Running head: LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY

Leadership Philosophy
Bobby Helton
Seattle University

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As an education professional, I often hear about leadership and its importance in being an
effective educator. However, despite leadership being a widely discussed subject, it is often
challenging to come to a consensus on what it means to be a great leader. Strong leadership is
undoubtedly an important tool in order for an educational institution to be successful. Although
many would agree that a strong leadership presence is necessary for education to reach its
maximum potential, the true challenge seemingly lies in defining leadership and the purpose that
it should serve. At its best, quality leadership has the potential to unify students, faculty, staff,
and the community in a way that mirrors a collective vision that all participants uphold. On the
other hand, leadership also has the potential to be stifling. Historically, many leaders have used
leadership as a means to micromanage and exert power and control. Adhering to such a style of
leadership ultimately stifles creativity, cooperation, and innovation among staff. Instead,
educational leaders ought to shift their perceptions of what it means to be an innovative leader. In
order to create effective learning communities, leaders in education should stray from traditional
leadership models that emphasize power and control and move toward a style that underscores
cooperative and creative leadership.
When assessing leadership in any context, an important question to consider is what
purpose leadership serves. In order to conclude the purpose of leadership, one must initially
define what this term means. According to John W. Gardner (2000), leadership is the process of
persuasion or example by which an individual (or leadership team) induces a group to pursue
objectives held by the leader or shared by the leader and his or her followers (p. 3). One element
of leadership is to provide the means to effectively achieve the goals the leadership is aiming to
reach. Perhaps equally important in the conversation about the purpose of leadership is clearly
establishing what leadership is not. Patricia D. Witherspoon (1997) argues that, leadership is not

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headship, or holding a position of authority regardless of abilities. Just because a person is

appointed to a job or position does not make him or her a leader. Additionally, management is
not necessarily leadership, although some managers may be leaders (p. 2). Witherspoon
contends that there are six main distinctions that separate leadership from headship and
management. These distinctions include: thinking long-term; understanding the units
relationship to larger realities; influence beyond immediate constituents; emphasizing values and
vision; political skill to navigate external jurisdictions; and thinking in terms of renewal
(Witherspoon, 1997, p. 2). Considering this, leadership ultimately serves to provide a collective
body to continually and effectively work toward long-term values and visions by advocating for
their constituents both internally and externally.
Likewise, fully understanding what strong leadership looks like is necessary in order to
become a leader. Powerful leadership should be a collaborative, bottom-up effort. That is,
educational leaders should work in conjunction with faculty, staff, and community in a manner
that promotes and represents their ideas. Accordingly, leadership does not resemble a hierarchy;
instead, leaders work to make the constituents objectives a reality. Such a collective approach to
leadership is noted in Komives et al.s (2006) A Leadership Identity Development Model:
Applications from a Grounded Theory. In the theory, Komives et al. (2006) note the importance
of relational leadership by stating, leadership is a relational process of people working to
accomplish change or to make a difference that will benefit the common good (as cited in
Komives et al., 2006, p. 402). This idea of working toward the common good is especially
noteworthy, as it indicates that proper leadership is a process that is inclusive of the vision of
everyone involved. Using leadership to work toward collective social change and common good
is also referenced in the Higher Education Research Institutes (1996) A Social Change Model of

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Leadership Development. In the piece, the Institute stresses the importance of collaboration by
declaring that successful leadership is inclusive, in that it is designed to enhance the
development of leadership qualities in all participantsthose who hold formal leadership
positions as well as those who do notand to promote a process that is inclusive and actively
engages all who wish to contribute (A Social Change Model of Leadership Development,
1996). Both Komives et al. (2006) and The Higher Education Research Institute (1996)
emphasize a style of leadership that is grounded in teamwork. As such, when determining what
strong leadership looks like, it becomes clear that the most effective leadership happens when
everyone is afforded an opportunity to participate.
In order to accurately determine what it is that effective leaders do, it is necessary to
consider the aforementioned questions regarding the purpose of educational leadership and what
leadership looks like. Being an effective leader requires one to advocate for the goals of the
organization the leader is serving while simultaneously making decisions and implementation a
collaborative effort. In Eight Roles of Symbolic Leaders, Deal & Peterson (2000) state the
following:
Through a careful probe of past and present, [leaders] need to identify a clear sense of
what the school can become, a picture of a positive future. Visionary leaders continually
identify and communicate the hopes and dreams of the school, thus refocusing and
refining the schools purpose and mission. To arrive at a shared vision, they listen closely
for the cherished dreams that staff and community hold (p. 205).
Certainly, effective leaders prioritize community vision and values. It is equally important that
leaders actively approach tasks so that the communitys goals can be fully realized in a timely
manner. Margaret Wheatley (2000) speaks to the importance of quickly moving to action by

