why i want to be a leader essay

Feb 15, 2023

Essays on Leadership for Students | 200 - 500 Word Essays

Are you writing an essay about leadership? Check out these examples!

Leadership is often defined as "the action of inspiring others to act in concert to achieve a particular goal." It signifies the harmony in actions that lead to a common objective. A genuine leader not only exudes confidence but also paves the way for their followers towards triumph. Over the years, various leadership styles have been identified and discussed by psychologists.

 Qualities such as intelligence, adaptability, extroversion, innate self-awareness, and social competence often emerge as the hallmarks of impactful leaders. There's a consensus that these traits mold an individual into an effective leader. Interestingly, some theories suggest that extraordinary situations can thrust an ordinary individual into the spotlight, bestowing upon them the mantle of leadership. It's also believed that leadership isn't a static trait but an evolving journey. It underscores the belief that with dedication and the right resources, anyone can hone their leadership abilities.

 True leadership goes beyond merely advocating for a cause. It involves taking responsibility, igniting motivation in others, and differentiating oneself from just being a 'boss'. A leader's essence lies in their ability to inspire and propel people towards grand visions, whereas a manager typically focuses on oversight and operational aspects.

What Is a Leadership Essay?

A leadership essay falls under the category of student application essays and serves to provide student admissions officers with insight into your past leadership experiences. Despite appearing to be very specific, this type of essay acknowledges that the nature and perception of leadership can vary significantly depending on the individual and the context.

 If you find yourself in need of further insights or a unique angle for your leadership essay, consider exploring an expert essay-writing tool designed to assist students in crafting compelling narratives by analyzing vast data and generating fresh ideas within minutes. In this article, we'll also delve into various leadership essay examples to offer a clearer understanding of the genre and inspire your writing journey.

4 Examples of Leadership Essays

Qualities of a good leader, introduction.

Confidence is the most important attribute first of all. One of the most important qualities in a leader is confidence in one's own abilities. A lack of self-assurance is fatal to a person's leadership potential. If you want others to follow you, you need to exude self-assurance. It's imperative for a leader to have faith in his own judgment and actions. How can people want to follow him if he doesn't even know what he's doing?

Every effective leader knows that they need to be an inspiration to their followers. A leader needs to set an example for his team. In addition, he ought to inspire them whenever feasible. A leader must also maintain optimism in trying times.

What qualities a good leader must have?

Leadership is the ability to influence and guide individuals or groups toward a common goal. A leader must possess several qualities to be effective, including:

Communication skills: A leader must be able to communicate their vision and goals clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing. This requires excellent listening skills, empathy, and the ability to adapt to different communication styles.

Emotional intelligence: A leader must be able to understand and manage their own emotions, as well as those of their team members. This includes being able to understand and respond to the emotions of others, and handling conflicts in a constructive manner.

Visionary: A leader must have a clear and inspiring vision of the future, and be able to articulate this vision in a way that motivates others to work towards it.

Strategic thinking: A leader must be able to think critically and creatively to identify and solve problems, make decisions, and develop plans and strategies to achieve their goals.

Flexibility: A leader must be able to adapt to changing circumstances and be open to new ideas and perspectives. This requires the ability to embrace change, be innovative, and continuously learn and grow.

Integrity: A leader must have strong ethics and values, and be willing to make difficult decisions that are consistent with their beliefs. This requires honesty, transparency, and accountability.

Decisiveness: A leader must be able to make tough decisions quickly, without undue hesitation or procrastination. This requires courage and the ability to take calculated risks.

Empowerment: A leader must be able to delegate responsibilities, give team members the resources they need to succeed, and foster a sense of ownership and accountability among their team.

Conclusion 

These qualities are essential for effective leadership, and when combined with hard work, determination, and a commitment to excellence, can help leaders to achieve great things.

How one can be a Great Leader?

Leadership is the act of performing the duties of a leader. In the business world, for instance, it is essential to have someone in charge of a team to ensure everything runs well. Effective leadership is essential for any group that wants to maximize its prospects of success.

