Personal Philosophy of Leadership

This essay will articulate a personal philosophy of leadership, discussing the key values and principles that guide effective and ethical leadership. It will explore concepts such as integrity, empathy, vision, and adaptability, and how these principles are essential for inspiring and leading others. The piece will also discuss the importance of self-awareness, continuous learning, and the ability to navigate challenges and change. This philosophy will be framed within the context of current leadership challenges and the evolving expectations of leaders in various sectors. PapersOwl showcases more free essays that are examples of Leadership.

How it works

  • 1 Introduction
  • 2 What leadership means to me
  • 3 My core values of leadership
  • 4 Personal leadership philosophy
  • 5 Conclusion

Introduction

There are as many ways to lead as there are leaders, every one of them having a different outlook on the philosophies of leading and what it means to be a positive influence over others. One thing that all leaders have in common is that they must have a good understanding of their personal leadership philosophy. To begin I must first realize what leadership means to me personally then explore my core values and how to use them in a leadership role.

It is also important to consider the team that I will lead and the environment in which I will utilize my leadership philosophy. This consideration will help to develop and demonstrate my personal leadership philosophy.

What leadership means to me

Leadership means much more than just managing people. You can be a leader at any level and any job. Leadership is important and can help any company or team thrive. I feel that the key to a great leader is having a vision for your organization and team. Once that vision is fully developed, the way to convey that vison across is also very important. Leaders motivate people with a shared vision, and this can create an environment that allows people to work together efficiently. Having a clear line of communication within a team or work place sets a good leader apart from others. Having confidence in your team to perform efficiently and independently makes a true leader. Taking the time to understand everyone within the organization can help people meet their personal goals and keep them in line with the goals of the company. There is a lot that goes into being a good leader and I feel it starts with an individual’s core values.

My core values of leadership

The core values of a leader can differ depending on outlook, past performance, and organizational environment. For me the first step is to have trust and to be trustworthy. Being open and honest creates a positive culture within the company. Collective communication at any level creates success. The next value that is imperative for a leader is character and temperament. Keeping a positive attitude fosters a positive work place. Temperament is part of the foundation of leadership. If a leader does not have a good temperament and behavior the rest of the team will be negatively influenced. Lead by example and stay focused on the goals of the team while remaining composed. Respect also goes a long way in a leadership role. Mutual respect for everyone within an organization generates admiration. This admiration keeps the culture of organization positive and helps productivity. There are many core values to keep in mind while leading the top three are just the most important to me. But a good leader should correspondingly be able to accept accountability, be an inspiration, and have courage. These values will be effective within any team and organization. But I feel that my core audience would be from a corporate background.

Personal leadership philosophy

Considering my core values and what leadership means I have formulated my personal leadership philosophy. This includes leadership styles, behaviors, and attitudes I want to express. As for leadership styles I strive to be a strategic leader (Bateman, Snell, & Konopaske, 2019) to motivate teams and the organization, providing a sense of unity in order to keep the company productive (2019). Within this style I will aim to produce an environment that inspires teams to work efficiently and independently while being able to communicate their own ideas. I similarly would like to have a democratic approach to leadership (Bateman, Snell, & Konopaske, 2019). This leadership style has members of the group take part in the decision-making process. Within this style team members are encouraged to be creative, participate, and use open discussions to achieve goals (2019). I feel that this style helps to foster high moral and great teamwork. Making it a core part of my leadership philosophy.

In line with my core values I wish to generate a relationship-motived leadership attitude (Bateman, Snell, & Konopaske, 2019). I would place importance on interpersonal relationship skills and use these skills to support, inspire, and make my team feel valued. Building a relationship with team members encourages boundless teamwork and collaboration. The behavior associated with a relationship-motived leader is to have open-door police and to take a genuine interest in the individuals that make up your team (2019). I feel that, utilizing these approaches to leadership, I would work well with other people with good interpersonal skills. Perhaps a younger working force would get more from my leadership philosophy because they are more open to building strong interpersonal relationships amongst those they work with.

