Leadership Skills

For the first paragraph of your initial post complete the following exercise and answer the question below.

Reflect on your leadership skills. Consider your strongest leadership skills and what skills you believe you are lacking or need improvement. Consider why you think so. Think about what feedback, if any, you have received from coworkers and supervisors regarding your leadership skills, if you agree with it, and why.

With the self-awareness you gained by doing the above exercise, what type of learning plan would you develop for yourself? (Include specific knowledge areas you would plan to pursue)

For the second paragraph of your post, select any one of the following bullet points and address all elements of your chosen bullet point. Select a different bullet point section than what your classmates have already posted so that we can engage several discussions on relevant topics. If all of the bullet points have been addressed, then you may begin to re-use the bullet points with the expectation that varied responses continue.

• Think about the best leader for whom you’ve worked. What made this leader the best? Describe the leader’s characteristics, values, and personality and how these influenced you and the organization. What did you learn from this leader? Have you ever worked for a good leader who behaved badly? If so, describe the experience and what you learned from it.
• While the benefits of good leadership are plentiful, the effects of bad leadership can be cancerous to organizations. Poor leadership and poor supervisor relationships with their direct reports frequently correlate to low job satisfaction and lowered performance. Lists of poor leader characteristics can include:
  • Corrupt
  • Liar
  • Greedy
  • Irresponsible
  • Selfish
  • Abusive
  • Morally weak
  • Lazy

How does this list compare with your perceptions of a bad leader? Evaluate whether these traits are universal. How do these types of characteristics impact an organization? Are there any cultural or other implications of these traits? How do these traits connect to emotional intelligence?

• Personal leadership means taking charge of one’s life. It is not a position or title but a way of looking at oneself and carving out the role to be played in the world. Those who are strong personal leaders do not accept the status quo but are goal oriented and seek continual growth and improvement. Strong personal leaders have a clear understanding of who they are and where they want to be.

Assess whether personal leadership is related to emotional intelligence. Can an individual possess one characteristic but not the other? Can a leader lacking the characteristics of personal leadership be effective using only emotional intelligence? Defend your perspectives.

• Leaders are found in every place, organization, relationship, and situation. The patriarch or matriarch is often the leader of the family, the pastor is a leader of the church, the captain is the leader of the softball team, the CEO is the leader of a corporation, and the President is the leader of the free world. Undoubtedly, you too have served or may now be serving in various leadership roles.

What has been your leadership experience so far, related to work, school, community, church, volunteer work, or family? How would you assess your own leadership skills? How are you perceived as a leader by others? What is the evidence for your conclusion (about how you are perceived)? What are the leadership areas you would like to improve upon? Defend your perspectives.

The final paragraph (three or four sentences) of your initial post should summarize the one or two key points that you are making in your initial response.

Justify your answers using examples and reasoning. Comment on the postings of at least two peers.

Your posting should be the equivalent of 1 Page in length.