Leadership philosophy

Leadership Philosophy
LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY
Name:
Grade Course:
Tutor’s Name:
(17, July, 2010)

Introduction
This assignment analyzes leadership philosophy in regards to the literary
leadership materials, also based on my personal reflection of leadership. From the
adage leaders are born and not structured, Leadership to me is the realization of having
the ability which can influence thoughts, ideas and actions of others so that they can
achieve sets of preset goals, tasks, duties and responsibilities. This I believe can be
injected in any organizational setup, thus I agree that leadership is a very essential facet
in contributing achievements of success to individuals (Ambler, 2005). While the adage
maybe accurate for charismatic leaders, I also agree with scholars in this field articulate
that positive gens combined with building skills will persuade people to become leaders
that are effective.
However, in order to effectively transform a worse scenario. I accrued that ideal
qualities of a leader are required. Thus this can be procured through leadership
courses like the one that am partaking, this will help the pursuant to have the required
knowledge that integrate with the skill to effectively project others toward a common
goal. Among the notable qualities which I observed to be essential to any ideal leader
are essential leadership skills, integrity and authority. Leadership therefore according to
my belief can not be quantified but the results are outright and clearly seen.
Many fail in leadership I have noted because it is very discouraging process and
eventually if it is not practiced from within, it will affect the person’s image and
reputation greatly after failing. Therefore I have noted that it is a matter which has no
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room for taking chances, the choices outlaid must be tested and accurate to change
and transform certain process to it’s success (Kotter, 1996).
Leadership philosophy then comes to my understanding that it is the entwining
socialization and distribution of ideas that encompasses the utmost representation of
leadership. This then coined the ideology of personal philosophy which to my thinking
constitute of acknowledging own needs and beliefs and having clear knowledge of the
essentials of the beliefs, this progression constitutes also own learning development
consistence through deliberation and continuity as echoed by Ambler (2005). I believe
that these are the foundation of ideology that formulates personal leadership
philosophy. I agree with Leboeuf (2001) that the process which involves developing
leadership philosophy encompasses through own reflection projected toward the worldly
scenario, in accordance of building and developing own regulations through action by
embracing positive values, principles and beliefs. This has elucidated to me that as a
leaders I should always be keen in adapting new ideas, embracing education and more
notions which are empowering, trying to incorporate them daily in the leadership
philosophy.
Historical frame work
The historical frame work of this paper is on the basis of what my grand mother,
taught me. She always advocated for me to be always a patient person in life, this is
from her long time experiences that in most cases a number of things we desire takes
long before they are realized.
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Secondly, I have the quest to bring a better education for my fellow country men and
women hence helping my country Saudi Arabia develop and come up with systems that
will further propel the country to greater heights. This also lays the rationale behind
handling leadership philosophy in this paper. From what I have learnt in this cause,
these two dreams cannot be realized till I fully in-corporate the various issues pertaining
leadership as well as management, the two having a narrow line distinguishing them.
Difference between leadership and management
From the earlier lesson it has come to my attention that there is great difference
in leadership and management. Thus, this has led me to believe that from the following
definition and elaborations I shall satisfactory manage to elucidate the misconception
that underlies between these two terms. Leadership I shall define it as the progression
which involves social influence by which an individual enlist support and assist others in
completing a major common objective. But as many scholars expound on this topic
there have been variations in definitions on this subject, another favourable definition
states that leadership is the channel which is created for the people to contribute their
effort and make a common agenda come through this is as voiced by Tittemore (2003).
Management which is all around us I shall referred to it as the act of bringing
people together so that they may complete a desired objective or goal.
From this view the opportunity which I note underlies oneself or management,
reappears in the attempt of managing others. Contrary, leadership on the same
discipline in my view is the vision of communication (Kouzes & Posner 2007). While
management in the same accordance with my understanding is the view which is an
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execution of another’s vision and from this sums up the difference of this two terms
which brings about lot of conflict and confusion. Metaphorically speaking I would
assume as the philosophers articulate that leaders construct castles in the sky for the
managers to run and dwell.
My Leadership Philosophy Thesis
The following are what I deem very vital for me to be successful traits in attaining
my desired goals as well as being patient as advice by my grand mother. These include
realization and understanding that value, adapting to change and embracing it, ability to
know others and more so own self, good communication skill and capabilities, vision
and professional knowledge in ones field are recipe for a world class leader (Bennise &
Goldsmith, 1997).
