Becoming a Leader

Warren Bennis discussed leadership and the becoming of a leader by stating “The point is not to become a leader. The point is to become yourself, and to use yourself completely – all your gifts, skills and energies – to make your vision manifest. You must withhold nothing. You must in sum, become the person you started out to be, and to enjoy the process of becoming” (Warren Bennis, On Becoming a Leader). Warren Bennis’ quote on the becoming of a leader is very powerful and interesting. I believe it is important that everyone becomes themselves as they journey down the long and interesting road in life. Everyone needs to truly understand themselves and become comfortable and accepting of who they are as a genuine person. This is probably easier to say than to actually do.

Leadership is a very interesting and important role for leaders today. Leaders often face difficulties or hardships that they need to conquer or rewards that they should be proud of accomplishing. In discussing Warren Bennis’ previous quote on becoming a leader, I can honestly say that I agree with him. I believe that it’s very important for a person to become themselves as well as become and accept who they actually are and what they stand for. There may be some leaders who can take on this approach while other leaders may be indifferent to this approach. I have had the great opportunity of being in a management position through my career thus far and have personally discovered and experienced both the positive and negative outcomes in being a leader in the workplace. I started my work life at 18 years of age in a management position. Though I was very excited and felt that I was very important back then there was a lot of knowledge that I did not have and did not receive until after years of work experience in the management of others. I can say that after having different types of bosses and watching different types of leaders in the businesses that I worked for, it is clear to me that some people have not become themselves or accepted themselves in their leadership roles. From my experiences in work life thus far I have seen several leaders or managers that are doing what they feel is necessary or doing what their company or senior executives feel should be done in their own leadership role. Unfortunately, these leaders have not had the opportunity to become themselves, show themselves and their own leadership styles. They’ve become trapped by doing what they should do or what they are influenced to do. Leaders should be themselves and lead others themselves using their gifts, talents and skills. I have had the opportunity to grow as a person and continually have had the opportunity to become myself. I have learned through my work experiences in life about the rewards and positive outcomes as well as through the hardships and failures. It is my belief and vision that a leader should be an involving person with his or her followers as well as inspiring and creative in what they are trying to accomplish. I believe that a leader should be completely honest in their communication never failing to tell the truth about the good things as well as the bad. I believe a leader should be inspiring and creative in accomplishing the goals, tasks and accomplishments. I believe that a leader should be dedicated to their work, set the example and genuinely have interest, close interaction and feedback with their followers as well. Every factory, business, corporation and organization exists and succeeds because of the people that are in it everyday working and dedicating themselves to it. It is my belief that a leader should be inspiring, creative, truthful and dedicated to their work as well as their followers. Most importantly a leader should be themselves. I am becoming myself by accepting myself for who I am and accepting myself for the wonderful skills and talents that I display in life. Throughout my life and work thus far, I have continuously had the opportunity to be creative and dedicated to my work which has inspired others that I have managed to join me in accomplishing the work tasks and accomplishments. Becoming yourself is not the easiest thing to do or understand. There is no easy road and no organized, detailed instruction guide that explains how you should become yourself; it is up to each of us to be who we really are and understand it in our efforts to become a leader.