Personal Reflections and Vision- Looking

Personal Reflections and Vision- Looking Back

One of my key values today is efficacy. I like to get things done and I am highly result-oriented. However, based on previous experiences I acknowledge the fact that in the race for the result I often tend to move fast and not wait for my teammates. I believe that being a leader in the working field is an important accomplishment and I realize that a lot of work is needed in this direction. Nevertheless, I realize that being a leader implies so much more than dedicating all the attention to myself. As others have made me understand, I should try to be a better listener. I rely highly upon myself, but I should also open myself more in order to appreciate the insight others can bring.

An important episode from which I have learned is the leadership trip where the school sent us to the mountains in order to develop our leadership skills. Some of the characteristics mentioned above were actually highlighted on this occasion. A further important lesson that the this episode allowed me to learn was the flexibility. If a solution which one considers to be good is applied and fails to achieve its goal repeatedly, then it is time to come up with another solution.

As far as I'm concerned, it is important to have an open mentality. It is true that are some basic things that one ought to know, just as it is true that experience is a solid source of knowledge. However, keeping an open mind to new and unexpected alternatives might be a strategic factor in becoming a good leader.

I think that a good leader has a strong background in terms of both knowledge and experience and is also capable of sharing it with his teammates. The mountain trip I have written about was an opportunity to demonstrate that I am a good communicator when it comes to passing knowledge and information.

Speaking of more general values I must confess that my personal history and that of my family played an important role in shaping them. My father died when I was nine, therefore my single mother had to take care of me and my brother and sister. This fact marked me in a very profound manner, teaching me the fundamental value of coordinates such as hard work, honesty, integrity, faith, excellence, honor and determination.

One of the people who marked my life and the way I am in an extremely profound manner was my mother. She started out as a school teacher and progressed to become the director of northern Saudi Arabia education board. For me this is an example that hard work and a strong will, together with courage and strong moral principles are the key to self development. A professional career is not something that is desirable because society teaches you this. It is desirable because it is a means of developing the self and realizing your potential. Fundamentally it is an act of creation which gives meaning to life.

Another person who influenced my life profoundly is my older brother Abdul. It is safe to say that he was my mentor. He always believed in me, supported me and never judged, regardless of the situation. This sort of unconditional support was extremely helpful for me. After high school I joined the KSU University in Riyadh Saudi Arabia as an industrial engineering student. However, I did not take the opportunity seriously and I never graduated. After five years spent at the university and no future plans, it was my brother who asked me some fundamental questions which made me have a better level of self-awareness. These questions were: what are you doing right now and do you see any future in what you are doing now. Naturally, I was unable to answer these questions because I was too ashamed of the answers. My brother told me that only a fool follows a street which he knows that leads nowhere. He advised me to drop everything, go to the U.S., take a degree I was interested in, change my life and do something which actually offers me a future perspective.

And this is exactly what I did. I graduated in Denver with a bachelor of science in international business. I was honored by the school in five different occasions during my undergraduate degree. Now I am doing a masters in the science of finance. Oen of the things which my brother taught me was the importance of doing what you want. This is rewarding and motivating. I learned that in life one must set his own goals.

I am generous and I like to help people, my tutoring activities being a proof in this regard. I believe that work is a powerful source of knowledge therefore I try to do my best in achieving practical experience.

1.B. Personal vision on leadership

I believe that a leader is not someone who already possesses the solution and is meant to impose it on others, but a skilled communicator who knows how to stimulate his teammates in a manner that will help the team achieve outstanding rewards. I enjoy managing people, but not to the extent that they are forced to follow my lead. I believe that the efficiency and efficacy of people's actions diminishes in a tragical manner when they are forced to do something .

I want to be a leader, but at the same time I have to underline that I do not value my opinion better than the opinions of others. On the contrary I think that everyone's opinion is just as credible of mine. Hence the importance of listening to the others. Naturally, a leader must have the intelligence to select the most relevant information and put it together in a s smart way.

When it comes to leading techniques, I think that communication plays a fundamental role. I think that verbalizing one's thoughts is essential and that dialogue can be used as a strategic tool. I have a personal example when it comes to leadership and it is embodied by Nelson Mandela. I love his leadership style, his compassion and piercing vision. I agree to the fact that business is profit oriented. However, I believe that a leader must never forget that business is made, driven, supported by people and that the well being of those people will impact the well being of the business (just like the contrary is also true). Therefore, a leader should think in humanist terms as well, and not only in formulas meant to improve the quantity of production.

