Your Leadership Philosophy

Personal integrity is a pillar of leadership.  This appears in the OPM competency list, but is it part of your core in growing up or can it still be developed as an adult?

I heard inspirational speaker Tony Chatman talk about a code of conduct he has for his family and it reminded me of what I use at work as a Leadership Philosophy.  It's important to share our values with those at work and perhaps it will help us live up to them.

Your philosophy doesn't have to be long and complicated, a peer once told me that his leadership philosophy was "do your best."  He conveyed this expectation to his workforce.

To document your leadership philosophy, you'll need to reflect upon you personal values, assumptions and beliefs. Make sure you tell your story.

A possible format:

• Introduction:  some background about yourself
• Your key values and expectations
• Closing (try to use a personal story illustrating the values)

I always find it's helpful to see some examples.  You can google "leadership philosophy examples" and many will pop up.  Some of the more detailed ones I've seen come from the military.  I've put two here as examples:

Good morning Black Knights. I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about myself, my vision and my expectations as I take command of THE BEST intelligence squadron in the United States Air Force.

First of all, my name is____________. I was born in the great state of Texas. I come from a long line of military professionals. My father was a retired chief master sergeant in the Air Force. He instilled in my brothers and me, a dedication to service and upholding the freedoms that make this a great country. It was these beliefs that drove me to attend and graduate from the United States Air Force Academy in 1993. Upon completion of the Academy, I became an operations intelligence analyst and later a graduate of the Air Force Weapons School. In my 13 years of service, I have lived in 2 foreign countries; deployed over 20 times and I’ve completed 9 assignments. I have had many experiences; however, I am most proud to be a member of the Black Knights. The knight symbolizes the noble profession of arms. Like the knight, we are also members of a noble profession. Thus, it is our duty to uphold and defend the constitution of the United States and ensure that our actions embody integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do.

Now that you know a little bit about me, I would like to share with you my vision and philosophy for this squadron and outline for you the price of admission for being a member of the Black Knights. My vision for the Black Knights is to be the 70^th Intelligence Wing’s Squadron of the Year for 2007. Last year, the Black Knights were the last squadron in the wing. Thus, the Black Knights are known as a squadron without pride, heads hanging low--a squadron plagued with low morale. However, the first sergeant and I believe the Knights are better than this last place finish. You have the skills, the talent and the motivation to make this goal a reality. In fact, I believe in approaching challenges with TLC. This stands for teamwork, leadership/loyalty, and communication.

TEAMWORK. Always remember that no man is an island. Teamwork is essential to making our squadron the best in the wing. The Air Force supports the Wingman Philosophy; however, we are going to live this philosophy….you are your brother’s keeper. Each member of this squadron is your wingman. I challenge you to get involved. Supervisors know your people, take care of their needs, recognize their accomplishments and create opportunities for their success. If you are not a supervisor, it’s your responsibility to take care of those around you. We can make our goal a reality if we work together.

LEADERSHIP—some say that you can only be a leader if you have a college degree or command a squadron. I contend that leadership is about motivating people to achieve a common goal. Therefore, leadership is a responsibility shared by all. We must lead each other down the path of success to our goal of being squadron of the year. Additionally, LOYALTY is essential to our goal. Loyalty comes in many forms. The most important is loyalty to each other, our squadron, our mission and the U.S. Air Force. The Air Force has set the standard with the core values: integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do. Our loyalty to these values is the price of admission to this unit and the U.S. Air Force.

COMMUNICATION is the most important factor for our success. Miscommunication or a lack of communication will destroy a squadron. Good and open communication is the key. Therefore, feedback is important. Don’t be afraid to tell your supervisors potential problems. Let the leadership work these issues early. My door is always open; however, please try to work issues at the lowest level. Finally, give your supervisors the opportunity to fix problem before they become major issues. Supervisor attack all problems with care and professionalism. Most of all, treat them as if they were your own.

In closing, I would like to say I am honored to be given the opportunity to lead the Best Intelligence Squadron in the Air Force. We have a long road ahead of us and it won’t be easy. I am committed to my TLC philosophy and challenge you to embody these principles as well as the Air Force core values. I am confident that as long as we keep focused on our goal, take care of each other and anticipate and fix problems early, we will be successful.

Black Knights----Checkmate!!!!!

 

 

 

A Coast Guard Station Command Philosophy

Crew: Below are four points that I believe are the most important to making this unit the best in can be. This Station must function as a team with each person making a contribution everyday. The location of our unit and pace of operations provides an outstanding opportunity for professional development and growth. I encourage each of you to make the most of your tour at this station and seize every available opportunity to learn and to teach others.

1) Respect: A successful team is founded on respect. Respect works up and down and across the chain of command. Respect of each other’s rank, professional skills and individuality is essential to the successful performance of Team Coast Guard and it must remain a cornerstone of our foundation.

2) Commitment: Given the challenges of the high-tempo environment that we work in everyday, commitment to the mission, preparation and self-improvement is crucial to success. There will be trying times when each of us has worked long hours and faced adversity, however we need to remain committed to completing the mission whether it is a SAR case, LE evolution or Homeland Security operation, there are many counting on us to save and protect them.

3) Readiness: We are asked to perform several diverse missions on a daily basis and need to be prepared for each and every one them, which puts a strain on both our people and equipment. Keeping qualifications and skills up to date along with our own health and well being greatly enhances our readiness and performance. Each member of the Station should take this responsibility seriously to contribute to the unit’s overall readiness and performance.

4) Enthusiasm: We work for the World’s Premiere Maritime Service! Everyday our missions are featured on major media outlets throughout the country, from heroic actions during SAR cases to stopping the flow of illegal narcotics and protecting the nation’s ports against terrorist attacks. Take pride in the duties YOU perform. You are an essential part of Team Coast Guard.

Source:   http://ebiz.netopia.com/learntolead/customhtml/

Also see http://tonychatman.com/