Leadership Experience
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Institutional Affiliation
Leadership Experience
Leadership plays a fundamental role in the management of an organization or company. Exemplary leadership skills require sufficient training and experience. Many individuals associate leadership experience with attending huge leadership seminars or conferences, taking expensive courses and being put in the limelight. However, individuals gain experience from simple tasks carried out in daily activities. Some of the tasks might include planning someone’s birthday, volunteering for a cause or running a household for a weekend. Regardless of the size of the functions, individuals gain leadership experience that proves vital at some point in business management.
Context
I recently volunteered to formula one as one of the crewmembers of a friend of mine. The volunteer service meant that I was at the disposal of the top management and the driver. My main job was running small errands and making life easier for every member of the crew. At first, I was the only volunteer at the place, but after two weeks, seven other members also joined, and I was put in charge of them. My job description change from running errands to managing other volunteers. My primary job was ensuring that the welfare of the volunteers was respected. I also ensured that the volunteers arrived on time, and they coordinated their tasks flawlessly. The latter was especially crucial during the onset of races. Although the job was voluntary, the rivers had to get everything on time; thus, it meant extra hours and arriving early. Since I was the supervisor, it meant that I had to get their early and leave after all the volunteers had left. Even though it was voluntary work, I was determined not to let my friend down.
Being in charge of seven members required juggling with different management theories to ensure smooth running. The tasks seemed difficult since the seven individuals had different personalities and character. One of the individuals was extremely loud and did not listen to instructions. It was challenging to perform any task with him since he openly declared that I was not his boss. Another individual was timid, and the other members took her for granted. The individuals also left most of the work to her since she did not have the courage to complain or refuse their requests. As the supervisor, I had to ensure that everyone was treated fairly and everyone followed set instructions. Lastly, I had two followers who were extremely loyal and ensured that the guidelines that I set were adhered to. These were the individuals that I really enjoyed working with. They made life easier and more enjoyable.
Analysis
Throughout the leadership process, I relied on two leadership theories to ensure that everything runs smoothly, and everything runs smoothly. Transformational and transactional leadership proved extremely useful in relating to everyone. In formula one, individuals work with goals and teams. The best way to get an excellent experience out of the process is by ensuring that everyone plays their role, and they do not let each other down. As such, it was fundamental that I establish goals and motivate my members towards achieving the set goals. The best form of motivation was showing everyone that nobody was exceptional, and everyone had a part to play.
During the process, I relied on my charisma, communication skills, and empathy. I used my charm to talk to everyone and make them feel loved and useful during the volunteer period. For instance, the shy member found it difficult to say no to others; hence, I assured her that being assertive was a sure way of boosting her esteem and self-worth. At first, she found it hard to refuse other people’s request, but once I ignored the requests on her behalf, she grew more confident. To also boost her confidence, I gave her special tasks that were completely different from what the other individuals performed. Showing her that she was important in my team boosted her confidence, and she got out of her shell. I also used my charisma on other members to show them that they were special too. Providing complements also boosted their morale, and they did not see me as an enemy. In another instance, two of my followers quarreled with each other and I had to effectively communicate with them. I showed the real importance of working as a team. After chatting with them, I ensured that a permanent chain of command was established to avoid future complaints. Lastly, I showed the members real love although I was their leader. I showed them that understood that they were human who could make mistakes and had personal problems. I allowed the members sometime off especially if they had a lot of pressure or were unfocused.
By using the path-goal theory, we set specific goals, and I rallied everyone towards achieving them. The best form of motivation was actively getting involved in the projects. Additionally, I divided the tasks into small games that the members enjoyed performing. Members found it hard not to achieve the long-term goals owing to the motivation process of short-term wins. Overall, the process showed me that I had the potential to become an excellent leader, although I had a lot to learn. I found it hard to deal with followers that viewed me as the enemy. I also did not enjoy being harsh to other individuals, although I had to. Lastly, also showed a bias to the individuals that I enjoyed working with. Such behaviour would not constitute an excellent leader.