How To Write A Reflective Essay On Leadership

Personal influences and team experiences also affect choice of leadership styles as team dynamics are always changing and a good manager will always utilise their team members so that each person is working to the best of their ability.

For the last 8 years of my career I have been in leadership positions within financial service organisations. I have lead team of up to 30 people, across multiple regions and locations, and I have been in leadership positions that have no direct report and required a high level of stakeholder management and influencing skills to achieve outcomes. My first leadership position was with QBE Insurance were I was a team leader for 18 people in the Property and Casualty Insurance claims department. IN this role I was responsible for leading, coaching and developing my team to ensure we maintained required service levels and financial results. From this role I moved into a National role with the Commonwealth Bank, were I lead a support function team

Self leadership through personal learning and reflection “provides a foundation for effective leadership skills” (Watson, 2004). The Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL) includes self leadership as one of it’s five core leadership competencies, which is defined as “The Lead Self” domain. As part of Leading Self, effective leaders must demonstrate: self awareness, managing self, developing self and demonstrating character. (CCHL, 2010).

Leadership requires the use of certain qualities and traits to be effective. According to Marquis and Hudson (2015), leaders should display positive attitudes, be accountable, use good and clear communication. I have identified my innate leadership style as well as my personality type. There is no perfect leadership style and a leader should be able to use different leadership styles depending on the situation, but know which style I am akin to, will help me further develop my leadership skills. Knowing which personality traits I have will allow me to hone my positive leadership qualities as well as to identify

“It is unequivocally clear that leaders are not like other people” (Kirkpatrick and Locke, 1991, as cited in Northouse, P. G., 2016, p.22). I have always thought that I was not like other people; I see the world through a different lens. This difference, which sets me apart from my peers, has sometimes restrained my progress; however, after studying my differences and seeing them as strengths, I can now focus on these strengths that make me a unique, passionate, progressive leader. In reflecting on my leadership skills, I will analyze the results of the leadership questionnaires, as presented in Peter Northouse’s book, Leadership:Theory and practice (7th ed.), connect those result strengths with the

I am committed to continuous learning and have a strong desire to inspire others to action through exceptional leadership and a clear vision that promotes the delivery of superior services, both internally and externally. The Behavioral Health Division will benefit by receiving the highest level of competence and ethical practice along with a personal commitment to quality. I embrace challenges and will initiate and support any necessary changes within the organization. This program will further promote my creativity and innovation, which will enhance the work environment and the delivery of services to the public. My leadership style is a combination of charismatic and innovative. I am extremely energetic and motivate others to move forward

Gaining my voice after a childhood of taught silence took work. Upon entering high school, I immediately joined Key Club and took part in community service, something I had never done before. I fell in love with the good I was capable of and attended as many events as I could from volunteering at food banks and holding fundraisers to working on city projects and supporting local businesses. With my small physique, I was told time and time again that I wasn't cut out for the heavy work Key Club asked of me; I earned scratches, cuts, sprains, and even burns, but I accomplished what I was told I could not and communicated with Key Club, Circle K, and Kiwanis members who had a powerful sense of goodwill that helped me discover my leadership skills

Due to my passive nature, I’ve always avoided leadership roles. With that being said I still aspire to be someone who can be looked to as a leader. In order to reach that goal I observe and try to mimic the actions of people that inspire me. There have been many people I’ve taken orders from, but I have “followed” few. Those are the ones I consider to be true leaders, and have tried to be like myself.

1. What are some of the personal dynamics in your life that influence and/or impact your leadership style and/or effectiveness?

During the past ten weeks, I have strengthened my concept of what constitutes effective leadership. Importantly, it is a leadership style that maximises the contributions of followers to achieve the desired outcomes for the organisation they represent. As Nanjundeswaraswamy & Swamy (2014, p.57) explains, effective leaders need to balance the drive to achieve a task with managing relationships. Therefore, it is essential for good leadership to not only focus on the task but develop, motivate and empower team members to strive for the achievement of task goals.

As an educational leader, I have encountered several new and existing school policies. I never thought deeply about the various processes and the stakeholders involved in policy formulation and implementation. This semester I am engaged in the course Managing Educational Policy as School Leaders (EDLM 6005). This is Semester III, 2016/2017. My course coordinator is Dr. Timar Stephenson. Dr Stephenson was my course coordinator once before and was very helpful whenever I needed clarification or when I had a difficulty. I am thrilled to embrace the new ideas and learning opportunities embedded in this course since it teaches issues which I experience at work. Dr Stephenson, during his introduction reminded his entire class that success in this course would only be realized through hard work, dedication, and commitment. Therefore, it is imperative that I have the right attitude as I navigate this course. The course involves seven weeks of intense work. I am pleased to have a wonderful group facilitator by the name of Rhonda Joseph who has already given us a BBC to explain the requirements of the course and our first two modules.

As I felt my hands getting sweaty and my heart beating faster, I took a deep breath and entered discussion hall where I had three students waiting for me. I had been assigned to help them in geometry because they were struggling in the course and were not growing on the ACT. I’ve never been in charge of any student’s growth until I was told by my principal who taught my leadership seminar class to help these students. When I was asked to complete this task, I initially thought it was not for me. I struggled tremendously in math freshman year and I had never been a leader of a group. I tended to shy away and stay in the back while someone else took the lead. My principal thought otherwise; she believed that I displayed leadership qualities in class, and she noticed my growth in math. She saw the way I interacted with my peers, gave helpful feedback, and motivated those around me. I began to notice the qualities she saw in me, and I decided to take a risk and help these students.

Earlier in the semester, we had to analyze the issues with the gaps that are currently occurring in leadership roles. With the exit of baby boomers and some generation x employees, the organizational shift has never been more prevalent. Millennials are now entering the workforce and some are taking on leadership roles. Though the generalized basics of leadership are still relevant, the shift in technology and awareness of various humanistic issues shifts the culture of the workplace entirely. During this reading I am going to address becoming a continuous leader, finding a sense of purpose, cultivating relationships, defining oneself & career, and re-thinking money, all while placing myself in a leadership position.

The most challenging area, is category nine. As you learned in a previous paragraph, there are a few extra pounds hanging around. I was also diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes a few years ago. Through diet and exercise, a healthier lifestyle was achieved. As the numbers improved, I became less diligent. This directly reflects my mood and my relationships with others. I become irritated more easily and this can influence how I approach others. I have been working on these relationships. As a quiet individual, this can be challenging. Social interaction can be draining. I am striving to speak and smile when I encounter strangers in public places. As I great co-workers, I try to remember things in which they have interests thus allowing for more meaningful conversations.

Through thoughtful and thorough participation in this course, as well as from prior experiences through this undergraduate degree, my leadership qualities and abilities have improved significantly. By overviewing my preparation and engagement in class, as well as my individually identified strengths and the feedback I have received from others, I am easily able to evaluate my participation in this course. Furthermore, by using the self-analysis questionnaire in Grossman and Valiga (2017), I am able to reflect on my leadership strengths and weaknesses, and develop a plan to develop areas of weakness the questionnaire helped me identify.