Reflection On How To Be A Leader

Leaders are perhaps uncovered at many different levels and situations (Simmons, 2011). However, leaders in many organizations lead when forced into the spotlight and find out they are not equipped to function effectively. Becoming a leader can be as simple as leading a small team, a group or a community organization (Jennings, 2012). The truth of the matter

Leadership is, and always has been, a vital aspect of social and economic constructs. It is essential to the survival of societies, industries, organizations, and virtually any group of individuals that come together for a common purpose. However, leadership is difficult to define in a single, definitive sense. As such, theories of leadership, what constitutes a great leader, and how leaders are made have evolved constantly throughout history, and still continue to change today in hopes of improving upon our understanding of leadership, its importance, and how it can be most effective in modern organizational cultures.

Being a leader is not considered a job or position. Becoming a leader is not a talent, job or position. Although, leadership can be rewarding and difficult at the same time. In today’s society, “the kind of leadership necessary to move social movements forward is very different from the type of leadership required in a military setting, especially on the battlefield. A more sharpened focus on leadership processes versus individual leader traits and behaviors deepens our understanding of the complexities and interactive nature of leadership” (Komives, Lucas and McMahon 2013, 46). My goal is to understand how to face the complexities in life as a leader to communities, universities, organizations, the workplace and the world. As a leader,

Fifteen weeks in the Business Introduction class, I learned how to become a leader with the guidances of, “The Student Leadership Challenge:Five Practices For Becoming An Exemplary Leader”, Student Leadership self assessment, Myers Briggs Type Indicator results, and SWOT analysis. From all the readings and assessments, A leader to me is someone who is able to set a positive example to their peers but also capable of receiving feedback. Leaders make

For many years, I have been told by teachers, family, and friends that I am a good leader. Until fairly recently, I had never truly thought about what it means to be a good leader and just took it as a compliment. Leadership is an intangible concept which cannot be properly outlined in a dictionary, but one which must be formed and explained only through one’s own philosophies and experiences.

I have learned a great deal from this class, and through the semester, my ideas of leadership have changed. I now can confidently say that my definition of a leader is someone who embraces diversity, is a team player, a manager and is brave. Embracing diversity is to embrace the ideas and opinions of others and even accepting them. Being a team player requires cooperation, communication, listening and setting an example. A leader should be well versed in conflict as well as time management, and a leader must trust their team enough to take a leap of faith every now and

One of the biggest lessons learned from this course is that to be an effective leader, you must have a diverse skillset. I’m not sure if there is any one magical component or characteristic in being a great leader. One influence during my review of the literature was that; although easier for some, I see leadership as something we must continually improve upon. This is in contrast to my belief during my first day of class, when I thought leaders just

The article I chose attempts to define a leader, the types of leaders, and the ways in which a person can be an excellent leader. The author, Tom Decotils, lists three types of leaders: An appointed leader or someone who is a leader in name, an accepted leader or a leader in practice, and an authentic leader. Decotils suggests that when obtaining a leadership role, one must strive to be an “authentic leader,” whose focus is on results by moving followers forward through teamwork and insisting on personal excellence. (Decotils, 2015, para. 1) Decotils states that an authentic leader has good intentions, grit, and a constant yearning for improvement. (Decotils, 2015, para. 5) Additionally, an authentic leader must have a good

When I was younger, I thought that a leader was a superhero or the President. I assumed that because I wasn’t the most talkative or daring kid, I couldn’t be a leader. I had always taken the role of the shy girl that nodded and smiled at other’s suggestions. As I grew up, I realized that my stereotypes didn’t truly show who a leader is. I saw people who silently lead behind the scenes, who inspired and motivated others to achieve their goals. While a leader might be bold and outgoing, a leader can also be a listener and a motivator. A successful leader listens, gains trust and respect, and works with their team, not above them. If someone is loud and full of ideas, but doesn’t hear or discuss other thoughts, are they a leader? The American dream is to be that bold, dominant champion, but that isn’t

Before this class, I had a very primitive and vague definition of leadership. Not only did I define it as per my views and ideologies, but I also said that each individual has their own definition of leadership. My initial belief was that leadership does not have a clear cut definition, but there were well defined leadership traits which made an individual. I also initially believed that personal traits did not translate into leadership traits with no strong correlation. After going through the various modules this class offered, it is safe to say that I have significantly redefined leadership and underwent a strong personal assessment. This paper talks what I took back from each of the class activities, assignments and how my self-assessment compares to the perception of others.

Becoming an efficient leader is not always as easy as it seems. It entails having knowledge about simple human nature, as well as an accurate clarification of the character and skills it requires. Many people believe being a leader is not something that can be taught or studied. Some need more encouragement, and pushing to find the leader inside them. Being a leader and using different leadership styles is highly individualized and varies depending on career settings (Northouse, 2010).

The word ‘leadership’ often times triggers a preconceived image of an ideal leader—typically accompanied by the aura that the effective leader should be at the top of the hierarchy, ready to produce the solutions to complex problems. However, this is not true of leadership, given that effective leadership is not achieved by position but rather through style and situational awareness. Examining leadership requires the consideration of the catalysts for different types of leaders. Popular leader development theories tend to focus on the natural servitude of the leader, his or her capability to manage, and leader behavior.

This time I tried focusing on improving my empathy skills by not trying to always provide positive responses to the members when they were telling me the challenges they were facing as I have done and received feedback from past group members. For instance, when members were saying how people did not understand them or they felt like an outsider, I tried to address how they were feeling and how maybe the veterans could educate those who do not understand. I especially wanted to work on my empathy skills with this population of veterans because I wanted to build rapport with them and show them that their feelings about the war and role transition to student was validated and not something that they should just easily forget about. My heart goes out to clients with PTSD because no one should have to experience the trauma they have seen, especially while trying to protect our country. From this group I learned that I need to take a step back and give myself a pause when I am feeling overwhelmed, so the questions do not appear forced. My main weakness as a leader is doubting my self as seen through the forced questions. I want the best for my clients, but I let my emotions and anxiety that I am not providing the members with the best ability to succeed, get the best of me.

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.

For decade’s individuals, companies, and organizations have spent an unprecedented amount of money on researching, molding, modeling and working to define what a leader is and what characteristics make successful leaders. Despite all the research, there is not a quick answer or even full agreement as to what makes an individual an effective leader. The definition of a leader is “someone who can influence others and who has managerial authority.” (Robbins, Decenzo, Coulter, 2015. P.370)