Task oriented or Relationship Oriented?

Task-oriented leaders focus only on getting the job done. In my opinion, these types of leaders are very introverted. They most of the time are anti-social and hard to be around. I, myself have had both types of leaders already in my life. I found that even though task oriented leaders are hard to get along with and to understand them, the end results are always positive because they make sure their followers reach their goal. Some of the negative aspects of a task oriented leader are communication skills. A task oriented leader doesn’t always realize how they come off to their followers because they are always so worried about achieving the goal, making the relationship between them and their followers a difficult one.  I prefer a relationship oriented leader, because in my opinion, relationship oriented leaders care about their followers and how they come off to the people around them. For example if you are working for a manager who is task oriented, most likely that person will be very standoffish and some might even perceive them as rude, making their followers less enthused when it comes to achieve the goal set. On the other hand a relationship oriented leader will have communication skills and learn how to communicate properly with their workers/followers making them enjoy the environment they are in while working on achieving their goal. 

Saving Private Ryan Leadership discussion

The movie Saving Private Ryan in my opinion is the definition of leadership. In this movie I think I have never seen a better hero as well as leader in a time of crises then Tom Hank’s character. Throughout the movie His character illustrates many great leadership behaviors but one that can be identified all throughout the movie is Leader member exchange theory. Looking at his character through the LMX phases, Tom Hank’s character hits all the steps. At first the soldiers and he are strangers trying to find a common bond (saving Private Ryan). As the movie continues Tom Hanks and the soldiers go to  acquaintances and towards the end, the group forms a partnership between themselves as well as Tom Hanks because of his amazing leadership skills, that teach the soldiers that together they can accomplish anything. 

What is the difference between, me and 

other classmates?

Looking at other classmates’ blogs and reviewing my own blog, I have realized that many others views are similar to mine as well as different in some ways. Some classmates see leadership as “one who has followers” a person who takes charge and takes matter into their own hands to make things happen, change the way people think. After reviewing my own blog, I realized that my view of leadership is a bit different. When I think of a leader, it’s not a person who has followers and tells them how to accomplish their goals but a person who helps their followers achieve a goal, while putting their needs before their own.  In some blogs I did see similar theories of leadership as my own. One classmate wrote a line that really stuck with me “A leader that can keep their team in high spirits even through the good and bad is something very admirable.” This is a great definition of what I see when I think of the word leadership. I love the diversity of our class. And reading these blogs, it shows me that even though we have different vision for the word leadership, everyone’s own  theory makes  a better  understanding of leadership then when class started. 

My Strongest Archetype?

 Ruler?

The Ruler's quest is to create order and structure and hence an effective society in which the subjects of the Ruler can live productive and relatively happy lives. This is not necessarily an easy task, as order and chaos are not far apart, and the Ruler has to commit themself fully to the task. The buck stops with them and they must thus be wholly responsible -- for which they need ultimate authority.

My Opinion. 

When I received the results of my PMI test, I actually was shocked how accurate it was. I do most of the time feel as a ruler. I feel in my own definition as a ruler; one takes charge of a situation , a person others can come to for advice. One who can come up with a solution when others are lost. In my everyday life I use a lot of the description in the ruler category. Situations for example with friends, I am always the person they come to when they have relationship problems or stress at work. Also my family, I'm always the planner of events like birthdays, family outing or the person whose advise it considered when there is a problem.

My Archetypes

Ruler - 30
You step up to the plate to take control when things are in disarray. Like the good king, queen, president, boss, or parent, you reign for the good of those who follow you, so that your highly developed sense of responsibility and order benefit everyone. You know that healthy social systems do not just happen. Someone needs to shoulder the responsibility to create them. You are not only willing to be that person, you also recruit others and groom or coach them, knowing that the more you are willing to claim your own power, the better you are at empowering others.

Jester - 25
You are happy, playful, funny, and fun to be around. In fact, you bring out the joy in life for everyone around you, showing others how to "be here now," to be playful and inventive, to enjoy the gift of living, even in stressful or difficult times. When everyone else is going crazy with fear and anxiety about how much change is going on in the world, instead of feeling anxious, you experience a rush of excitement. Instead of getting white-knuckled, you cry "Whee!" Like court Jesters and wise fools everywhere, you have a deep wisdom and use humor to say things with impunity that others might not want to hear. Implicitly politically incorrect, you are irreverent and apparently unconcerned with what others think, but really know how to share what you think in ways that provoke laughter, not outrage. In fact, you find nothing more satisfying than making others laugh.
 
