My Leadership Philosophy: Leading with Compassion

Gina M. Bianchi?

American College of Education?

LEAD5653: Leadership Theories, Frameworks & Philosophies?

Dr. Reneé Harmon?

September 24, 2023?

?My Leadership Philosophy: Leading with Compassion?

I am about to complete my first course in my master's degree in organizational leadership titled?Leadership Theories, Frameworks and Philosophies. This course culminates with the creation of my own personal and professional leadership philosophy. A leadership philosophy is grounded in theories and frameworks, but it is value-driven and highly subjective.?(American College of Education, 2023). Embodying a leadership philosophy is important because it creates consistency and predictability in the way one leads, which can positively impact a leader's credibility and trust among followers (Ruggero & Hailey, 2014). When a leader knows what they value, they can use their guiding principles as a true-north in ethical decision making (Gonzales, 2019). ?

I could have written my leadership philosophy and chosen not to publish it, but in my endeavor to become a better leader I have chosen to share it with you. Sharing my leadership philosophy adds a layer of accountability to my decision-making and allows others to know what I stand for (Gonzales, 2019). It demonstrates what core beliefs are woven throughout my philosophy, therefore providing consistency in my decision-making that others may not always agree with, but they will be more likely to understand.?

Leadership Philosophy Influences?

Several leadership styles have stood out to me when it comes to who I endeavor to be as a leader. I always strive for authenticity. I firmly believe that I?should be able and willing to perform any task or job that I assign to a follower, as well as embody the traits I hope to observe in others. Authentic Leadership is comprised of four main tenants: self-awareness, internalized moral perspective, balanced processing and relational transparency (Walumbwa, et al, 2008) These are tenants that I whole-heartedly embrace.?

When it comes to frameworks that increase the usability of theories in a work setting, 3D Leadership provides a structure that resonates with me. I have naturally followed its structure without knowing it had a name, and now I can more intentionally pursue this framework?as a?leader.?Leadership behavior in 3DL is guided by the levels of guidance behavior and motivational behavior that best suits the leader and members primarily in charge of implementing the goal (Kunannatt, 2016). 3D Leadership proposes that a directing mode is applicable when a high level of task guidance is indicated, developing mode is applicable when a moderate level of guidance is indicated, and a delegating mode is indicated for a low level of task guidance (American College of Education, 2023). Respectfully, each of these modes relates to transactional, transformational and visionary leadership which inspire my leadership philosophy.?

Core Beliefs?

My personal core beliefs that guide my leadership philosophy are the following, inspired by a dear friend, David Jackson.?

• Honesty – Truth is important even when it is hard for others to hear. By sharing hard truths, we develop trust with others.?
• Transparency – Transparency relates to sharing our motivations and intentions with others. This also establishes trust and can lead to others feeling brave enough to be mutually transparent.?
• Vulnerability - By being vulnerable to display our fears and insecurities, or even mistakes as leaders, we empower others to do the same. It fosters an environment of acceptance and self-efficacy.?

My professional core beliefs that guide my leadership philosophy are the following.?

• Inclusivity – I believe in diverse work groups that bring different perspectives to the table, and a major component of this is inspiring a culture of inclusivity so those diverse individuals feel safe to exist and share their knowledge and perspectives.?
• Validation?- Listening is important, but hearing an individual, then validating their experience fosters trust and forges a stronger relationship between the leader and others. Validating does not mean always agreeing. Validating simply means understanding that others’?perspective and thoughts are valid and then exploring the next logical steps in a collaborative manner.?
• Proactivity – Take the?initiative. If something comes up, don’t assume someone else will handle it. Do it yourself or ask someone else if they might be handling it. Care deeply about the work you do and don’t leave it to chance. This deep care will show to others and could inspire them to care deeply as well.?

Non-negotiables?

My non-negotiables are respect, honesty and compassion. ?

