[MLM#101] What is YOUR Leadership Philosophy?

Do you have a guiding philosophy? Most people do but they don't realize it. Their choices reveal their philosophy. So, let me as you this  question: "What is your leadership philosophy, and how do you model it?"

Welcome to the MOORE Leadership Moment, where we discuss experientially learned and research-based leadership principles and best practices for communication, personal growth, productivity, professional development, and success. I’m #YourLeadershipGuide, Dr. Kim Moore. 

In this moment, I'll discuss leadership philosophy and how it is revealed to others by the choices leaders make. 

#YourLeadershipGuide,
Kim

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“When students are led well, they learn well.”

Website: http://kimdmoore.com
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The views shared in the Educational Leadership Moment are solely mine and do not reflect the positions of my employer or any entity within the local, state, or federal government sectors.

Transcript

This is Dr. Kim Moore, your guide to leading with confidence. 

In this week’s MOORE Leadership Moment, we will discuss Leadership Philosophy…

Do you have a guiding philosophy? Most people do, but they do not realize it. Their choices reveal their philosophy.

For example, it is “live for today and let tomorrow take care of itself for some people.” On the other hand, others believe in “play now and pay later.”

In my first year of college, I joined ROTC. Why? Because I wanted to ride in a helicopter. My father, a retired military, was a helicopter crew chief, and I wanted to know what it was like to fly.

Now, I would like to tell you I was a model cadet. However, that would not be truthful. I was a terrible cadet during my first year in ROTC. In fact, at the end of my first year in ROTC, I was evaluated by my peers to be the worst cadet in our unit!

I was devastated by the evaluation, and I needed to do some soul-searching. Therefore, I made an appointment to meet with our Command Sergeant Major to help me understand why I was rated so poorly. Well, he asked me a question that rocked my world. In fact, today, when I coach other leaders, I often ask the same question.

So what was the question? It was very simple but profound. He asked me, “what was my leadership philosophy?” I sat there without an answer. I never really thought about it. My actions indicated my leadership philosophy was “me first.” I left his office wondering, “did my actions line up with my words.”

I decided to make a change. I began to study the traits of great leaders. What I learned still shapes my choices today. Great leaders have vision and courage. They put others’ needs over their own and accept responsibility for leading. Over the next two years, instead of putting myself first, I put others first.

Dan Cathy, Chairman and CEO of Chick-fil-A, said, “There is not a secret formula or magical 3-step process that graduates us into leaders.”

Leaders have the opportunity to influence the lives of others by constantly looking for ways to inspire and add value. As a leader, our actions must reflect our philosophy.

So how does a leader create an environment where individuals feel appreciated and valued? It starts with the leader.

Dan Cathy shares life lessons he has learned from overseeing more than 1,500 Chick-fil-A restaurants and 50,000 + employees in his blog, Dan’s Leadership Toolkit. While many would say his success is based on selling chicken, Cathy credits his success to his leadership philosophy. Dan Cathy leads by example.

So, here’s your quote for this week’s MOORE Leadership Moment: 

“When leader’s actions align with their leadership philosophy, we inspire others and add value to those we lead.”

I was selected as the first female cadet commander in my senior year of college. Yes, I went from worst to first. How? I aligned my actions with my leadership philosophy.

So what is my leadership philosophy? To lead by example.

What is your leadership philosophy? And how do you model it…

This is Dr. Kim Moore, your guide to leading with confidence!

Have a great week.