The ideas expressed in this paper are just ideas at this point but having a strong leadership philosophy will help when I need to put these ideas into action. My outlook may change while my core values of trust, character, and mutual respect will always be reflected in my leadership style. I feel that to be a good leader one must hold on to their ideals and never compromise their morals. Overall, I know that any organizational environment or team would benefit from my leadership philosophy.

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Tips for Developing a Personal Leadership Philosophy

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A leadership philosophy has been defined as "a set of beliefs, values, and principles that strongly influence[s] how we interpret reality and guide our understanding of influencing humans" (Ambler, 2012, p. 77, as cited in Speranza & Pierce, 2019). A leadership philosophy promotes communicative actions and helps a leader develop the capability and capacity cultivate the best human potential.  Reflecting on 10 questions related to personal leader development that we shared in first article ( Preparing to Engage in Leader Development of the Developing the Leader in You series) will help you to better prepare to write a personal leadership philosophy. Below we will discuss why a leadership philosophy is important and provide you with tips that will help you to write your leadership philosophy.

Why a Personal Leadership Philosophy is Important

A leadership philosophy is a "personal roadmap" that translates your beliefs, values, and principles. A leadership philosophy is a foundation for ethical decision-making. Moreover, it guides person's life and work-related concerns.

Tips for how to Develop a Personal Leadership Philosophy

We adapted some strategies from Leadership Paradigms' (2009), Ziskin's (2015), and Speranza and Pierce's (2019) works.

  • Consider who your role models are. How did your role models impact the development of the leader in you?
  • Consider the life events that impacted your leadership style.
  • Identify the leader qualities you are proud of.
  • Determine what is impeding your leader development (i.e., knowledge, people, resources)
  • Reflect on your success in past. How efficient are you at living out your beliefs in your daily life?
  • Consider the SMART goals you set. Determine how you will incorporate these goals into your leadership philosophy. See our previous article .
  • Reflect on your vision of teamwork and team success. Do you see yourself as a team coach? What does teamwork mean to you?
  • Think about different styles of leadership . What leadership approach fits your values, beliefs, and principles? For example, servant leadership, transformational leadership, or others?

Deierlein (2015) recommended the following essential components of a personal leadership philosophy:

  • Your core values (includes your purpose)
  • Your work style (includes your communication style)
  • Your expectations
  • Behavior you will not tolerate
  • Your professional priorities
  • How you want to receive feedback

Be creative when developing your leadership philosophy. Use essential components of the leadership philosophy recommended by Deierlein (2015) as a start. Add additional components that reflect your values, beliefs, and principles.

We hope this article helped you to begin developing your own personal leadership philosophy. For more resources related to this topic, please contact us.

Deierlein, T. (2015). Why you should have a written leadership philosophy .  Leader to leader ,  2015 (77), 13-18.

Leadership Paradigms, Inc. (2009). Developing a personal leadership philosophy.

Newlon, K. (2017) Leadership in teams and in community organizations (COMLDR 4430) Course. Columbus, OH: The Ohio State University.

Speranza, C.R., & Pierce, A. (2019). Development of a personal leadership philosophy: an experiential and reflective opportunity in the graduate classroom .  Journal of leadership education ,  18 (3), 167-175.

Ziskin, I. (2015).  Three: The human resources emerging executive . Hoboken NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

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Personal Leadership Philosophies Essay

Leadership is a human character trait that is often associated with having a social influence in a group, the ability to make and uphold complex decisions, and overall personality qualities that other people look up to. Cummings et al. (2018) argue that, despite the particular leadership styles a person may be practicing, people with leadership skills are paramount to creating a healthy working environment. This paper will cover my ideal personal leadership philosophy based on the results of the Clifton Strengths assessment and will present core values, mission and vision statement and personal development plan.

