Leadership Is Critical

¶ … Systems Perspective, Organizational Behavior Perspective, and Organizational Development Perspective. I have discussed how the three theories apply to my leadership style and how they relate to my definition of leadership which is the betterment of the organization and its people. The three perspectives were key to the success of my Squadron and the care and welfare of the organization, followers and Families. The next chapter will define what I have learned and why it is important to me as I cover my final thoughts.

Final Thoughts As I reflect back why I started my pursuit of getting a degree I would have to "Thank" a lot of people. My wife would be the number one reason for me pursuing my completion of the whole degree process as it took a lot of prodding and poking, she's the best. I have many senior leaders and peers that I would like to "Thank" who pushed me when I wanted to stop or did not see the need for a degree.

My Soldiers were the driving force behind me as a leader wanting to complete my degree and I need to "Thank" them. I wanted to be the example for them to emulate as they should strive to better themselves, careers and their Families. Being a leader as I have stated in my paper has always and will always be the driving force behind me wanting to better things around me and being a successful leader.

I have learned so much in our MAOL program that will make me a better Civilian leader as I start my life's next chapter. There are so many theories that will benefit me and the people I will end up working for or with. What is most important for me as a leader is to never fail my organization and its people and great leaders will go to any length to accomplish whatever missions are set before them.

Leadership is also about bison and goals and a good leader will strive to ensure their followers are never without guidance and purpose. According to Lewis, Andriopoulos & Smith (2014): "In hypercompetitive environments, organizational survival depends on strategic agility -- flexible, mindful responses to constantly changing environments. Strategic agility is inherently contradictory. Being strategic depends on a stable, unwavering commitment to a future vision, and involves formal planning processes and established routines. Yet agile organizations are adaptable and nimble, applying emergent decision making and novel approaches as needed.

As Doz and Kosonen argue, "Strategic agility is a conundrum…a real-life, hard to resolve contradiction for corporate leaders and their executive teams. (p. 58) It is this thought expressed which such clarity that comprises my application of the definitive framework that composes that which the leader should set their sights upon or strive towards realized through having a clear strategic vision and a well formulated plan for problem-solving and decision-making that serves to effectively ensure the organizations welfare.

I will not fail nor let down my fellow leaders and followers as our MAOL program is the very basis of great leadership facts that will ensure my leadership success. Essence or Major Cornerstones Servant Leadership and Authentic Leadership There are many cornerstones that make up my leadership philosophy but I am going to discuss two that are very important to me as they more closely relate to my leadership definition.

The first one and most important is "Servant Leadership" which is based on the assurance of the betterment of an organization and its people. Servant Leadership is about the leader putting the needs of others before his or her own needs. This theory directly ties back to my leadership definition and how it should be applied to ensure the overall organizations betterment.

Greenleaf (2008) states "A mark of a leader, an attribute that puts him in a position to show the way for other, is that he is better than most at pointing the direction" (p.17). I strive every day to be that servant leader who not only ensure the people are being taken care of but pointing the way by my actions and deeds. It is imperative that leaders understand that they are not only expected to lead they are expected to give direction and vision at all levels.

Organizational Ethics The second cornerstone is "Organizational Ethics" which supports my leadership definition by caring for the people. Ethics and values are the foundation of leadership and without ethics and values you cannot have great leaders. Utilitarianism is very closely related to the theory of Servant Leadership by doing the greatest good for the greatest number or followers before the leader's needs. Johnson (2012) states "Utilitarianism considers both short- and long-term consequences when making ethical determinations" (p. 20).

This belief is imperative for leaders at all levels to understand as they have to know that actions and words have a long lasting impression. Our followers are not ignorant of the actions of us as leaders, they will see right through our intents, words, and actions. Leaders have to ensure that what they do and say is not only beneficial to the followers but ethical and just and in line for the most good for the most people.

Leaders are the examples and paths that our followers are expected to be like and follow. Evolution of Thinking My thoughts on leadership as I conclude my MAOL journey is a very narrow minded view. By that I mean that leaders lead and great leaders are the example of doing whatever it takes to better the organizations and its people and that good leaders should aspire to be more like great leaders.

Brandman University has such a great leadership program that has not only reinforced my views on leadership but has shown me more ways to accomplish being a great leader myself. MAOL has opened my eyes to many different views and opinions on what it takes to not only become a better leader but to groom my followers to become great leaders. I have changed my opinion that I could not learn anything after being a leader for over 30+ years in the Military.