Having professional knowledge which I have acquired most of them during my
studies are key to making a great leader. Such knowledge indemnifies faith in ones
proficiency vital in inspiring as well as motivating those who I intend to lead. Among the
skills sort for include accounting, change management, managing time, managing the
team, legal knowledge, knowledge about organization’s rules, laws and regulations,
presentation knowledge, organizational awareness, as well as business skills voiced by
Fauquier (2006). Good communication is also important not only for assigning tasks,
duties, responsibilities and instructions but to motivate, inspire as well as influence
others. Both oral and written communication together with the manner with which one
presents him/herself is significant to development of a good leader.
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Determinant of successful adoption of management ideas
According to Ruggerio (2000), there are four factors or reasons that I agree with
that may motivate or hamper adoption of management ideas and are discussed as
follows;
Whether the strategy is tied to business or not
Adding value to organization I have discovered largely lies on strategy and not
personal philosophies about the right way of doing things. I have established that
without linking any idea to strategy of the organization being studied, and then there is
nothing much that can come out of such ideas however superior they are. This is
because the strategy could be tied to the manager or proprietor of the idea and when
implemented, it can pull the client organization off centre paving way to accomplishment
of managers/consultant purpose rather than strategy purpose of the organization.
Proper combination of organization culture, leadership and organizational strategy are
vital and are indeed what defines success and effectiveness within an organization
(Quinn, 1996).
To be a successful leader, I have to put in place very clear and unambiguous
ideologies, establish strong and clear cultures as well as transparent and open
mechanisms to choose and develop human resources that are capable of encouraging
the rest of the team to work towards attainment of the desired goals and objectives in
line with their leadership capability and strategy (Kouzes & Posner, 2007).
Organizational culture
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It has been generally accepted that the culture of a given organization is much
more powerful than anything else, (Ruggerio, 2000). It refers to the way in which things
are done in order to attain success within a given organization hence it is central in
distinguishing visionary organizations from comparison ones explaining why the later do
have a significant economic achievement over time.
Culture revolves around implementation of ideas and I have articulated that this
is the manner with which success is attained. I realized during the course of my studies
that no matter how good a management idea is, if not being in harmony or if doesn’t fit
an organization culture then it is doomed to fail, this is so even despite the fact that the
strategy put in place is excellent and generally accepted (Kotter, 1996: Bennise &
Goldsmith, 1997).
To attain my desire of an effective leader, through organization development,
there are four key core cultures I opt to develop. These include control, cultivation,
collaboration and competence that can be in place either consciously or unconsciously.
Collaboration largely will help ensure and cultivate unity within the organization, close
connection with clients as well as strengthen clients’ dedication, to attain this I will act as
a team builder, coach, integrator, an encourage collective participation. The culture is
tailored to help attain a distinguished customer goal attainment (Tittemore, 2003).
Competence culture lay emphasis on coming up with completely unique goods
and services with an organization helping it cut itself a niche in the market. I will be a
standard setter, task master, assertive, challenger and a convincing persuader to
successfully attain this culture. This will aid in attaining conceptual goal. The
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fundamental of this core culture is to ensure growth, preservation and success of an
organization. As a leader I will be authoritative, firm, directive, cautious, and
commanding definitive as well as conservative (Leboeuf, 2001).
The core culture of cultivation revolves around enriching consumers as it ensures
full growth of clients potential and raising up of the customer. The culture is nothing
short of further attainment of ideology, ideologies, goals and values. It helps connect
values and ideas of an organization to the point where these two are practically being
carried out. The attributes that will help me as a leader to foster this culture include
being a catalyst, steward, cultivator as well as a harvester as noted by Kotter (1996).
Style of intervention
From previous studies I believe that the more component-centred idea of
managing this is, the higher the probability of it to fail. This is because the idea behind
this is that consumer will only get what the organization can offer, ‘you need what I can
do’ attitude; this doesn’t currently work with the continuous customer needs. Such
components tend to pull away organization from the right track as they are capable of
fading away and run out of energy and commitment jeopardizing organizations in
attaining their goals and objectives (Ruggerio, 2000).
