BA 298 - Assignment 8

Zarraga, Alfred R
2007-51704

I have always known myself as a leader. Even as a child, I am independent, dependable,

and decisive. Up until now, I am the type to lead my team, organize when things are
disarray, drive the team to a specific goal, and stand as the team’s pillar all the time. But
ever since, I have always been on the search for the type of leader I am. Over the years, I
have associated my leadership with a number of descriptions including integrity but only now
that I got to think deeper about what integrity means. Watching Randy Pennington’s video on
‘How important integrity in leadership is’ that I get to realize what it means to me. My top 3
characteristics of leadership integrity are clarity, congruence, and commitment. Let me share
what each one means to me in the following portion of this paper.

Clarity. This is all about being clear on the beliefs and principles that define my values. Being
clear in my principles and beliefs keeps me grounded and they serve as the foundation of
the things that I do. They are my Wayfinder when I am lost and my benchmark of what is to
be done or otherwise. Being clear on these matters is important as they guide my actions
and decision-making, and these help people around me understand my perspective on
things that allow them to anticipate my reaction to certain situations.

Congruence. What I think is what I do. As a vocal leader, it is important that I speak my mind
and when I do, I make sure that what I speak of is exactly what I believe in. My beliefs are
unique to me as these are mostly products of my upbringing and experiences hence it is
important for me to speak of them so that my position on certain agenda are established
clearly. I am not a fan of sugar-coating or mincing words as these often translate to mixed
signals and misunderstandings that derail the productivity of the group.

Commitment. As a leader, being committed to the group is of the essence. As a pillar of the
group, I understand that backing off from my commitment could pull the group down. That is
why when I am leading a group, I make it a point that the team understands what I want and
that they can expect me to be with them all throughout. There are cases though that prevent
me from staying true to my commitment, I always ensure that I do not drop the ball that
easily and make it a point that the group is in good hands to carry the objective before I
leave.

As an individual, these 3 characteristics are important to me. This keeps me on track with my
personal objectives and pushes me to do more to achieve things. Admittedly, I am a very
competitive person who has been always looking for self-improvement, being clear with my
objectives, speaking my mind, and committing to my goal allows me to improve day-on-day.
These characteristics are essential for me to succeed and reach my personal goals.

As a leader, these characteristics allow me to establish myself, prevent misinterpretations,

and keep the team moving in the right direction. This helps my team as well to move without
being explicitly told as they understand my principles hence improving the group’s efficiency.
Moreover, this helps the team be motivated as they know that I do as I say and that I will be
with them every step of the way.