To begin with, the ideal leadership style for nurturing a positive and efficient working environment would be, in my opinion, a combination of relationally focused leadership styles including transformational, charismatic and servant. According to Cummings et al. (2018), relational types of leadership qualities encompass a variety of skills and techniques targeted at improving interpersonal relationships and the mental well-being of the employees. In particular, the authors highlight three styles of relational leadership: transformational, focused on employees working up to their potential, resonant, aimed at determining employees’ needs and wants, and authentic, concerned with public image and perception of the leader. In turn, Alblooshi et al. describe charismatic leadership as one that “exists in environments that are uncertain and too challenging… leaders are required to influence team members’ confidence in their abilities and promote a sense of community” (2021, p. 14). Finally, Gandolfi and Stone (2018) make a case for servant leadership being superior for building a positive working environment. Similar to resonant and transformational leadership, servant leaders focus on what motivates employees, putting their own needs aside, and allow people to develop by letting them in on managerial decisions.

As far as the personal leadership philosophy is concerned, I chose my core values as a leader to be empathy, attentiveness to employees’ wants and needs, and enhancement of employees’ potential. Furthermore, if I were a leader, my mission and vision statements would be “Creating the most convenient and fruitful working environment for all employs alike” and “Environment where each employee feels safe, content and working up to their potential”. With regard to Clifton Strengths assessment, the test highlighted five of my most prominent qualities: relator, positivity, includer, responsibility and adaptability. The first three qualities can be summarized as exhibiting a positive attitude, bringing the working team closer together and ensuring that each employee feels included – personality traits often associated with charismatic and transformational leadership styles. The last two qualities signify my responsible attitude and ability to adapt to unforeseen circumstances that are, in turn, associated with transformational and servant leadership styles. Based on this information, the list of Clifton Strengths and my own experience, in order to become a better leader I need to cultivate arranger and empathy qualities that require higher organizational and emotional intelligence skills.

In conclusion, I will present my personal development plan outlining ways of improving upon the chosen qualities and the plan for achieving the aforementioned vision statement. First, arranger quality and organizational skills can be significantly enhanced if one were to practice scheduling routine, time management skills and overall attention to detail. Secondly, emotional intelligence skills can be improved by focusing on active listening skills, maintaining a high level of self-awareness and, most importantly, exercising empathy for others. This way, my personal vision can be achieved by constant empathetic engagement with the employees, attentiveness to employees’ desires and thoughts, and putting oneself on equal footing with the subordinates.

Alblooshi, M., Shamsuzzaman, M. and Haridy, S. (2021). The relationship between leadership styles and organisational innovation: A systematic literature review and narrative synthesis”. European Journal of Innovation Management , 24 (2), 338-370.

Cummings, G. G., Tatea, K., Leea, S., Wong, C. A., Paananena, T., Micaronia, S. P. M. and Chatterjee, G. E. (2018). Leadership styles and outcome patterns for the nursing workforce and work environment: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies , 85 , 19-60.

Gandolfi, F. and Stone, S. (2018). Leadership, leadership styles, and servant leadership. Journal of Management Research , 18 (4), 261-269.

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1. IvyPanda . "Personal Leadership Philosophies." July 28, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/personal-leadership-philosophies/.

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IvyPanda . "Personal Leadership Philosophies." July 28, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/personal-leadership-philosophies/.

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The importance of having a personal leadership philosophy

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Good leaders should have a leadership philosophy

Holding a position of authority comes with its fair share of challenges and responsibilities. As a leader, it’s your job to ensure your team is productive and feels supported – especially during unprecedented times. Establishing a personal leadership philosophy (PLP) can help you build trust with your direct reports and guide your decisions when unexpected obstacles arise. But what is a PLP, and how does it work? Keep reading to learn how this essential element can help equip you as a successful leader.

What is a PLP?

Taking the time to create a personal leadership philosophy (PLP) enables leaders to be more intentional. PLPs are clear, written statements about what’s important . It defines who the leader is, how they lead, and what people expect. Actions are clear and constant. Day-to-day management is consistent. A PLP is a reflective explanation of a strong leader’s core values, attitudes and real-life experiences that guide their leadership qualities.

