Leadership- so much to unpack
Simultaneous to completing my PIDP, I am working on my Bachelor's in Leadership degree and it’s absolutely fascinating. There is so much to learn and it ALL seems so applicable to my relationships at work, and with my family and friends. Recently, we read an article by Daniel Goleman entitled, “What Makes a Leader?” and I was surprised that many of the traits he described I could attribute to behaviours or traits that I recognize in my self. This both encouraged me and scared me a little- if I am entirely honest.
Goleman essentially breaks down great leadership to being leaders who are gifted in emotional intelligence. He describes a self-aware individual as understanding their values and goals and rarely swaying from them. I was able to see this in myself as I rarely sway from my values and have learned that when I do, I suffer deep remorse. I have turned down multiple job offers with increased pay because I knew they wouldn’t align with either my personal goals or my values.
I consider myself regulated as well. I can typically assess a situation or interaction from a logical point of view and not become emotionally charged. My girlfriends often seek me out because I often see things from a different point of view or present an alternate scenario. An area that I could use growth is that in some instances, I can react, assuming a worst-case scenario. I’ve noticed that if the people I am surrounded by are willing to roll with the changes, then so am I; if those people are reactionary and panic driven, I can initially lean that direction, but often pull myself back as I assess the situation privately.
I am highly motivated in my work. I like to envision and create solutions to the needs in my organization. This was a strength of mine as an EA when I would create supports or implement strategies to support students and it transferred into my role as an admin assistant where I regularly step into and address the gaps I see. Helping others is highly motivating to me and this lends to my social skills as I am keenly aware that I am well-liked in my organization and a “culture-maker.”
While this article was certainly affirming for me, I also recognize that I have a lot of learning to do to become an effective leader. This is a jumping point and I’m eager to continue to discover how my natural giftings can be further developed as well as grow in my ability to recognize the giftings of others.
Reference: Goleman, D., (1996). What Makes a Leader? In HBR’s 10 best reads on leadership (pp. 1–21). Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation.
