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Running head: Personal Philosophy of Leadership

Personal Philosophy of Leadership

Olivia C. Rendon

Grand Canyon University: EAD 501

Dr. Beltram

May 5, 2021
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Personal Leadership Philosophy

Major Leadership Styles

There are several types of leadership models. All leaders use a different model based on

their personal style of leadership. Also, some leaders change their model of leadership

depending on the situation at hand or the environment they are in. Three major leadership styles

that are popular amongst educators are: transactional, transformational and servant leadership.

A transactional leader establishes a clear chain of command and is great at group organization.

Employees are often rewarded for good behavior and employees practicing undesirable behavior

are reprimanded. The servant leader is one who puts the needs of their employees above the

needs of themselves. This model improves diversity and is great for morale. However, it may

not directly benefit the organization since this model puts the employees needs above all else. A

transformational leader is very good at communication and often creates an intellectual

stimulating environment. In this environment employees are expected to share their thoughts

and suggestions, and they are valued by the group. To be a truly effective leader you must be

highly committed, determined, resilient, goal-focused, resourceful and effective at problem

solving. They should be consistent and self-confident.

Personal Values and Beliefs in Leadership

My personal values and beliefs in leadership values are honesty, integrity, determination,

forgiveness, willing to learn and being able to admit fault. I admire leaders who share the same

beliefs as I do. It is not easy to hold all of these values in everyday situations. I try to make

leadership decisions on a situation-by-situation circumstance. I am a work in progress, there are

times when I am not as decisive as I should be and sometimes, I am not easy to forgive.

However, another great quality that I admire in a leader is admitting fault and learning from that
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behavior. As a leader, you are not going to know what to do in every situation. Some situations

will require you to collaborate with another principal to seek advice. I will not be too proud to

seek advice from a mentor. I have noticed that my principal often seeks advice from other

principals or from his direct supervisor, when he doesn’t know what to do or say he pauses and

says let me get back to you. You should always be honest; people respect honesty rather than

lying and having the wrong answer. Integrity is also important because there are unspoken

guidelines of morality that should never be crossed. If principals are not morally correct it will

undermine their authority. Although, all principals should have multiple values and beliefs I

believe honesty, integrity, determination, forgiveness and willing to learn are the most important.

Relatable Leadership Styles

The leadership styles I most resemble are a mixture of transformational, transactional,

charismatic, democratic and situational leadership styles. A transformational leadership style is

one that believes in rewarding employees for good behavior and reprimanding people for

undesirable behavior. I think leaders should ask their team for input as two heads are always

better than one. A charismatic style suites me well because I am a very positive person. I

genuinely care about each and every one, if you need help, I will help you. I enjoy speaking to

people about their personal lives and getting to know individuals for who they are outside of

school. A situational leader must change to fit the needs of their employees. Some employees

need a more restrictive leadership style, while others need a more autonomous style. Not every

situation should be handled the same way. Every person and situation are unique and must be

look at uniquely. I am sure as I develop, and gain experience my leadership style will develop as

well. I am looking forward to the growth I will experience.

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Personal Leadership Philosophy

Acting with Integrity and Fairness

All leaders are role models and need to have a strict moral compass. It is important that

leaders act with integrity and fairness. I plan to seek input from faculty, staff and students for

daily campus routines. Once these routines are established, they will be fairly followed. I would

like my staff to be a model to their students and show strong moral and honest characteristics. It

will be my job to model this behavior for my staff and students. Staff members and students that

do well will be rewarded and those that need to be reprimanded will be redirected in a fair

manner. There will also be a program in place to give the student or staff member the skills to

change their behavior. If the staff upholds these positive behaviors, the students will follow by

example. All campuses need rules but if they are enforced fairly both staff and students will

accept them. Leaders who do not model integrity and fairness will receive criticism and lack of

respect from their faculty, staff and students.

Emerging Model of Effective and Inspirational Leadership Philosophy

An open mindset is the most important character trait of a new leader. One must go into

any new situation with an open mind so that they may absorb new ideas and philosophies.

Before beginning this course, I thought I knew the difference between a good leader and a bad

leader. However, I have since learned there are many types of leaders and good and bad are not

so cut and dry. All styles of leadership can be good or bad depending on the situation at hand.

As I develop my leadership style and learn from others, I hope to become a leader that staff and

students respect and admire. I know I still have a lot to learn, but I am ready and willing to

become the best leader I can be. I have met a lot of bad leaders and I have met a lot of good
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Personal Leadership Philosophy

leaders. I plan to learn from their styles and personalities to develop my own leadership style. I

know that I have what it takes to become a great and influential leader. I am determined and

willing to be the best leader possible.

Conclusion

All leaders go thru a period of adjustment and development to create their own identity.

The key to a great leader is one that can adjust to the situation at hand. We all have experiences

with great leaders, who have set the example for people to follow. And we can all learn from the

mistakes all leaders make from time to time. Leadership styles should continuously change as a

leader grows. Currently I take my inspiration from the leadership styles I most believe in to

develop my skills and abilities. As I gain experience as a leader, I know my leadership style will

change.
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References

Edick, H. (n.d.) Which type of leader are you? 9 Common Leadership Styles.

https://opencurriculum.org/18171/teccomau-9-common-leadership-styles-in-which-type-of-

leader-are-youpdf

Northouse, P.G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and Practice (8th ed.). SAGE.

Https://www.gcumedia.com/digital-resources/sage/2018/leadership-theory-and-practice_8e.php

Rebora, A. (2017). Whole School Leaders: Educational Leadership, 74 (8), 7