Creating Your Personal and Professional Leadership Philosophy

Creating Your Personal and Professional Leadership Philosophy

Introduction

To succeed as a leader is more than to gain knowledge and experience in leadership. It takes a journey that encompasses the successful implementation of styles, philosophies, and frameworks. They are meaningless without a purpose or reason, which is the leader's responsibility to find it. To do so the leaders' core values and beliefs need to be identified and defined. Most of the time, to the point of non-negotiating or even compromising them. The leaders' core beliefs and values need to align with the organizational mission and values to successfully implement the suitable leadership approach. Let us see how self-awareness, self-reflection, and self-monitoring play an important role in making the leader accountable for the teams, but most important for itself.

Personal Leadership Style, Philosophies, and Frameworks

In simple words, my leadership style is Servant-Transformational Leadership. Servant meaning that I always at service for those who need it, and transformational encompassing dynamical change. Dynamical change means that almost everything in life shifts and evolve. Both are sustained by define frameworks that describe the influence of transformation and service in my leadership style. 

For transformational leadership, its four elements (also known as the “four I's”) are individual consideration, inspirational motivation, idealized influence, intellectual stimulation, and (Copeland, 2016). Transformational leadership can be complemented with servant leadership. Its framework value and develop people, build a community founded in authenticity, and provide share leadership:

The combination of both provokes a unique change transferring to the teams as integrity, engagement, trust, relationships, learning culture, adaptability, and flexibility, and innovation for serving others, including the entire organization:

 Professional Leadership Philosophy with Serving Purpose

The importance is to have a sense of purpose that enables guidance and a constant direction. Service can become a strong sense of purpose. It is a motivational driver that its range is wide. Some well-known examples of service are the United States Armed Forces, Higher Education, and the Community. All need rock-solid leaders are driven by a sense of purpose, making them committed to making a difference in society.

In organizations, is the purpose to focus on all stakeholders, especially the followers which the leaders have the privilege to provide guidance. Not for only to achieve strategic goals and operational objectives; but to be at service by transforming the culture and the people while it still aligns with the mission and vision (ACE, 2020, Strategic Planning Beyond Task-Oriented Goals). Some examples include succession planning, professional or personal training, and development. The purpose is an abstract driven force with tangible results.

Leadership Philosophy Core Beliefs are Non-Negotiables-Drawing the Line

Another word for the core is essential or fundamental. I like both; one functioning as a critical component of personal beliefs while the other “anchor” inside the inner self. Mine is an anchor in honor, courage, and commitment pass down through the United States Navy. Along with my ethos, been ethical, respectful, and trustworthy complement my core values. These core beliefs nurture my servant-transformational leadership style with a strong sense of energy and passion. They are my most valuable components of inner strength and motivation.

My core beliefs are non-negotiable. For example, I always have adherence to what is right by maintaining a high conventional standard of conduct (honor). Sometimes these decisions are making in the presence of adversity and fear (courage). This decision validated confirming your dedication in everything you do (commitment). My ethos is my code which is present through my servant-transformational leadership style (Copeland, 2016).

The Values and Mission of My Organization

The University of West Georgia mission “… enables students, faculty, and staff to realize their full potential through academic engagement, supportive services, professional development, and a caring, student-centered community. UWG is committed to academic excellence and community engagement, offering high-quality undergraduate, graduate, and community programs on-campus, off-campus, and online” (University of West Georgia,2020, para 1). UWG's mission aligns with its values of achievement, caring, collaboration, inclusiveness, innovation, integrity, and sustainability (University of West Georgia,2020). Just in simple view my servant-transformational style completely aligns with UWG's mission and values. The alignment allows change through servicing others (including followers) fostering a collaborative learning culture (Bates, 2014). This is a meaningful sign of a healthy organization.

Leadership Style Approach to Leading Teams

While the leadership style is servant-transformational; the approach can be an active or a passive one. Some situations specific related to custodial/housekeeping services require an energizing and inspirational “leading by example” approach. For example, if a flooring project fails in delivering the required quality, this approach is most effective:              

But the passive approach is also important. Situations at the last minute can create operational issues leading to conflict and failure. As leaders maintaining composure and remaining calm send a strong example to the team. This also enhances trustworthiness and confidence to the leader from its followers. Both approaches fit the servant-leadership style in almost every situation.

Personal Self-reflection and Self-monitoring Strategies

For self-monitoring, I use quantitative and qualitative key performance indicators (KPI’s). As a servant transformational leader, I am responsible and accountable for the strategic, operational, and tactical goals and objectives (ACE, 2020, Strategic Planning Beyond Task-Oriented Goals). Custodial services in higher education implement standards that can be measure and monitor in quantitative form. The most important is the Leadership in Educational Facilities (APPA), the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), Cleaning Management Institute (CMI), and the International Housekeeping Executive Association (IHEA). All of them serve as a reference to develop KPI’s that can be integrated into the operational and tactical objectives. This integration support and align with the strategic goals. 

For the qualitative aspect, some measurements consider team communication, cooperation, collaboration, synchronization, and synergy KPI’s. Others more abstract and related with professional and personal inner growing promoting healthy learning culture were the succession planning, promotion, training, development, and positive satisfaction of the teams can be attaining in form of feedback. The feedback can be used also for self-reflection.

Through self-reflection, I assess my actions, decisions, micro/macro messages; anything that can have a significant impact on the teams. An operational diary or professional notes that are review through a subjective perspective can complement the self-reflection process. This includes identifying the presence of my core beliefs in my daily behavior as a servant-transformational leader.

Self-awareness and Consistent Accountability Measures for Your Stated Philosophy

Been self-aware means be conscious about my behavior. The key is to be consistent as its own “check and balance” tool. It's quite easy to lose composure and after the results could have significant damage in the team including termination. For self-awareness, I keep reading about the contributions of emotional intelligence in organizational behavior (Harms, & Crede, 2010).

My accountability measures are quantitative and qualitative. Both maintain alignment with the self-reflection and self-monitoring strategies. When employees receive a promotion, a high-performance appraisal, or they express a strong sense of realization within the organization, I quietly “pad my shoulder”. This also reinforces my servant-transformational leadership style to continue evolving by striving towards excellence.

Conclusion

Leadership is interdisciplinary, dynamic, adaptable, and with a strong sense of purpose. Leadership is a life learning journey that will continue through servicing organizations, the community, and the entire society. The leadership styles had changed through experience, generations, and time and will continue to do so. What cannot change is the individual’s leadership style foundations that define each leader's behavior, and character. Leadership styles are no right or wrong. It is the good or not good that is transmitted in the others; the unique individuals that we earned the privilege to lead. They are already superstars, just they do not know it yet. So, let leaders lead the way!

 References

American College of Education. 2020. Module 4, Part 3 Transcript: Strategic Planning Beyond Task-Oriented Goals. lead5653-m4p3-script.pdf

Bates, S. B. (2014). Committee effectiveness in higher education: The strengths and weaknesses of group decision making. Research in Higher Education Journal, 25, 1–9.

Copeland, M. K. (2016). The Impact of Authentic, Ethical, Transformational Leadership on Leader Effectiveness. Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics 13(3), 79-97.

Harms, P. D., & Crede, M. (2010). Emotional Intelligence and Transformational and Transactional leadership: A meta-analysis. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 17(1), p: 5-17.

University of West Georgia (2020). Center for Diversity and Inclusion. UWG | Center for Diversity and Inclusion (westga.edu)