1

Leadership Style & Philosophy

Safara Wright

Grand Canyon University

EAD- 501

Dr. Beltram

April 27, 2022

 2

Leadership Style & Philosophy

Did I pass the leadership self - assessment and is there a leader in me? To answer the

question, I must first have a philosophy. Quite literally, the term "philosophy" means, "love of

wisdom." Philosophy is an activity people undertake when they seek to understand fundamental

truths about themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationships to the world and to

each other (Florida State University, n.d.). In a sense, I am looking into a mirror, viewing and

understanding myself. Analyzing my strengths, weaknesses, values, principals and goals in life is

crucial. In fact, in order for me to become an effective leader, it is vital that I develop and

evaluate my own personal leadership philosophy because it will connect, direct and guide my

path in the world (Benson, 2018). More and more as I research, conduct self - assessments,

collaborate, discuss and reflect on various field experiences, I will continue to develop and

evolve into a leader. The purpose of this paper is to identify and explain my personal leadership

style and philosophy.

Personal Values and Beliefs

Personally and spiritually, I was brought up on the principles and beliefs of God that

guide my decisions and actions. In fact, everything within me is God. There is not a day or an

act that I do where I do not acknowledge Him and ask for His guidance. I always tell myself and

others that when my name is attached to anything, the product or the end point will always be

great and be done to my best abilities. The phrase faith over fear has become a belief and a

motto that I live by. It has allowed me to take risks and reach new heights. Undoubtedly, the

daily affirmations have given me confidence to push myself and overcome many obstacles. One

thing that I admire about myself is being determined and persistent. My outlook and perception
 3

on life have become quite different. It has determined the way I think and the decisions that I

make. I have come this far by faith and there is nothing that will hold me from reaching my

potential. In life, I believe that every human being should have equal opportunities and have

qualities that make them a better person. Knowing that I am a work in progress, making my

weaknesses, my strengths is a goal that I have for myself. As a leader, it is my duty to build and

carry these values and beliefs throughout my career path. This has become my philosophy and

as I acquire more wisdom, it will undoubtedly change.

Leadership Styles

Choosing leadership was never a thought in my mind until I wanted to share my learning

with others. I never understood my chosen path, until I understood the term leadership. The

definition of leadership is to influence, inspire and help others become their best selves, building

their skills and achieving goals along the way (Robbins, 2022). There are many styles of

leadership. The three major styles of leadership: transactional, transformational, and servant.

These styles of leadership differ by goal, purpose and focus. Transactional Leadership consists

of four (4) parts: contingent reward, active management, passive management and laissez-faire

(Latham, 2014). Leaders reward and punish people depending on how well a task is completed,

correct noticed mistakes and, or intervene after mistakes. While transactional leaders are only

able to keep followers motivated for a short time, transformational focus on long term

motivation. According to my research, the four aspects of transformational leadership are

idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized

consideration (Burton et al, 2017). For the reasons for recognizing the needs, efforts,

contributions, and shared goals of its workers, transformational leadership is superior and the
 4

leaders are well respected. There is a transcendent vision, strategy and ethics that is applied.

Followers are motivated, inspired, and challenged to solve problems. With mentorship being an

essential part, leaders are interested in the growth and development and set high expectations for

their team. It is vital for people to be highly motivated because it is that key piece needed for

them to reach their goals. Moreover, leading by example and serving others is crucial. As God

has taught us through His many lessons, it's better to give than to take, help others, and not worry

about yourself. As Greenleaf stated, “A servant-leader is a person who begins with the natural

feeling of wanting to serve first – to help, support, encourage, and lift up others. And because of

their noble role model, others begin to lead by serving” (1977). This is what makes servant

leadership different from the other leadership styles. It is a shared approach, collaborative and

efficiency driven, trusting, empowering, and focuses on creating mentorship and a safe

environment for others.

As I continue to research and use the acquired knowledge my perspective of leadership

will transform. After reviewing the three major styles of leadership, I am leaning more towards a

combination style of leadership. Servant Leadership and Transformational Leadership fits me

well and aligns with my philosophy of leadership. They both share the values, beliefs and can

guide me to lead a team into the right direction to achieve our shared goals. This combined

approach to leadership, in my opinion, will be most effective and beneficial to everyone

involved.

Integrity and Fairness

A leader’s character is one that is embedded with strong ethical or moral principles. No

matter the situation, the time or the place, it is my duty to be fair, honest, trustworthy and
 5

consistent with it. Accountability, dependability, reliability and responsibility are important

qualities of integrity (Heathfield, 2021). As a leader you must be held accountable for your

team's actions, they must be able to call you to ensure that the job gets done, as you are

responsible for leading the team. More importantly, being fair means that every student or staff

member is treated equally. Placing the value of integrity into action, means that I will perform

my duties to the best of my abilities. There was a situation at school today, where my students

were involved in a group chat that provoked negative behaviors. As a teacher, I had to be

consistent, fair and honest, not only with my students but with the parents involved.

Academically and socially, guiding students on the right path will point them in the direction of

success.

Model of effective and inspirational leadership

The role of any leader is to adjust to various situations and use the appropriate leadership

style. As a growing and developing leader, it is important that I learn from the field experiences,

mentors and research. In fact, as a team leader of the 5th Grade, I have already seen changes

within myself, as an emergent leader. I am learning to trust and allow teammates to take on

more. Removing self from the equation and adding interest and growth of others has truly made

a difference. It is imperative to hear the view of my teammates before making any decisions. I

have grown to love collaborating and a joint effort. As the saying goes, two heads are better than

one. We see success in our students because we put in the work and have a shared goal. As the

school year comes to an end, teachers become frustrated, I find myself sending daily motivation

and empowering messages. These actions, thinking, decisions, values and principals is what

makes you a leader. Keeping in mind the make up of both the servant and transformational
 6

leadership styles and ensuring that I inspire, motivate, guide, serve with a shared vision would be

most effective.

Conclusion

Having a leadership philosophy with values and beings will change as you gain

experience. The fact that you know yourself before leading a body makes you a leader. More

importantly, understanding the various leadership styles and applying the ones that are most

effective, is important to helping you reach goals. Your character is built on integrity and

fairness which should be displayed in everything you do. Allowing your team to take the lead

means that you are a leader that leads pinpoints that you are an emergent leader. Your behaviors

and actions demonstrate who you are as a leader. A leader is best when people barely know he

exists; when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves (Tzu, 2022).
 7

References

Burton, L,J. Wealthy, Peachey J. & Damon, Z. Positive Leadership Theory: Transformational,

Transactional, and Servant Leadership. Chapter 2 (21-21) Retrieve on April 26,

2022 from http://samples.jblearning.com/9781284149586/9781284162561_CH02_Burton_Catalog.pdf

Florida State University. What is Philosophy? Retrieve on April 26, 2022 from

https://philosophy.fsu.edu/undergraduate-study/why-philosophy/What-is-

Philosophy#:~:text=Quite%20literally%2C%20the%20term

%20%22philosophy,world%20and%20to%20each%20other.

Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and

greatness. Paulist Press.

Heathfield, S. (2021) What is Integrity? Retrieve on April 26, 2022 from

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-integrity-really-1917676

Latham, J. R. (2014). Leadership for Quality and Innovation: Challenges, Theories, and a

Framework for Future Research. Quality Management Journal, 21(1), 11-15.

Robbins, T. (2022) How to become a leader. What is leadership? Retrieved on Apr 26, 2022

from https://www.tonyrobbins.com/what-is-leadership/

Tzu L. Quotes. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from BrainyQuote.com Web

site: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/lao_tzu_121709