UNDERSTANDING LEADERSHIP
In my time in PL, I've learned that leadership is more than your reputation and education. Leadership requires a multitude of different traits that work together to form an individual capable of forwarding a vision to a group of peers. Leadership to me, after working through the PL curriculum, means to work for your peers towards a collective vision. In terms of leadership style, I am more Laissez-faire. I want to lead my team and peers with a guiding vision, not a guiding hand. The peers I would elect to lead would have to be strong-willed and individual workers capable of bringing their skills together to reach the desired outcome.
ARTIFACT #1
My Personal Leadership Philosophy
ARTIFACT #2
Pick a Leader
ARTIFACT #3
Concealed Carry Paper
CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP
I chose these three documents to explain how my view of leadership has changed over time. I am somebody that likes to take charge of a situation to guide peers in the right direction and let them work individually afterward. I am not somebody that enjoys offering a helping hand through every step of the way with constant monitoring and check-ins. I chose these three artifacts from my work in the PL curriculum as an example of that view. Firstly, My personal leadership philosophy. This philosophy is the culmination of a year and a half of research and education in the PL track. The following two pieces, a case analysis on concealed carry on campus, and a spotlight paper on Otto Von Bismarck, are two exemplary pieces of my leadership vision. My paper on Bismarck highlights what made him the "Iron Chancellor". I believe a leadership style like Bismarck's could lead the team I lead in great direction. My paper on concealed carry is more of a highlight piece of my time in PL and is meant to be less of a showcase in leadership and more how my personality shines through contemporary issues, and how that could be reflected in my leadership style.
APPLICATION OF LEADERSHIP
With all this education and research, how have I applied it? Well, this past summer I ran a team handling due diligence and tax work for an architectural firm facing litigation after an acquisition. This job required extensive hours searching through thousands of invoices and tax documents for specific charges, names, and locations. This work is quite tedious yet challenging. Taking a page from PL, I led my team with a strong conviction and hard deadlines. Authoritative leadership worked best since there was a specific chain of communication within my team, and the tasks that needed to be completed were divided among my team at the time of formation. This way, I was able to check in with my team, work with each member individually, and report to lawyers and the executive team with clear information and milestones.