Such interventions do waste energy, time money and might leave my team
sometimes confused and even being disobedient to the management. At this point, I
learnt it is important to distinguish principles from practices. On the other hand,
practices are a different thing all together since they cannot work under certain
environmental conditions within an organization (Ambler, 2005).
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Living nature of an organization
It came into my mind to appreciate the fact that organizations is made up of
community of people with a mission and not the production machine. I have noted that
organization just like living social organisms do have critical link with hierarchy
(Northouse, 1999).
This realization of this kind makes me as a leader to be informed where and
when to start any interventions. Although I may see that an intervention is successfully
being rolled in the short term, the reality I believe lies in the fact that the organization will
yield to short-term cost cutting. As time goes by, I established that there is consistence
continuous evidence of the old ways creeping back to the system. I have also
appreciated the fact that organization grow from inside out and operate for a purpose
which is always greater than self-interest. Within an organization human resources I
noted are different and exist in a close relationship with each other. The uniqueness of
each individual within an organization brings about distinct, non-linear pattern, but
always inside out (Fauquier, 2006).
As stated by Bennise & Goldsmith (1997) I noted that one reason why
management ideas either work or not is based on whether or not they is on the basis of
the non-liner paradigm of nature, thus it is worth noting that the more the idea is
machine like, the soon the organization commences the process of reconstituting itself.
On the other hand it is important as a leader to ensure that my ideas as well as those of
my team are based on organization’s nature and strength as well as honouring its
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integrity as a living social organism, this guarantees the successful adoption and
integration of the ideas.
Values and Ethics
For anything that requires leadership to succeed I have come to understand that
value plays a major role in the developing that particular task to success. From the
literary work that I have studies and while trying to implement leadership philosophy it
has been a fundamental issue that leadership encompasses value so that it may avail
the crucial ethical behaviour of others and importantly own self. The task is first to
analyze on self then try work it out of the others this implies to the saying that “what u
don’t want yourself don’t give others,” when this have been generalized and the best
practice of analyzing ethics and values are encompassed by the leader then they can
be able now to in corporate it to others (Kouzes & Posner, 2007).
This has elucidate the fact that people have no knowledge of what to expect from
the leaders, this I understood is only occurs when the leaders themselves have not
themselves pointed out their values. However, I noted that as a leader pointing out my
values, disciplined principles and morals which are governed by those values then
sharing them becomes very easy. This has been to my understanding the best teacher
as I have learned that from this factors trust is created, the followers will now be
devoted from the fact that as a leader I actually practices what they preaches (Quinn,
1996).
When trying out my values as a leader I decided to choose ethics and value so
that myself, I may change within individually so that others may also benefit from this
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junctures. This is because from this study it has come to my attention some thing that I
already knew but paid little attention to that the values and ethics that I posses outlines
my character. As I incorporate them in my life trying daily to practice these principles, I
have realized that they are a very powerful tool as outline by the literary material
knowledge that I accrued in class that they are the driving force within which one as a
leader can be able to use as a tool to influence and lead people (Kouzes & Posner,
2007).
Adapting to Change
The success of any chore that I set out as a leader either in the organization,
institute or religious conference, I have fundamental knowledge that for it to be
successful it has to clinch and foster adapting philosophy that embraces change.
Resilience within the framework of transformation would ensure efficiency in innovation,
performance and adaption even when the going is tough. Fostering with passion and
desire to succeed is accompanied by desire to adapt change with focus on the ultimate
goal and objective. This has phoned the idea to me that one has to be flexible and be
ready to embrace new innovation, this will be achieved through encouraging a climate
of positive creativity and one which fosters learning and this encompasses the culture of
trust through the utilization of good communication (Ruggerio, 2000).
Importance of Leadership philosophy
Philosophy as it has come to my attention can be termed as lucid
acknowledgement pertaining principles and truths in accordance to being; it is further
displays demeanour or comprehension. Thus this makes leadership have great impact
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in our lives as through these values my life will be shaped and when I prepare to
practices leadership as a daily process, which encompasses the essentiality to achieve
integrated, broad life facet and the essentials which I deem are mandatory (Ambler,
2005). Thus I have now known the basic that underlies in leadership philosophy, and
the facets which usually comes first, this includes foundation provision to all other
element that are included tin my life. Thus this have formed a basis for a personal
leadership foundation in my life and helped build an individual nature and manners of
human conviction.
