“If your actions inspire others to dream more, do more and become more, you are a leader,” John Quincy Adams. This quote from John Quincy Adams has been one of my all-time favorites, ever since I attend a leadership conference around three years ago. Actions speak a thousand words, whether negative or positive. In my life, I have had a few inspirational and influential leaders. I was raised by a single mother of two in a lower-class neighborhood, therefore I grew up faster than the kids my own age for. As the oldest child, I had to make sure I was setting an example for my younger brother. I walked my brother to and from school, made sure his homework was complete, and had our room clean all before my mother arrived from work. Although, I was raised by a single parent if it weren’t for my mother I would not know the meaning of leadership. My mother has taught me how to be independent with a strong presents of leadership. While she is a leader in the workforce and at home. She is the best example of a leader, as she is the manager …show more content…
of a local restaurant. Besides work, she is a leader at home. Although, she is the head of the house, she does not make any decisions without taking our opinions into account. Making us feel important and involved in the decisions process. She has always said that the key to being a great leader is listening and making those around you feel as or more important than you are. Now every time I am asked what kind of leader I want to be, I hear those exact words. Someone who is willing to listen and make others feel important. Numerous amounts of people do not know what they want to do in life, myself included let alone know what my life purpose is.
It was not until a few years ago, I knew I want to be a business owner/entrepreneur. Although, I have a sense of what I wanted to do in life I do not know what my life purpose is. I always thought of “life purpose” as something you would contribute to the world whether in a small or big way to make it better. Now I see it as a reason for living whether it is changing the world or someone’s life. Therefore, my purpose in life is to help others achieve their own goals. Make them feel like they have a purpose in life. I want to be someone they look up to not because of power and money, but because I helped them become better leaders. Just how I look up to my mother as a leader, I want those surrounding me to feel the same about me. Which I will accomplish with the help of my three core values; family, trust, and
respect. Growing up I was taught that family is everything. That with the guidance of my family I would be able to achieve anything I put my mind to. Although, my family is not perfect they give me the best advice, always telling me to learn from their mistakes. Most of my family members did not finish high school, so when it came down to my education my mother pushed me even further. Hence the reason I am here today completing my bachelors. In addition, trust is an important value for me, trusting that everything happens for a reason. I have always believed that everything happens for a reason and we should not regret anything we have done. If we keep living in the past we will not be able to surpass in the future. As well, having to trust others just like I would like them to trust me. Many struggle with trust because of previous experience. On the other hand, I try to give everyone the benefit of doubt. By earning the trust of my peers and followers I will grow as a leader and vice versa. Therefore, earning the trust of those who surrounding you, then you will be able to gain their respect which is my last key core value to being a leader. Being a leader is more than just having power and bossing people around. It is about working together as a team, having values and beliefs, and the strength to accomplish certain task others cannot. As a leader my followers should expect someone who is responsible, respectful, and see me as someone who they can trust. Being the leader I am responsible when it comes to completing a task on hand in a timely manner. As well, oversee the responsibility of my team members making sure that I equally divide the responsibility between one another including myself. As well, within the process I have to make sure that I respect my follower’s values and beliefs just how I would want them to respect mine. I cannot make them compromise their moral values for something against they do not believe in. That is why it is important to listen and get to know your followers. In addition, I will be able to gain the trust of my followers. With that trust I will be able to communicate better with in my peer. Now when it comes down to what I expect from my people is the same thing I provide myself. I like to have a push pull relationship with my people. I treat others like I would want to be treated that’s why I have the expectations I mentioned before. Going back to what I stated at the beginning “actions speak louder than words.” It is one thing to say you are going to act a certain way, but to act that way is completely different. I have not had the best examples of leadership within an organizations, there has been a lot of miscommunication, misunderstanding, and blame. Ever since then I made sure to make a mental note that I would not be like the leaders from my previous experiences. That’s why I strive to be someone who is responsible, respectful, and trustworthy leader. Although, without any action those words mean nothing. One example where I am a responsible leader is when I make sure to complete all the tasks on deadline just how I expect my team to do. As well, admit when I am wrong and take responsibility from my mistakes instead of blaming everyone else. Also from my previous experience as the president of the Matador Ambassador was listening and gaining the trust and respect of my peers. Once I was able to receive the trust of my fellow ambassadors we were able to communicate and work better as a team. Although, one thing I made sure to never forgot was to staying humble, never forgetting where I started. Because no matter how much one looks up to you or how many followers you have we all stated from the same place.