Every leader has their unique leadership style. Types of leadership include authoritarian, democratic or laissez-faire. Whatever combination of style and traits you possess may shift over a lifetime. Knowing “who” you are and “what’s important” will make the difference. Whether decisions are straightforward or complicated, having the clarity of a PLP will keep you sane during demanding times. Transformational leadership is a leader who knows their purpose and lives it.

Clarity is a valuable commodity during times of challenge.

Personal leadership philosophy: How it works and why it matters

At a high level, a PLP reveals details about your leadership style. It touches on your core values and your attitudes. A PLP should be reviewed and shared with others. A leader must convey their intent to help others understand their leadership principles.

The development of a PLP is part of the Creighton University Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) degree , according to assistant professor Tony Williams, PhD As part of the program, students are assigned to create and share their personal leadership philosophy.

“This comes towards the end of the curriculum when students learn leadership styles plus study the Jesuit Charisms,” Williams explains. A charism is a gift of grace, not for personal gain, but for the benefit of others. Examples would include education of the whole person, Magis (or more), plus helpful leadership insights. Students analyze their core values, attitudes, and real-life experiences during their degree studies and develop a personal leadership philosophy that can help them become more effective leaders and grow in their professional lives. Finally, students are asked to apply their unique leadership philosophies in their everyday lives.

“Your personal leadership philosophy is not abstract ,” Williams says. “Students are encouraged to write a clear and concise statement, so they have it down in a physical form.” He adds:

Publishing a PLP can occur informally, such as sharing within a leadership team or formally posting on a LinkedIn profile or at the top of a resume. In addition, the accountability found when sharing the PLP helps the leader maintain a realistic approach to how they behave and respond while leading in action.

How to write your personal leadership philosophy

Start by thinking of the personal traits you value most. For example, do you favor kindness over strength? Do you consider yourself brave and loyal or respectful and hard-working? Collaborative or adventurous? That should give you an idea of some values and attributes to include in your leadership philosophy. These can be your values or your team’s values you want to inspire.

Spend some time writing about each one, explaining how you expect it to influence your team. Then, take it one step further and imagine what your team would look like if they adopted those values.

Another helpful idea is to follow a set of questions that can help you identify what’s important to include in your personal philosophy statement. In an article entitled These 8 Answers Will Fill Your Leadership Philosophy , author Molly Fletcher shares the following prompts:

  • I spend time …
  • I am curious about …
  • I respect …
  • I listen with …
  • I care about …
  • I inspire …

By finishing these statements, you can start to craft your own unique PLP. Fletcher says you may borrow from various influences, “but your most real philosophy is as individual as your fingerprint.”

The benefits of establishing a PLP are that it provides insight for both the leader and the followers. First, a PLP demonstrates reflective practices and self-awareness. It can provide a framework to help leaders remain consistent in their leadership behaviors. Lastly, it can establish a standard that leaders can turn to when faced with a challenging situation.

What goes into a personal leadership philosophy?

Once you have the words and statements you want to make a part of your PLP, you can follow a template to get to your goal. It becomes a personal touchstone for those days when you’re not experiencing your best or challenged by those issues that can often surface when you least expect them. Reflect and remind yourself of the end goals by revisiting your leadership philosophy.

Here’s a “mad libs” version to help you see how it can flow, as suggested in an article by Cat Alford :

To me, leadership is _____, _____, and _____. I believe that as a leader I need to _____, _____, and _____ in order to be my best. I will inspire my team to _____, _____, and _____. I want my team and myself to value _____, _____, and _____. I do not tolerate _____ from those around me. My ultimate goal is to _____.

Keep in mind there is no right or wrong way to accomplish this. Nor should it be “from the hip.” Take the time to think about your values. Then, design it in any way that it becomes easily understandable for anyone. Your leadership philosophy statement is unique to you. So, write down what authentic leadership feels right for you.