I will always treat others with respect, regardless of who they are. This applies to everyone including but not limited to my supervisors, colleagues, subordinates, donors, students, partners, and vendors. Everyone that I encounter has unlocked potential to understand and further the vision of Monterey Peninsula College Foundation, which is to provide universal access to high quality education. When I treat these individuals with the respect they deserve, we are more likely to have a positive relationship where we strive to be of assistance to each other. I have seen this play out in practice where the respect and appreciation for each other becomes so paramount that I can rely on these individuals to come through for me in a pinch, or even to refer me out to others or consider me as a partner when opportunities arise.?

Honesty is a prime component in developing trust. Trust is everything in any relational role. I work as a Director of Development which is a fundraising role. The more trust I establish with my donors, the more they trust me to use their contributions in the way they intend, and to help our students in a transformative way. The students must also trust me as I give them advice on how to access the funds, as it takes valuable time for them to attend workshops and apply. My supervisor must trust that I will meet deadlines and do what I say. Last but certainly not least, my followers must trust that I am a person of my word, and that I can be relied upon. By being honest with all of these entities, I foster trust.?

Lastly, compassion is of prime importance and absolutely non-negotiable. Working in the non-profit industry, service to others is a core part of what I do. To serve others, I must reserve judgement and lead with compassion. A large variety of individuals come to Monterey Peninsula College Foundation seeking funds, resources or assistance. They come from all different backgrounds and situations. It would be easy to cast judgement or question why someone didn’t do this or that. It is non-negotiable, however, that we lead with compassion, acknowledge that we all stumble, assess the situation and provide whatever funds, resources or assistance we decide would be most beneficial. ?

Pillars of my Philosophy: Graphic 1 is a visual element to show the five main pillars of my leadership philosophy that stem from each of my core personal and professional beliefs. Each of my core beliefs is woven through each pillar with varying levels of association. For example, “Pillar 1: Know your why” stems from being honest with yourself and proactive in your guiding principles. “Pillar 2: Be honest when times are good and be more honest when times are bad” stems from the core beliefs of honesty, transparency and vulnerability. “Pillar 3: Don’t just listen, hear and affirm” stems from the core beliefs of inclusivity and validation. “Pillar 4: Assume good intentions until shown otherwise” stems from the core beliefs of vulnerability, inclusivity and validation. “Pillar 5: Healthy discourse is desired” stems from honesty, vulnerability, inclusivity and validation. “Pillar 6: Do it, delegate it or write it down” stems from the core belief of proactivity.??

?Conclusion

Maxwell (2005) proposes “leadership is more disposition than position. With the right attitude and the right skills, you can influence others from wherever you are in an organization” (p. 60).

A clear leadership philosophy based on core beliefs and values?influences a leaders’ behavior. A?leadership philosophy dictates consistency in?behavior by providing a true north of which to hold every decision up against, while providing connection to the work being done (Benson, 2015). It is with this in mind that I have established my own personal and professional leadership philosophy based on my core beliefs.

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References?

American College of Education. (2023). LEAD5653: Leadership Theories, Frameworks, and Philosophies: Module 1 [Part 2 Presentation].?

Benson, D. (2015). Creating your personal leadership philosophy. Physician Leadership Journal, 2(6), 64–66.?

Gonzales, S. R. (2019). A leg to stand on: Developing core beliefs and a leadership philosophy for sound ethical decision‐making. New Directions for Community Colleges, 2019(185), 43–51. https://doi.org/10.1002/cc.20337??

Kunannatt J. T. (2016). 3D Leadership -- Strategy-Linked Leadership Framework for Managing Teams. Economics, Management & Financial Markets, 11(3), 30–55.?

Maxwell, J. C. (2005). The 360-degree leader: Developing your influence from anywhere in the organization. Nashville, TN: Nelson Business. ?

Ruggero, E. & Haley, D. F. (2014). The leader’s compass: A personal leadership philosophy is your foundation for success (3rd ed.). King of Prussia, PA: Academy Leadership.?

Walumbwa, F. O., Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Wernsing, T. S., & Peterson, S. J. (2008, February 1). Authentic leadership: development and validation of a theory-based measure. Journal of Management, 34(1).?