Where I thought Money, fame, glory and power where my goals. I dreamed of becoming the CEO of Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Moreover, the reason was that currently their CEO makes 14.5 million a year. Growing up I always assumed making more money would make me happy. As I grew up and started, working the goal was always to make more money. For instance, my first job I made $15 a day. I would tell myself if I only made $30 a day, I would be able to do this or that. As the years progress I went on to tell myself if I only made XX amount of dollars my life would get better. Now that I am making a decent amount of money now I can say okay life is better but it is not the money it is my lifestyle and my son that has enhance my
Leaders should lead by example. What a leader does and how they do it, serves as an example for others to follow. A leader’s behavior and actions are an important and effective way to influence the behavior of the people the lead. Leaders must treat other with dignity and respect. Leaders take responsibility for their actions, maintain their integrity by doing the right things and develop personable and commutative vision for their organizations. Leaders instill a sense of discipline; enforce organizational standards of the organization and do not turn a blind eye or overlook problems.
“In order to be a good leader, there are two things to remember. Lead from the Front and always set the Example. From these two leadership principles, everything else will fall into place.”
Leadership affects my life in many ways. My father is a leader. He lead his company that he used to own to receive many awards. He is one of the nicest men i have ever met. My father is so easy to talk to and get along with. He got his amazing qualities from his father. I never had the chance to meet my real grandfather but from the stories i have been told it seems to me that he was one of the greatest people to walk this earth. "Big Daddy" is what my father calls him. We go to his grave in Chester Virginia every fathers day and see him. I have people come up to me on a weekly bases and tell me how great of a man he was. So many stories to be told about him, but not very many from my father. My grandfather inherited the business from his father. I have not heard much about him but i assume he was just as good of a man as my father and my grandfather. A leader steps up to the plate and does not cower away from a rough battle. A leader will prevail. I also try and form the leader i am becoming today by Doctor Allen....
The authors try to define who is a leader. They say “Leadership is a process of influence. Anytime you seek to influence the thinking, behaviour, or development of people in their personal or professional lives, you are taking on the role of a leader.” (pg. 5) You might be a parent, a teacher, a nurse, a pastor, a coach, or an adult child helping her aging parents. There are differences between being a “life leader” (such as a parent) and an “organizational leader” (a manager in a company). The author defines leadership as influence in a positive or negative direction.
Our world is filled with many successful leaders. The gift of being a leader can be learned; however some individuals have a natural born talent to be a leader. Each leader has his or her own unique leadership style. The gift of being a leader can be learned. Certain individuals are born with a charismatic style and can easily be a leader. A successful leader is one who can inspire and motivate people towards a goal. Martin Luther King Jr. was an individual with a born gift to lead people. The following paper will discuss how Martin Luther King Jr. was able to inspire and motivate people with his effective leadership style.
Leadership is being able to direct or guide other people by either your own actions or by actually guiding them into the right direction (Acumen). Inspiration to be a leader might come from many different areas like your family, friends, peers, or even teachers. My inspiration didn’t really occur to me until I started attending college in August 2013. In all actuality I never even thought of how to be a leader until I was in Mrs. Moore’s Perspectives class. I now have a desire to be a great leader, and the inspiration has come from Mrs. Moore, and my family. I am the first to attend college out of my family, so in a away I have already started leading my siblings in the right direction. Being a leader means inspiring others to pursue their dreams, and aspirations and helping throughout the journey to success. Being a leader has nothing with authority or being able to tell other what, and how to do things, it’s about having people who look up to you and want to follow your example.
