Leadership Reflection

Before my time at the University of Maryland as a member of the Public Leadership Scholars program, I thought that being a leader was little more than being in charge of others. After having completed the Public Leadership program, I realize that leadership is much more than that. Being in charge of others is certainly part of leadership, but beyond that leaders must listen to those they are leading and earn their trust. I now understand that leadership is not only the act of leading other people, but it is also earning those people's trust and giving back to them and your community.

Leadership Style

I would best describe my leadership style as that of an authentic leader who prioritizes the people that I am working with. I believe that every good leader should be a part of the community they are planning to lead. If a person is not part of a community, they will not understand the needs of the community. I also believe that leaders should be honest with themselves and those they are leading. A dishonest leader is not an effective one. Lastly, I believe that all leaders should prioritize the opinions of those they are working with. If you refuse to listen to those working with you, you will only hurt your ability to lead.

Leadership Philosophy Paper

This paper offered me an opportunity to explore my own leadership philosophy through the analysis of Theodore Roosevelt. While analyzing Theodore Roosevelt, I began to realize that his leadership philosophy was one I really admired. Further analysis eventually led me to change my opinion of what makes a good leader and influenced the development of my own leadership philosophy. Since this paper allowed me to begin this analysis and is the reason that my idea of what makes a good leader changed, I believe it to be an excellent artifact to upload.

Practical Application

The things I learned during my time in the PL Program have helped me in my classes, especially during group projects. I have been able to take a leadership role on these projects and guide my groups towards effective completion of the project. One such instant was in the spring 2021 semester when I was able to take a leadership role on one of my engineering projects. I was able to use what I had learned to effectively lead us to a good grade on the assignment.