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A leader looks to instill values and to promote a vision. Their values are directed towards the team and the goal is to lead by example. A manager does need to possess at least some of the crucial leadership qualities; however, management can be learned whereas I don’t feel leadership can be taught. B. A leader must be able and willing to partner up on tasks; they must support the team and provide guidance. A superior leader is available and approachable. A leader should be seen as someone people can turn to and trust. They would assist the team in meeting their goals and objectives while promoting the employees’ career.
C. Our textbook defines leadership as “leadership occurs whenever one person attempts to influence the behavior of an individual or a group, regardless of reason. It may be for one’s own goals or for the goals of others, and these goals may or may not be congruent with organizational goals” (Hershey, Blanchard & Interview Paper 3 D. Johnson, 2008, p. 6). Both of the women I interviewed recognize the definition of leadership and implement it in their daily work. Each woman seeks to remote a better professional environment using their leadership position as effectively as possible.
Question 2: What is your philosophy on leadership? A. I believe leadership is made up of several components. The core components include having a vision for your team, the desire to learn and grow, and finally a leader must be accessible and unbiased to most effectively conduct a project. There are many subsets to my philosophy on leadership; however, the core pieces are very important and primarily what I focus on. B. My philosophy is that leadership is collaborative must all work together to achieve the common oils of the company.
I allow people to make mistakes so they can use those mistakes as a learning tool; however, I also want to share in their learning process and successes. A leader must inspire their team. C. Many times the leadership philosophy is hastily prepared. Quite often, leaders are demanding jobs until they assume new positions. They do not have the luxury of time for genuine reflection about their personal leadership philosophy. Most write some peripheral thoughts about leadership, beliefs and personal philosophy. They then discuss it with immediate subordinates and send their philosophy to elements within the organization.
Both women interviewed embrace the necessity of the team and the importance of taking the time to reflect and review on a project. Question 3: What is your leadership style? Interview Paper 4 A. My style is to take the goals and objectives of the business and engage my team to work together to meet those targets. I define the vision. I do not follow a clear-cut style. There needs to be flexibility within the group to change and adapt as needed. B. I am definitely a casual leader. I do not micro-manage and I purposely step back to allow people to do their job. I believe in giving my employees or team members as many opportunities as possible.
An employee must be given the chance to shine in order to be considered for future promotions, etc. I am extremely good at delegating tasks. I encourage independence and have found people work better when they are given freedom. The one request I am adamant about is to always be open and honest with me. I feel my employees are comfortable approaching me and I never would want someone to be afraid of telling me something. If there has been a mistake, tell me. We can deal with it. I despise surprises. C. There are typically three styles of leadership: authoritarian, participative, and free reign (U.
S. Army Handbook, 1973). Yup,X, in interview 1, demonstrates the participative style. This type of style involves the leader including one or more employees in on the decision making process. The leader maintains the final decision making authority. Using this style is not a sign of weakness; rather it is a sign of strength that your employees will respect. XX, in interview 2, focuses more on the free reign style. In this style, the leader allows the employees to make the decision. However, the leader is still responsible for the decisions that are made.
This is used when employees are able to analyze the situation and Interview Paper 5 determine what needs to be done and how to do it. You cannot do everything! You must set priorities and delegate certain tasks. Question 4: What are the strengths of your leadership style? A. Because my style is flexible, people tend to feel comfortable coming to me. I do my best to be personable while still maintaining a professional stance within the organization. Truly believe that no one works “for employees and team members work “with me”. M always willing to compromise and that has proven to be a major strength.
B. In my experience, people do not want to be micro-managed. They collapse under constant scrutiny and pressure. Micro-management also fosters a negative atmosphere. My casual leadership style has always been successful. C. Consideration and structure are two approaches that measure strengths in specific leadership styles. Leaders are concerned about the human needs of their employees. They build teamwork, help employees with their problems, and provide psychological support. Leaders believe they get results by consistently peeping people busy and urging them to produce.
There is evidence that leaders who are considerate in their leadership style are higher performers and are more satisfied with their job (Cherishes, 1982). Question 5: What is your first memory of leadership? A. I was forced to be a leader very early on in my life. I grew up without a mother and my father encouraged me to fill her shoes. I wasn’t the oldest sibling; however, I was the oldest daughter. I was thrown into the “mother” role long Interview Paper 6 before I was ready. The experience allowed me to tailor my leadership skills even s a child and teenager.
B. My first memory of being a leader is when I first entered the corporate world. I was very shy and tried to blend in as a teenager. I remember feeling that the leadership role was not a smooth, comfortable fit. I really had to push myself to step outside of my comfort zone. In the end, though, leadership roles on small projects exposed me to great opportunities. C. It is clear by my interview responses leadership is often something that can take you by surprise. Both women interviewed recognize that leadership was not something they specifically sought out.
Often, a person needs to be given that “one big break” or the one visible opportunity. Not only are they able to prove to themselves they are competent in leadership roles, they are able to shine in the success. Question 6: What builds leadership? A. Credibility builds leadership. A leader needs to be respected which takes time. Respect, authority, and trust cannot be built overnight. B. Education is the foundation of leadership. In my experience, my family has shown me what builds leadership. Parenting has been my biggest, yet most fulfilling experience in leadership.
I feel that extra-curricular activities such as band, choir, sports, drama, and debate early on in school pave the way for successful social interaction. Interview Paper 7 C. A specific formula for leadership certainly does not exist. Each person has a different perception on what builds leadership. Some components that are consistent include: trustworthiness, credibility, education, and experience. Question 8: What destroys leadership? A. A credibility question will destroy a person’s ability to be an effective leader. When the team’s trust is broken, the leader will have to work extremely hard to turn to their position.
Over-aggressive leaders tend to fail as people typically do not respond well to that particular personality type. Another critical mistake leaders make is being rigid with their beliefs. Inflexibility can destroy the leader- team relationship. A stale leader will also fall. There has to be a consistent stream of fresh ideas, leaders must take advantage of new opportunities, and explore constant change. B. A leader who cannot communicate effectively will fail in their role. Without communication, leadership does not exist. Leadership s destroyed by a negative attitude, perjury, and minimal self-awareness. C.
Some people think leadership is about power or authority. Some people think that holding an office or an executive position automatically brings power and authority. That is not so. Power and authority are ephemeral–they disappear when the will of the people shifts. Question 7: Do you believe leaders are born, created, or both? A. I am on the fence with this question. I do believe leaders are both born and created. I know people who fall into each category. I feel leadership traits are visible early on; however, if a person never really exhibits interest in leadership Interview Paper 8 roles, they may be overlooked.
I would lean towards the belief that leaders are born, though. There are so many intrinsic qualities one must possess to be a successful leader. B. I feel there has to be some sort of fundamental quality within a person so there is a foundation to build a leader upon. In my experience, grew up in a male-dominated family. The men in my life were all salesmen. I was pressured to be an introvert as a child and through my teen years. When I entered the workforce, I pulled that “leader” out and have progressed through my career. C.
As stated the first day of class, I believe leaders are credentialed then born with potential. If being a leader means challenging the status quo, then you need youthful rebelliousness to stand up and be counted. This is a character trait you were born with or developed very early in life – it is not a learned skill set. Earlier theories of leadership rejected the idea that leaders are born because they identified leadership with ability to influence, noting rightly there are widely differing styles of influence and that people can improve their influencing skills.
However, the critical leadership trait is the spirit of adventure – a bit like creativity. You may have it in small, rather than large, doses, but you either have it or you don’t.