Creating Your Personal and Professional Leadership Philosophy

Introduction

When reflecting on past supervisors, we’ve all had both good and bad experiences. What makes a supervisor or leader good or bad? In this writer's opinion, the key to being a good leader lies within oneself. It involves knowing who you are, understanding how you work best, and how you process and handle difficult situations. It's also about assessing how you can best support those around you to make your team effective and strong. Understanding your leadership style can help you align your core values with your company's mission or even realize when an organization has non-negotiable aspects you don't want to be part of.

Discover Your Style

Through my own experiences, I've learned that I’m motivated by relationships and encouragement. I identify with both the servant and learning leadership philosophies.?

But how did I discover this about myself? It took a lot of self-reflection and time. I started by watching Alex Lyon’s video, “Leadership Philosophy and How to Clarify Yours.” From there, I mapped out what I value in a leader and how I approach situations as a leader. Here’s how I did it, keeping in mind that these are my answers, and yours may vary:

Question:

What traits have I admired in leaders I’ve worked with? Answer: Empathy, Supportiveness, Encouragement, Directness, and Kindness.

By answering this question I saw a lot of myself and how I lead. I discovered that I value relationships and have the belief that caring for and treating your team well leads to better results. From there I then started to map out key leadership questions.?

My main job as a leader is to support each follower in achieving their goals.

• First, I will encourage each person to discover their strengths and weaknesses.
• Second, I will support followers in working through their weaknesses and building upon their strengths.
• Third, to keep the team moving forward, I will communicate their goals, celebrate their successes, and support ongoing areas of work.

Once mapped out how you lead and what drives you it is time to look at different leadership philosophies. Since I follow servant and learning leadership philosophies those will be the ones that I go over.?

Servant Leadership Philosophy

This leadership style emphasizes the personal growth and development of followers (Canavesi & Minelli, 2021), meaning that the needs of the followers take priority. Servant leaders often believe that happy employees create a more efficient and effective environment. When followers are well cared for, the organization becomes a more welcoming and safe place for everyone.

Learning Leadership Philosophy

This leadership style emphasizes learning and growth. Leaders who adopt this approach support their followers and encourage continuous learning of new technologies and methods. Learning leaders often believe that innovation is essential to an organization's success (Mendes et al., 2016).

Core Beliefs and Non-Negotiables

People are complex and are driven by core beliefs that guide their interactions with the world. We each have different core beliefs, and knowing them helps define who you are. My core beliefs are:

• Showing empathy makes you stronger and creates genuine connections.
• Owning your mistakes is how you grow.
• You can do hard things.
• Persistence goes hand in hand with progress.
• There is always more than one solution to a problem.

These beliefs drive me to learn and grow through education and relationships. They influence how I lead and what I value. The beliefs listed above not only impact how I lead but also highlight my non-negotiables in both work and life. As Alexander Hamilton said, "Those who stand for nothing fall for anything." When considering my non-negotiables, I came up with the following list:

• Discrimination: Treating others as less than is unacceptable, regardless of your role within an organization.
• Closed-Mindedness: Not listening to innovation that could make things more efficient.
• Lack of Awareness: Organizations that fail to recognize or acknowledge their impact on the world around them.

By adhering to my core beliefs and non-negotiables, I ensure that I am part of an organization that aligns with who I am. When that alignment is found, I am excited to go to work and proud to be part of that organization.

Values and Mission

Now that you know your core beliefs and non-negotiables, you can examine a company's mission and values to determine if it's the right fit for you. I find fulfillment in working for non-profits that emphasize making the world a better place. These organizations align with what I hold dear and reflect how I want to operate in everyday life.

Self-Reflection

Now that you know the type of leader you are, how will you hold yourself accountable? How will you reflect and make adjustments? I am a big fan of setting goals, and I often write them down, tracking my progress through spreadsheets and journals. Another practice I follow is taking a moment for self-reflection after a significant event. During this reflection, I ask myself:

• What was the situation?
• How did I handle it?
• How did it impact those around me?
• Could I have done something differently?
• If yes, what could I have done?

By asking these questions and writing down my answers, I can respond more thoughtfully the next time an issue arises. Additionally, I welcome constructive criticism. We all have areas to improve, and by accepting constructive feedback from others, we gain new perspectives on our actions and can improve for the benefit of both others and ourselves.

Conclusion

Knowing who you are is key to leading effectively. Through this reflection, I’ve recognized that I lead through relationships and place a strong emphasis on growth and innovation. Leading with an open heart and mind enables me to empathize with those who follow me, allowing me to support and encourage their growth as well. It’s important to remember that as the world changes around us, we change too. We continue to learn and grow, and with that growth, our leadership styles and philosophies may evolve. That’s why it’s essential to revisit and reevaluate them over time (Lyon, 2021).

References

Canavesi, A., & Minelli, E. (2021). Servant leadership: A systematic literature review and network analysis. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 34(3), 267-289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10672-021-09381-3

Lyon, A. (2021). Leadership Philosophy and How to Clarify Yours [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGLnW9eVaiw&t=44s

Mendes, M., Gomes, C., Marques-Quinteiro, P., Lind, P., & Curral, L. (2016). Promoting learning and innovation in organizations through complexity leadership theory. Team Performance Management, 22(5/6), 301-309. https://doi.org/10.1108/tpm-02-2016-0004

Smith, R. (2023, September 7). 10 leadership philosophies you need to know. Robert F. Smith. https://robertsmith.com/blog/leadership-philosophy/#10-leadership-philosophy-examples