What Makes Me Special: Evaluating Personal Leadership Style

Special Personal Traits

From this activity, I was surprised at just how much I really need to work on. Most of my responses I felt were pretty positive, but hearing from others was very beneficial. In my response to what makes me a uniquely special person, I highlighted that I am a great listener and considerate of what people say. These qualities were also echoed by the feedback I received. Person 1 mentioned that I treat everyone equally, which is an important aspect of my character. Person 2 emphasized my compassion, recognizing the value of empathy in my interactions. Person 3 observed that I consistently strive to maintain a good mood, creating a positive environment. I believe that possessing these traits is crucial, especially for a leader, as it fosters collaboration and a supportive atmosphere.

Differentiating Leadership Approach

Some of the traits mentioned above tie into how people feel I am different from other leaders. I feel I am different in that I do not lead by fear. People feel comfortable expressing their opinions to me, and I feel this is because of how nice I come off as. Person 1 said I make everyone feel special by making it a point to say “hi” and ask how they are. Person 2 stated that I am a very calm person, which helps when things are chaotic or when things go wrong. Person 3 responded that when I speak with others, I always try and make things seem better than they may be, and even jokingly try and lighten a situation. I feel this is an area that needs improvement. I need to work on my confidence in being a leader, and the three people I spoke with further confirmed my thoughts. I feel confidence separate good leaders from bad ones.

As for the powerful, clear image that comes to mind when people think of me, I feel it is of a hard worker who gets things done as soon as possible. Person 1 felt it is of a team player who always helps people who are overwhelmed. Person 2 said it is of someone who is always organized. Person 3 said it is ok a very professional person she has a lot of respect for. I feel these traits show a lead-by-example type person, which I feel personifies me. I do not want to be seen as a hypocrite by others, expecting certain things in how they act, but not expecting it of myself.

The responses for what I stand for were very interesting upon review. I feel I stand for accountability, and quality. Person 1 confirmed my thought that I am devoted to quality, but also said at times I seem like a perfectionist. I was a bit taken aback, but maybe there are certain areas of my work where quality should not be a main area of focus. Perfectionist, for me, has a negative connotation. If this person feels this way, I am sure others do too. I may need to be more laid back at times. Person 2 felt I stood for fairness. He said he has never seen me speak differently to anyone in the department, and cannot tell if I prefer one employee over another. I agree with this and I make it a point to treat everyone the same. Person 3 stated that I stood for no nonsense. Hearing “no nonsense” this felt a bit harsh, but this may be something I have to alter. Maybe my dedication to accountability comes off as a bit harsh. I expect people to take responsibility for their actions, and when they do not, it is upsetting. Even if I do not outwardly say how I am feeling, they must sense it. I have to find a happy medium, where I let them know I expect more but still appreciate the hard work they attempted.

Values and Influential Personality

I feel that people think I have a nice personality that can help influence others. I always try and act respectfully and consider others feelings. Person 1 said I still need to become more confident in how I word things, which I agree with. Person 2 said that I seem pretty influential, but am too nice. And Person 3 said that I am a great example of how others should be acting, which pretty much reinforces my worries that how I act is the only way I am influencing people. No one I spoke with mentioned anything about my taking charge of situations. I tend to think I am good about taking charge when it comes to my own job and responsibilities. I need to work on taking charge of other situations as well. Thinking about when I speak, I feel I use a lot of inflections at the ends of my sentences that make it sound like I am asking a question, and am therefore uncertain. I need to speak more confidently and be more assertive around others.