Leadership is directly connected to power and influence. I believe that power and influence should be used for the benefit of the humankind. I must underline that according to my view, power should be accompanied by good judgment. I like to be in a position which allows me to help other people. Leadership is such a position, which allows you to actually make a difference in people's lives. I believe that the most important legacies I could leave as a leader include love, hope and compassion. For example, if I could think of a situation in which after having invented a genius theory in economics, I could choose between using it in order to gain a lot of money (by let us say selling it) and using it for the improvement of everybody's lives, I would definitely choose the second option.

I think that leaders ought to lead by providing a support system for their followers. In addition, it would be important for leaders to contribute to the improvement of the circumstances the others find themselves in. I feel that I lead best by collaborating with others in the problem-solving process as opposed to discovering the answers entirely on my own. I believe that a good leader is one who encourages others to strive for their best. Creating the circumstances in which the other team members can fulfill their potential best is one of the conditions which I think are required by a good leader.

I believe that a leader must lead through communication but also through the power of the personal example must be motivating and inspiring, he must become a role model. It is very difficult to motivate people to give the best of them through financial rewards or through punishment systems. I believe that the best way to motivate them is to insist upon the development and realization of the self. As far as my personal leadership dream is concerned, it refers to being nominated for the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economics Sciences in the memory of Alfred Nobel. There could be no higher legacy that I could leave after I am gone, but not through the nomination itself, but through the contribution which has led to it- because it would mean having actually contributed to the improvement of people's lives. In this manner I will have contributed to a better life for mankind.

Part 2. A. SLOT

In order to reach a better self-evaluation, it is important to bear in mind which are my strengths and my limits, as well as the deriving threats and opportunities. Naturally, the future development can come only through the diminishing of the threats and the increase of the opportunities.

As far as my strong points are concerned, I could start with the capacity to see the positive in every situation. This does not mean being optimistic to the point of becoming stupid, but rather keeping an open mind and knowing that through intelligent steps, opportunities can be created to your advantage. In addition, I challenge convention. I believe that flexibility is fundamental and that one should do what he considers best, regardless of what the others or society in general might try to impose.

As far as the leadership style is concerned, I assume both authoritative and democratic dimension. I believe that people must be listened to and stimulated in order to give their best. At the same time however, I believe that a leader must impose his authority and act as an example for the others.

I am a quick thinker and always forward looking. This implies a strong capacity to adapt to new situations, as well as the will to deal with unexpected circumstances. I am definitely action-oriented and I like to rise to the challenge. I find challenges stimulating and I like to react to them through action.

Furthermore, I could speak about a strong work ethics. I believe in honesty and in respecting the others. When it comes to other personal characteristics, I am intuitive and optimistic. One of the most important strengths that I have I lies in the capacity to motivate the others to achieve the impossible. The fact that I have seven years of combined work also works to my advantage. Furthermore, I have a forthcoming graduate degree in finance which implies that I have a very solid theoretic background.

As far as the limitations are concerned, well, I tend to answer questions before they have been asked. My needs for variety may leave some tasks incomplete. An important limitation is the tendency to protect my ego against all comers. I avoid showing my true feelings. I get so involved in the idea generation process, giving birth to so many ideas, that chaos often might occur. Since challenge is a motivational factor for me, I tend to quickly lose interest if the challenge diminishes. I also tend to become defensive or dictatorial when I am being challenged. I don't like routine tasks and I avoid them. The fact that I tend to demonstrate that I know the answer before the very question was asked might make me seem as self opinionated.

The opportunities which I have include the higher demand for experts in the field of finance in Saudi Arabia. The fact that I have an Arabian cultural background, combined with study and experience abroad is very important. I could also pursue a higher degree in my field. In addition, there are various career opportunities in the government/private sector. Strengthening my network is a further opportunity I could consider.

When it comes to the threats I am faced with, I must mention that graduating during a financial crisis is something not to be ignored. Financial experts are desirable during financial crises, but only of they have the necessary background to provide people and companies with powerful decisions that can bring both short-term and long-term improvements. Such is not the case with my personal example.

Furthermore, over the past six years the Saudi government sent over an enormous number of students abroad and this will definitely crate a stronger competition in the workforce. The fact that more people have access to the resources which are necessary to introduce you in the business leadership area means that the difference will be made in the area of experience. Hence the challenge.

2.B. Leadership development plan.

My first goal is to finish the masters degree with outstanding result. The resources which I need are time and the capacity to concentrate, as well as the concentartion necessary not to let the objective out of sight. I will know I have achieved this goal if by the end of the masters degree I will get a type of recognition or awarding which was similar to the one I got during the university years. Passing the exams with a high degree is one of the conditions, but it is not sufficient. Engaging in discussions with the professors, as well as with my colleagues is one of the actions which could help me achieve this goal.