Leadership Values

Michael Saunders

Team and org. Leadership

Professor Vanjura

3-20-14

Assignment 2

                  Values are something I feel every leader should have. Those values a leader should hold with then until death. A leader should know themselves inside and out and no matter how difficult the situation is the leader should hold onto their values and ethics. Values I feel are more along the lines of ethics because without ethics one really can’t have a plan and better yet not be a strong believable leader. Your values reflect a collection of experiences over your lifetime beginning with your childhood.

                  Values are critical to leadership for the simple reason that they are basically the back bone to one’s plan. Values play such an important role in our lives, being able to recognize and understand one’s own values set becomes critical very important decision-making. A leader must let the followers know their values from the beginning that way all groups are on the same page.

                  Leaders create the vision, support the strategies, and are the catalyst for developing the individual bench strength to move the organization forward. Those following a leader without any values would just be following the blind and I feel it’s that black and white about it. One wouldn’t follow their gps if the gps company had no values including getting the driver to the destination the most efficient and fastest way. The video with the guy dancing on the hill shows an example of values. His values that day was to have a good time and he attracted so many followers with his values he came with that day. Little did he know that his values of having a great time would end up in a big group dancing around following his dancing.

                  My personal values in life are to be a great leader after college (and hopefully graduate school) and be very successful in any field I go into. Has been my values since I’ve been a child and I don’t see them changing. Being on TV after college would be a great route for me and while following that dream I hope to teach and learn new things along the way. Stand on my own 2 feet with very little help so I can make my core values much stronger as I go on in life.

                  Rather its ethics or values one who are attempting to become a leader should at least have a very strong one of the two (but in my eyes they are the same thing). A great leader must not show weakness and never go back on their values or you may look weak. Being a weak leader in today’s society will get you nowhere but with your leadership spot taken by a much stronger and value efficient leader who won’t go back on his/her words. The ability to communicate appropriately is an essential component for leadership. Confidence, determination and empathy make up a great leader and those who follow will also share these characteristics.