Task Versus People Orientation Paper

Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: described the difference between management and leadership as “Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.”

4. What did you learn about yourself from the Assessment? (What were your major strengths and weaknesses? How do you react to these results? How can you build on strengths and minimize or eliminate weaknesses?)

(10 points) Summary Reflection: Putting all your results and findings together, write a detailed paragraph about what all of this means about you. Include thoughts on how your learning style, your personality, your study habits, and your communication skills relate to achieving your personal, academic, and career goals.

This week’s assignment started by directing us to complete a self-assessment, which I felt was a well laid out chart with established skills and a level in which to rate yourself from 1 being poor up to 5 being good. I think it was a good exercise, giving us a better insight to our strengths and weaknesses. I do in fact think that I learned something new about myself and could more easily answer the question of “tell me your strengths and weaknesses”, which is often asked at interviews or promotion boards.

(10 points) Summary Reflection: Putting all your results and findings together, write a detailed paragraph about what all of this means about you. Include thoughts on how your learning style, your personality, your study habits, and your communication skills relate to achieving your personal, academic, and career goals.

Something interesting about me is that for 4 years in the marching band I played the saxophone. It is during those years I learned how to properly communicate with other students working in a large group to accomplish our shared musical goals. Eventually I would end up in a leadership role during my senior year of high school it’s during this time I learned the importance of dividing personal relationships and from leadership role. Often during my leadership role, I found myself at conflict due my personal friendships with other band students in the organization. Additionally, I listen to classical music, using photo editing software, and using different programming languages. The results from my TypeFocus were the following: ‘I’ introversion, ‘S’ sensing, ‘T’ thinking, and ‘J’ judgement. I will honestly say I did not learn not anything new from the taking the assessment about myself and the careers I will likely enter. Even more the assessment just confirmed everything that I’ve known about myself like how tend to be more introvert often takes me a while to open up personally to most individuals.

There has been vast amounts of research done on the topic of leadership, and yet despite this it continues to be ‘‘riddled with paradoxes, inconsistencies, and contradictions’’

When first taking the success profiler, I was astonished with the answers it showed me that I had. There was only one red category and five orange categories and it stunned me because I continued to think that these categories I scored negatively in were some of my best characteristics. Sales orientation was the one red category which basically means how good I am at selling myself to others. I wasn’t really good at this at the beginning of the year, but I have improved by changing my attitude to others The other orange categories I have also learned how to improve by taking the class to show me how

This is not to insinuate that those caught up in the quagmire of managing people are not capable of or are unwilling to lead. Those in leadership positions want to lead their subordinates.

"Leadership is more about change, inspiration, setting the purpose and direction, and building the enthusiasm, unity and 'staying-power' for the journey ahead. Management

Leadership at times can be a complex topic to delve into and may appear to be a simple and graspable concept for a certain few. Leadership skills are not simply acquired through position, seniority, pay scale, or the amount of titles an individual holds but is a characteristic acquired or is an innate trait for the fortunate few who possess it. Leadership can be misconstrued with management; a manager “manages” the daily operations of a company’s work while a leader envisions, influences, and empowers the individuals around them.

Both assessments were accurate in the description of my strengths and leadership style. The test results offered me tools to reinforce the strong aspects of my style without negative feedback. I will use the positive results of both assessments to align my job and goals with my natural talents. Sharing this plan with those around me will help me develop their strengths and lead to a more positive and productive environment (Rath, 2007).

Leadership is a facet of management. It is just one of the many assets a successful manager must possess. The main aim of a manager is to maximize the output of the organization through administrative implementation. To achieve this managers must undertake the four functions of management: planning, organization, leading and controlling. In some cases leadership is just one important component of the leading function. Predpall (1994) said, "Leaders must let vision, strategies, goals, and values be the guide-post for action and behavior rather than attempting to control others". In some circumstances, leadership is not required. For example, self-motivated groups may not require a single leader and may find leaders dominating. The fact that a leader is not always required proves that leadership is just an asset and is not essential.

Self-assessments are a journey of understanding and discovery, there are no right or wrong answers when it comes to the results of

11) Describe what you learned about yourself and your professional development from feedback given by your peers in the small group exercises.