Leadership philosophy
“Leadership is a form of citizenship.”
-Olive Yonge
I believe leadership is simply leaving a place, through positive intention, better than when you found it. A leader may have positional power or be granted a certain status through a title. However, authentic leadership comes from the heart and mind from one person to another. Leadership is grounded in values. The ones I believe in are empathy, respect, genuineness and caring. The values translate into actions coupled with cognitions and belief systems. It is the latter that inspires others to follow. Others see in the leader- trustworthiness, congruence, and most importantly, lived values.
Great leaders have staying power: they led as children and continue to lead throughout their lives. They are drawn to help the other perhaps as a parent, head of a corporation, or as a teacher in a classroom.
Leaders know who and what they represent. They invite feedback, build teams to compliment their skill sets, know what is needed in an organization and continuously move themselves and others toward a stated vision. Failure is expected and viewed as a tool and an opportunity to inspect the failure for future successes. Leaders have other tools as well such as facilitation, listening, being inclusive, asking questions, taking responsibility and being accountable.
Everyone has the potential to be a leader. It is only a matter of committing oneself to the values underlying leadership.
Great leaders have staying power: they led as children and continue to lead throughout their lives. They are drawn to help the other perhaps as a parent, head of a corporation, or as a teacher in a classroom.
Leaders know who and what they represent. They invite feedback, build teams to compliment their skill sets, know what is needed in an organization and continuously move themselves and others toward a stated vision. Failure is expected and viewed as a tool and an opportunity to inspect the failure for future successes. Leaders have other tools as well such as facilitation, listening, being inclusive, asking questions, taking responsibility and being accountable.
Everyone has the potential to be a leader. It is only a matter of committing oneself to the values underlying leadership.