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Faucets of Leadership: My Leadership Philosophy

Jennifer Sundby
Minnesota State University - Moorhead

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Abstract
The reason for this leadership philosophy paper is to analyze and learn from the information
presented in a graduate level class at Minnesota State University Moorhead. With this
information, I must create my own leadership philosophy from the readings, discussions and
activities completed during the course.

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Faucets of Leadership: My Leadership Philosophy

My philosophy of leadership is composed of multiple faucets just as I believe a leader is
composed of many qualities. An effective leader needs to develop a shared vision with the team,
see situations from multiple perspectives, create more leaders, carry certain characteristics, and
love what they are doing. Leadership is a fine art that great leaders are continuously striving to
perfect and learn.
The first faucet of leadership is developing a shared vision with the team. In order for
this vision to be successful amongst the team the leader must have clarity, consistency, and
transparency. Teamwork is dependent on trusting the other folks to come through with their
part without watching them all the time (Jobs). Leadership and micromanaging are polar
opposites and should never be used together. All stake holders must feel a part of the process
and feel valuable to the team whether its a current vision or a change in the vision. Bolman and
Deal (2013, p. 361) found people-oriented leaders make it clear that workers have a stake in the
organizations success and a right to be involved in making decisions. After a shared vision is
created, a great leader will then continue to motivate and steer the team to reach the shared
vision.
The second faucet, seeing situations from multiple perspectives, is what can make or
break an organization. An effective leader needs to understand the frames for leading an
organization but must also possess the expertise to reframe quickly and automatically. When the
world seems hopelessly confusing and nothing is working, reframing is a powerful tool for
gaining clarity, regaining balance, generating new options, and finding strategies that make a
difference (Bolman & Deal, 2013).

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Thirdly, leaders create more leaders. No matter how smart you are, you need a team of
great people (Jobs). As a leader in a school organization, it is only beneficial to create leaders
among all your teachers, who will in turn create leaders among their students. As educators, this
would be the most rewarding result of all the efforts put forth by all the stakeholders.
Exceptional leaders possess certain characteristics that help them become successful.
Your reputation is what youre perceived to be; your character is what you really are
(Wooden). Leaders must be humble. It takes a village in a school organization for each student.
There is no room for I. Exceptional leaders must be positive. The only constant in the school
leaders ever increasing responsibilities is that of change (Lunenburg p.1). With all the
possibilities to lower your head, an exceptional leader is going to keep their head up and stay
positive in order to bring about positive results during the ever changing world of education.
Exceptional leaders must be able to motivate the stakeholders. A perfect example of this is the
current situation at my school with the choice of curriculum. During discussion, the stakeholders
are only told that this is a nonnegotiable. The results Ive witnessed from this are only
detrimental to the staff and students receiving the teachings from the curriculum. Great leaders
will motivate the staff to believe in the curriculum as much as the leader does and give
opportunity for the staff to voice concerns and obstacles. The great leader will then support and
guide the staff to work through the obstacles. Lastly, exceptional leaders have integrity and
moral principles. In Bolman and Deal (2013, p. 399) it is stated that ethics and soul are
essential for living a good life as well as managing a fulfilling organization.
Finally, I belief leaders must enjoy and have passion for what they are doing. The only
way to do great work is to love what you are doing (Jobs). Bolman and Deal found that one of
the qualities often mentioned is passion, determination, or will (2013, p. 347). Good Leaders

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care deeply about their work and the people who do it and are doggedly persistent in pushing the
cause forward (Bolman & Deal, 2013, p. 348). I spend the majority of my days at work so I
need to believe in what I am doing, have passion in the work Im accomplishing, and build this
same passion and pride in the team I work with to reach the shared vision.
In conclusion, my leadership philosophy includes many faucets. Leadership includes the
ability to develop a shared vision, see situations through multiple lenses, create more leaders,
portray a character of oneself that holds moral principles, and have passion for your work. John
Wooden defined success as peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing
you made the effort to do the best of which youre capable. In order to be a successful leader I
believe you need all these faucets and must do make the best effort possible.

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References
Bolman, L.G, & Deal, T. E. (2013). Artistry, Choice, & Leadership: Reframing Organizations.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., San Francisco.
Lunenburg, Fred C. (2010). Forces for and Resistance to Organizational Change. National
Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journal, Vol 27, Num 4.
MrSebby05 (2013, Mar 20). Steve Jobs Management Style. Leadership. Retrieved from
https://mnstate.ims.mnscu.edu/d2l/le/content/3093898/viewContent/25311086/View
TED (2009, Mar 26). John Wooden: The difference between winning and succeeding.
Retrieved from https://mnstate.ims.mnscu.edu/d2l/le/content/3093898/viewContent/
25311090/View.
Williams, Scott (2011, Oct 9). Top 10 Differences Between Managers and Leaders. Retrieved
from
https://mnstate.ims.mnscu.edu/d2l/le/content/3093898/viewContent/25311085/

view.