Mr. Copeland

This paper will illustrate both my current and ideal leadership styles while detailing the constraints preventing me from leading ideally. Also this paper will show what parts I currently posses and need to acquire in order realize my ideal leadership style.

My Ideal Leadership Behavior

There is literally a plethora of philosophies concerning leadership and what type of behavior is most suitable for a leader. One of the many definitions of leadership is "leadership is a social influence process shared among all members of a group. Leadership is not restricted to the influence exerted by someone in a particular role; followers are part of the leadership process too." (Wren, 1995, p. 43).

I believe this is the most inclusive and ideal definition of leadership and is why I also think being a Servant Leader is the ideal behavior for me as a leader. Servant Leadership would best suit me because I am a firm believer that trust is earned not given and once people trust you they will respect you; subsequently they will follow you as well.

Some of the greatest leaders in history were Servant Leaders such as Jesus Christ, Gandhi, and Martin L. King Jr. to name a few. These leaders all had the "natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first" (Wren, 1995).

In summary it is my utmost heartfelt and purposeful desire and to lead in a manner that does not promote intimidation, coerciveness, nor hostility but harmony, oneness and a sense of togetherness to all the parts of the larger system.

Only a Servant Leader has a realistic chance of accomplishing such a daunting life-long pursuit. I do not simply want my leadership skills to be recognized in my work life but more importantly I want to touch the lives of the people I interact with both in personal and professional environment.

My ideal leadership role will not be limited to serving the purpose of an organization but serving the purpose of humanity which is the true larger system; I strive to be a leader of life not work.

The necessary parts

While I consider my ideal leadership behavior there are many traits or character improvements that are required. As an aspiring Servant Leader the best place for me to begin improving would be to work on my patience. Starting with my family it seems as though the people that care for you the most are the ones who can hurt you the most and require the most patience.

Several members of my immediate family are unnecessarily intimidated by my directness. They sometimes misinterpret my actions for being what they term as "mean."

I must put forth a much more concerted effort to remove the barrier of uncertainty between myself and my family through the application of patience. A focus on this of my life would be beneficial professionally as well; I am often misunderstood in organizational settings and once my patience improves my tolerance level in terms part of managing bureaucracy will improve as well.

As an engineer I must continue to strengthen my self technically to improve my expert power. This is especially important as the Baby Boomer generation begins to retire; there are less technically astute people available.

Furthermore I must become more self-confident in my interactions both socially and professionally. In many situations I notice that I do not share my thoughts when I clearly should; mainly due to my uncertainty of how I will be received. As Sample (2003) stated "managers do the things right, while leaders do the right thing" hence I must learn not to be over concerned with the potential negative feedback when I am pursuing to do the right thing.

Lastly I need to strike that delicate balance of knowing when and how to apply hard, rational, or soft influence strategies (Somech, 2002). I believe becoming a master of the application of these strategies plays a significant role in my pursuit of servant leadership.

Some people may think well if one likens themselves to servant leadership then a soft strategy would be fine. However as Sample (2003) stated "leadership is highly situational and contingent; what works in one context at one point in time won't necessarily work in a different context at the same time or in the same context at a different time." My interpretation leads me to believe even as a servant leader I will have to use possibly multiple influence tactics at any given point in time.

All variables considered such as employees, family, community, and industry there will be situations that mandate competency in the areas of read and recognition. Meaning the ability to read situations and respond appropriately which requires a firm grasp on influence tactics to be an effective leader.

How Do I lead today?

In most aspects of my life those being family, community, and my work organization. I really do not posses much legitimate authority. As a resort I result to leading by example with a concentration on building and maintaining good personal relationships between my self and others (Wren, 1995).

I often defer to the knowledge and experience of others as it relates to making important decisions (Nadim, Managerial Attitudes, Jan 2005). Also I thoughtfully consider people's feelings along with the process of making intelligent decisions (Goleman, 1998). Furthermore I am a relationship Ð'- motivated leader. Meaning I am more attentive and responsive to interpersonal dynamics, more concerned with avoiding conflict and maintaining high morale, and more I am more likely to behave in a participative and considerate leadership style (Wren, 1995).

In summary I am primarily a relationship Ð'- motivated and emotionally intelligent leader who is very self aware. I use a combination of negotiative, consultative, and participative (Wren, 1995) techniques to make decisions all of which vary as do the circumstances.

The Parts that I have

The modern leader of today needs to have a multi-faceted skill set. In order for me to properly define my current parts I will take a 2 prong approach; looking at my current parts from a family and organizational perspective.

Family

In my immediate family I am the youngest of 3 children and therefore my legitimate authority is very limited. However I have been granted both referent and limited expert power. My family is the only system of which I am a member that is truly sociological. "The interaction among the members is participative and democratic while the structure is under complete control of the members. Also