And influence people towards success both personal and team levels
Leadership reflection
Leadership reflection Introduction Leadership defines a person or an
entity’s influence over another person or entity, or other people or
entities. Different leadership styles exist with different
characteristics and each style is suitable for particular environments.
In this paper, and based on knowledge from self-assessments, I describe
transformational leadership style as my most suitable style and I offer
a rationale for the choice of leadership style.
Leadership style that best describes me, and rationale behind the choice
of leadership style
Transformational leadership style is the one that describes me
accurately because of the identifiable consistency between features of
the leadership style and my leadership approach. Transformational
leadership defines an influence that is “ developing and transforming”
to the target group. Its core objective is to empower people and to
motivate them towards exploring their developed potentials (Dubrin,
2012, p. 83). The leadership style is further based on assumptions that
that people express their allegiance to those who inspire them and that
empowerment and motivation is a suitable strategy to success (Rose, n.
d). One of the characteristics of the leadership style is the leader’s
development of awareness among the led group. This involves informing
the people of their environment, their potential rewards, and the worth
in the rewards. A transformational leader also develops a collective
mentality among people as opposed to individualism. The leader also
assists people to derive self-fulfillment in their engagements and to
understand dynamism in the environment, factors that facilitate the
people’s desire to make necessary changes. The type of leader also
commits to high achievements and ensures a developed trust between him
or her and the led population besides exhibiting such traits as
charisma, “ emotional intelligence,” and support to their followers
(Dubrin, 2012, p. 86). The relationship between the leadership style and
the personality traits has further been empirically established with
more significant features in interpersonal relationship skills and
ethical observance in a leader’s interaction with the led group (Dubrin,
2012), aspects that identify concerns and initiatives for developing
people’s interest through empowerment and motivation (Eeden, Clilliers
and Deventer, n. d.).
These characteristics are consistent with results from my leadership
assessment. I for example like offering my ideas to people around me and
am usually happy when my ideas empower the people towards success. I
also inspire people through my interpersonal skills and personal
initiatives that also set successful examples for others to emulate.
Similarly, I value collective success and likes recognizing and
appreciating other people for their efforts. My leadership approach also
focuses on mentoring people and integrating into problems that affect my
team or group. When my group has a high impact assignment, I prefer
taking an active role than passing the responsibility to others. My
personal assessment also identifies my flexible decision making approach
that respects and incorporates other’s people’s ideas. My approach to
leadership therefore applies interpersonal skills and ethical
considerations to empower, motivate, and influence people towards
success at both personal and team levels, aspects that are consistent
with characteristics and assumptions of transformational leadership
(Dubrin, 2012).
Conclusion
Transformational leadership style best describes my personality. This is
because its characteristics that motivate, empower, and influence people
towards collective success are consistent with my traits that apply
ethics and interpersonal skills to steer people to success through
influence.
References
Dubrin, A. (2012). Leadership: Research findings, practice, and skills.
Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Eeden, R. Clilliers, F. and Deventer, V. (n. d.). Leadership styles and
associated personality traits: Support for the conceptualization of
transactional and transformational leadership. South African Journal of
Psychology (38. 2) 253- 267.
Rose. (n. d). Leadership styles. Retrieved from: http://www.
rose-hulman.
edu/StudentAffairs/ra/files/CLSK/PDF/Section%20Three%20Campus%20Involvement%20&%20Leadership/Leadership%20Styles.
pdf.