My Personal Leadership Philosophy

Who I Am as a Leader?

Beginning Philosophy:

My leadership approach during the beginning of the semester revolved mainly around control, structure, and productivity of tasks. I believed that a good leader should be assertive enough to take charge, delegate accurately, and make sure all members of the team completed deadlines. I defined leadership as task centered and results oriented with less importance placed on team relationships or team spirit. What I envisioned as good leadership was someone who could make decisions almost in a snap, be well planned out, and direct the group towards its purpose, even if it is done individually on the task itself.

Current Philosophy:

Now that BOH4M is done, my leadership philosophy has evolved further. I have realized that leadership is not only about managing things, but also people, building trust, and teamwork. Through experience in events like the Baking Challenge, organizing temple events, and class discussions, I have realized firsthand why teamwork and emotional intelligence cannot be overemphasized. I have learned now that leading, as a good leader, is all about recognizing team positives, actively listening, and leading with empathy. It's also applying moral leadership, strategic planning, and responsiveness to issues. I see myself now as a nurturing leader who encourages personal growth, healthy productive relationships allowing space for all contributions. That shift is indicative of the way my mindset has changed from a task centered approach to people centered, more strategic approach.

Explanation:
This change was due to what I learned through our course particularly in the Essential Managerial Skills unit, where I learned how crucial emotional intelligence (EI) is for a leader. I learned how much the attitude of a leader reflects on the team. In Baking Challenge, I had to actually practice planning and organizing under pressure. I learned from it how crucial delegation, trusting one's team, as well as maintaining an elevated morale, is. And with the Stages of Team Development, I learned how one should manage a team through forming, storming, norming, as well as performing, rather than solely focusing on end results.