week 1 replies

100 words each reply

Reply to Chet

Leadership can seem like something very big. People think only presidents and other key figures in companies can be great leaders. However, leadership happens on a day-to-day basis. According to Simon Sinek (2009), when someone leads, others are inspired by them. They don't ask themselves, "What do I do?" They ask themselves, "Why do I do what I do?" Then take that and apply it to their followers’ beliefs. By doing this, you can lead your followers to take action and not just follow.

Another reason why I believe that leadership is something common is by looking at what Drew Dudley thinks. When we look at President Reagan’s speech about what he accomplished during his time as president. We see how one leader can change the world. Dudley believes that leadership happens every day (2013). I believe leadership is common because it can happen with anything that you choose to lead others on. Once we open our minds to think that leadership is common, we will allow more people to lead. (Northouse, 2021)

Dudley defines a "lollipop moment" as something that will make someone’s life better. There can be many lollipop moments that you give to others without even knowing it. Leadership is important to lollipop moments because leaders are always giving them to others. By allowing yourself to think of lollipop moments, you can become a better leader. Research has shown that leaders who help others on a personal level will motivate their employees to want to work for that company. (Goleman, 2000) So next time you're thinking of how to lead others, think of how you can make someone have a lollipop moment.

References

Dudley, D. (2013, September). Everyday leadership [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/drew_dudley_everyday_leadership

Goleman, D. (2000). Leadership that gets results. Harvard Business Review, 78(2), 78-90.

Northouse, P. G. (2021). Leadership: Theory and Practice (9th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc. https://ccis.vitalsource.com/books/9781071834473

Sinek, S. (2009). Start with why: How great leaders inspire everyone to take action. Penguin.

Reply to Brandon

The three leadership videos collectively demonstrate how great leaders inspire action through influence, purpose, and meaningful connections rather than through authority alone. Simon Sinek argues people are motivated by leaders who communicate a compelling "why," creating a shared sense of purpose that encourages commitment rather than compliance. This perspective aligns with Northouse's (2022) definitions of leadership as a process of influencing individuals toward a common goal. Research also supports the importance of purpose driven leadership, finding leaders who connect organizational goals to meaningful values are more successful in engaging and motivating followers (Boston Consulting Group [BCG], 2023). Similarly, Brian Mulroney's eulogy of Ronald Reagan highlights how Reagan's vision and optimism inspired people to believe in something larger than themselves, reinforcing the idea that leadership is rooted in influence and shared purpose rather than positional power.

While exceptional leaders may be rare, I do not believe leadership itself is rare. The readings from this week challenge the traditional notion that leadership belongs only to presidents, generals, and executives. Instead, the idea of presenting leadership as a common process that can emerge in everyday situations. Leadership can arise from formal authority or emerge through actions that gain the trust and support of others. Recent research on everyday leadership supports the view by defining leadership as behaviors enacted by individuals who influence others toward shared objectives regardless of formal rank or title (Liu et al., 2022). This concept is particularly relevant in criminal justice organizations where leadership frequently emerges from experiences officers, supervisors, or team members who influence peers through expertise, credibility, and example. Additionally, engaging leadership has been shown to increase employee engagement and team effectiveness when demonstrating leadership effectiveness depends more on relationships and influence than any organizational position (Mazzetti & Schaufeli, 2022).

Drew Dudley's concept of the "lollipop moment" provides the most powerful lesson from the assigned videos. A lollipop moment is a seemingly small interaction that has a lasting positive impact on another person's life, often without the leader realizing it. Dudley argues that leadership is frequently overlooked because people associate it with major achievements rather than everyday acts of influence. This idea closely relates to the course's discussion of emergent leadership and the understanding that influence can occur intentionally or unintentionally. The lollipop moment illustrates that leadership is not limited to formal position but demonstrated whenever an individual's actions encourage growth, confidence, or positive change in others. As current and future leaders, recognizing these moments reminds us that leadership is not measured solely by accomplishments but also by the positive influence we have on the people around us.

References

Boston Consulting Group. (2023). Leading with purpose for transformation success. https://www.bcg.com/publications/2023/leading-with-purpose-for-transformation-success

Liu, Z., Riggio, R. E., Reichard, R. J., & Walker, D.O.H. (2022). Everyday leadership: The construct, its validation, and developmental antecedents. International Leadership Journal, 14(1), 3-35.

Mazzetti, G., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2022). The impact of engaging leadership on employee engagement and team effectiveness: A longitudinal, multi-level study on the mediating role of personal and team resources. PLoS ONE, 17(6), e0269433. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269433

Northouse, P.G. (2022). Leadership: Theory and practice (9th ed.). Sage Publications.