Leadership Profile

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Texas A&M University, Kingsville *

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5315

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Management

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Nov 24, 2024

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docx

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1 Leadership Profile Xinjie Chen Johns Hopkins University Planning a New Venture in Education Prof Demian Garcia Scalici 21 September 2021

2 Leader's characteristics and skills The leader identified for this assignment is Kamala Harris. Kamala Harris is the current vice president of the United States, serving under President Joe Biden at the Oval office. Following her swearing-in ceremony in January 2021, she is the first woman and the first woman of color to hold the second-highest post in the United States government (Cook, 2019). She was also California's first female senator and senator of color and the first female attorney general and attorney general of color (Cook, 2019). Her achievements are a testament to how far democracy has come in the United States. When she was born in 1964, black women were barred from voting by the discriminatory voting laws present at the time (Cook, 2019). Kamala Harris is a figure for all women and people of color to look up to, as she has beaten the odds and made history. Kamala Harris is a great leader because she is courageous and makes her voice heard (Cook, 2019). In a government traditionally ruled only by men, it is simple to overlook her when making decisions. However, she always makes her voice heard and ensures her opinion makes a difference. For instance, during the presidential debate before the elections, former vice president Mike Pence tried to speak over one of Kamala Harris' arguments (Cook, 2019). She did not take this matter lightly, as she made her voice heard and told the acting vice president to let her finish speaking before he spoke so that they had a proper conversation (Cook, 2019). Kamala Harris is also an excellent leader because she is ambitious. Before Joe Biden selected her to be his running mate, she faced numerous attacks on her character, trustworthiness, and ability to lead the country if elected into government (Cook, 2019). However, she was not disheartened, but she silenced her non-believers using a quote, 'You are burdened by having the capacity to see what

3 has always been, but not what can be' (Cook, 2019). She proceeded to gain selection as Joe Biden's running mate. Also, Kamala Harris is a humble leader (Cook, 2019). Throughout her career, she has made history and become many 'firsts,' including the first vice president of the United States. Indeed, these moments bring her joy, but instead of dwelling in the pride, she focuses on the responsibility accompanying these titles (Cook, 2019). Finally, Kamala Harris is a great leader because of her focus and drive to develop those around her. While she was campaigning to gain the Democrat candidate position, she made time to speak to young women and children about various issues (Cook, 2019). For instance, while in Iowa, she said privately to two young women and urged them not to ask for permission to lead (Cook, 2019). A leader who empowers those around her is a leader who truly cares about her subjects. Comparison to Personal Characteristics and skills Kamala Harris is courageous and makes her voice heard while I struggle with the issue. For instance, I cannot make people listen when I have something to say; hence many of my ideas are unseen or unnoticed while they may have been beneficial. In a particular instance, my male counterpart took credit for an idea I offered in the school entrepreneurship club because he could say it louder and firmer than I did. Confidence is an area I need to improve on. Secondly, I am unable to develop others as I prefer to keep to myself. Though I know how to help individuals going through various hurdles of life, I find myself unable to because I always fear criticism and saying the wrong thing, unlike Kamala Harris. The latter is always confident and sure of herself, as she was in Iowa when she advised those two young women not to ask for permission to lead. Also, Kamala Harris is a self-aware leader who prioritizes personal development (Cook, 2019). In comparison, I am not emotionally intelligent, a component that makes me poor at self-

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4 awareness. Emotionally competent leaders, such as Kamala Harris, are more adaptive, resilient, and accepting of feedback from others. In comparison, I may feel belittled or incapable when corrected, which is a characteristic I need to improve on. Emotional intelligence and self- awareness promote success among leaders by helping them focus on the bigger picture and avoid distractions. Also, Kamala Harris is a disciplined leader (Cook, 2019). Her achievements are a testament to how much success discipline and hard work can bring your way, as she rose from a California lawyer to the Vice President of the United States. Even the best business plan is useless without a disciplined entrepreneur. I need to improve on this area, as I constantly have episodes of self-indiscipline, which can be very costly to a business. For instance, I once had an early doctor's appointment, but I missed it because I overslept. I was unable to wake up as I was busy the previous night playing games on my phone. An entrepreneur should always maintain discipline to promote the value among her employees and ultimately better business outcomes (Karol, 2015). Qualities that make one a successful leader Leadership skills are imperative to the success of any entrepreneurial activity (Karol, 2015). The first leadership quality I possess, which is helpful in entrepreneurial activity, is learning. I invest my time significantly in reading and learning new things. Updating knowledge is vital in entrepreneurship to know what other businesses have done and succeeded and understand the mistakes of fallen companies to avoid repeating them (Karol, 2015). Having a healthy reading culture is also essential to an entrepreneur. One unconsciously creates a reading environment, where you influence your employees, partners, and people in your vicinity to read. Eventually, the business develops a reading culture, which benefits the company in the long run. I am also perseverant. Having faced numerous adversities in life, I have learned not to give up,

