Developing a Philosophy of Leadership
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Tallahassee Community College *
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Course
2261
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
5
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Developing a Philosophy of Leadership
A leadership philosophy is the way we see ourselves as leaders. This philosophy guides our actions, our behaviors, and our thoughts. We can change who we are as leaders by simply changing our philosophy of leadership. Leadership philosophies can change as you grow to understand yourself within the context of leading.
Creating or finding your leadership philosophy means that you must explore and reflect upon your personal values and beliefs about leadership.
Personal values
are qualities or characteristics that you value. You would rather leave an organization or step down as a leader than violate your values. Your values guide your intentions
and they influence how you lead. When your personal values are clear and you are conscious of them, you create a solid foundation for leading.
Beliefs
are ideas that we hold to be true; they shape our realities. If a leader believes that the only individuals in an organization that can make decisions is the management staff, then that belief will influence how the leader treats others. Beliefs can also be unconscious; they are for us a habitual way of thinking and acting that it doesn't cross our minds that our beliefs may be prohibiting us.
The following is an exercise to help you create, find, or define your personal philosophy of leadership.
Complete the exercises and then create your personal leadership philosophy. You will type your answers in this document and then upload it to the Canvas assignment link.
Exercise 1: Identifying Your Leadership Values
From the list below, pick three core values that you feel describe and guide who you are as a leader. You may choose other values that are not on the list. Place them in the following chart and answer the questions in the matrix.
Achievement Activity
Advancement
Adventure
Affiliation
Affluence
Authority
Autonomy
Balance
Challenge Change
Collaboration
Community
Competency
Competition
Courage
Creativity Diverse Perspectives
Duty
Economic security
Friendship
Health
Humor
Harmony
Integrity
Justice
Love
Loyalty
Personal Development
Recognition
Self-respect
Wisdom
Other values that you would like to include but are not on the list?
Identifying Your Leadership Values
Values
List your values here
Personal Definition of Values
List here your definition of
these values here
How do you envision these
values playing out in your
leadership?
1.
Autonomy
A good leader should be able
to get their followers to a
place where the leader can be
less hands off and they are all
able to excel
When I am in a leadership
position my main priority is to
teach everyone well enough
that the team or whoever I’m
leading is able to function
without me
2. Harmony
Everyone on the team should
be able to work together
without issues and get things
done
My team members should feel
comfortable around me and
their fellow teammates
3. Personal Development
People I lead should leave
better off and more
knowledgeable then when I
met them
Exercise 2: Understanding Your Leadership Beliefs
Answer the following questions about your leadership beliefs. By reflecting on these questions, you will find what beliefs you hold about leadership.
1)
Should leaders have certain qualities or traits to be able to lead? If not, why? If so, why, and what traits or qualities should the person have?
No, qualities and traits aren’t necessary because anyone can learn to be a leader without having those innate qualities. Leadership is a skill.
2)
Who decides who leads? Why? How does this relate to your definition of leadership?
The followers should be the ones to choose their leader because they are the ones who will follow them and how can you expect your followers to listen to you
when they didn’t even want you to lead them.
3)
How do leaders gain credibility? Be specific and give examples in your response.
Leaders gain credibility by consistently proving themselves as trustworthy and reliable. They have to always be showing their followers that they are where they are for a reason
4)
In general, is there something good about leadership? (What do we mean by "good" here? Ethical? Positive?)
Yes
5)
As you reflect on the assumptions of Theory X and Theory Y from chapter 4, how would you describe your own philosophy? Theory Y
6)
Take the Leadership Styles Questionnaire in Chapter 3. What does this questionnaire tell
you about your beliefs regarding leadership? That I lean more towards Laissez-Faire leadership or Democratic.
Exercise 3: Finalizing Your Leadership Philosophy
Now that you've identified your leadership values and understand what beliefs guide your leadership thinking, you are now ready to write statements reflecting your leadership philosophy using the responses above. Your leadership philosophy should be a statement that consists of your responses from the above exercise. It doesn't have to include everything, but it should encompass the general idea of what you've written. It doesn't have to be formatted in a certain way – just whatever makes sense to you. You can write one sentence statements or you can write a story explaining your philosophy. Start with an initial draft of your philosophy and write it down. Revise it as often as you need. Remember, your philosophy can change depending on where you are at with your leadership.
After you've finished, type out your philosophy on a nice sheet of paper and frame it. Add pictures or artwork to your philosophy. Place it in an area where you will see it all the time; this
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will serve as a reminder to you to remain true to your leadership. The following is a sample philosophy statement consisting of one sentence statements. Remember, you can write your philosophy in any way that makes sense to you.
My Leadership Philosophy is...
I want my followers to surpass me
I believe a good leader remains hands off
I believe good leaders leave their followers better than when they found them
My followers should be well prepared and able to step up and take my place when the time comes
Good leaders hold the respect and trust of their followers