My outgoing, conscious leadership approach and democratic leadership style enable me to lead teams effectively and successfully. The results of my self-assessment presented a few significant details about my leadership approach. First, I am outgoing and social, which helps me work effectively with others. This aspect is essential because it demonstrates that I can be a valuable team member.
Second, the questionnaire has shown that I am kind and helpful, and that I tend to avoid conflict. However, a confrontation does not threaten me because I can stand my ground. Third, I am responsible, reliable, and achievement-oriented, which is typical among effective leaders. Routines and structure are important to me because I believe schedules and hierarchy are key determinants of order and success. This approach ensures that I rely on appropriate techniques and values to succeed in a leadership domain.
The course was also useful to me because I learned more about my key leadership skills and what I should improve. On the one hand, it is impossible to understate the importance of emotional intelligence. The assessment indicates that I score highly on the Empathy scale. This statement denotes that I can perfectly understand other people’s emotions. This skill allows me to adopt a peer’s perspective and see a situation through their eyes.
On the other hand, the assessment has shown me that I need to improve my decision-making process. I plan to develop a proactive component of this domain because it is important to prevent or minimize risks and negative consequences rather than overcome them. I believe that if I manage to improve this single component, I can become a more effective leader.
Another essential aspect I learned during the course is the importance of leading and following. These two skills are important because they enable a person to be an effective team member. First, this skill contributes to improved team dynamics because groups typically comprise individuals with diverse skills, knowledge, and behavioral traits. Thus, the flexibility of leading and following ensures that members can leverage one another’s strengths and weaknesses to promote teamwork.
Second, this adaptability contributes to empowerment because each team member understands the importance of their contributions. When an ordinary member can lead their peers, the team grows and improves. As for my performance in a leadership role, it is difficult to find a balance between these two practices. I am aware of servant leadership, but I believe effective leadership should not rely heavily on accommodating subordinates’ needs and preferences. A leader takes responsibility, which makes me prioritize leading individuals.
The ideas above manifest themselves in my leadership style. As per the assessment results, I lean toward a participative or democratic style. This statement denotes that I actively involve my team members in a process, but I have the final say on decisions. I believe that this strategy will prove its efficiency when working with diverse and dynamic teams. This style implies that I am open to receiving ideas and suggestions from subordinates with diverse backgrounds and levels of expertise. However, I will understand and accept my responsibility of leading a team and ensure that team dynamics will not turn into chaos. Team members will present their feedback, but I will make the final decisions.
References
Blackstock, C. (2021). Screaming into silence. MacLean’s.