Week Four

The leadership theory that best matches my personality is transactional leadership.  I'm not really interested in being friends with anyone at work or really expressing myself, I'm more interested in getting things done and getting them done quickly.  I have a transaction approach with just about everything that I do.  Once I have a plan in place I more forward and quickly accomplish my goals.  Some people find me to be a little standoff-ish, but it doesn't bother me.  I enjoy working and I like to do my best and produce good results.  I think that my type of leadership theory is very good in the workplace because it ensures that all the different tasks and projects that need to be accomplished are done on time and without issue.  However, my downfall in the workplace is that I'm not very personable, and although I'm a very hard worker, having an approachable personality is valuable too. 

Week Three

The power structure at the school where I work is at times a typical "triangle" type of power where the little people are on the bottom and the powerful, but few, people are on the top telling the rest of us what to do.  However, at times the power within the school is more of a "round table" feel.  Even though my co-workers and I have very little actual say over the decisions that are made regarding the school, our management team really goes out of their way to include us as much as possible.  These kinds of actions make the school have a much more cohesive feel and create a working environment where everyone feels valued and important.  Because our school is open to a round table management style, it's much easier for the employees to speak with upper management and make them aware of issues that need to be addressed or changes that need to be made, and normally management is very good at listening and implementing those changes.  In the future I feel that we will continue on this path and leave the old style "triangle" management in the past.  Even though the majority of the people who work at my school are not management, it feels that we all have a say in the direction that our school is going.   

Week Two

The best kind of leadership is strength-based leadership.  Most people can always focus on their faults, but a good leader will focus on their strengths and use those strengths to lead.  I tend to always focus on what I can do better and what is wrong with me and how I can better myself in the future.  However, I could become a better, more productive leader if I would focus more on what my strengths are and how I can use and refine those strengths to better lead others.  As a teacher, when you lead using your strengths you can foster a learning community that is based on positivity and finding and using everyone’s different strengths, instead of trying to force students to suppress their strengths and develop their weaker areas.  For example, if a student is really good at writing, why force him to take on drawing in a group activity; why not let the student excel where their strengths are and work towards developing other strengths throughout the class time?  When students are able to use their strengths they are much more productive and excited about learning.     

Week One

Today is the last day of week one in EDL500-Personal Leadership.  The main thing that I'm hoping to learn from this class is how I can improve my leadership skills.  Currently I don't feel that I am a very good leader.  I take direction very well and I am a hard worker, but I normally do not head projects or lead others.  I refer to myself as a "work horse" because everything I do I do 100% and because I'm motivated and like to see all tasks completed from beginning to end.  I am always very focused and I work hard, but that doesn't always mean that I'm a good leader.  I prefer to stand out of the spotlight and like working on my own for the most part and normally do not include myself on team projects (if I'm given the choice).  This is mainly because I like doing things my own way because I am very particular regarding how tasks are completed and to what standard.  During this class, my goal is to learn how to be more of a team player and how I can better lead peers and students.  I plan to do this by taking advantage of everything that I can learn in this course.  I’ve already read most of the required book and am excited to move forward in the class and discover different methods for leadership.