Leadership Reflection Paper

Upon studying leadership from many angles this semester my outlook has changed and I have been enlighten on the many styles of leadership. My newfound definition of leadership would have to be an individual that uses a variety of tactics and styles in order to lead a group or organization toward their common goal whatever it may be. In addition leadership is a process in which the team members play different roles and use various methods that best suit the group for optimal productivity and moral to influence others around them. The whole process is based around the objective of goal obtainment. My values seem to follow those of a small town American and it seems as though my definitions follows. The core motives in my definition are one person …show more content…
These three theories changed and developed my understanding the most. For starters transformational leadership is basically when a leader takes a follower under their wing and develop or transforms them in order to meet their full potential. I know this theory is extremely important because it is the type of leadership that is being used by coaches, parents, and teachers that are raising our youth for the future. This style of leadership is not just centered on productivity or efficiency as many other approaches are. The transformation leadership approach is so important because at some point we all should take somebody under our guidance and be able to better that individual so that they can succeed at not only the task at hand but at life. There are a lot of details that go into being a great transformational leader that are necessary to dissect in this paper, yet the approach is about guiding and empowering the follower. With the knowledge I have gained by studying this approach I can apply it to my life in so many ways. I do not have children at this time but when I do I can rely on this approach to help me be not only a great role model but also just as important a transformational leader that is able to take them and make them all that they can be. Also I am involved …show more content…
Before this class and the followership theory I saw followers as minions of the leader that answer to his every call. I saw them almost as servants to a king, but that is far from the truth. Through this theory I learned that followers are every bit as important as that leader is, in fact without followers there would be no leader at all. My outlook was completely wrong and in all of my leadership role I was not treating my followers as equals. I had a complex that I was better than my followers and was just supposed to tell them what to do. However followers and leaders should share a mutualistic relationship where all members work together to play their individual part. I learned that there are many different types of followers and the best followers seem to be emerging leaders. While these followers may have learned these abilities by their self the leader should use their transformational leadership skills to foster the follower and enhance abilities to possibly one day take the leaders spot. This way not only can he or she play the role of a follower especially well they can also step up and be the leader if need be. I think that shows how the different types of leaderships are entangled. To be a really great leader you must be able to use all of the theories and approaches. Through the followership lesson I also saw that I play many roles in life in some I am a leader and in others I am a follower,