Instructions:
- Post a new discussion related to the topics covered in this module. Your post needs to provide specific lessons learned with examples from this module helping you enhance your leadership capacity at work.
- After posting your discussion, review posts provided by other students in the class and reply to at least one of them.
7 Comments
There were many principles about leadership that can be learned from the founding fathers, the key take away for me in this lesson was vision. Leaders are the bearers of vision and can paint a picture of what an organization (or nation) can be. Sometimes the average person may not be able to see the vision themselves and it is important for a good leader to be able to show them and help direct their energy toward the vision. People need a reason to believe in something, they need direction, a good leader will clearly articulate the vision of what could be.
Regarding leadership, the Founding Fathers of the United States of America are often looked to as examples of influential and visionary leaders. These men, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, were instrumental in shaping the country’s early years and establishing the principles that still guide it today.
One of the most notable aspects of the Founding Fathers’ leadership was their ability to work together despite their differences. They came from different backgrounds and held different political beliefs, but they were able to put aside their personal agendas in order to work towards a common goal. This level of collaboration and compromise is something that needs to be improved in modern politics, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of putting the needs of the country ahead of individual interests.
Another key trait of the Founding Fathers was their willingness to take risks and make bold decisions. They were not content to follow established norms and traditions but sought to create something new and innovative. This required a great deal of courage and vision, and it is a testament to their leadership skills that they successfully brought about such significant change.
Overall, the Founding Fathers serve as an inspiration to leaders everywhere. Their dedication to their country and willingness to work together and take risks to achieve their goals are just as relevant today as they were over 200 years ago. By studying their leadership styles and emulating their example, we can all strive to become better leaders and positively impact our communities.
I think risk taking and the ability to make bold decision is sometimes an overlooked quality in a good leader. I often see leaders who want to take routes they know are safe and are afraid to venture into uncharted territory and take risks. It takes courage to embrace uncertainty and take risks, but without this agency’s will not see change or innovation within their organization. Leadership is sometimes about pushing boundaries and embracing a challenge. As leaders, the founding fathers took great risks and with it came great reward.
This lesson from the Founding Fathers was good information that continues to solidify what we’ve learned so far. A good summary of information is that:
– Leaders should not use coercive power, instead use inspiration and persuasion
– Leaders should have a vision and action plan that are centered around shared goals
– Leaders shall act with respect to values of those they represent and those values should be in line with their own.
– Leaders should not be afraid of risk-taking and need to be decisive in their decision making
– Leaders create continued communication that builds trust, confidence, and understanding from their followers
– Leaders shall never stop learning… learning about the past, about their people, about the present, and about the future
These are all things we should strive for in our own leadership journey.
I completely agree with you. The lesson from the Founding Fathers is very insightful and valuable, and it is essential to keep these principles in mind when it comes to leadership. It is crucial to lead with inspiration and persuasion instead of coercive power. A leader must have a vision and action plan centered around shared goals and act with respect to the values of those they represent, which should align with their own. Leaders should also be decisive and not be afraid of taking risks. Continued communication that builds trust, confidence, and understanding is crucial, and leaders must always continue learning about the past, present, and future, as well as their people. We should strive for these essential qualities in our leadership journey.
I could absolutely relate to Schultz expressing the importance of making decisive decisions when you are in a leadership role. He explained that individuals will be come frustrated with the process if it take a long time for leadership to make a decision on the matters at hand(Schultz, 2017). I have seen this occur on many occasions; leadership will ask for recommendations and ask for workgroups to be put together. Once these are completed, months go by with no answer, the members become very frustrated and feel like their voice doesn’t matter and that they wasted their time. As a supervisor, I try to let my members know that I have addressed their concerns and have brought them to the attention of upper management as soon as possible so they are aware that it has been addressed timely.
Reference
Schultz, H. (2017). Founding fathers on leadership. 3.2, Week # 9. National Command and Staff College. Retrieved from
https://cloud.scorm.com/content/courses/NAGVXPB5E6/FoundingFathersonLeadership9ad83dcc-8fa1-4077-b44d-721f5025da49/2/index_lms.html
Red tape, it’s the killer of all dreams. The bigger an organization, the longer change takes to occur. It’s frustrating for those who need to change to occur faster. As a leader, we can all try to focus on implementing good change as fast as possible. It will help keep morale and trust high and will send a message to our staff we’re listening to their wants/needs and will help them.