Introduction
Leadership is obtaining new forms and styles. An effective leadership strategy results in satisfying the demands of investors, customers, and employees (Smallwood, Sweetman, and Ulrich 1). Choosing a proper leadership brand is an issue of vital importance in the modern world. It influences the quality of the work and the possibility of acquiring the best results.
Investigating the specifics of a leadership brand creation
Everybody has a personal brand though the majority of people do not fully understand it and do not know how to use it effectively (Rampersad, 12). A leadership brand’s aim is to reflect your “identity and distinctiveness as a leader” (Smallwood and Ulrich 3). It conveys the valuables you possess. Developing a unique and strong leadership brand lets the person make his/her most prominent and efficient qualities known to the team. The process of creating a leadership brand depends on the specifics of the occupied position. It is determined by many factors, including the special features people in the workplace want to see in leaders (Kerfoot, 232). It also depends on the goals you are supposed to reach in your particular field of work.
For the successful creation of a personal leadership brand, much effort is needed. Smallwood and Ulrich propose the following steps in the development of a leadership brand: determining the results to be achieved next year, deciding what you want to be known for, defining your identity, developing your leadership brand statement and testing it, embodying your leadership brand in day-to-day work (5). It is also important to ensure the ability of the leading brand to evolve in correspondence to different events and changes.
Leadership brand statement
After monitoring the accessible literature sources, which investigate the creation of a leadership brand, I made my best to create it relying on the knowledge gained. It resulted in the creation of the following statement: Passionate and compassionate, adaptable and engaged, I search for the most effective methods of leading my team to success. A combination of my efficacious communication and thoughtful governance of the colleagues results in the realization of our client’s financial dreams.
My vision and mission as a leader
My vision is to be an active, influential, and experienced leader and contribute to mastering project managers’ and other colleagues’ skills in contracting procedures. I am dedicated to developing my leadership skills and realizing my potential in practice, in order to improve the quality of service delivered by the department. I am looking forward to becoming a recognized and respectful specialist who is always ready to share knowledge and experience with new workers.
My mission is to develop and modernize the contracting procedures for gaining better results and customers satisfaction. As a leader, I will inspire my coworkers to constantly challenge themselves and seek improvements and innovations. I will do my best to become an example of a leader using effective leadership methods and getting constant results.
My leadership strengths
Conchie and Rath state that the most efficient leaders are always putting efforts into developing their strengths (2). Therefore, it is very important to know your strong features. Though there is a certain amount of work needed to be done for the improvement of my leadership skills, I have got the initial characteristics necessary for becoming a successful leader.
One of the vital features of a leader is the ability to see into the future. I have a clear vision of the strategy to follow and goals to be achieved. I am eager to search for new solutions and embody innovative ideas.
Honesty and integrity are considered the most indispensable qualities in the art of leadership. My relations with the team can be described as honest and ethical. I believe, only the leader’s integrity can become a safe foundation for providing a trustful environment in the team.
Communication is probably the most important factor influencing the effectiveness of leadership. The ability to explain what you want to be done is essential. Productive transmission of your own vision to the members of your team is an art that should be mastered. I have experience in describing the tasks and the skill of formulating my ideas intelligibly.
I consider a good sense of humor a big advantage that helps me in providing an effective leadership performance. Jokes help to create a convenient environment and provide time for taking a rest from the working process. A leader with a good sense of humor is more likely to establish good relationships with the members of the team.
Self-confidence is a quality any leader should possess. The person who leads the team cannot panic or demonstrate scruples and uncertainty. I have the ability to stay calm and confident even in stressful situations.
Only the person possessing the key strengths of a leader can lead the members of the team by his/her example and inspire them to provide the necessary amount of high-quality work.
My legacy
A leader’s legacy is a result of the crucial decisions made by the person depending on his/her special characteristics (Boss par. 2). It is the way people change their behavior and approach to work as a result of the person’s leadership functioning.
My natural orientation is to be a people-mover and a creative builder. These features indicate the nature of legacies I am creating as a leader. I stimulate people for moving forward and gaining better results. I also use all of my sources to create a fertile ground for the personal development of the members of my team. It results in the better productivity of our work.
I stand for creating a healthy environment at the workplace and inspiring people to search for new solutions. My everyday decisions and actions reflect my premeditation on being a successful leader and ensuring the big achievements of my team in the future. I believe, my plans will lead toward great results..
Summary sheet of the results
After completing the self-assessments, I received the following results.
The results of the first questionnaire reflect my strong motivation for being a leader and ability to work in a group.
The results of the “Emotional intelligence” self-assessment show my ability to control emotions and communicate with people. These qualities are one of the most important for a leader.
The results of the “Type A behavior pattern” self-assessment prove that I am rather a type-A individual. My answers characterize me as a competitive, determined and self-critical person.
The results of the “Creativity” self-assessment demonstrate that I am able to manage my life and take up new activities. These features are typical for leaders, as they are supposed to have enough courage to set new goals, look for creative solutions, and introduce innovations.
The results of the “Understanding your sources of power and influence” self-assessment mirror my disposition for being friendly and helpful with the members of the team. I am not comfortable threatening or punishing people.
The results of the “Views of power” self-assessment reveal my view on the most effective sources of power used for leading the team. I regard enforcement as the least effective method and prefer constructing the image of a leader through the authority of knowledge and skills.
I also support the encouragement of those members of the team who demonstrate the highest level of work quality and productivity.
Analysis of the results
The results of the tests demonstrate my inclination to leadership and the distinctive qualities I possess. The self-assessments also indicate which features should be further developed, and which skills should be mastered.
Overall results of the self-assessments reflect my disposition for being a leader. It appears that I have the power to control my emotional state in order to support a healthy environment in the team. At the same time, I should put more effort into developing my self-awareness. My creativity can be characterized as rather high, but I should master my ability to concentrate on the most important issues and make appropriate conclusions. My view on the most efficacious methods of supporting successful leadership reflects my usual behavior in the team and the way I deal with the problems. This aspect should be revised and improved in the future.
Creating a successful leadership brand is not an easy task to do. It demands knowledge and experience in establishing a reputation of an efficacious leader. Completing self-assessments, which examine leadership skills and views, helps to analyze personal strengths and weaknesses. This analysis leads to a better understanding of the improvements needed for moving towards an ideal leadership.
Works Cited
Boss, Jeff. Six Principles Of A Leadership Legacy. Web.
Conchie, Barry, and Tom Rath. Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow. New York: Gallup Press, 2008. Print.
Kerfoot, Karlene. “On Leadership.” Pediatric Nursing 28.5 (2002): 536-537. Print.
Rampersad, Hubert. Authentic Personal Branding: A New Blueprint for Building and Aligning a Powerful Leadership Brand. Charlotte: Information Age Publishing Inc., 2009. Print.
Smallwood, Norm, Kate Sweetman, and Dave Ulrich. The Leadership Code: Five Rules to Lead By. Cambridge: Harvard Business Press, 2008. Print.
Smallwood, Norm, and Dave Ulrich. Five Steps to Building Your Personal Leadership Brand. 2007. Web.