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In order to be a
good leader and have these qualities, one should have role models to look up to. The role models
should encompass all the qualities of a great leader, supporting their teams and guiding them to
success. In addition, a leader should have a supportive team to help him/her when they need it as
well.
In my opinion, the goal of a leader is to lead a team to success and growth. Simply getting
the job done is not enough because the members of the group should all grow together as well.
Kouzes and Posner identify some principles of leadership that resonate with my values, including
Enabling others to act. This principle encourages people to take action by fostering
collaboration and building trust (Kouzes and Posner 18). Leaders should build up their team so
they feel empowered to succeed. By doing this, the whole team will succeed and the individuals
Working as a team is very important for success and growth. Kouzes and Posner emphasize
that leadership is a relationship (Kouzes and Posner 20). This means that anyone can be a leader
and they must work together to find their own assets to benefit everyone. In my life, this value of
leadership as a relationship is absolutely essential for the groups success and my own sanity as a
leader. Leaders who try to do everything themselves cannot possibly be as successful as they
would be by using their teammates. For example, as the president of the Theology honors society
on campus, I am in charge of making sure events get planned and executed well. The leadership
team puts on a panel each semester to engage in dialogue about theological issues that are
relevant in present day. The process involves many different responsibilities, including reserving
a room, picking a topic, finding speakers, ordering food, and publicizing the event, which is a lot
to do if I try to do it by myself. I often fall into the trap of being a leader who thinks she can do it
best on her own, but I am lucky to have a supportive team to remind me that they are there to
assist me. When I have a leadership relationship with them, I am significantly less stressed out
and responsibilities get delegated to more people. Not only does the event run more smoothly,
but the rest of my team has the opportunity to take leadership roles and to grow as individuals. A
Having a supportive team is a blessing, so the leader must remember to act out of love and
important because it makes people respect him/her more. He said that a leader should have
expectations and stick to them, but in the case where things inevitably go wrong, one should be
merciful and forgive the mistakes. Cam Caldwell writes that forgiveness is the choice to accept
and to look past the faults of another and to reconcile a relationship despite a perceived betrayal
(Caldwell and Dixon 93). He says that forgiveness is important for a compassionate leader
because it allows the other person to remain confident and willing to work together without
discomfort. I have had many instances in my own life where I wished for a merciful boss or
forgiving leader as well. For example, I am an Assistant Camp Site Coordinator at a summer
camp and I have a team of about six other people who I work with everyday for eight weeks, in
the intense summer heat, taking care of fifty children everyday. This makes for a sometimes
stressful and tiring atmosphere, as well as a very enjoyable and rewarding one. In those moments
where the staff gets tired, it is difficult to be patient and respectful. One instance occurred when I
pointed out that one of my coworkers had said something inappropriate to a camper, but I did
this in front of many other campers. My coworker was angry with me because I should have said
it privately to her, and I was angry that she was mad at me. It was hard for both of us to put aside
our disagreement and get along at work for awhile, but I had to apologize and forgive her, even if
she did not feel she did anything wrong. Forgiving someone does not release them from
accountability, but it allows them to have another chance (Caldwell and Dixon 93). The two of us
were able to be close friends by the end of the summer because of the compassion we showed
each other.
I wanted my coworkers forgiveness in that instance, so I had to forgive her first. Kouzes and
Posner identify the principle of Modeling the Way, which is very valuable in times like that
one. This principle involves being a leader by example, showing that you would not ask your
teammates to do something you are unwilling to do yourself. In that situation, I had to show
forgiveness so that my coworker might follow my example and forgive me too. In other times at
camp, I wanted my coworkers to do something to prepare for the camp day, so I would often
have to ask them multiple times to help. They did not appreciate this because they felt I was
being bossy, so instead I began modeling the behavior I hoped to get from them. Kouzes and
Posner write, Leaders deeds are far more important than their words when determining how
serious they really are about what they say (Kouzes and Posner 14). I hoped they would see
what I was doing and pitch in, and it worked when I got some others to model with me.
While I try to be a model when I am a leader, I have many role models who I model my
behavior after. At my internship, Bob and Madge are leaders to everyone they meet. They are an
older couple who lead the choir at Misericordia, but they do so much more than that. They put
their hearts and souls into their service. Kouzes and Posners principle of Encouraging the
Heart describes how Bob and Madge lead. They show appreciation for peoples contributions
and create a culture of celebration (Kouzes and Posner 19). They bring cookies for the residents
in the choir to reward them for participating. They also recognize residents for their hard work,
and encourage and challenge those who need it. They consistently celebrate the small things and
make everyone feel special. I really admire how they treat everyone equally, but also honor
achievements and discourage bad behavior. They are both able to remain caring and loving, but
volunteers, but they care about their jobs more than anyone else I know. Once Bob had a kidney
stone operation in the morning, and he still showed up to lead choir practice in the evening. They
have never missed practice and they put in so much effort for a job that they do not have to do.
They model leadership by being amazing leaders and showing that they follow their values and
beliefs. They remind me of the importance of accountability and love in any job or leadership
relationship.
Being a leader involves showing you care about those you lead. A good leader should
encourage the team and help them grow as individuals, as well as helping them succeed as a
group. The group should also be supportive of the leader. To learn the best leadership qualities,
there should be a role model that a leader can model his/her behavior after. It is especially
important to remember that a leader should not be bossy, but should be a guide to help the team