How have you been able
to apply what you have learned about leadership?
Throughout the course,
I’ve come across many different learning aspects that have helped me and my
leadership abilities. The book, Exploring
Leadership focuses a lot on the relational leadership model and how our
leadership actions that we take part in ceases from this model. The model is broken
up into five main parts…Ethics, Purposeful, Inclusiveness, Empowering and
Process. Out of those five, I have applied the idea of ethics, inclusiveness
and purposeful into my daily life as well as towards leadership. I believe that
the model helps a person achieve more productivity in leadership roles because it
helps define leadership itself….making it easy for others to understand what
makes up leadership and how leaders obtain important positional standings based
on these fundamentals.
For example, an important part of leadership is having a
code of ethics. I have realized that if you lead by the values that are truly important
to you, you have more success in obtaining followers and authority among
others. Ethics is a key part in leadership because it’s a crucial founding to
what you believe in or more so, the reason why you are choosing to do what you
are doing. I have used this towards leadership to help me set across my goals
for a giving project and to let others know what I have in mind for the overall
objective of the group. Taking away from the use of the relational model, I
have also found that purposeful plays a big part in my actions as a leader. It
has helped me understand that every action that is taking place is driven by an
overall important goal. Without purposeful, there’s really nothing to work for.
I have been able to use the act of “purpose” to help me better understand where
I would want to lead a group through my leadership position and what we are
striving for. Lastly, they’re inclusiveness. This aspect has helped me to be
aware of others and to listen more. I believe that being a leader is having the
ability to have an open mind, thus creating better leadership.
How are you more aware
of yourself?
That’s actually a good
question! By being able to be enrolled in Leadership 270, it has helped me
understand what my purpose is when dealing with others and how I can contribute
to a setting. By having the opportunity to take a class on leadership, it has
helped me understand how leaders are made and what is key in having good
leadership. It has driven me to do more for myself and has made me understand
the type of person I am more clearly. Leadership 270, has made me more aware of
what I should work on and the strengths I possess. Speaking of strengths,
taking the strengths test has helped me come to terms with what personality
type I have. I can’t quite remember what all of my strengths were, but I recall
having harmony at the top of my list. It has made me aware that I am a really
humble person who seeks peace versus stirring up issues among others.
Also, with the
opportunities that this class has given me, it has made me clearly understand
what type of role I possess in the world. This year, I had the honor of being
able to attend the Annual Conference on Leadership and Civic Engagement. It was
a fun experience and I had a great time going to different activities among the
day. By doing group activities and talking to various students that day, it has
made me more aware of how I share commonalities among others and how there are others
that possess the same qualities as myself. Also, by doing some of the
activities, I have come to a realization that I am a huge active listener in
certain activities and a active participant in others. It has helped me come to
terms with what I feel is comfortable to me and has made me notice that maybe
in certain situations I should learn to speak more than just listen. Overall,
having the opportunity to take this class has opened a new gateway for me and
has pushed me to become more active in leadership/community projects.
What things do you now
see differently? How are you changing?
While taking this
course, I have had the pleasure of being able to be exposed to many walks of
life. Also, by having the opportunity to learn new insight on leadership that I
would probably never have the chance to learn. This course has made me see things
in a new perspective and has made me more knowledgeable on the given subject. For
example, I remember the first day of Leadership 270 and we all had to define
what makes a leader or what leadership is in general. It was nice getting the insight
of so many other students and to see what others had to say. It has made me
think differently by helping me understand that the world is based on the
contributions of others and how every act tends to affect individuals globally
rather than individually. I also remember a male student that day stating that
though we may think that so and so about leadership, our overall understanding
is the same….making this concept into a melting pot. That quote has helped me
understand that yes, we may define leadership in our own way but we understand
the overall purpose and knowledge that is holds.
With this being said, I
feel that I have been changing in many ways. I have become more aware of those
around me and I have a wider eye for new experiences/people who may bring more
to the table than expected. Taking this class has changed my idea of how to
approach an issue and has made me think more clearly towards given situations.
I feel that with the chapters we read and the in class activities, the effects that
each part has played has made me into more aware person. This class has taught
me to be open, aware and insightful to other aspects in life that stray away
from my social norm. I am seeing that by being more knowledgeable about
leadership, it has made me more of a “go-getter” rather than someone that
watches the crowd. I see myself changing by being more involved and willing to
help in any way I can…mostly, by helping those I know run an orientation group.
I have come to an overall realization that I have changed in a positive way,
making me more of a well rounded person.
How will you continue
your learning about leadership?
With this class coming
to an end, I will definitely try to continue learning about leadership by being
involved in services within my community as well as on campus. I actually plan
to work within FYE and possibly receive a job within the department. I plan to
work with FYE to be able to do the success series for incoming freshmen next
year. I have also thought a long time about getting the opportunity to become a
tour guide for incoming freshmen and transfer students coming to OSU. I feel
that by being able to apply and receive the job opportunity to become a tour guide
for OSU will help with broadening my abilities in leadership. Being able to
properly speak and lead a group of strangers takes a lot of confidence and I
believe it was also strengthen my leadership skills because in a way, you are
technically “leading” a group.
Besides job
opportunities, I feel that by having the chance with others to work on a group
project also strengthens a person’s leadership skills. Group work is a vital
foundation in creating and sustaining leadership. Working in groups helps individuals
learn their strengths and weaknesses and it’s also another form of engagement
for those to venture out of their comfort zone. For instance, I’ve worked on numerous
projects this past quarter. After awhile, you learn your groups strengths and
what each person can contribute effectively. Working in small groups during
leadership class also has helped me with leadership. It made me more open to
speak and work with others that I didn’t know very well. Nonetheless, I plan to
read books that discusses the importance of leadership and justifies what makes
a leader. I believe reading is a great way to help boost leadership but
sometimes it’s often overlooked.
Below
are high rated leadership books:
What is your own
philosophy of leadership?
Leadership is the principles and values
a leader possesses in his/her life that affects the way he/she leads a group of
individuals. I believe leadership is based on morals and a set of rules that
are deeply ingrained in a person, which in fact, dictates effectively how well
an individual can lead a team. Leadership is more intended to be an act of
reaching out, versus selfishness for one’s own needs. Leadership is only
effective with an individual that is self driven and is able to put him/herself
in a powerful position with the help of others supporting the latter to
leadership. Also, leadership is a quality that many of us possess regardless is
a person’s doubts his/herself. For some, leadership may be a given and “extraverted”
trait that is clear amongst others to see. For others, leadership is held in
lower social positions, however, leadership is leadership.
Nonetheless, the book speaks about the
aspects of leadership and how those aspects are rooted in the way we lead. On
page 4 of Exploring Leadership, the author explains that “leadership is
a concern of all of us” and “as individuals and groups, we have a
responsibility to contribute effectively as members of organizations….”. The
author is in fact true. I believe that the concern of wanting to lead and form leadership for
others is a natural drive that humans possess. We strive to help others and to
have others follow along our path. To know that you have others looking up to
you for advice or looking to seek knowledge from your actions is a great
feeling. Also, leadership is something that comes from within, it’s a natural
feeling of holding a high standing over others (in a positive way). Overall,
leadership is a set of rules and morals that leaders follow in order to effectively
lead a group of individuals in a positive direction, thus producing more
leaders. The cycle of leadership is never endless, it’s a cycle that gradually
continues and moves from one person to the next.
Leadership Quotes
Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers
stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They
have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care.
Either case is a failure of leadership.
Colin Powell
It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.
Nelson Mandela
Colin Powell
It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger. Then people will appreciate your leadership.
Nelson Mandela