The world of today is filled with successful men who have become great leaders in their field of expertise and achieved many extraordinary and remarkable things. People usually wonder what these great men have that they lack and what should they do in order to even achieve similar feats. The answer to such an intriguing and complicated looking question is surprisingly simple! It is to have a heart and the attitude of a great leader. Young men are taught that if they study hard enough and long enough, they might be able to achieve some things in life which, unfortunately, is a wrong notion proved wrong by a remarkably successful man named Bill Gates. He was a college dropout but still managed to be the founder of one of the biggest IT Mammoth – Microsoft. He is just a famous example, but there are thousands other in every corner of the world, making a mark for themselves despite their poor qualifications. Their amazing ability to manage and lead is what really sets them apart. There are sayings that leaders are born, not made, but, if you follow the life of any great leader and ask them, most will give you an answer that they learnt everything they knew through the lessons of life, an open mind & positive self motivation. These points are important if you aspire to become successful and be the guy everyone else looks up to for inspiration. There are various kinds of leadership techniques that can be learnt and imbibed by anyone who is willing to go the distance. Among the many ways of being a leader, the one that seems to be the most promising is a lately evolved concept of authentic leadership.
Leaders have those indispensable qualities of contagious self-confidence, unwarranted optimism, and incurable idealism that allow them to attract and mobilize others to undertake tasks these people never dreamed they could undertake. (To Lead or Not to Lead, Unit One 36)
Leaders can have a powerful impact on the futures of many, and the way in which one approaches leadership is paramount to the type of impact one will have. Continual growth in the areas of knowledge I have and seek to acquire, as well as recognizing my leadership style and utilizing my personal strengths to the fullest, is vital to the successful implementation of my personal philosophy of leadership.
I feel that all successful people must make a major positive contribution to the world in some way during their lifetimes. Not everyone can do this, however, and it seems that your view on life has a major effect on your ability to do so. I hope that while developing my skills I also will develop the mindset required to make a major contribution to the world. Ultimately, I think that if I continue to participate in extracurricular activities and courses that hone my knowledge and skills I will be able to have a successful career as a computer engineer, and eventually have an impact on the world for the greater good.
I wanted to embrace life. I wanted to be in a position emotionally and financially to help others. My Sunday School teacher shared with me long ago, “Linda, if you want to be happy, serve others.” I believe that statement is true. I found the top brass at Alaska National Guard is a group of self-serving people.
Leadership is trait that is extremely important in any society. Leadership is known as the way people attempting to make a difference in a situation. However, I believe that it is better said to be a way of influencing others actions. Leadership is usually connected to a great leader that affected his or her followers in a dynamic way. Throughout the semester for my leadership class, I have expanded the knowledge in numerous ways. I now have fully understanding of the purpose and process of leadership to a society. Being a leader one must maintain an image of being the role model. I believe that this is leader should be who is someone who has the ability to influence, encourage, listen, and nurture. They are able to inspire, stimulate, persuade, shape, and have an effect on others.
Some people were born to be great leaders and some were born to be great learners. I ask myself this question, “How was I created?” Was I born a leader or was I molded to lead. As I explain my philosophy on how I want to lead, I will first dive into my past to recognize and pin point my creator. October 27th 2004 I raise my right hand in order to serve and protect the United State against all enemies, foreign and domestic. At this moment in my young personal leadership journey, I get my first glimpse of a leadership style, “shut up and listen.”
Finally, leaders are able to keep everything in perspective. They invest themselves fully but also are able to keep their priorities in order. As a child I never understood anything that my mother did or said but now that I am an adult I realize that my mother had a valid reason for everything she did. My entire childhood my mother has molded me to become a great leader and all the lessons that my mother has taught me I can spread the knowledge to my children. Successful leaders keep it all in perspective because they are able to separate the important from the urgent, and devote their time