Personal Leadership Philosophy Development

A leadership philosophy is derived from how we see ourselves as leaders. Our philosophy impacts our actions, guides our behaviors, and helps us as we think about our career. Leadership philosophies typically change as we grow to understand our actions and behaviors within the context of leading.

Creating or finding our leadership philosophy means that we must explore and reflect upon your beliefs, personal values, and assumptions about leadership.

Beliefs are our trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something. Our beliefs directly impact how we view situations and ourselves. Many times, our beliefs come from our traditions or from the culture in organizations. Many times, we behave in organizations according to the beliefs of the organization. This can be a problem when the beliefs of the organization counter our own.

Personal values guide our intentions and influence how we lead. When our personal values are clear and we are aware of them, we can then formulate a solid foundation for leading. Just as we have personal values, organizations also have values. It works best when these values are aligned.

Assumptions are notions that are accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof. Assumptions are a combination of our world view and our personal view. Most of the time, we are not aware of the assumptions we hold. And most of us are unwilling to admit that our assumptions drive our interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. We are less willing to change our assumptions even after realizing they exist.

Assignment Instructions:

During this activity, you will develop a personal philosophy of leadership. The following three exercises will assist you in developing your personal Philosophy of Leadership Statement.

This assignment expresses qualities of Capacity Building, Learning and Development and Developing a Personal Philosophy of Leadership.APA