DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

How will you continue your leadership education beyond the completion of this minor?

 

            Completing the Leadership minor does not mean that I will cease to learn more lessons in leadership. Leadership is a continuously evolving area and as such you should continually look to continue your leadership education, whether in a classroom setting or through real world application. I have learned so many great things about leadership during my time in the minor, but having that knowledge means nothing if I don’t continue to apply and develop my leadership skills through the various roles I take on as I progress in my life. I feel that in order to be a truly effective leader you must accept that there is always room for improvement.

            The foundation that the leadership development minor has given me in knowing and understanding numerous leadership styles, techniques and tools already gives me a leg up on many others with regard to my personal leadership. However, if I don’t apply this knowledge in a meaningful way towards the leadership roles I take on then I will cease to be an effective leader in that role.

            As far as continuing my leadership education beyond the minor I plan to accomplish this by taking every leadership opportunity I am fortunate enough to get and use it to further develop my personal leadership skills. By doing this I continue to build on the strong foundation I have from class and even gain new leadership skills as I learn from the job and get feedback from those that I work with. Overall, I don’t see the end of the minor as the end of my leadership education; I see it as an opportunity to challenge myself to always focus on growing and developing as a leader.

 

 

What are two important leadership lessons that you have learned and why did you select them as most important to you?

 

Own your strengths and work to improve your weaknesses as a leader.

           As a leader it is important to recognize that you will not always have superior skills in every leadership area. By focusing on your strengths as a leader you will be able to leverage the areas where you have the most skill in order to best meet the needs of your followers. Additionally it is important to remember that though you may have areas in which you are weaker as a leader, you should always be working to improve these skills to become a more comprehensive leader.

           I feel that I have learned a great deal about my own personal leadership, especially with regard to my strengths and weaknesses. I think this is a very valuable leadership lesson because there is no such thing as the “perfect” leader as everyone possesses a unique combination of leadership strengths and weaknesses which combine to make them the leader that they are. Personally I know I will continue to work on improving the areas of my leadership where I have found room for improvement and focus on the areas in which I am strong to be the most effective leader I can be in every circumstance that I come into.

 

Communication is the most critical piece to effective leadership.

            The root of all effective leadership lies in effective communication. Communication serves as a critical connection between leaders and followers and in order to be successful, this channel of communication needs to works as well as possible. Without effective communication the message or goal behind the leaders actions aren’t properly expressed to followers and therefore there is a loss of meaning experienced by followers. This could lead to a lack of involvement on the part of the followers because there is no shared vision to work towards. Overall, communication is a crucial piece for success of any example of effective leadership.

            I feel that personally I am a fair communicator in leadership roles; however, it is something that I will continually work toward improving as being an effective communicator has many advantages. I think the need for a leader to be clear and concise in their communications is critical to how that leader is perceived as capable by their followers. 

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.