Personal leadership philosophy examples

It might be helpful to see some actual personal leadership examples, as some people might struggle with crafting their first PLP. See what it looks like if you expand the template above and incorporate some of your personal goals and beliefs.

Consider these personal leadership philosophy samples:

  • “Leadership is clarity, compassion and collaboration with those I work with and for. As a leader, I should communicate our mission to others well. I take responsibility when I don’t live up to my best self. If someone makes a mistake, it’s an opportunity to demonstrate Grace and work together to correct it. I believe I am a great listener, possess character, and exhibit a strong work ethic to be effective.”
  • “My goal is to guide my team, encourage them to fulfill their true potential, and be an available leader. I value honesty, work ethic, loyalty, and respect, and I strive to be an approachable leader. My goal is to lead with strength, not to instill fear. At the same time, I will not tolerate lying or laziness from those I lead.”

Amplify your impact as a leader

You may feel like you have a firm grasp on your personal leadership philosophy, but taking the time to put it into words and keep it in a place where you’re routinely reminded of it can make all the difference. Sharing it with your team can also instill a sense of trust and accountability.

If you are interested in all areas of effective leadership, including developing true leadership skills to last a lifetime, consider Creighton's MS in Organizational Leadership . We even offer game-changing graduate certificates in leadership if you're not ready to commit to a full degree program. Our goal is to develop moral and ethical leaders who use their skills to promote social justice and societal and organizational change globally and in your local community. Learn more today!

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How To Develop A Leadership Philosophy (With Examples)

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Developing a leadership philosophy will help you become a better and more effective leader . There are several main leadership philosophies that most people follow to determine their leadership style. You might know of these leadership philosophies and decide to model your leadership off of them, or you naturally developed your leadership style, and it matches one of these methods.

No matter what stage of your career you’re in, what industry you’re in, or what your career goals are, knowing the leadership philosophy you follow is an important tool. In this article, we’ll go over how to develop a leadership philosophy, provide leadership philosophy examples, as well as some tips to keep in mind when writing your philosophy.

Key Takeaways:

A leadership philosophy depends on your personal values as well as environmental factors

Clarifying your leadership philosophy will make you a better leader.

Leadership philosophy examples include: solution-based leadership, democratic leadership, and transactional leadership.

To develop your leadership philosophy consider how you work currently, what your goals are, and examine leaders you admire.

How To Develop A Leadership Philosophy (With Examples)

What is a leadership philosophy?

How to develop a leadership philosophy, leadership philosophy examples, examples of personal leadership philosophies, why should you review examples of leadership philosophies, leadership philosophy faq.

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Leadership philosophies are based on several things, including character, beliefs, emotions, and principles. To create an outline of how someone acts as a leader, you can follow a leadership principle on a personal level, referring to how you are as a leader. This can also be mandated on a company or organizational level, meaning an organization encourages employees to lead in a certain way.

Leadership has different ways of approaching and tackling different situations. Each person views it differently and acts as a leader in different ways. Using leadership philosophies is a way to distill those differences and make sense of the ways people can act as leaders.

Though it seems technical or advanced, leadership philosophies are more like guidelines than rules set in stone. You can relate to multiple leadership styles and switch up your leadership since the philosophies don’t have to be adhered to. Think of it as a way to classify types of leadership and a method to help you frame how you approach leadership.

While they’re not formalized in nature, you should take time to consider your leadership philosophy and write it down. Sometimes a potential employer will ask to know your leadership philosophy, but it’s still mainly a tool for you. Taking the time to sit down, think, and write about your take on leadership can prepare you for tackling a leadership role in the future.

You can use it as a reference when you need to figure out how to approach a challenging leadership problem .

To develop a leadership philosophy, you should first figure out your leadership style, think about how you work currently, and think about what you want your future to be. Below is a more detailed list of how to develop a leadership style.

Find your leadership style. Along with leadership philosophies, leadership styles are important in understanding how you lead.

Think about how you work currently. To start, you should consider how you lead presently or how you’ve led in the past. Your most effective leadership philosophy will be one that feels natural to you, so starting with what you already do is a great start.

