Verified Document

Senior Leader Philosophy Essay

¶ … theory (the "great man' theory) that asserts that leadership is innate, and that leaders and warriors such as Abraham Lincoln, Julius Caesar, Mahatma Gandhi, and Alexander the Great were great since they were born with the ability to guide and help others. That doesn't give me much chance for me to work on becoming a leader. If fate hasn't made me so, regardless of the amount of work inserted I may never become one. But then again, contemporary thought has more positive attitudes. Most contemporary leadership approaches claim that given certain strategies and willpower, leadership is a technique and skill that almost anyone can learn. I prefer the encouragement of these ideas.

'Leadership' is a concept that needs to be pinned down. Leaders that come to mind appear to me in two categories: remote and distant. I think of Generals, such as Patton who retained their power and prestige by distancing themselves from their followers, and then I think of others who were the reverse. Who won the respect and dedication of other followers particular because they were close and connected to them? I think Washington is an example of the latter. I prefer to be like him.

The best type of leader, I moreover, think, is someone who possesses the qualities of Emotional Intelligence (EI). Intellectual intelligence is secondary to emotional intelligence. And this is particularly important in today's stress-filled political, social, and economic environment.

Leadership comes into all aspects of tasks performed by the army / Home Security. We are accorded...

PATRIOT Act. Leadership comes into each and every facet of our life, and the higher and more responsible the position, the more intense the leadership role expected of that particular officer.
According to Daniel Goleman (1998, p. 95), EI is split into 5 components and I see each of the 5 components contributing to leadership in the army thusly:

1. The intrapersonal aspect

There is open transparent communication between the soldier and other colleagues including superiors and peers as well as those under his command. Issues are brought up, and people are able to reflect upon and admit errors without rancor. Each soldier has self-regard for him/herself; this makes an army with less conflict.

2. Interpersonal level,

Here each soldier is able to maintain and carry out social responsibilities as well as feeling empathy for others on the team, able to work well with them, and to help them in their particular duties.

4. Adaptability

Soldiers are able to deal with change in a plastic, flexible manner. They are able to reflect and adapt strategies and plans to the situation. They are also able to tune in to other's needs and situations

5. Stress management

The ability of withstanding adverse situations in a calm, efficient manner and to help others deal with their stress too. This is particularly important…

Sources used in this document:
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. New York: Bantam Books.

Marks, D.E., & Sun, I.Y. (2007). The impact of 9/11 on organizational development among state and local law enforcement agencies. Journal of Contemporary

Criminal Justice, 23, 159-173.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now