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urging organizations to [take] initiative and [make] changes (p. 344). Additionally, Wheatley
(2000) stresses the importance of leadership allowing constituents to work autonomously by
adopting a leadership style free of intricate directions, time lines, plans, and organization
charts (p. 344).
As I have begun to explore various leadership theories and styles, I have started to reflect
on my own leadership skills. Before taking this class, I never considered myself to be a leader. In
part, this is due to the fact that I used the terms leadership and management synonymously. Class
discussions and readings have given me insight into the distinction between the two terms. After
realizing the difference, I now think differently about myself as a leader. First, I understand that I
do not have to be in a position of authority in order to be a leader. Leaders fulfill a variety of
roles within any organization. With that in mind, I recognize that many of the positions I have
held in the past are in fact leadership roles. Second, I have always worked within a framework
that promotes collaboration. Although I never considered myself a formal leader, when tasked
with any project I have always focused on community vision while working with both my peers
and higher-ranking staff. Lastly, I value creative thinking and autonomy. As I am gearing up to
lead a planning committee for a campus-wide celebration for LGBTQ students, I intend to give
the committee members the creative liberty to take the event in the direction they feel works
best. By embracing creative leadership, everyone in the committee will be afforded an
opportunity to take on a leadership role regardless of position or level.
Echoing the Higher Education Research Institutes (1996) call for inclusive leadership, it
is important to recognize the role ones salient identities play in leadership formation. In my own
leadership development, my most salient identities have played an instrumental part in how I
choose to lead. In particular, my identities as queer and from a low socioeconomic status have

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been especially impactful. Growing up queer and poor has provided me with an important insight
into working in solidarity with communities of marginalized people. That is to say, I have
experienced firsthand what it means to be a member of multiple subjugated social classes. This
awareness drives me to constantly seek to empower individuals who do not always have a voice
that is heard. Bolman & Gallos (2011) note the importance of leaders respecting individual and
collective needs by stating the following:
To do [leadership] well, leaders need the combined skills of a servant, catalyst, and
coach. The servants role is to understand and respond to the best interests of both the
people and the institution, seeking ways to bring them into a more harmonious alignment.
The work of the catalyst is empowermenthelping people get the information, resources,
and leeway that they need. The coach teaches, mentors, and provides developmental
opportunities to sharpen skills and understanding (p. 92).
In this way, I see myself as a combination of servant, catalyst, and coach. I fully realize that I do
not understand the real, lived experiences of every marginalized group. However, as a result of
my most prominent salient identities, I aim to serve, empower, and mentor others in order to
make education more equitable.
Aside from my salient identities, I have experienced several milestones throughout my
life that have undoubtedly impacted my leadership. Primarily, I have adapted my own leadership
style to reflect the multitude of methods I have experienced from various leaders throughout my
life. Perhaps my most notable experience with leadership to date is through working for the
Common Knowledge Program at Eastern Kentucky University. As an employee of the program, I
had the opportunity to experience collaborative leadership for the first time in my life. Through
my supervisors mentorship, I learned that cooperative leadership has the ability to be

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transformational. By utilizing a model that reflected the vision of all employees, I quickly
discovered that the community as a whole was very eager to work toward moving the program
forward. Weaving feedback and creating a shared plan for the program was an effective way to
boost enthusiasm and creativity. Witnessing this as an emerging leader immediately taught me
that a joint leadership effort is necessary for the success of any undertaking. Conversely, I have
also experienced leadership that is stifling. Although my positive experience with the Common
Knowledge Program certainly shaped my leadership philosophy, I would argue that I learned
even more from my negative experiences. Through these negative experiences, I consciously
began to form an ideology that undeniably impacted my future leadership endeavors. What I
ultimately learned through these circumstances was that effective leadership does not mean being
power hungry. Instead, leadership should work to unite people. In Leadership as Stewardship,
Sergiovanni (2000) discusses the important distinction between power over and power to by
stating, power over emphasizes controlling what people do, when they do it, and how they do it.
Power to views power as a source of energy for achieving shared goals and purposes (p. 280).
Quality leaders must be willing to relinquish some of their power in order to reach their
organizations objectives. As a result of both positive and negative milestones, the most
important lesson I have learned in regard to leadership is that teamwork and the liberty to work
independently and creatively are the best practices to ensure success.
My salient identities, as well as personal and professional milestones, have taught me that
in order to be a successful leader I must be willing to utilize available resources in order to refine
my leadership style. In particular, one of the most important resources I have discovered is
connecting with other higher education professionals. The types of leaders I seek are engaged,
dynamic, and enthusiastic about cooperating with others. Seeking out professionals that embody

