Philosophy

Most people believe that leadership is created from example. A leader should behave and act in a way that they would like others to, by creating a positive example. A good leader is one who practices what he preaches. A leader usually has a clear, concise vision of the positive change they would like to see and a plan of action on how to achieve such change. An effective leader has a positive relationship with their peers and communicates well with them by both listening to their ideas and opinions and then putting the ideas into action.

    One of the most important approaches to leadership is to become organized and develop an effective strategy to carry out. A leader must also know beforehand that he is taking responsibility for the group and project as a whole and will be held accountable not for success only, but also if there are any major failures. Leaders must prepare themselves difficulty in the group. If there are team members who cannot work positively together or if there is a member who is holding back the rest of the group, they should believe that they are able to talk to their group leader, who will then take care of the problem and eliminate it. Although taking the blame for failure and for rifts within the group may seem unfair and at times tough and challenging, it is part of being a leader and is also important in being an effective leader and eventually achieving success.

    Another vital approach to successful leadership is creating a plan of action and delegating certain group members to be responsible for certain actions and pointing out who will be in charge of what throughout the project. The leader should then make the members report back with updates, on whether their end of the project is going well or needs changing.  A leader must then be prepared to change the way things are being done if they are not being handled well. He or she must also keep group members focused on their task at hand when they begin to lose direction. So, a successful leader is able to change style and direction depending on which way the situation is heading.

    As I have discovered through the group project, a leader must believe in the idea or change they are hoping to create and be passionate about it. Lack of passion would cause a leader to be only half dedicated to the project and without dedication the end result cannot be as effective as possible. Also, like in the project, when there are some group members who are willing to work harder than others or members who are discouraged with the work they have brought to the table so far, it is the group leaders responsibility to encourage and motivate the group as a whole. Part of leadership is being able to not only give out orders and directions, but being able to follow them as well.

    To be a leader, and a good leader at that, on both a school campus and later, after graduation, in the workforce, involvement is necessary. It is not possible for someone to be a leader without participating and being aware of what is happening around them. So, I plan to get involved in a way I can, either through committees, projects, or even fundraisers of any sort. Then, once I become more involved and active in them, I will begin to voice my ideas for positive change, as I begin to shape myself for a position in leadership. I will also be fair and open to my peers, willing to listen to their ideas, and encouraging them if they do have any potentially good ideas.

    A leader must have the respect of his peers, showing he possesses good character and quality. I hope to conduct myself in such a way that others will respect me and have a desire to work with me, rather than avoid me. By learning all that I can and dedicating myself to the project at hand, I hope to inspire others to put forth their best efforts, as the best of all leaders do.