This study has helped me to develop the life’s golden rule which encompasses
the fundamental of stemming rationally principled etiquettes and all morals. The
dedication from this study is reflected to the teaching that my grandmother once exerted
that “in life you have to practice patience,” this reflects to leadership philosophy which is
a reflection of having patience in ones vision, this compliments the saying “if you
visualize then things will materialize.”
Beliefs are the core competent challenge that makes most of the pursuant of this
attribute to fail, this is because after an idea has been formulated then, I have learned
that if the pursuant is not enthusiastic about it with passion and principles of discipline
then it will never materialize. This applies to the students in class with proper discipline
about the course work then one is bound to fail, from this personal reflection I have
learned that one can now develop leadership philosophy as they are in unison with their
own self, from this facet then they can be able to employ them to other subjects as they
are confident that they will be justifiable and improve on the targeted audience
complexities (Kouzes & Posner, 2007).
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Leadership philosophy has made me emulate the desire to shape the world in
accordance with the principles of goodness that I have perfected on my self based on
values and ethics that are aligned with pursuit of happiness and living a positive life.
This brought about great peace and bliss from the realization that after engulfing
personal leadership philosophy it is easier to share it out with other compatriot. This is if
it suited my lifestyle and it is for the well being of those that it is intended to affect. This
means that the subject that I may affect this method of leadership to leading so that my
subjects will be empowered and motivated (Northouse, 1999).
This model of leadership also made me realize that the pursuant of the leader’s
visionary are empowered and envisioned with a mental image that leads to the goals
and objectives that are emplaced; this usually encompasses directing the people that
are in the system toward the direction that would help reach the coveted objective
(Fauquier, 2006).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the various leadership styles which include authoritarian,
democratic or delegate are vital for individuals who wish to be world class leaders and
achieved desired results. It is important to clearly have wide knowledge on these styles
especially concerning their applicability positive as well as negative impacts of their use
and strike a balance on the choice of one, two or three of them. It’s worth noting that a
combination of the three styles; democratic, authoritarian and delegate can be used but
depends on a number of factors such as employees’ experience, knowledge of the
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leader, culture and traditions of the company. Leadership styles thus play an integral
part in success of any organization (Leboeuf, 2001).
In addition, I have come to realized and comprehend that value, adapting to
change and embracing it, ability to know others and more so own self, good
communication skill and capabilities, vision and professional knowledge in ones field in
leadership are key factors or combinations of a successful leaders.
Despite the fact that leaders may possess all the previous mentioned key
components, from various literatures about leadership and management, there are
various management ideas that are strongly adopted and take root and yield results
while there are those that are done away in the initial stages of implementation thus
wither and die away. According to Quinn (1996), he attributed this phenomenon to the
fact that all organizations are living social organisms meaning that they do change,
organizational culture which is cultivated over a number of years and finally the way or
style interventions are approached and tied, which I agree with him.
Finally, after taking this class, I fully came to the understanding that leadership
philosophy encompasses a myriad of matters that help shape up a leader. I also came
to appreciate what my grand mother told me about patience in life.
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References
Ambler, G. (2005). Developing a Leadership Philosophy. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar
Publishing.
Bennise, W., & Goldsmith, J. (1997). Learning to Lead: A Workbook on Becoming a
Leader. London: Perseus Press.
Fauquier, R. (2006). Personal Leadership Philosophy: Guidance and Examples. Journal
of leadership Management. 27(7), 234-266.
Kotter, J. (1996). Leading Change. New York: Harvard Business School Press.
Kouzes, J., & Posner, B. (2007). The leadership challenge. New York, John Wiley &
Sons.
Leboeuf, M. (2001). Developing Leadership Philosophy. Retrieved from
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/milreview/leboeuf.htm
Northouse, P. (1999). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Boston: Sage Publishers.
Quinn, R. (1996).Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within. New York: Jossey-Bass
Publishers.
Ruggerio, B. (2000). The Leader's Compass: A Personal Leadership Philosophy Is Your
Key to Success. New York: Penguin.
Tittemore, J. (2003). Leadership at all Levels. Canada: Boskwa Publishing.
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