Leadership has been described in many different ways by many different individuals. Choose one of the following quotes (or find your own) that represents your beliefs about leadership and explain why.
"Leadership is action, not position." D. Gannon
"Leaders aren't born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work." V. Lombardi
"I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers." R. Nader
"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things." P. Drucker
"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it." T. Roosevelt
"The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet." T. Hesburgh
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI especially connected with the quote by T. Hesburg that a leader must have a vision. One of the most essential components to being a leader is having a goal that the group needs to accomplish. Without having a vision of where the group is going, there can be no idea if what the group is doing is productive or on the right track. A good leader should decide with the group what the ultimate goal is in order to be able to lead the group to that goal while also helping the group get back on track if they lose sight of the goal.
ReplyDeleteThe quote that most closely resembles my view of leadership is Vince Lombardi's:
ReplyDelete"Leaders aren't born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work."
From considering great leaders in the community and in history, I believe leadership skills aren't exclusively defined by personality traits; they can be learned like all other skills. While natural experience may contribute to the ability of some leaders, anyone with passion and persistence can improve their effectiveness.
I think that this quote by Walter Lippmann sums up what I think good leadership is:
ReplyDelete"The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on. . . . The genius of a good leader is to leave behind him a situation which common sense, without the grace of genius, can deal with successfully."
I believe that there is no point in being a leader, no matter how many good things you accomplish, if the good does not continue without you. It's like the old saying- "If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." If you lead a country out of a recession, but the moment you leave it falls back, then you haven't done your job correctly. Leadership is about making an impact, and molding the clay of the world that we live in. If the work of art that you produce falls to pieces minutes after someone buys it, then it wasn't quality work. You need to give the guy a refund. And then we're all back where we started... or worse.
The quote that best represents my beliefs about leadership is Vince Lombardi's. "Leaders aren't born, they are made," he said. "And they are made just like anything else, through hard work."
ReplyDeleteAlthough some people are born with traits of effective leaders, rarely (if ever) is a person born with all the traits of an effective and valuable leader. Even still, a leader has to improve and synthesize together all of his traits to really be a successful one. In the areas leadership a leader lacks, hard work and determination is the only way to improve. Practicing and practicing all of their qualities, especially the qualities the leader lacks, will only make a leader more effective, and, essentially, more valuable.
"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men
ReplyDeleteto do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling
with them while they do it." T. Roosevelt
"The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You
can't blow an uncertain trumpet." T. Hesburgh
I strongly agree with these two statement. Leaders are people who have
vision along with clearly defined goals that they work towards every
day. They recognize the limitations in their ability and knowledge,
yet they take risks and push towards accomplishing what they have in
mind. Persistence is key. Strong leaders have acquired the skills to
assemble a group of indispensable workers that share their passion.
These members are part of their tribe, and if treated with respect,
they can help the leader achieve his dream.
"I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers." R. Nader
ReplyDeleteThis is what SLA is about. I think that a leader must pass on what he/she has learned and create more leaders to be effective.
"The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet." T. Hesburgh
ReplyDeleteI agree with this quote because i believe that without vision, a leader doesn't know what it is that they're trying to accomplish. If the leader doesn't even know what the goal is, then there is no way for the people following the leader to know either. If a leader doesn't have an overall vision, or goal, then they can't take steps to move towards that goal, so they really aren' t doing anything. To be able to accomplish anything, a leader must have a clear vision of what they are trying to accomplish and how they will accomplish it.
"Leadership is action, not position." D. Gannon
ReplyDeleteSome people may be in leadership's positions, but if they don't possess the qualities of good leaders, they're just followers like the others. Leaders make right decisions and then they put their efforts and actions to it to make them right. I also believe that whether he or she is a leader is observed through his or her actions. Good leaders tend to have active thinking skills and good communication skills.
Wan Wan
"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things." P. Drucker
ReplyDeleteI can strongly relate to this quote, because I believe that a true leader should have a passion for the cause that he/she is working for. He/she should be able to reach out into the community without an intention to recieve anything back. Also, he/she shouldn't hold a leadership position in order to gain executive power or for other selfish motives.
:)
"Leadership is action, not position." D. Gannon
ReplyDeleteThis quote shows that leadership does not mean holding a position, but completing the duties of the person in that position. It shows that a leader needs to be selfless and noble about his or her position. A title is only worth something if it is earned. It is worth nothing if it is just held.
"I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers."
ReplyDeleteI believe that through leadership, there is inspiration. With that inspiration, other leaders are born. To strive only to get followers is vain. If you can inspire and create the will to lead and empower people to stand for their cause, you are truly an effective leader.
"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." -John F. Kennedy
ReplyDeleteAs a leader, you have to modestly realize that you don't know everything. In fact, you still have much to learn to become a more effective and influential leader. Only with knowledge and experience can you successfully guide yourself and others towards improvement.