Daniel SandovalCPSE 560Writing Assignment #1Personal Leadership Plan

Assessment of my leadership style:

My scores in rank:

1. Enabling Others to Act 2. Encouraging the Heart 3. Inspiring a Shared Vision

4. Modeling the Way 5. Challenging the Process

Percentile scored:

50% Challenging the Process 50% Inspiring a Shared Vision

50% Enabling Others to Act 30% Modeling the Way 40% Encouraging the Heart

Range of Scores:

Moderate = Challenging the Process, Inspiring a Shared Vision, Enabling Others to Act, Encouraging the Hearth

Low= Modeling the Way

Narrative Assessment:

I was not surprised to find my leadership scores predominantly in the moderate range. There might be several reasons for this but one of my memories from middle school was listening to my social studies teacher list off who she thought were the leaders of our class; after naming 5 or 6 different students she looked at me and said something to the effect that I might be considered in that group as well. Her perceived skepticism of me as a leader of that class has always left me wondering about her perception and my reality. I know that I am neither an outspoken person nor one who aspires to leadership positions. I have tried to lead through a silent example but continually believe that my actions are not enough which is probably why I scored lower on modeling the way. I do not view myself as a leader although others have. It is only recently that I have been made aware by others that I have strong leadership potential which in part has inspired me to enroll in this course and take a closer look at leadership, particularly in the area of student services in which I currently work.

Personal Mission Statement:

Eugene Ionesco wrote a play titled Rhinoceros in 1959 that speaks to the world about conformism. In the play, the lead character Berenger watches his entire town including his best friend turn into rhinoceros’. Berenger pleads with his friends to resist the conformism and remain individuals but ultimately is unsuccessful as he remains the last man in his town.

Rhinoceros conformity bombards society unceasingly. New clothes, music, entertainment, sports teams, trends, technology and lingo can at times be all consuming. Behavior in certain situations is expected and most often followed. Emotions are only appropriate for particular events and thoughts are better off unsaid. Conformity is doing something because everyone else is doing it. Everyone can come in the forms of friends, family, colleagues or any other group that share commonalities. To some degree we all conform, but to what degree? Will we only grow a horn or a tail? Maybe our skin just gets rough or our feet become hooves. How much of a rhinoceros we become depends upon sense of self and purpose.

To avoid conformity, knowledge of the self must take place. Examination of values, behaviors, cognitions and emotions is essential to commence the struggle of self exploration. This struggle should be embraced and fought with throughout the course of a lifetime. It is when you sit on a solitary isolated island by choice that self exploration begins and conformity starts to end. It is my mission to help others find that island.

Five Leadership Principles:

1. Systems Thinking -

I have generally thought of systems as they pertain to families and groups such as classrooms. While groups also consist of organizations I have never really tied the idea of systems to leadership. In most of the jobs I have held it seems like the leader/manager is in place to see that the system is unharmed and that my contribution should be to an already well running system. Sometimes I have not believed that a system is running well and have taken action to improve the system and have been applauded. Still, there are times when the action I have taken has been deemed insignificant or non compliant within the current system. I believe that systems’ thinking is most effective when it is used in areas where immediate and lasting impact occurs that doesn’t require a great overhaul. At times I believe that my actions have been attempts to overhaul a system and the small significant changes are the ones that get applauded.

2. Leader as Steward –

One of my favorite movies is the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The word steward is used within the film to describe the role of a man who is in charge of one of the kingdoms portrayed in the films. His stewardship is over the throne of this kingdom and he uses his stewardship to advance his selfish desires of power. When it is revealed that the throne of the kingdom has a rightful heir, the steward is unwilling to acknowledge that the heir exists and continues down a path of destruction and selfish behavior. This to me is an example of an unwise and unfit steward. The word steward implies that one is charged to care for the affairs of someone else. A faithful or diligent steward will either return that

which he/she was charged in the same if not better condition than he received it. Within my reading I was impressed to understand that leaders should strive to be stewards of those they lead but also of the mission/purpose that links the leader to those he/she leads.

3. Asking for support -

At a recent announcement of new leadership in an organization I belong to; the issue of support for the new leader arouse. The new leader is a man who is very large physically; some might say he resembles a linebacker or lineman in football. During his announcement someone made the joke that we could all stand on this leader as he would undoubtedly be able to support us. The leader was quick to make known that he was the one needing our support and that he would stand on us as we were willing to hold him up. In recent meetings with this leader he has asked for support from the organization in regards to financial matters to make our organization stronger. From an early stage in his leadership position he made it clear that he needed our support and has continued to ask for it as he is first to point out that not all of can stand on him, but he can stand on all of us.

4. Internal Commitment –

Before a leader can ask those he/she leads to display internal commitment to an organization, the leader must first be internally committed. Internal commitment begins with the self and ends with the self. One of my strongest internal commitments is to the advancement of education. I have worked at different levels of the educational field for over 10 years but bitterly remember the one year I tried my hand in the business field. I have a lot of admiration for those who do work in business and learned many things from my experiences there. The most important lesson I learned was that I do not belong in business and my external commitment toward the organization I worked for showed. Returning to education and working in various capacities within this industry has reaffirmed my passion for educational advancement which in turn has dramatically strengthened my internal commitment to this field. I have displayed my internal commitment by taking unique perspectives on the positions I’ve held and have developed various methods for completing the responsibilities I have held and have found great success within that.

5. Show the Way –

Leading by example is probably the most effective method of leadership. While there are times when it is hard to take the lead, undoubtedly there will be others that follow in your path. A humorous saying “If your not the lead dog, the view never changes” can be applicable to this principle. A lead dog on a sled dog team is the dog that has the best view of what is coming ahead and how to prepare for future terrain and conditions. That lead dog is generally the smartest and most reliable dog on the team. Because he can show others the way and prepare for that which will come he reserves that right to be in the lead.

Personal Definition of Leadership:

Leadership is doing what you ask of others, attending to the mission and people committed to the mission, seeking feedback, embracing innovation and bringing out the strengths of everyone around you.