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Developing a Philosophy of Leadership
A leadership philosophy is the way we see ourselves as leaders. This philosophy guides our actions, our
behaviors, and our thoughts. Our philosophies are influenced by external and internal forces. We can
change who we are as leaders by simply changing our philosophy of leadership. Leadership philosophies
can change as you grow to understand yourself within the context of leading.
Creating or finding your leadership philosophy means that you must explore and reflect upon your
personal values, assumptions, and beliefs about leadership.
Personal values are qualities or characteristics that you value. You would rather leave an organization or
step down as a leader than violate your values. Your values guide your intentions and they influence how
you lead. When your personal values are clear and you are conscious of them, you create a solid
foundation for leading.
Assumptions are ideas that are assumed or believed to be true. As a leader it is important to understand
what assumptions fuel your leadership thinking. Often leaders are not aware of the assumptions because
they are operating from certain paradigms that will not allow them to see assumptions. Reflection into
one’s leadership is an excellent way to uncover assumptions.
Beliefs are ideas that we hold to be true; they shape our realities. If a leader believes that the only
individuals in an organization that can make decisions is the management staff, then that belief will
influence how the leader treats others. Beliefs can also be unconscious; they are for us a habitual way of
thinking and acting that it doesn’t cross our minds that our beliefs may be prohibiting us.
The following is an exercise to help you create, find, or define your personal philosophy of leadership.
Exercise 1: Identifying Your Leadership Values
From the list below, pick five core values that you feel describe and guide who you are as a leader. You
may choose other values that are not on this list. Place them in the following chart and answer the
questions in the matrix.
Achievement Balance Creativity Integrity
Activity Challenge Diverse perspectives Justice
Advancement Change Duty Love
Adventure Collaboration Economic security Loyalty
Affiliation Community Friendship Personal Development
Affluence Competency Health Recognition
Authority Competition Humor Self-respect
Autonomy Courage Harmony Wisdom
Other values that you would like to include but are not on the list?
© Copyright 2006 – Leadership Paradigms, Inc. – www.leadershipparadigms.com 1
Identifying Your Leadership Values
VALUES Personal Definition of Values How do you envision these
List your values here List here your definition of these values playing out in your
values here leadership?
1. Creativity The use of the imagination or I frequently use creativity in my
original ideas in the production of leadership roles as the Virginia
a graphic or artistic work that Tech Student Government
represents the individuals’ ideas Association (SGA) Hokie Effect
or beliefs Director, Virginia Tech Alumni
Association graphic designer, and
Landscape Architecture student.
Whether the creativity come
through physical design or an
innovative way of how to get my
team(s) motivation to click.
2. Community Leading the feeling of friendship Since I have many leadership
with others, as a result of sharing roles on campus, bringing the
common attitudes, interests, and common theme of the university
goals to each of my positions is
essential. I do this by living the
spirit of the eight pylons
(Virginia Tech’s core values) at
War Memorial Chapel -
Brotherhood, Honor, Leadership,
Sacrifice, Service, Loyalty, Duty,
and Ut Prosim.
3. Humor The attribute of being funny, Anyone I work with will express
entertaining or comic, especially how I have a large comedic side
as expressed in literature or to my personality – and I use this
speech to keep interest in tasks/goals
within my teams on a daily basis
here at Virginia Tech. Personally,
I believe humor brings happiness
to people, and productivity works
on high levels when members of
your team are at their happiest.
4. Personal Development Activities that improve awareness As a fifth year student here at
and identity, develop talents and Virginia Tech, I feel as if I have a
potential, build human capital and completely different personality
facilitate employability, enhance as I did freshman year. Virginia
the quality of life and contribute Tech made me go outside my
to the realization of aspirations comfort zone using my skills,
and overall improving self- talents, and dreams to go above
awareness and beyond in the groups and
organizations that I was fortunate
enough to become a part of.
Much of what I am involved with
requires interviews and tasks that
goes beyond what I was
comfortable doing just four years
ago. Because I was pushed, I am
now an outgoing individual who
is eager for new challenges on a
daily basis.
© Copyright 2006 – Leadership Paradigms, Inc. – www.leadershipparadigms.com 2
5. Adventure Engage in exciting and potential When you’ve spent five years at a
dangerous activity, especially the university, going outside of your
exploration of unknown territory comfort zone to discover new
or fields of study/work possibilities and even fail is
essential to becoming a stronger
person.
