Leadership is mold-able to each situation. There is not one type of leader that is above all the rest. This is because there are many different strategies to motivate and delegate people. Each group of followers may prefer a different method of leadership style for them to produce the greatest results. Really the best attribute a leader can have is flexibility. They need to change to the situation and the people that they are instructing.

Something I learned is that a leader does not have to do all the work. They need to listen to the ideas of the group and help get everyone's voice heard. It is important that everyone in the group feels comfortable to share their ideas otherwise the group could miss out on some great advice. It is the leader's job to create this open environment. They need to create inclusion. Not only does this help the current group to be more productive, but it also allows more people to join the group.

Effective leadership is creating a mutual relationship with the followers so that that task is completed using teamwork, in an ethical way. Breaking this statement down you can see that the leader and the follower are just as important roles. Leaders would be nothing if they didn't have followers. Therefore there needs to be respect between the two. If there is no respect between them, then that creates a giant obstacle to finishing the mission. The reason I used the word teamwork in the above statement is because in a team everyone contributes something differently. Each member can have a solo task that is their job to complete. The leader needs to make sure that every member is motivated and feels important within the group. This is different from a manager because a mangers sole job is just to get the job done. Solving the mission in an ethical way is also important because without ethics the group loses creditability. Without credibility anything the group accomplishes will not be acknowledge for the worth it deserves.

My philosophy comes a lot from how I have been treated while in groups. Some experiences were bad and some were good. What I know is that gathering ideas from multiple people and then adding on to them always seems to produce the best results. I also take being ethical very seriously because at the end of the day what is most important is your confidence and your reputation. I do not feel good at all if I feel like I have cut corners or broke rules to achieve what I want.

My attitude about leadership differs from the beginning of the class because now I see that anyone can be a leader. Even people that are more shy and less likely to speak up can make great leaders. Those quiet people can even make better leaders because they have spent the majority of their time listening. It is because they know how to listen that they can hear ideas that have never been done before.