Summary: The Leadership Worldview

As a graduate student approaching her final semester in school, thoughts regarding my leadership abilities in the soon-to-be “real world” have occupied my mind lately. To further explore and develop my ideas about leadership, I decided to develop my personal leadership theory. So, I asked myself the following questions: What makes a successful leader? How do you recognize a leader when you meet one?, and lastly, what is my theory of leadership? With this last question I thought about what leadership meant to me personally and how I personified it in a role of authority. While I had given thought to how I led, I had rarely taken the time to fully understand what my personal leadership theory entailed. Throughout the length of this paper I will analyze how my leadership skills, traits, values and elements from both Authentic Transformational theories help me to shape my leadership philosophy. In doing so I hope to define the leadership values that influence the way I view and practice leadership.

The concept of effective leadership is a topic that has been widely debated by individuals and professional leaders in many societies. In Kevin Cashman’s book, Leadership from the Inside Out: Becoming a Leader for life, the author reveals that leadership is defined through a person’s understanding of their internal nature, rather than the values, beliefs, and morals a society claims that a leader should possess. Even though Cashman does acknowledge the importance of the societal view of leadership, he argues that true leadership is defined by an individual’s understanding of their internal essence. In each chapter Cashman strongly debates that leaders lead by virtue of who they are. He defines this outlook on leadership as the Inside-Out Leadership Method. This is a method that allows an authoritative figure to develop a strong understanding of their physical, mental, and spiritual essence to lead others towards a mutual goal.

At the present time, leadership, especially effective leadership plays an increasingly significant role in the organization, which can be regarded as the process of affecting activities of an organized group in its efforts forward target setting and target achievement (Daft, 2011). From this perspective, organizations in every walk of life are in pursuit of effective leadership in order to ensure the competitive advantage (Schriesheim et al., 1999). Although there is no unique definition about effective leadership, precisely, in light of Lussier & Achua (2007), there are two basic requirement on effective leadership: for one thing, effective leadership will ensure that reach the target of the group can be reached effectively; for another, leadership can impose positive influence on the group members, and motivate them to Maximum their potentials.

From Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela’s charisma, to Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King’s intelligence and Steve Jobs’ analytical nature, there can be as numerous ways to lead as there are leaders (Crossman, 2010). Leadership is a hot debate both in the business world and other areas of the society. Throughout the world's, there have been as many leadership models as there have been their commentators (Burns & Peltason, 1966). Fortunately, psychologists and businesspersons have established useful frameworks that refer to the main ways of leadership.

While working at the British Bank, I saw the importance of being honest. My values as an authentic leader are shaped by the beliefs I have, which have been developed through introspection, study, and different consultations made with friends, throughout my experience. The values have been defining my moral compass. Therefore, I am able to differentiate between what is right and wrong with ease. It is imperative to note that integrity is not only living without lying, but also telling the truth, irrespective of the pain it may cause to the leader. If leaders fail to exercise full integrity in their interactions, those under them will lose the trust they have in them. In cases where the employees cannot trust their leaders, then it is undeniably true that they cannot follow

Geert Hofstede is one of many sociologists that studied and emphasized the importance of ethics and culture in an international business environment. He contended how the culture of the leaders and staff can help one to determine the achievement or ineffectiveness of that business. Rue & Byars described leadership as an ability to influence people and willingly follow one’s guidance or adhere to one’s decisions (Rue, Byars, 2009). The most successful CEO’s and leaders have a well-defined strategic vision, strong passion for the job and the people that work for them and most importantly excellent communication skills. The leaders and managers are the ones the set, define, and shape the culture. They have to be aligned with the culture they intend to lead in order for it to be effective. They must also have a culture that is inseparable from the company they are employed at. Ethics, culture, and global business responsibilities are an integral part of everything the business does. The overall goal is to connect globally and build multinational industries. Unfortunately, due to the number of increasing public scandals international entities have developed various strategies such as policies, processes, and codes of conduct to prevent ethical issues. It’s not only the leader that should be held responsible but the entire corporation. Their lack of responsibility or unethical behavior are one of the many reasons that a business reputation can be damaged. It also prevents

I have learned many styles of managing a business by seeing and working with different owners and different attitudes. I will lead by example in my business, as per (Nickels, McHugh & McHugh, 2008, pg. 94) estates, that “Organizational ethics begin at the top of a company’s command”.

