A511.7.4.RB - Reflection Blog: Leadership Analysis. Getting Personal on the Topic of Leadership

So the question of the day is to reflect on “what differences distinguishes me and would help me in living and acting on the basis of my leadership core values.”  First and foremost, I believe in numerous things when it comes to leadership.  The two values that probably are the most important to me are self-improvement and accountability.  I think self-improvement speaks for itself.  Leadership is not a skill that grows on its own, it must be fed.  I am an educator who teaches in different mediums.  What I have learned to focus on more than anything is the importance of communication; both verbal and non-verbal.  When in large groups, I have learned to avoid being the focus of any group.  I listen to what people are saying.  This has taught me to tailor my conversation to any audience that is presented before me.  I am very passionate about this part of my self-improvement and how much I value it.  I often find myself looking for creative ways to communicate better and watching great leaders speak on video; often rewinding videos over and over trying to immolate a particular communication style or trait they have.  I even watch not so great speakers in an attempt to identify flaws in their communication.  Maybe, I am somewhat paranoid that someone will be better than I.  In author Jim Collins wrote a book entitled, "Great by Choice," where he states that the best-performing companies are led by leaders who exhibit fanatic discipline, productive paranoia, and empirical creativity.  I would like to think that I fit into that category.  I believe any leader needs to be critical of themselves and what they have done in the past, always looking for self-improvement (for me that would be communication).  That being said a healthy degree of paranoia is an essential component of any leader's outlook.  However, there is a downside to my slight obsession with the art of communication.  Lessons I have learned through self-improvement are tightly guarded.  I don’t like to share the techniques I have learned.  Okay let me rephrase, I don’t like sharing with individuals I feel have not earned such knowledge.  This is where my obsession with accountability comes in.  I have always believed that you are responsible for the majority your own professional growth and you are accountable for such growth.  Neither the world nor any chosen organization owes you the opportunity to learn to be better at whatever you chose in life.