Personal Model of Leadership – Essay 3

How do you lead? What does leading mean to you? How do you want to lead in the future?

Each of us has a model of leadership, and this is especially true for us — we who study leadership and have ambitions to lead. Your model is a mental “picture” or way of thinking about leadership that is used to guide your actions, evaluate your actions, practice leading others, and improve yourself. It may include ideas about your current preferences and capabilities, and an ideal set of beliefs that you aspire to for the future.

The model is the result of your academic studies, your personal efforts to lead, what you have learned by observing and working with others, and your reflection and self assessment.

Please follow the suggested structure that is outlined in our syllabus, pages 8-9. You may organize the paper another way but include the different elements that are required.

There is a 3-page (limit, not including title page and graphic-visual page) for the assignment.

1. The “preferred definition” may be the result of your reading and studies, and-or the personal examples that you have used to learn and be inspired. What do you believe leadership is? What sources on the subject do you admire?
2. “Key models” are the approaches or strategies that you have studied that seem to be most effective and sensible for you (with real evidence from your own recent experiences that you can share).
3. “Description” is the opportunity to express in your own words what your preferred leadership approaches are.
4. “Visual representation” is a drawing or diagram or photograph or other visual idea (symbol) that communicates your preferred way of leading. It is a simple way to remember and reinforce the way you want to lead others.
5. “Reflection” is your opportunity to share ideas about what you want to do in the future, soon and long term, to practice and develop your ability to lead others and achieve.

Write this essay for this week’s assignment AND imagine that you will re-read it in 5 years. Will it be an accurate description of you and your leadership today?
Remember, APA requirements are required.
Best wishes! Enjoy this important assignment.