You Will Begin Completion Of Your Final Draft By Reviewing
You will begin completion of your final draft by reviewing the recommendations from the SmartThinking tutor. After making the corrections in your final document, you will add in at least three sentences related to Strengths-Based and/or Servant Leadership. You can add a fourth paragraph to address the new topics, or you can add them to one of your existing paragraphs. As a review, your work should include the following:
Paragraph 1: Identify your leadership preference(s) and describe why the different aspects appeal to you most. Include specific terms or examples from the resources to identify your preferences.
Paragraph 2: Describe what experiences you have as a leader, or your experience(s) with other leaders that support your preferences as areas you want to develop as a leader. You may include examples of leaders that have not demonstrated strengths in the areas you noted and how their lack of leadership in that area helped support your decision. (Sometimes we learn how to be a good leader by experiencing bad leadership).
Paragraph 3: Describe how you will use your strengths and preferences in leadership within at least one setting. You may not be leading a group at this time, but there are opportunities to act as a leader at work, at home, and in classes, so you can apply your understanding of your leadership in any of these settings.
Paragraph 4 or included in the prior paragraphs: Discuss how the concepts of Strengths-Based and/or Servant Leadership would or would not compliment your leadership preferences or if you would not choose to incorporate these concepts in your leadership.
Paper For Above instruction
Effective leadership is a dynamic interplay of personal preferences, experiential learning, and the willingness to adapt and integrate different leadership philosophies. Recognizing one’s preferred leadership style is foundational to developing authentic and impactful leadership skills. My leadership style aligns predominantly with transformational leadership, characterized by inspiring enthusiasm and fostering innovation among team members. I am drawn to this style because it emphasizes motivation, vision, and the empowerment of others—qualities that resonate deeply with my belief in collaborative growth. According to Northouse (2018), transformational leaders stimulate followers to exceed their own self-interests for the benefit of the organization, aligning with my desire to create meaningful change through motivation and shared purpose.
My experiences as a leader have been varied, ranging from leading project teams at work to organizing community service activities. These experiences have shown me the importance of adaptability and the need to develop emotional intelligence to manage diverse personalities effectively. Conversely, observing leaders who lack transparency or fail to communicate clearly has reinforced my commitment to honest and open leadership. For example, in a previous role, I worked under a manager who rarely provided feedback; this deprived the team of guidance and fostered confusion, ultimately impacting team morale and productivity. Experiencing such ineffective leadership underscored the importance of clarity and consistency, traits I aspire to exemplify in my future leadership roles.
To leverage my strengths in leadership, I plan to foster an environment of trust and motivation within my team, emphasizing shared goals and individual development. Whether leading a project at work or facilitating group discussions in academic settings, I will prioritize active listening and empowerment. This approach not only promotes engagement but also encourages innovation and accountability. For instance, in a recent academic project, I delegated tasks based on team members’ strengths, which resulted in a more efficient process and higher-quality outcomes. Such practices are rooted in my understanding of transformational leadership and are supported by research highlighting the importance of empowering followers to maximize their potential (Bass & Riggio, 2006).
Incorporating Strengths-Based and Servant Leadership philosophies can significantly enhance my natural preferences. Strengths-Based Leadership, which focuses on leveraging identified strengths of individuals, complements my emphasis on empowerment and motivation. By recognizing and utilizing team members' strengths, I can cultivate a more engaged and resilient team (Clifton & Harter, 2003). Additionally, servant leadership, with its emphasis on serving others first and fostering a community-oriented environment, aligns with my core values of empathy and ethical stewardship. Greenleaf (1977) emphasized that servant leaders prioritize the growth and well-being of their followers, creating a trusting and collaborative environment that fosters long-term success. These philosophies would expand my leadership toolkit and reinforce my commitment to ethical and people-centered leadership practices.
References
- Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational leadership. Psychology Press.
- Clifton, D., & Harter, J. (2003). Investing in strengths. Gallup Management Journal.
- Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. Paulist Press.
- Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage Publications.
- Spears, L. C. (2010). Servant leadership and Robert K. Greenleaf. In D. Van Dierendonck (Ed.), Servant leadership (pp. 11–24). Springer.
- Komives, S. R., & Wagner, W. (2016). Leadership for social change: Power and awareness. John Wiley & Sons.
- Stubbs, W., & Glazzard, J. (2019). Purposeful leadership: Developing leadership capacity for complex environments. Routledge.
- Yukl, G. (2012). Leadership in organizations. Pearson Education.
- Goleman, D. (2000). Leadership that gets results. Harvard Business Review, 78(2), 78–90.
- Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice (8th ed.). Sage Publications.