When you can hear and see what other leaders are saying and doing it is very humbling to know you do not know every about leadership and other avenues to becoming a great leader. From Brandmans Univesity home page (2015) I would like to highlight the mission statement. Mission The mission of Brandman University is to provide students with a dynamic education based on excellence and flexibility that creates lasting value and relevance for evolving careers. Vision Brandman University will be the recognized leader in the evolution of adult learning.

Purpose Our purpose is to impart knowledge and skills that help students achieve their dreams. The mission statement is one of the main reasons I select to attend Brandman Universities MAOL program as it has enhanced my leadership abilities. I have found that I enjoyed doing the research and writing as it has reinforced the leadership data and information I have accumulated over the last year and half and the final stage of completion of my Master's degree.

Conclusion As I conclude my paper on "Why Great Leadership is Critical" it is important to reflect back on all the chapters. I have talked about thoughts on leadership and why it is critically important to all leaders so that none may fail. I have thoroughly discussed my definition of leadership which is mission accomplishment and the betterment of an organization and its people.

I have discussed the difference between managers and leaders and the similarities between the two as managers run organizations and leader direct where the organization will go. I have discussed in depth what leaders do by having vison of where they want the organization to migrate and grow into. I have discussed what leadership theories which are to define the leader most and their roles. I have discussed self as leader which has defined leaders going to any length to complete missions and care of their organizations and people.

I have discussed why core values are imperative to leaders as they set the values of the future followers. I have discussed ethical framework which also covers the role of the leader and why it is important to know and use ethics as a leader. I have discussed organizational change framework which is about change and the need for change as an organization should never operate on just one course of action.

Organizational Change Emphasized Organizational change is not the exception but rather is the norm as change in the globalized world market drives the need for change in the organization. Whether that change be the embracing of a new level of diversity or whether the needed change is a complete change in processes, functions, or methods of production or even change management in which the management in the present will be restructured, reassigned or in extreme cases replaced.

The point is that the organization that resists change will not evolve and strengthen itself and fall into decay however; the organization and the leadership within the organization that are forward looking and utilize strategic thinking, team building and ongoing learning and training will be well-prepared to rise to the changes and the inherent challenges that accompany these changes across time.

Stagnant leadership does not desire to change the status quot and neither do stagnant employees and what is mean by this is leadership and followers who are in a rut, who have fallen into a daily grind and while these individuals are bored, not motivated, not excited, not challenged and not moving forward with new knowledge and skills, they are complacent and content with the way things are because it makes a requirement of little effort on their part.

However, it is this that spells doom for the organization in that if the organization is not growing, expanding, developing or pushing its own limits in terms of effectiveness, efficiency and success, then the organization is depressing, regressing and likely to suffer a soon death due to the limitations within which the organization's leadership, teams followers exist.

Leadership that shirks the duty of challenging those whom are being led, leadership that does not push the limits and have a vision for more success, effectiveness, efficiency, and overall betterment of the organization is not leadership. Leadership does not lead those being led into a regressive existence within the organization but instead leads those whom they are leading progressively setting higher goals and setting out the vision and means to achieving these higher goals and more optimal objectives for the organization.

I have learned in the research in this study that leadership is never stagnant, never complacent, never content and always seeking ways to better the organization and the skills knowledge of its employees. Authentic leadership is constantly on the look out for potential future leaders in the organization to maintain a continuum of effective leadership in the organization's future.

While some leadership may view this in a manner that they would not desire to create new competition in the organizational leadership's repertoire, the simple fact is that Authentic leaders are fully invested in the organization in which they lead and ensuring effective future leadership for the organization simultaneously ensures that investors and stockholders will profit from the success of the organization in the future.

Oftentimes, today's business leadership, and this is particularly evidenced in the corporate world, are focused on the here-and-now seeking to make a quick hit with fast profits and never giving consideration top the organization's future.

However, such as in the case of the leadership of Enron, had leadership followed ethical and solid leadership methods and theoretically sound framework in leadership, then perhaps Enron, referred to as 'the smartest guys in the room' would not have became so rich so quick, so unemployed so quickly, and for many of them had they followed Authentic forms of leadership,.