Leadership has been a fundamental aspiration and sought after achievement in my life. From my meager beginnings in Bishopville, South Carolina, I desired to be a great leader without having the accoutrements afforded some of my peers, i.e. money, status, education. It is these tangibles and intangibles I felt would propel me into prominence. Little did I know at the time that money or status are not the ingredients of a leader. Upon learning the definition of a leader and what leadership is, I came to know that I am a leader.
Leadership
Peter Northouse in his book Introduction to Leadership describes leadership in several ways. He first defines leadership as as a trait, a usually inherited distinguishing quality. Further leadership is
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Our team won the regional championship two years in a row. I was my high school debate team captain. As a leader I strive to be an example to followers. I try to model good follow-ship. This means I don’t require followers to do anything that I have not done or will not do. Motivating and stimulating others to perform to the best of their abilities is a cornerstone of my leadership. Heretofore, establishing goals and objectives for organizations I have served has been a consensus effort including each person on the team in this development. The inclusivity of each person has allowed me to build a cohesive team.
Where there have been conflicts, I endeavored to find solutions that met the needs of most persons and when this was not attainable, I tried to find common ground. I love people. A statement I read that was made by Thomas S. Monson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ, Latter Day Saints, “Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved” has shaped not only my life but also how I view leadership.
Results of Leadership
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While I have natural leadership ability, there are some aspect of leadership that I had to learn and still others that I need to learn. Secondarily the questionnaire concluded that I emphasize skill as a leadership trait. Being teachable and attitude are valued by me over skill. Yet, a person who knows how to get the job done is an asset. Thirdly the questionnaire ascertained that I value relationships as a leadership trait. I would say that I emphasize relationships higher than ability, however my answers to the questionnaire say otherwise. I am equally interested in communicating the team approach, abilities and skill levels of the persons on my