Philosophy of LeadershipBeing a leader is inherently different than being merely a supervisor. Leadership requires vision, goals, and a plan to accomplish your goals. Through leadership, one inspires others to follow. Through dedication, diligence, and respect, leaders lead effectively.
Through fostering an environment of self-reflection and inquiry among colleagues, a leader develops a rapport that encourages collaboration. By being inquisitive and self-reflective as a leader, one can believe failure is not an end, it is a first attempt in learning. Failure is where strides can happen when leaders are self-reflective and inquisitive about why it failed. Leaders develop an environment of “we.” Through involving stakeholders in decisions through discussions and surveys, then stakeholders are more receptive to a leader’s idea when they are given a voice. A leader maximizes and utilizes the voices of the stakeholders to lead. Leadership involves the inspiration of others to follow; and through giving the stakeholders a voice, a leader reflectively listens to the voice of the stakeholders. Finally, leadership is about relationships. Leaders, unlike supervisors, do not use coercion or force to lead. Leaders use relationships and relevance to gain the respect and understanding. Positive influence of a leader builds relationships among the staff, faculty, and community. Leadership is a privilege that must not be taken lightly. Leaders must always strive to positively influence through collaboration, communication, and interaction with colleagues. |