My Emerging Philosophy on Leadership

This is my final paper for Leadership 325

Leadership Philosophy

     In preparing to write this paper, I’m reading over the first assignment we had in this class, to write a paper called, “What is Leadership?” Before learning anything new in this class, we were to present our own previous concepts on leadership.  My first impression is, “Wow, I sure have learned a lot in one short semester”.  My second thought is, “Even though I was pretty naive about leadership concepts, my core belief remains the same”.  I want to be an agent for positive change. 

     I particularly like the way the Kellogg Foundation defines leadership in, “Leadership Reconsidered”.  They said, “We believe that leadership is a process that is ultimately concerned with fostering change…(it) implies a process where there is movement – from wherever we are now to some future place or condition that is different….it implies intentionality…that is directed toward some future end or condition that is desired or valued…we view the leader (as) one who fosters change.” 

     One of my strengths in forward motion, is that I can see what is not working.  But more importantly I can see why it’s not working.  In a complicated work environment, this doesn’t always seem to be apparent to everyone.  But I have found that getting to the real heart of a situation is paramount in order to solve the problem.  Otherwise you end up cutting off the tops of the weeds instead of pulling them out by the roots – they will then almost always grow back, costing precious time, effort, and money.  In order to promote positive change in an organization, the inevitable problems that come up must be addressed with effective solutions.  Knowing the true why is the first step.  I also excel at the second step, which is to explore viable solutions to the why.  I can often see not just one, but several probable solutions, and I can then explore them myself and/or with a team as the situation dictates.  All of this works towards forward movement and positive change. 

     I became especially astute at this ability when I worked in mental health for ten years.  As a psychiatric nurse case manager, my job was all about forward movement and positive change.  I was responsible for all aspects of my client’s lives.  This was a group of individuals that had chronic, severe, and persistent mental illnesses such as bipolar, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder.  Suffice it to say, they tended to be in constant chaos.  I was perceptive and able to get to the heart of the problem quickly.  I know that if I can do that with a floridly psychotic person, I can do it anywhere.  It is a subject of great pride for me that I helped these men and women live relatively calmer and more joyful lives.  Not only did I help them stay out of trouble, I helped them explore their passions in life.  I can translate that to the work place as well.   

     Another leadership quality that I have is to create a safe place for myself and others.  I had never thought of this as an aspect of leadership, but I now understand that it is important.  Simon Sinek said, “If our leaders don’t allow us the space to feel safe inside our own companies, to feel like we belong, then we are forced to exert our own energy to protect ourselves from each other and thereby exposing ourselves to greater danger from the outside… (this happens when) we worry about politics, someone stealing, or your boss not having your back.”  This is another situation that creates a huge loss of time, effort and money.  I am confident that I can create a safe work place for all, which will promote creativity, production, and recruitment and retention. 

     Mr. Sinek also said, “Great leaders extend the circle out to the outer most edges, to the most junior person so they feel that they belong, feel that they are safe.”  I understand the need to feel included and useful and I know how to help others feel the same.  I actually don’t see hierarchy in humans.  There may be hierarchy in an organization which can be useful and necessary, but the individuals are all equally important in my mind whether they are the CEO or the janitor.  They will receive the same level of respect and kindness from me and the others that I lead.  All tasks are vital to the whole.  I feel it is important that each member of the organization understands and experiences this reality.  When we feel needed, we tend to feel safer, which allows us to focus on our job.   

     An example of my ability to create a safe place is the new Boise State organization that I founded a couple of months ago, called the Women’s Spirit Drum Circle.  It is a time when women can come together and feel connected.  This is done as we let down our defenses and share our stories in a vulnerable way.  I am easily able to facilitate this space and have done so in a variety of ways for over 20 years.  The idea for this group was actually sparked during class when we were talking about vulnerability and connection.  Brene Brown speaks beautifully on this subject.  She said, “Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy – the experiences that make us the most vulnerable.”  But how do we get to a place where we feel connected and even joy?  Given my eclectic background of nursing, massage therapy, and teaching a wide variety of classes including relaxation, I am able to create that space for others.  I know how to put people at ease and I am able to do that in any situation: Stressful work environment, a new group where no one knows each other, or on someone’s death bed.  Same rules apply.   

     I feel that my greatest downfall when it comes to leadership is that of inexperience.  I have had many small leader roles here and there, but not on the scale to which I aspire.  And I have been successful in those small roles by doing what came naturally, using a lot of common sense, and knowing when to ask questions.  I feel unprepared to be a leader on a larger scale.  In the book, Exploring Leadership, it states, “Much of what is taught in school has prepared people to live and lead in a neat, controllable world.  But recent discoveries have indicated that the world is a lot messier than it once was believed to be…To successfully navigate in this world, new maps are needed – maps describing the leadership that is needed in an era of rapid change.”

Luthans and Slocum stated in Organizational Dynamics, “Faced with an unprecedented economic, technological, socio-political, and moral/ethical tumultuous sea of change, there is a need for new theories, new applications and just plain new thinking about leadership.”  The bad news is that I feel unequipped to take on a leadership role in these turbulent times.  The good news is that I am in school.  I have every confidence that between what I am learning in school for my Leadership and Human Relations certificate, combined with my life’s experiences, will prepare me to be that positive agent for change, the kind of leader this world needs.