My Personal Leadership Philosophy

Written on September 22, 2024 as an assignment for MHST 604: Leadership Roles in Health, a course in the Master of Nursing program at Athabasca University.

There is a joke quote on social media that states, “Oldest daughters are some of the toughest men you’ll ever meet” (TikTok, n.d.). As an oldest daughter myself, this is a sentiment I can both laugh at and deeply relate to. It pokes fun at the way oldest daughters are often thrust into roles of responsibility and decision-making within their families from an early age, as I was, and consequently develop directive leadership traits traditionally associated with masculinity. At an early point in my life, I did believe directive leadership to be superior, but the humorous irony I find in the joke about oldest daughters is that my perception of leadership has considerably changed to transcend gender, age, and formal positions, and shifted away from traditionally directive approaches. Rather, I view leadership as a process of becoming an individual who can influence others to engage in a shared goal or vision, to desire the same outcomes, and to be motivated toward growth and learning (Asamani, Naab & Ofei, 2016; Ellis & Abbott, 2013). Reflecting on experiences gained from various formal and informal leadership roles throughout my personal and professional life, I have realized that foundational to my efficacy as a leader is a philosophy to guide me and to ground me. My leadership philosophy allows me to define my identity as a leader, and determine what is most essential to me and where my core values lie, which is especially beneficial when navigating complexity and uncertainty as a leader in the modern world (Speranza & Pierce, 2019). In this paper, I will explore my personal philosophy of leadership, which is rooted in the principles of authenticity, collaboration, and resilience: the core components of my identity as a leader.

Authenticity

            Before I can effectively become a leader for others, I begin with leading myself. Part of my purpose as a leader is to motivate and inspire members of my teams to engage in a shared vision and shared purpose beyond just duty and tasks. To do this, however, requires relationship building, faith and trust from team members, all of which depend on my authenticity as a leader (Gavin, 2019). In practicing authentic leadership, I am committed to continual self-reflection and self improvement, and owning my strengths, as well as viewing my imperfections as opportunities for exploration and learning (Polat, Arici & Arasli, 2024). Furthermore, being an authentic leader also means I have a well-established set of personal values and an inner moral compass that are influential drivers of my decision-making and thought process (Polat, Arici & Arasli, 2024). One such value I prize as a leader is integrity, including being honest about and accountable for my decisions. I strive for a balanced approach to decision-making, which includes examining multiple sides of issues and considering diverse perspectives to ensure that decisions are effective, but also fair and just (Polat, Arici & Arasli, 2024). Additionally, I am a deep believer in engaging with people in a genuine manner and communicating transparently. I have found this to be challenging in leadership capacities where power imbalances exist, but I have learned that navigating those situations is possible by staying true to my principles. Genuine, authentic communication has served me well on many occasions to enhance team performance through connectivity and relationship building (Polat, Arici & Arasli, 2024).

Collaboration

            Relationship building is foundational to one of the key principles of my leadership philosophy: collaboration. I generally approach projects with a set of standards, expectations, and goals to be achieved, but I am also intentional about collaborating with team members for ideas along the way (Ellis & Abbott, 2013). I believe that innovation and creativity are fostered through collaboration, which can lead to ground-breaking accomplishments. In the leadership continuum model by Tannenbaum and Shmidt (1973, as cited by Ellis & Abbott, 2013), my leadership style fluctuates between the regions of ‘consult’ and ‘participate’, contingent on the nature of the project and the expertise of the team members involved. The consultative approach is best in contexts where maintaining some degree of control will be more productive to my team, as an overseer capable of making timely, balanced decisions. However, I adopt the participative approach in contexts where deferring to the expertise and motivation of my team members will yield more successful and meaningful results. The Path-Goal contingency theory of leadership is also relevant to my philosophy, guiding me to adapt my leadership approach between supportive, participative, and directive leadership styles dependent on the situation (Fabac, Kokot & Bubalo, 2022). Regardless of type of approach, I view collaboration to be consistently necessary in leading. Building connections with team members, understanding how their unique skill sets can be leveraged toward a shared goal, and co-developing a sense of meaning and purpose toward a shared vision are underlying elements to my success as a leader.

