Many of us can think of leaders we have come to admire, be they historical figures, pillars of the industry we work in, or leaders we know personally. The leadership of individuals such as Abraham Lincoln and Margaret Thatcher has been studied and discussed repeatedly. However, you may have interacted with leaders you feel demonstrated equally competent leadership without ever having a book written about their approaches.
What makes great leaders great? Every leader is different, of course, but one area of commonality is the leadership philosophy that great leaders develop and practice. A leadership philosophy is basically an attitude held by leaders that acts as a guiding principle for their behavior. While formal theories on leadership continue to evolve over time, great leaders seem to adhere to an overarching philosophy that steers their actions.
What is your leadership philosophy? In this Assignment, you will explore what guides your own leadership.
To Prepare:
- Identify two to three scholarly resources, in addition to this Module’s readings, that evaluate the impact of leadership behaviors in creating healthy work environments.
- Reflect on the leadership behaviors presented in the three resources that you selected for review.
- Reflect on your results of the CliftonStrengths Assessment*, and consider how the results relate to your leadership traits.
*not required to submit CliftonStrengths Assessment
The Assignment (2-3 pages):
Personal Leadership Philosophies
Develop and submit a personal leadership philosophy that reflects what you think are characteristics of a good leader. Use the scholarly resources on leadership you selected to support your philosophy statement. Your personal leadership philosophy should include the following:
- A description of your core values.
- A personal mission and vision statement.
- An analysis of your CliftonStrengths Assessment summarizing the results of your profile
- A description of two key behaviors that you wish to strengthen.
- A development plan that explains how you plan to improve upon the two key behaviors you selected and an explanation of how you plan to achieve your personal vision. Be specific and provide examples.
- Be sure to incorporate your colleagues’ feedback on your CliftonStrengths Assessment from this Module’s
Personal Leadership Philosophy
Core Values:
- Integrity: Upholding honesty, transparency, and ethical conduct in all actions.
- Empathy: Understanding and valuing the perspectives and feelings of others.
- Accountability: Taking responsibility for my actions and decisions.
Personal Mission Statement: To inspire and empower individuals to reach their full potential by fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment, driven by values, and guided by a shared vision of success.
Personal Vision Statement: To lead with integrity, compassion, and accountability, creating a workplace where every team member feels valued, motivated, and equipped to excel.
CliftonStrengths Assessment Summary: My CliftonStrengths Assessment revealed strengths in strategic thinking, communication, adaptability, empathy, and responsibility. These strengths enable me to develop innovative solutions, connect with others effectively, embrace change, understand diverse perspectives, and take ownership of my actions.
Key Behaviors to Strengthen:
- Delegation: While I value accountability, I tend to take on too much responsibility. I need to improve my delegation skills to empower team members and distribute work more efficiently.
- Conflict Resolution: Enhancing my ability to navigate and resolve conflicts constructively is essential for maintaining a harmonious and productive work environment.
Development Plan:
- Delegation Improvement:
- Identify tasks suitable for delegation based on team members’ strengths and workload.
- Provide clear instructions and expectations when assigning tasks.
- Regularly check progress and offer support when needed.
- Evaluate the outcomes and learn from delegation experiences.
- Seek feedback from team members on my delegation approach.
- Conflict Resolution Enhancement:
- Practice active listening to understand the root causes of conflicts.
- Promote open and honest communication among team members.
- Mediate conflicts when necessary, focusing on finding mutually beneficial solutions.
- Implement conflict resolution workshops or training for the team.
- Continuously assess and adapt my conflict resolution strategies based on outcomes.
Achieving the Personal Vision: To achieve my personal vision, I will consistently apply my core values of integrity, empathy, and accountability in all leadership actions. By strengthening my delegation and conflict resolution skills, I aim to create a healthy work environment where trust, collaboration, and individual growth are prioritized. I will measure progress through team feedback, improved team dynamics, and the achievement of collective goals.
Incorporating feedback from colleagues and remaining open to their perspectives will be integral to refining my leadership philosophy and enhancing my leadership effectiveness.