Warrior - 24
You model or try to show what it means to have real courage and determination, the kind that allows a hero to face the most fierce antagonist or challenge with skill and determination. You also may have, or desire to have, the fortitude to stand up for your ideals, yourself, or others, and do whatever it takes to succeed, regardless of how scared or tired you may be. You have a code of honor that requires a high level of discipline and a strong sense of pride, so that you feel humiliated if you lose or show cowardice. You enjoy competing and/or spearheading a crusade. You are at your best when you are on a mission.

Seeker - 24
You are wonderfully adventurous, independent, and self sufficient. You refuse to live a cookie-cutter life, always seeking out new experiences, testing the limits of what is possible. Avoiding conformity, you search for your true identity and struggle to fulfill your true potential. Ambitious by nature, but not conventional, you may aspire to climb a mountain or the ladder of success, or to achieve enlightenment. Whatever your goals, you seek to improve yourself, every day becoming more you.

Quotes for inspiration

"People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads, and the boss drives." - Theodore Roosevelt, 


"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
Martin Luther King, Jr.


A leader who doesn't hesitate before he sends his nation into battle is not fit to be a leader. 
Golda Meir 


A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality. 
Winston Churchill 

Leadership Trait based Theory

Pros and Cons of Trait based Theory:

Pros: Some people are born with certain characteristics that gives them an advantage in leadership situations , but I don’t believe there are leadership traits people are born with. If people could be born with leadership traits then I believe we would have baby geniuses. Unfortunately we don’t have that, so in my opinion all people are born equally with a blank slate and develop certain traits, because leadership traits are not like physical characteristics a child is born with like blue eyes, or blond hair.

Cons: I, myself am against leadership trait based theory because I believe certain leadership traits are developed as people grow up. To say a person is born with leadership traits is the same thing as saying a person is born knowing how to ride a bike.

Leadership traits are developed my shadowing a parental figure in our lives, communicating with others, or being put in certain situations.

Like in The Harvard Business Review Article, “Seven Transformations of Leadership “by David Rooke and William R. Torbert. They have different types of leadership  like “the Opportunist” which is a person wants to win anyway possible, or “The Diplomat” which is one who wants to avoid conflict and agree with everyone. These different types of leaders are an exact example of learned leadership traits that are developed trough one’s lifetime.

My Amazing Leaders

These are my three most influential leaders. I believe these leaders were the definition of  great leaders in disguise. They were everyday ordinary people who achieved the extraordinary in history.

Three Important Traits in A Leader

DECISIVENESS

Decisiveness is the ability to make solid decisions quickly. Leaders who Are decisiveness can make decisions faster when it comes to hard situations also when leaders have a strong decisiveness trait they show that they are confident in their decisions .

INTEGRITY

Integrity is essentially honesty, which is crucial to being able to lead people effectively. Leaders who deceive their followers and  misguide them will lose the faith of their followers along the way so to achieve the ending Goal, a leader must always have integrity .

KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge is another important component of good leadership. You must have the experience, training and information necessary to be a good leader. You must know about your goal ahead of time to know how to strategize to achieve your goal. A good leader is knowledgeable  about his target.

What Leadership Means to Me.

Leadership Is a quality every person has within them, but it depend on the situations  that people go through in life that provides opportunities for people to put their skills to the test. People  like Martin Luther  king, Gandhi  or Winston Churchill wouldn’t have been an  inspiration to us in history if it wasn’t for the situations they were put in. I believe that those people wouldn’t  have had  the chance to show the world their incredible leadership skills if events like World War II, Civil Rights Movement, and the Independence movement in India. Also Great leaders are built from their followers, because without followers there is nobody to lead.  On the other hand some people are born with certain skills that put them ahead of others for the leadership position. Some people do  develop characteristics like communications skills, creativity skills or confidence of organization skills a lot faster than others, that doesn’t  mean they are born with them.  No one is born with leadership skills they are just better developed through situations in life. Leadership is not a science. So being a leader is an adventure because you can never be sure whether you will reach your goal.