Leadership Comes from Experience

As we've shown, leadership can be innate in some cases but is more often learned through practice and exposure. Sometimes the best traits of a leader must be learned over a lengthy period of time, so that one can become a notable one, proving that leadership is not always about a person's innate qualities. Leaders should continuously be on the lookout for opportunities to grow their leadership skills.

Nobody can disagree that experience is a key component of leadership. Numerous examples exist to back up this claim, such as:

Instance 1:

Our school's head boy or girl has traditionally been an older student who has been around for a while and thus has a better grasp of the ins and outs of school politics.

Instance 2:

When there is a vacancy for a team leader, it is common practice for the employee who has consistently put in the most effort and attention to the office job to receive a higher number of votes than their coworkers. 

“The best teacher for a leader is evaluated experience.” - John C. Maxwell

How one can be a Great Leader/Skills to be a Great Leader?

Effective leadership is a skill that develops through time. Developing into a leader with all the qualities that are needed takes a lot of hard work and potential. Being a prominent leader calls for a wide variety of traits. Some of these characteristics are addressed in further detail below:

One should be a Good Communicator

To be an effective leader, one must be able to convey his thoughts clearly to his/her/its subordinates.

Should have Confidence

The individual should have faith in what he says and does.

Give Credit to other Team Members too

A leader not only needs to impose his viewpoints and opinions instead he must also hear to the suggestions of other members of the team and offer them credit if their concept is appropriate.

Good Bond with the Team

A leader's ability to command respect from his team members depends on his ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with them.

Leads with Responsibility

A leader needs to be completely committed to his position. It's important that he takes on responsibility so that he can effectively deal with the various challenges he will inevitably face.

Any group or organization needs a leader above all else. Leadership development takes time and effort. One needs to have lived through a lot to be an effective leader. It's not enough to simply have years of experience in the field; one must also have the traits that make one an effective leader. You can't be a great leader unless you possess certain traits.

What makes a Good Leader?

Trying one's hand as a leader appears easy when viewed through this lens. Is that so tough? Of course not; leading is difficult, and not everyone aspires to be a leader. The vast majority of us have settled into well-established careers where we report to superiors and make a living. Still, not everyone is content to go along with the crowd. They become leaders in whatever field they pursue. A leader is an example to followers and will prioritize the needs of those around them.

Some Unique Qualities of a Leader

Many individuals resort to their leaders to vent their frustrations, therefore it's important for them to be good listeners.

A leader ought to be completely forthright; they can't play favorites or give anyone preferential treatment. One of the most essential qualities of a strong leader is the ability to make decisions with integrity.

They need to be aware of the bigger picture and understand what makes an individual stand out or become a leader. It's their expertise in addition to other distinguishing traits. Their awareness of current events and the results of recent studies is essential. In many ways, this is helpful, and it's the leader's responsibility to stay current.

Since some might not understand them, they should utilize straightforward, easily comprehended language. Leaders need to be able to communicate effectively at all times. In reality, what sets them apart is their exceptional communication skills. Adolf Hitler was such a gifted orator that his followers believed every word he said.

No matter how you're feeling or what's going on in the world, if you listen to a leader, they may make you feel energized. Since leaders are in charge of inspiring confidence in their followers, they can't afford to be wary or unsure of themselves. People tend to blindly follow their leaders.

Whether you're a leader or a doctor, you should devote yourself completely to your chosen field. Everything we do is for the benefit of others; engineers, for example, spend much of their time designing and constructing buildings for other people. So, take pride in what you do, and if you possess the aforementioned traits, you are also a leader who doesn't have to rely on others to succeed. No matter what you do, aspiring to leadership positions will always benefit others.

What is Leadership in Management and what are the weaknesses and strengths of a Leader?

Simply said, leadership is acting as a supervisor or manager of a group. Different mental pictures pop up when we hear the word "leadership" used in conversation. One might think of a political leader, team leader, corporate leader, school leader, etc. Leaders facilitate order and efficiency in the workplace. Teamwork and success are fundamental to effective leadership. Leaders utilize their managerial abilities to establish courses and guide their teams to success.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Leadership

Able to express oneself more clearly

Growth of character.

