Your Story and Journey to Authentic Leadership
After reading Chapter One, it’s important to examine your life story and leadership opportunities to this point, with an emphasis on the influences of your early years and instances of your leadership.
Discover Your Leadership in Your Life Story
- During your early years, which people had the greatest impact on you?
The people with the greatest impacts were my parents, teachers, and our nation’s president. By then, Barrack Obama was the president.
- Starting with your earliest memories, which experiences marked key turning points in your life?
Some experiences that marked key turning points in my life are excelling in my high school exams, and becoming one of the school’s students’ leader. My family relocated to another town and this environment impacted on my well bring
- In which experiences did you find the greatest inspiration and passion for your leadership?
I first found inspiration when I excelled in my final high school exams and had to move to the next step. I found the experience as encouraging and gained the courage to become an authentic leader. In high school, I also got to be a member of the students’ board, and this inspired me to pursue further. I realized my weaknesses and strengths and worked on the necessary. My experience with other student leaders helped me to acquire new skills.
- Looking at patterns from your early life story, what people, events, and experiences have had the greatest impact on you and your life?
The people are my parents, teachers, and the president at the time, Barack Obama
The events and experiences were relocations to another town, my acclamation to be a student leader, and excelling in my exams.
- Can you identify instances where you were dissatisfied with your leadership, or received constructive feedback from others about it?
I was dissatisfied with my leadership when my fellow students did not choose me as their leader for the second time. I realized that I had made some mistakes, but it was too late to change.
- Has there been an instance in your life where you have felt like a victim?
I have ever felt like a victim, and this was when I failed during my re-election. I thought that it was not my mistake, and the group had personal issues with me.
- Do the failures or disappointments you experienced earlier in your life constrain you, or have you been able to reframe them as learning experiences?
The failures that I have experienced constrained me initially, but I later read somewhere that I needed to move on and use them as motivation. Ever since I started looking at the disappointments as opportunities to do better. I challenge myself and am never afraid to fail. Still, I do fail, but I do not dwell on the disappointments.
The Journey to Authentic Leadership
- Do you currently view your life and leadership as a destination to a certain point or as a journey in which you seek to maximize your learning and experiences?
I view my leadership and life experience as a journey and always seek to maximize my learning. The reason behind my thinking is the perception of growth. I have realized that it is sometimes impossible to reach a peak and get satisfied with having learned everything. Therefore, it’s a journey of continual learning.
- What are the most significant leadership experiences you have had to date, and what did you learn from them?
My most significant leadership experience was when I was a student leader and had to represent my class in meetings. I had to listen to their issues, forward them, and ensure that I bring feedback. Sometimes, the majority could not agree with some personal yet important grievances. I had to bear the name of a bad leader, and this affected my immediate future. I learned how to communicate with people and utilize some leadership skills always to maintain a good rapport with followers.
- What experiences do you need to develop your leadership to take it to the next level?
I need to enhance my problem-solving skills, build up my confidence, and enhance my communication skills. I believe that developing these skills would help me take my leadership to the next level.
- If you are just entering a new phase, have you assessed the goals and experiences you would like to have during the phase?
I have assessed the goals and experiences that I will need to have during my next phase. They are the same with the factors that I have mentioned above, necessary to take my leadership to the next level.
- Do you think you need to make any adjustments to your personal and leadership development as a result? If so, what are they?
I need to make changes to my personal and leadership development. I need to improve my social network to gain vast experience in communication skills and build up my confidence.
- How can you take your previous experiences and apply them more optimally to your leadership now?
I can use my previous experiences to enhance my current leadership in various ways. I can use George’s dimensions of authentic leadership, which are purpose, self-discipline, relationship, heart, and values to enhance. I will pursue my needs with passion, establish long-lasting relationships, practice social values, and show self-discipline.