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the aforementioned characteristics ultimately speaks to the frames through which my leadership
is viewed and practiced. Fundamentally, I believe that leadership is relational and humanistic.
Witherspoon (1997) states, the worth of the individual, in society and in organizations, is the
cornerstone concept in the humanistic theories of leadership. In them is the basic belief that
leadership exists to allow each individual to fulfill his and her own needs and accomplish
organizational goals (p. 15). Due to my humanistic approach to leadership, I often have found
myself seeking professionals that reference a similar leadership style as a means to grow in my
own leadership development. Aside from having a humanistic slant, I have also discussed the
importance of teamwork in leadership. I subscribe to such a leadership framework because, as
mentioned previously, I have found that leadership functions most efficiently when there is a
collective contribution from everyone involved. Perhaps the most obvious pro this style entails is
that research [has] supported the theory that treating people like contributing organizational
members, as opposed to nameless, faceless workers, could enhance productivity (Witherspoon,
2007, p. 15). On the other hand, an apparent drawback to such a collective leadership style is that
it does not allow for decision-making that is urgent or time-sensitive. When working collectively,
it can take significant amounts of time for the group to come to a consensus. As a result,
collaborative leadership does not function when leaders must make pressing decisions.
As highlighted previously, my leadership style emphasizes a collaborative leadership
focus. In this, I strive to be aware of the ways in which salient identities inform my teams
leadership efforts. As an undergraduate at Eastern Kentucky University, I had the opportunity to
organize a rally and forum that focused on the unjust housing practices for transgender, gender
nonconforming, and gender variant students at the institution. As a part of the efforts, I was
responsible for organizing the component of the rally that focused on gathering signatures from

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members of the university community that supported fairer housing practices for transgender
students. The nature of the event required me to take on a role that required providing extensive
amounts of education to my team. First and foremost, I needed to provide insight about what it
means to be gender nonconforming. From there, I had to work with the team so that they
understood the complexities of the housing policies at the university. Educating the team was of
extreme importance. Since they played a large part in mobilizing the movement, they had to be
able to understand the issues at hand in order to educate the university community on why they
should be in favor of the resolution to change the housing policy. Part of my role as a leader in
this situation required me to have an awareness of the salient identities members of my team
possessed. No one in the group was gender nonconforming. As a result, I was explicit in
educating the group about working in solidarity with marginalized populations. In turn, the team
was able to use this knowledge to create buy-in from a university community that was primarily
composed of cisgender individuals.
Adhering to a collective leadership style proved to be successful in this regard. When I
began to lead the movement, my team set a goal of 300 signatures. By the end of our rally, we
significantly exceeded our goal. In fact, we gathered over 1,000 signatures in support of
reforming the housing policy. I attribute the success of our efforts to collaborative, shared
leadership. Although I was responsible for training and educating the members of my team, they
were the ones who took the information and educated the broader university community about
the injustices gender nonconforming students faced in housing at Eastern Kentucky University.
Without a shared vision that was fueled by the passion of the team, I know that our rally would
have been significantly less successful. I am proud to say that because of our efforts, gender
nonconforming students are now able to residence in the residence halls with a roommate that

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matches her/his gender identity. This leadership experience was foundational in my development
as a leader. From it, I learned that in order to achieve great results, everyone involved must work
toward a shared vision that offers space for contribution from all. Certainly, I will carry these
lessons with me as I continue to grow into my identity as a leader in higher education.
Ultimately, effective leaders should possess a variety of characteristics. First, having a
clear definition of leadership is necessary. With this definition comes a clear understanding that
leadership does not equal headship or authority. Additionally, a leader must possess the skill to
think long-term while advocating for their constituency both internally and externally. An
important element of effective leadership is adopting a philosophy that is rooted in bottom-up
leadership. This leadership method is particularly important, as it makes space for everyone
involved in the educational process to have a voice. Lastly, effective leadership requires leaders
to work collaboratively and efficiently with faculty, staff, and community to make the collective
vision a reality. Moreover, an especially necessary element of collaborative leadership is making
space for and honoring the salient identities of the leadership team. Identity undeniably shapes
ones perspective. Recognizing this, effective leaders must be in tune to the ways in which these
identities inform the context and perspective of leadership.

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References

Bolman, L.G., & Gallos, J.V. (2011). Reframing academic leadership. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Deal, T., & Peterson, K. Eight roles of symbolic leaders. The Jossey-Bass Reader on Educational
Leadership, 202-214.
Gardner, J. The nature of leadership. The Jossey-Bass Reader on Educational Leadership, 1-12.
Higher Education Research Institute. 1996.
Komives et al. A leadership identity development model: Applications from a grounded theory.
Journal of College Student Development, 47, 401-418.
Sergiovanni, T.J. (2000). Leadership as stewardship. In Jossey-Bass, The Jossey-Bass Reader on
Educational Leadership (pp. 269-286). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Wheatley, M. Good-bye, command and control. The Jossey-Bass Journal on Educational
Leadership, 339-347.
Witherspoon, P. (1996). Communicating leadership: An organizational perspective. Boston, MA:
Allyn & Bacon.