Self-awareness.

Possession of teamwork skills.

Gain assurance in yourself.

Weaknesses:

Acting favorably toward one's teammates.

Having no faith in the leader.

Thinks they're better than everyone else, but act hypocritically.

Not living up to the promised standard.

Insufficient morals.

Leadership and Management

Management and leadership are inextricably linked to one another. Leadership and management are both vital to the efficient operation of an organization; but, they accomplish very different things in the process. Leadership is a necessary skill for anyone aspiring to be an effective manager. The terms management and leadership are synonymous with one another. In this manner, we are able to draw the conclusion that a manager who demonstrates the traits of a successful leader is, in fact, a manager who is effective.

Leadership in School

Leadership is essential in nearly every group, as we've seen above. That group includes one's educational institution. Every school needs an outstanding figure to serve as its head of school. Class monitor, assembly captain, cultural leader, etc. are all examples of leadership roles that can be taken on at school, but this raises the question of what makes a person a successful school leader.

Any student hoping to be chosen as a student body leader will need to demonstrate a wide range of competencies. He or she needs to be a consistent student who pays attention in class and does well in extracurricular activities. For the simple reason that no intelligent and hardworking kid would ever be considered for leadership. Student leaders are most often selected from among those who participate fully in all activities.

Leadership in Organization

Leadership in an organization, also known as organizational leadership, is the process of establishing long-term objectives that further the company's mission and help it reach its ultimate destination. This is a classic illustration of how Bill Gates often works with his team: they agree on a strategy, and Gates implements it. To the same extent, it is the responsibility of the leader in each given organization to determine what it is that the group is trying to accomplish.

Leadership in Politics

Leadership in politics, also known as political leadership, is the process of becoming actively involved in a political party in the role of a party leader. Knowledge of political processes, their outcomes, and the political agenda is central to the idea of political leadership.

An effective leader can be developed in anyone who has the determination and drives to do so. Both the strengths and the areas for improvement should be nurtured. Whether in the classroom, the workplace, or the political arena, leadership is always necessary. Therefore, one can exercise leadership anywhere they like inside their own organization.

What are the types of Leadership?

The ability to lead is a rare trait that not everyone possesses. The ability to do so is a gift, so count your blessings if you possess it. It's recommended that you hone it even more so that you can propel your career forward and serve as an example to people around you. However, it is crucial to grasp the various leadership styles before you go ahead and polish your skills.

Types of Leadership Styles

Democratic Leadership

In this style of management, subordinates are given a voice in decision-making. Although the subordinates' efforts are highlighted, the leader is ultimately held responsible for the group's actions. Many people find this type of leadership to be effective.

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders motivate and inspire others to adopt new behaviors and ways of thinking in order to improve their own performance and that of their teams and organizations. A transformational leader is someone who encourages their team to strive for greater things and works to boost morale and output.

Team Leadership

A good leader fully incorporates his team into the task at hand. Members of the team are motivated to reach their goals and advance in their careers thanks to the leadership of the group.

Strategic Leadership

It requires a chief executive who doesn't restrict himself to brainstorming sessions with his superiors. He contributes on every level of the team. He is well-liked for his ability to unite the need for fresh ideas with the necessity of grounding them in reality.

Autocratic Leadership

The leader in a command and control structure is the center of attention. The chief executive has absolute power in this setting. He decides things on his own, without polling his staff. He relays this information to his staff and stresses the importance of swift action. The buck stops with him, and he alone must answer for his actions. Not much room for negotiation exists. It's no secret that this method of leading has its detractors.

Visionary Leadership

This kind of leader appreciates the abilities and requirements of his team members. He describes his ideal outcome and the teamwork that will be necessary to attain it.

Coaching Leadership

Leaders who coach their teams do so regularly in an effort to raise output. He inspires his employees to do better and works to keep them motivated. This approach to leadership has been much praised.