5 especially when the going gets tough. True entrepreneurs do not quit; they keep going until they get what they want (Karol, 2015). Perseverance is essential for any entrepreneurial activity as challenges are inevitable, and if the entrepreneur gives up at the sight of any hurdle, they can never achieve success. Also, I am sincere. Honesty is an essential characteristic of an exceptional leader, as dishonest leaders often become the masters of their downfall (Karol, 2015). Honesty is imperative in entrepreneurship to win the trust and respect of one's employees and business associates. Also, if a leader has a reputation of being honest, the employees can trust his negative or positive feedback regarding their work, improving the business outputs in the long run (Karol, 2015). For example, honest leaders do not self-sabotage by using the business capital to gamble or pay personal debts. Dishonest leaders often end up destroying their businesses by misappropriating finances. I am also involved, a leadership skill that is essential in entrepreneurship. An involved leader does not spend the day locked in her office taking private appointments. Instead, she walks around the factory or department, spending time among her employees and interacting with everyone while watching them doing their work (Karol, 2015). This way, the leader can understand the challenges the employees may be facing and view the workplace from the employee's eyes. Finally, I am supportive, a character trait important in leadership and entrepreneurship. Like any leader, the entrepreneur should support his colleagues and employees to achieve the organization or business's goals (Karol, 2015). For example, if the employees decide to take a calculated risk resulting in a loss, I would not punish them. Instead, I would use this as an opportunity to learn where we would sit, analyze what went wrong, and determine the way forward to avoid reoccurrence while helping the employees correct their mistakes.

6 Needed Training, Development, or Actions To improve my self-awareness and prioritize personal development, I intend to set goals, prioritize them and take the responsibility of accomplishing them. I also plan to take responsibility for my shortcomings and the mistakes I make along the way. Finally, I intend to set boundaries between my personal and professional life. These measures are essential to set an example for the members of my organization. Also, they are intended to improve my emotional intelligence and promote my self-development, allowing me to become a better leader to the organization. I also determined the problem of the inability to develop others in my organization. The necessary actions to mitigate this issue include making training a priority (Karol, 2015). That way, individuals will benefit from my skills, from each other, and the training sessions. Also, I intend to show empathy as well as strength during my operations. That way, the employees in my organization will have a strict leader who they respect and obey and a kind leader who helps them with any issues they may face. To curb indiscipline, I intend to master my thoughts. Upon further evaluation, I realize that I struggle with positive reviews; I tend to see the downside of entrepreneurial situations instead of maintaining a positive mindset. To improve my discipline, it is necessary to take captive my thoughts, prevent negative thoughts and commit to the task of being an entrepreneur (Karol, 2015). I also intend to respect my time and that of others. I will do this by implementing a day planner, where my day is organized into productive segments. Moreover, I will set my watch ten minutes ahead to avoid being late for meetings and wasting other people's time. I intend to practice self-care to ensure my body is in optimal condition to face the stress of entrepreneurship. Self-care through regular exercise, healthy diets, and feeding the mind with positive thoughts is essential in business success, as a healthy entrepreneur is a productive

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7 entrepreneur (Karol, 2015). Finally, I intend to improve my discipline by communicating clearly. Disciplined leaders understand the value of clear and effective communication (Karol, 2015). Ineffective communication increases frequency of errors, decreasing business productivity and output. As a leader, I intend to communicate early and address issues vital to the organization. For example, if I am communicating via e-mail, intend to ensure all the words are well spelt, and that the message is concise but easily understandable.

8 References Cook, C. (2019). What California knows about Kamala Harris. Cal Matters . Karol, R. A. (2015). Leadership in the context of corporate entrepreneurship. Journal of Leadership Studies , 8 (4), 30-34.

Leadership Profile

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