As I reflect on my leadership style as it pertains to ethics I have always considered me to be a very realistic but fair-minded person. One of my strong values I live my life by is integrity. I believe in the golden rule of treating others the way you would like to be treated. I have always taken others feelings and actions into consideration when making a decision that not only affect me but the group at large. I noticed that a lot of my morals and values are strongly grounded on the foundation I got from my parents growing up on a tobacco/dairy farm in Metcalfe County. My parents taught me early that all you have in life is your education, your name and your word. Implying that you are only as good as your word and never do anything that will affect your name as your name is who you are. In all aspects of my life integrity is the key to success.

From a personal perspective, leadership from a Christian worldview is about transforming your skills, abilities, and knowledge of the vision of life, beliefs, values, and principles. Due to the differing worldviews as a leader from a secular or biblical perspective, the ways of life as a leader divert the values that guide us, beliefs that direct us, and principles that motivate us to act or behave a certain way. Jesus lives in disciples, and we should all be living as his light and world. In Paul’s plea he stated, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1, New International Version). Not everyone is in the public eye, but everyone is in the eye of someone, and there he or she is a leader. I will discuss my growth and development into the leader from a Christian worldview and from course material as support.

In today’s society, a business can be heavily influenced by the head of the company. The owners can make or break the business. A business is usually modeled around the beliefs of the leader. The way a business operates is determined by the leader. A lot of the time, this can lead to a business success of failure. Corporate leaders are critical to a company's success because they influence the company's morals, work ethic, and customer base.

Leaders should never hide behind the excuse of “It’s just business”. They should help people realize their hopes and create value to stakeholders. Also, they should not separate business from ethics.

The importance of understanding ethics, motivation to act as a role model and developing an action plan for an organization are discussed because of their importance regarding development of good leadership. The personal ethics positively affect leadership and when made a priority for leaders will produce ethical and effective leadership to the organization. With so many definitions of leadership, the question evolved from “what is the definition of leadership?” to “what is good leadership” (Ciulla, 2004, p. 13). In the initial stage the system of values one must compile a list of the most important instrumental values and terminal values. The morals and values are unique to every individual because they are determined by personal importance. Instrumental values, such as honest, helpful, ambitious, responsible, etc. should reinforce terminal values. Once a leader’s means are consistent with desired goals, their value system is unified and they have climbed the staircase from the lobby to the next level of values. Moving forward from floor to floor results in a person incorporating principles into their newly developed values. Although values act as the bedrock of ethics, principles are required because alone, “values are far too vague to have much meaning in ethical analysis” (Cooper, 1998, p. 12). Morals are ideals that help us decipher between right and wrong. Throughout life people experience and grow up with things, which allow them to develop a moral sense. This

Chapter sixteen discusses various leadership theories which can implemented by leaders to achieve success. The choice of leadership theory differs from leader to leader as they possess different vision and way of managing. A theory isn 't always perfect in itself, it is the endless effort of the leaders which makes the theory a perfect one. Two approaches of leadership that I prefer are Situational Leadership Theory and Servant Leadership Theory. Among many theories I prefer these two because I tend to practice those principles most of the time and I assume these are theories that I truly tend to continue in a long run.

After all, theorists as James M. Burns, Robert K. Greenleaf, and Joseph Rost see eye to eye on ethics are an essential component of leadership because in order for it to be delivered and effective it must convey principles and values (justice, liberty, and respect). For instance, Mr. Burns said that his transforming leadership theory both leaders and followers are morally elevated and driven by values and moral principles that afford the ability to impact the status quo condition within an organization. Thus, Mr. Greenleaf thought that the success of a leader comes with the attitudes and behaviors to followers and overall organizational mission while serving others carrying out principles and values. Although, Mr. Rost stated that if the leader-follower’s ethical principle is violated then, is no longer exist

In the first case study of Leadership for a Better World, you (the reader) are a college student entering your anticipated sophomore year at State University. Specifically, you are looking forward to your sophomore seminar class, especially since one of your favorite classes last year was the first-year seminar. This year, the seminar is called “An Inconvenient Truth,” based on Al Gore’s popular documentary on climate crisis. The seminar will focus on the social issue of global warming and impact that it is currently having in your society, the nation, and the world.