personal development is the first important building block of leadership” (p. 84). He goes on to explain that “tough empathy requires firm, direct, and value-driven action that does not sacrifice standards but remains sensitive to ensuring followers grow and develop during the process” (p. 86). Competence alone does not increase referent power. However, a leader that displays empathy will garner trust and loyalty. An empathetic leader has the opportunity to use referent power instead of positional. When leaders use referent power they have a greater capacity to motivate and inspire. General Schwarzkopf said it best: “Great leaders stand before a platoon and see not a platoon but 44 individuals” (in Tribus, 2005, p. 25). It is crucial for me to improve as a leader; the Army contends that leadership is the single most important factor for mission success (Skaggs, 1997, p. 650). Yukl (2010) addresses several ways to develop and improve leadership traits. Just as it is important to correct deficiencies in followers immediately, it is equally important to constantly evaluate and make

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