Exercise 2: Uncovering Your Leadership Assumptions
Answer the following questions about leadership. By reflecting on these questions, you will find what
assumptions are driving your leadership thinking.
1. Write down two stories of leadership. One story should describe a positive experience you’ve had with
leadership and the second story should describe a time when you had a negative experience with
leadership.
Positive: Passionate about Hokie Effect
I have peer leadership position of being the Hokie Effect Senior Director for the Virginia Tech
Student Government Association. As the main fundraiser support for the Virginia Tech Student
Government Association, I have the role of creating the t-shirt slogans and designs, working with
the t-shirt manufacturer and Virginia Tech University Bookstores, and selling over 40,000 t-shirts
annually for the Virginia Tech Football and Basketball programs working closely with the VT
Athletic Department. I manage Hokie Effect social media pages and designs graphics for
promotional purposes working with 3 other assistants. As a leader I have seen many successful
‘Effect’ football and basketball games that have been highlighted on ESPN and ABC television as
the crowd, team uniforms, and field paint all match – showing my dedication to the program and
the hard work that goes into pulling it off.
Negative: Too committed/busy
Often, as a leader in multiple organizations on campus, I am very busy which allows me not to
commit as much time to a lot of activities as I should. To be considered a role model, I need to
realize that relationships take time to build and grow to their potential. I just assume sometimes
that new students into organizations catch on a lot faster than they actually do. I need to take the
time to get to know the people that I am supposed to be a leader and role model to, and thrive off of
the opportunity. I need to talk to them to find their strengths that can be brought to the team and
their weaknesses that I can find a way to make up somehow. By learning new things that are
important to my team's individuals, I can find out what their priorities are and how much they are
going to contribute to the overall group goal.
2. In the space below, write down your definition of leadership.
Leadership is about changing and motivating those that the leader is in charge of and/or
guiding. Leadership skills are developed through action and practice over a certain period of time
when aiming to reach and achieve a goal. Being open-minded through focus, confidence, passion,
and patience while also being held accountable for the determination of the group is the key to
short and long-term success.
© Copyright 2006 – Leadership Paradigms, Inc. – www.leadershipparadigms.com 3
3. Using your definition of leadership, please elaborate how you first came to understand (or know) your
leadership definition.
Leadership comes through promoting and engaging in change. Creating change through student
organizations and academics. I first discovered leadership during my time on the Class of 2016
Leadership Team as ring design member-at-large. My values are from my wide range of ring
design experience include honesty, hard work, and discipline to get everything done in time and to
perform my best. Having to step up as the one to take charge of the design and assign tasks held
everyone accountable through determination was the key to short and long-term success to
reaching our goals for Ring Premiere held for 3,000 members of the Class of 2016 in Burruss Hall
with our friends and family.
4. Describe who are the individuals or organizations that influence your leadership definition.
Joe Edens, our Virginia Tech SGA Advisor, influences my leadership in Hokie Effect and Laura
Wedin, the Virginia Tech Alumni Association Student Programs Director, influenced my
leadership in Ring Design. Joe influences my leadership because he treats his students more of a
friend, so I feel really comfortable making my own decisions. Laura influences my leadership
because she has 30 years of experience in the Ring Program, so I often asked her questions of what
or how to do something to complete my tasks.
For each of the questions in this section, ask yourself:
1. What were my assumptions?
2. What influenced my assumptions?
3. Would others (co-workers, friends, supervisors) see the situations I described differently?
Exercise 3: Understanding Your Leadership Beliefs
Answer the following questions about leadership beliefs. By reflecting on these questions, you will find
what beliefs you hold about leadership.
1. Can people who have caused others harm be leaders, e.g. Adolph Hitler?
Unfortunately, yes, people can still be leaders who cause harm to others. They were able to cause
harm because they became a leader through power. Good leadership? No. Leadership? Yes.
Adolph Hitler was able to impact the entire world as a leader, and had millions of followers and
was able to have millions killed because of his rise to leadership powers based upon his actions and
beliefs.
2. Should leaders have certain qualities to be able to lead?
I believe that each individual has the opinion of what makes a leader able to lead. However, I
believe that leaders must be open-minded through focus, confidence, passion, and patience while
also being held accountable for the determination.
3. Who decides who leads?
© Copyright 2006 – Leadership Paradigms, Inc. – www.leadershipparadigms.com 4
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