Think about your future. How do you want to be perceived as a leader? Thinking about the future of your leadership and skills is a good way to get on a path that will lead you there. Consider how you would like to lead in the future and how you want to work with your team.

Talk with other leaders. Getting advice from other leaders is a great way to think about your leadership values. Ask them about how they lead and what general principles they bring to all of their leadership roles .

Consider your goals . Think about where you want to be in the future and how you can get there. Your leadership goals should fall in line with your broader career and life goals, so make sure everything is consistent.

Think about your personal values. At the end of the day, leadership philosophies are extremely personal and reflect who you are. Turning to your values is a good way to incorporate your beliefs into the way you lead others.

Find leaders you admire. Just like looking at leadership philosophies can help you determine your personal perspective. Looking at the leadership styles of leaders you admire can help you find what you like.

Some examples of leadership examples include solution-based leadership and democratic leadership. You can deviate from these and develop something new, or you can choose to incorporate elements of one or a few in your personal statement .

There’s no wrong way to lead, and these are just a few common examples of leadership philosophies:

Solution-based leadership. You can look at a challenge as a problem or an opportunity to find a great solution . People who see it the second way can be solution-based leaders who look for good solutions instead of worrying about the problem at hand.

Democratic leadership. If you believe in hearing every voice in the room, democratic leadership might be for you. As the leader, you can consult everyone and weigh their opinions equally before making a decision. But, since you’re in charge, you can ultimately decide the next step.

Transformational leadership. Setting goals, finding paths to success, and working collaboratively with a team are central to transformational leadership. These leaders want to help their team grow and evolve as everyone works together.

Learning leadership. Some people like to approach leadership as an opportunity to learn. Instead of acting like a leader who got there because of their existing knowledge, they approach every situation as a chance to learn more and expand their horizons.

Laissez-faire leadership. If you like being hands-off and leaving people to do what they do best, laissez-faire leadership might be your style. Typically, these leaders act as a final “okay” or a resource for help when team members get stuck, but they don’t hover or force people to do things their way.

Transactional leadership. Sometimes people work harder when they know they’ll get something good in the end. This is the basis for transactional leadership, which uses rewards to motivate people to work toward a common goal. Think of things like bonuses , promotions, raises , and other rewards for employees who contribute to a project or goal.

Autocratic leadership. Almost the opposite of laissez-faire leadership is autocratic leadership, where the leader wants to oversee most, if not all, of a team’s work. People who are control freaks tend toward this style, but that’s not a bad thing.

Take a look over these personal leadership philosophy examples to see which one resonates with you the most. Note that your personal leadership style doesn’t have to adhere to the exact language of these examples. Instead, use them as inspiration for writing your own leadership philosophy.

Solutions-based leadership philosophy example

Challenges at work represent new opportunities for growth and development. I consider the long-term goals of our company and team, then reverse-engineer a plan for how to get there. I look forward to solving problems together by applying our collective knowledge.

Democratic leadership philosophy example

While it’s important to have clear guidelines and definitive goals, I believe that everyone on my team should have a voice in determining those guidelines and goals. Furthermore, I encourage a diversity of opinions on any topic and think that the best results come from people who have a say on what they’re working on and how they work on it.

Transformational leadership philosophy example

Failure to evolve leads to stagnation and eventually depreciation. New ideas are the life blood success. I motivate my team members with long-shot goal setting to encourage a belief in radical transformation. Additionally, I commit myself to providing the necessary tools and time to allow for my team to grow their skill sets.

Learning leadership philosophy example

Being a leader means being a jack-of-all-trades who can adapt quickly to new ideas. I approach new challenges as exciting opportunities to expand the skill set of my team and myself. I encourage my employees to explore extra learning opportunities outside of their normal responsibilities and provide resources for them to do so.

