Personal Statement : Master Chief Richard Wolfe

Leadership is a fluid concept. It has never been an idea set in stone and then left alone. The Army has always defined leadership as a process of influence since it first started writing about leadership in 1948(par 4). This

There are a variety of ways to define both leader and leadership. There is not, however, a clear definition of how to become one. There is no set list of mandatory traits, either innate or learned, that a person must embody to be considered successful or proved a failure. What I feel it takes is the right mix of strengths and weaknesses in a given situation to demonstrate effectiveness. No one person has abilities without accompanying deficiencies. It’s all in the way they are balanced. The balance in the way one uses his or hers’ abilities will ultimately determine the type of leadership one has throughout time. To support these claims I will examine a well-known leader throughout the military, General James “Mad Dog” Mattis. This essay

Leadership can be defined in many different facets. To me the definition of leadership is, “Displaying the ability to inspire and empower others through the example of one’s own self actions”. Too many times we hear, “Do what I say”, instead of, “Do what I do.” A successful leader’s actions speak louder than words ever will. My first day in the Coast Guard following boot camp graduation, I experienced firsthand on how a leader should not act nor conduct themselves. Though alcohol was the main contributing factor on what occurred that evening, looking back, it was more of the lack of maintaining our core values that ultimately resulted in that Chief losing the title as Chief of the boat and being forced to retire.. That moment left a negative impression on me and it took a horrific car accident that landed me in the office of whom I consider as my most influential leader I have had in my career. Master Chief Richard Wolfe was someone that led by example. He helped broaden my vision and let me see my own potential. He always inspired me to not only better myself, but ensured that I challenged myself to learn something new each day. He would often say, “Challenges are just opportunities in disguise”, and it wasn’t until I advanced to Chief Petty Officer to truly understand what he meant. Far too often we get caught up in the present instead of focusing what is on the horizon and that is how complacency becomes the new norm.

Leadership is like teaching a child to walk. First you guide the child, encouraging them and holding their hand. Then when the time is right, you let them go, and watch as they stand tall. I have experienced this as Co-Editor-In-Chief of my school newspaper, The Royal Reporter and as a 2nd-In-Command of the Level Two Cadets of 132 Spitfire Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron.

Donovan Campbell, a New York Times Bestselling author as well as a former Captain of the United States Marine Corps offers unique insight on what it means and what it takes to become a remain a strong leader; in fact, he offers 8 chapters of insight, each one representing a different key concept on leadership. Each concept is different, however each one builds onto one another as the book progresses. While reading this book, I took careful notes on each concept as well as how I could incorporate each one into my own life.

Leadership in the Coast Guard is the process of guiding and inspiring others toward closer adherence to the core values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty. Leadership is a set of behaviors rather than just a set of ideals. Ideals are good, but ideals without the corresponding behaviors are useless. The best way to guide others is to show by example; a true leader not only speaks out in favor of the core values, but also exhibits them in their daily life.

There is no one-size-fits all definition when it comes to leadership. Some individuals define leadership as solely guiding others to complete a task. While others, including myself, believe leadership is defined as “motivating yourself to be the best so that you can one day motivate the members of your own team.” For me, leadership is being bold enough to have a vision and humble enough to recognize that achieving that vision requires much effort. A leader translates vision into reality, by stepping out of their comfort zone and taking risks. I believe I took the initiative to translate the vision of the founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., which --- and of the current members who pour their hearts and

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.

