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Journal-Week 2

Tamara Gonzalez

Southern New Hampshire University

February 20, 2018

Compare the “great man” model (including trait and behavioral approaches) to your own personal leadership style and ability.

The “Great Man”model of leadership has two core theories. The first indicates that great leaders are born possessing certain traits that enable them to rise and lead. The second indicates that great leaders can arise when the need for them is great.

I believe leaders must acquire the skills needed to perform their jobs but an effective and successful is indeed born with the certain traits that set them apart from the average person. These traits are what enables them to assume roles of responsibility, leadership, authority and power. Some may argue that leaders can be trained but training and education is just part of the puzzle. Effective leaders have to have certain personality types to be successful, especially on a long term basis. Not everyone has the knack for leadership. The great man theory suggests that great leaders are able to carry their leadership ability over a span of time and across a variety of groups because they share these characteristic regardless of when and where they lived or the precise role in the history they fulfilled.

I am an outgoing person. Some of my best traits are my people skills. I am able to draw people in with charisma, openness and a willingness to listen more than I speak. I like to get to know people and I then appeal to them by their personal interests. I like to learn what is important to people and tie into that when speaking to them. I am also very self-aware and confident. I have good social skills and know how to apply that within my work environment. I try to apply my intelligence and knowledge to each task I perform because it is also what I expect from the staff I support. Although I am still studying for my Master’s degree where others may already have one or working on their Doctorate, I am just as powerful if not more so than someone who is highly intellectual and academically decorated (Turak, 2013).

The Great Man model also speaks about how leaders are shaped by their social environment. I find truth in this because I consider myself a strong leader. My social environment has indeed shaped me. I have an extremely ambitious and competitive. I am an observer and I adapt to situations seeking understanding, resolve and creating strategies for preservation and evolution along the way. I had an unstable childhood where I felt that I had no control over my circumstances. I could not rely on people to give me what I needed. I did not want to fall victim to cultural and demographic stereotypes. My family was broken. I grow up in a poverty level environment surrounded by gang violence in Detroit. Most of the kids in my neighborhood fell victim to gangs, violence or drugs. This was not what I wanted. I wanted to be the exception. I studied hard. I entered writing and drawing contests. I was enrolled in gifted and talented programs. When my mom fell ill, I moved to Boston and took advantage of every academic program I could that would increase my chances to go to college. I worked everyday after school to save money toward books. I worked harder than expected. I also took risks. I was pretty defiant of all stereotypes. I knew I had to not only accomplish goals but exceed them and make it seem effortless. I always attracted followers. However, as they looked to me for leadership, I was ok with letting them lead at times so I could learn different methods of achieving a goal. There is always more than one way to do something. I wanted to learn which method was more effective. I like to ask questions and welcome questions to be asked of me. My transparency, especially where I work, sets me apart from most leaders on campus. I am also very self-motivated. Often I do not quite understand where I get the drive I have. Something internally pushes me to want to do better. I do not necessarily want to be the best I want to always be better. Best means there is nothing beyond it. There is always something beyond. I do not seek perfection. I expect mistakes but I also expect either a resolution where possible or a lesson if otherwise from those mistakes.

References

Turak, A. (213), Eight Lessons from the Great Man (or Woman) School of Leadership.