Laissez-faire leadership philosophy example

I trust my team to know how to do their jobs correctly. They’re experts who make great decisions and can solve problems on their own. I like to set big-picture goals and provide a vision that everyone can get behind, but I stay out of the way when it’s time for tasks to be carried out.

Transactional leadership philosophy example

My team responds to financial incentives more than anything else, so I use bonuses, commissions, raises, and promotions to motivate my team to success. I foster a competitive spirit that pushes everyone to reach for their highest potential. Finally, I make sure that the metrics I institute make sense and incentivize the right sort of behavior.

Autocratic leadership philosophy example

Decision-making takes too long and ends up with soft, difficult-to-apply polices when too many people are involved. I will make all of the important decisions and delegate a handful of other key stakeholders as decision-makers as well. Most employees will have to follow our examples and guidelines and trust that we’ll lead them to a successful outcome.

Reviewing examples of leadership philosophies will not only will you better understand the format of leadership philosophies when you review examples, but you’ll also get a chance to see how other people see leadership. You might find points you agree with or some that you hate, and they’re all valuable.

You can choose to model your personal philosophy after others or decide that you want to do the opposite of what someone else did.

Having access to other people’s leadership philosophies can help you formulate your own better than if you were on your own. Taking inspiration from others can help you decide how you want to be as a leader. It’s like thinking back to a leader you admire and trying to capture what you love about them in your own leadership style.

This doesn’t mean you should take your leadership style from someone else. It’s actually the opposite. You should strive to create a unique leadership philosophy that feels like your own, but of course, you can take inspiration from other people.

Why is a leadership philosophy important?

A leadership philosophy is important because it clarifies the objectives of a leader. A leadership philosophy is a framework which you can build off of. This helps provide consistency, that is a huge factor in good leadership. Knowing your leadership philosophy can also help during difficult times, especially in situations where you may need to either adjust or reinforce your leadership style.

What makes a good leader philosophy?

Regardless of philosophy, a good leader will help everyone produce their best work possible. To do this, a good leader must combine the skills of delegation, communication, structure, vision, decision-making, empathy, and inspiration. All of these skills combine to make a leader who can move their team to success.

Do I need a leadership philosophy?

Yes, if you are a leader, you should have a leadership philosophy. Not only will the philosophy provide you with direction or allow you to answer leadership-based interview questions , but it will also give you a great way to communicate with your team. By knowing your philosophy you can set clear goals and expectations.

What does a leadership philosophy look like?

A leadership philosophy is a belief system that helps guide your decision-making. Since leadership has different ways of approaching and tackling different situations, leadership philosophies will help people use their own personal viewpoints to lead. They are more like guidelines than a set of rules you have to follow.

PennState Extension – Tips for Developing a Personal leadership Philosophy

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Home — Essay Samples — Science — Space Exploration — Formal and Informal Leadership and My Personal Leadership Philosophy

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Formal and Informal Leadership and My Personal Leadership Philosophy

  • Categories: Leadership Development Leadership Styles Space Exploration

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Published: Apr 11, 2022

Words: 874 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Formal leadership, informal leadership, role of formal leadership.

  • Formal leader has more decision-making power.
  • A formal leader can give a direct order to do any task.
  • The relationship in this type of leadership is like top to bottom. For example, the ICU unit in-charge has the authority to handover any task to nurses, and here the nurse needs to follow the instruction of in-charge nurses because of power.
  • A formal leader is a member of the organization who has empowered the organization to achieve the organizational objective.

Role of Informal Leadership

  • Informal nursing leader is clinically highly qualified nurses who acknowledged as a specialist. This sort of pioneer is influencing a group of people.
  • Informal ruler does not have the authority to employ, fire, or compensate other people but are often charismatic, open-minded, and willing.
  • Many non-formal leaders can be trouble-shooters, super users and volunteer champion for additional employment, on unit or hospital committee, and in mutual governance boards (Krueger, 2013).

Nursing Professional Association Influence Leadership Philosophy

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personal leadership philosophy essay

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COMMENTS

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  12. How To Develop A Leadership Philosophy (With Examples)

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