The Army’s definition of leadership is influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation, while operating to accomplish the mission and improve the organization (Army, 2012). As a young Sergeant in the United States Army, I thought I was being a good leader by being an effective manager. I was determined to lead Soldiers and accomplish my organizations’ mission. As I gained more experience and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant, I realized that I was managing instead of leading. Leadership is not synonymous with management. Leadership goes beyond the allocation of personnel and resources to accomplish the organization’s goals. Leadership involves change, from being an individual performer to being an influencer. An effective leader has the ability to unite personnel behind the organization’s mission by examining individual motivations to promote success. Providing purpose and direction instills ownership in the success of the organization. A leader is also effective in building team culture. Yet, a leader cannot accomplish the above with establishing her/her own leadership philosophy grounded their individual values,

My definition of leadership is to possess the skills to provide transparent communication, the aptitude to ask for help and the emotional intelligence to have empathy for others. While I was in the Marine Corps, I got to experience how ineffective and problematic leadership that operates vertically. The type of leadership that I am accustomed too is more focused on the mission and has no problem expressing how easily replaceable you are to the organization. I believe that leadership should operate horizontally, focusing collectivism. I really resonated with John Chamber’s leadership style. He is a leader that realizes that each individual is vital to the success of the organization and he goes out of his way to ensure his followers know that.

My definition of Leadership is similar to the Coast Guard’s definition of Leadership, which is to influence others to achieve the same goal. The Coast Guard’s definition of leadership from the Leadership Development Framework COMDTINST M5351.3 is Leadership is the ability to influence others to obtain their obedience, respect, confidence, and loyal cooperation. My previous leadership influences during my career were able to lead myself and my shipmates by influencing us to accomplish many missions. The BMC Rick Barones and the MKCM Darcy Collins of the Coast Guard influence their people with compassion and respect. They also lead with confidence and knowledge of their rates and craft, which made them worth listening to.

Leadership in the Coast Guard is the process of guiding and inspiring others toward closer adherence to the core values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty. Leadership is a set of behaviors rather than just a set of ideals. Ideals are good, but ideals without the corresponding behaviors are useless. The best way to guide others is to show by example; a true leader not only speaks out in favor of the core values, but also exhibits them in their daily life.

How do I correct the weaknesses that I have outlined and make myself a fully functioning non-commissioned officer? My first course of action is to chase a computer science degree. I have already spoken to my supervisor back at the shop and I think it is realistic to finish the degree in the timeframe. I love my job, and in the realm of cyber warfare information is power. These should keep me on my toes and outside of my comfort zone. Second, I will take more opportunities to put myself in front of crowds. Public speaking is a fear of mine and fear I must get over. With proper preparation, I feel like I am pretty decent at it. With time, effort, and practice, I hope public speaking is something I can excel at. This will round me out as a non-commissioned officer and make me feel capable of being a First Sergeant when the rank is attained. Third I will be more cognizant of my own emotions. If I find myself falling back into the daily grind I will find a challenge to excite me again. This course has ultimately been very good for me because it is beneficial to stop and self-reflect from time to

Beginning in boot camp and continuing throughout my career, I’ve seen the Coast Guard promote the leadership model to be: “You” influencing “Others” to achieve a “Goal”. With all the different ways leadership can be defined, this simplistic model which has been permanently engrained in my thinking definition still rings true for me. As such, when defining my own personal definition of leadership, I align it to this same model. More specifically, while I support the fact that leadership involves influencing others to achieve a common end I propose that is not the whole story. Leaders must not be stagnant in their vision and must lend themselves to the possibility they may have to adjust their leadership styles depending on the goal. The best leaders are the ones that understand their own personality traits as well as those traits of the people they are trying to lead.

Leadership is the act of and motivating people to work together, inspiring trust and cooperation to accomplish the mission. I have learned valuable leadership lessons from people in my life. They have displayed through their actions, great ability to inspire others to set aside selfish motivation and to come together as a team and strive toward accomplishing a goal. I have experienced poor leadership as well. During my first sea duty, I was exposed to a variety of poor leadership styles, ones that were divisive and fostered a selfish and uncooperative environment. It wasn’t until I worked for some exceptional leaders: Mike Kukes, Brett Keltz, Chris Henderson, and Jason Vanburen, to name a few. I saw the effects of strong and positive leaders. They focused on a team effort and held everyone accountable for their contribution. They had a strong ability to define the objective and provide direction and mentorship to the sailors in their charge. They helped us understand our role and responsibility as well as to instill in us a desire to be a part of a team.