Resilience

            Through operating as a leader among the complexity, constant change, and crises of the modern world, resilience has become another fundamental principle of my leadership philosophy. I demonstrate resilience through the ability to cope with unprecedented events, persevere past barriers, grow and learn through challenges, and adapt and thrive on the other side of the chaos (Singh, Sihag & Dhoopar, 2022). However, as a leader, it is not enough to only be resilient myself; I believe it is my duty to also empower my team in developing sustainable resilience by building their capacity and self-efficacy to withstand turbulence. To maintain the resilience of my teams, I emphasize a cohesive and supportive culture that can buffer the team from impacts of crises, and a solution-driven approach to managing complex situations that arise (Singh, Sihag & Dhoopar, 2022). By establishing this positive culture, my aim is for my team to feel a sense of connectedness and dedication to our shared goal and vision, which in turn promotes their psychological resilience and the effectiveness of the team in a variety of circumstances (Singh, Sihag & Dhoopar, 2022). Resilience also requires a great deal of strategic thinking, flexibility, and perseverance, which are qualities I continue to mindfully exercise and develop throughout my leadership roles.

Conclusion

            The core principles of my personal leadership philosophy: authenticity, collaboration, and resilience, are intrinsically interrelated. Being an authentic leader means grounding my decisions in a set of intrinsic values and moral compass, and communicating with my team in a transparent, genuine manner. This authenticity lends itself to gaining trust from my team, and consequently to relationship building and connectivity, which are foundational to a collaborative leadership approach. Through collaboration with my team, I am able to defer to their expertise to complement gaps in my own knowledge and capabilities, and in doing so, I can empower them toward professional development and influence them to gain a sense of ownership over our shared vision and goals for the team. In empowering my team, I am also building resilience through developing a positive, solution-driven culture, as well as demonstrating resilience by strategic thinking, flexibility, and perseverance as a leader in a complex modern world. The interplay between these principles is what I believe makes me an effective leader who can drive successful teams. Throughout my leadership career, it became increasingly clear to me that the authoritative ‘toughest man’ mentality was losing popularity for good reason. In my view, effective teams are not built of obedience and power imbalances; rather, effective teams are built on connection, shared ownership of visions and goals, and a positive culture of growth and empowerment. I dare say, this type of leadership takes the ‘toughest women you’ll ever meet’.

References

Asamani, J. A., Naab, F. & Ofei, M. A. (2016). Leadership styles in nursing management: Implications for staff outcomes. Journal of Health Sciences 6(1): 23-36. DOI: 10.17532/jhsci.2016.266

Ellis, P. & Abbott, J. (2013). Leadership and management skills in health care. British Journal of Cardiac Nursing 8(2): 96-99. DOI: 10.12968/bjca.2013.8.2.96

Fabac, R., Kokot, K. & Bubalo, I. (2022). Path-Goal theory - Leadership styles and their changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems 20(4): 349-374. DOI: 10.7906/indecs.20.4.4

Gavin, M. (2019). Authentic leadership: What it is & why it’s important. Harvard Business School Online. Web: https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/authentic-leadership

Polat, E., Arici, H. E. & Arasli, H. (2024). Authentic leadership: A systematic review and research agenda. Ege Academic Review 24(3): 369-390. DOI: 10.21121/eab.20240302

Singh, R., Sihag, P. & Dhoopar, A. (2022). Role of resilient leadership and psychological capital in employee engagement with special reference to COVID-19. International Journal of Organizational Analysis 31(1): 232-252. DOI: 10.1108/IJOA-09-2021-2975

Speranza, C. R. & Pierce, A. (2019). Development of a personal leadership philosophy: An experiential and reflective opportunity in the graduate classroom. Journal of Leadership Education 18(3): 167-175. DOI: 10.12806/V18/I3/A2

TikTok. (n.d.) Oldest daughters are some of the toughest men you’ll ever meet. TikTok. Web: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/oldest-daughters-are-some-of-the-toughest-men-youll-ever-meet?lang=en