Facilitative Leadership

With occasional guidance, a facilitative leader ensures that the process runs smoothly for his team. As a precaution in case his team is ineffective. If the team is highly effective, the leader will take a hands-off approach.

Cross-Cultural Leadership

The leadership of this type is necessary when interacting with people from various cultural backgrounds. Because of the wide variety of cultures represented in the workforce across the United States, many managers and executives hold cross-cultural positions.

Laissez-Faire Leadership

The members of the team are given responsibility in this style of management. They are free to choose how they spend their time at work, with minimal oversight from the boss. It's not a good way to lead, according to experts.

Transactional Leadership

An interactive approach is integral to this kind of leadership. When team members successfully implement their leader's ideas and choices, they are rewarded with immediate, material benefits.

Charismatic Leadership

In order to bring out the best in his followers, this kind of leader makes the effort to change their attitudes, values, and actions.

This article should dispel the notion that leadership qualities can't be further subdivided. It should also assist you in pinpointing your own personal brand of leadership so you can perfect it over time.

Final Words

In conclusion, leadership is a complex and multifaceted concept that involves various qualities and skills. Effective leaders possess traits such as integrity, vision, empathy, decisiveness, and the ability to inspire and motivate others. They are able to navigate challenges, make difficult decisions, and lead their team toward success. Leadership also involves continuous learning and self-improvement, as leaders must adapt to changing circumstances and remain relevant. Effective leadership can have a positive impact on both individuals and organizations, fostering growth and creating a culture of success.

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Why do you Want to be a Leader ?

This essay will articulate the author’s desire and motivation to be a leader. It will discuss the personal qualities, experiences, and aspirations that drive this ambition. The piece will explore the concept of leadership, the responsibilities it entails, and the impact effective leadership can have on teams, organizations, and communities. It will also address the challenges of leadership and the author’s preparedness to tackle them. Moreover, at PapersOwl, there are additional free essay samples connected to Human Nature.

How it works

In every team there is a person who, like no one else, knows how to take responsibility, captivate his friends and colleagues and organize them for a good cause, to lead them. This is how a leader should be. Being a leader means giving your best. Being a leader is partly a talent. I like being a leader, sometimes it is even necessary. And also leaders attract me. I like to communicate with them because such strong people amaze me. Being a leader is a big responsibility.

A leader is always a bright, charismatic personality, he becomes an example to follow. It is fascinating how this person captivates people, affects their consciousness. However, this is associated with a deep misconception that a leader is a person who sees only his innocence and defends it, not wanting to put up with the opinions of others. I am ready to argue with such an opinion, because the end does not always justify the means, and the one who has decided to lead some business is obliged to listen to others, find a compromise, think whether his point of view is correct and if so, then convince the rest of their correctness, of course, not unfounded, but with specific facts, actions. For example, the Russian national hockey team could not have won many matches if captain Pavel Datsyuk did not listen to the opinion of the team members, did not interact with them, did not explain which tactics were better. Therefore, the captain, that is, the leader, is not the one who plays the best in the team, but the one who can make the team play the best.

I am absolutely sure that people will not reach out to an uncommunicative, limited or stupid person, he will not be able to interest people and lead them. They are drawn to open, intelligent, able to interact with people, able to motivate them. In an emergency, the leader always knows not only how to behave, but also how to help others cope with the problem, find the right solution. He looks and sees further than others, thinks globally. Such people are always needed, whether it concerns the school community or the country.

But there are people who use their leadership qualities for far from peaceful purposes: they start wars, leading organized crime. Because of this, they do not cease to be leaders: they are listened to, they are followed, they are imitated. This reverse side of the coin also has its own representatives, like Adolf Hitler, who managed to lead many people who followed their orders unquestioningly. But we all know that leaders like him have ruined millions of lives and made thousands of people unhappy. However, everyone chooses for himself what to do in life, whom to consider a hero, to be on the side of good or evil. The same applies to the leaders of modern society.

It is worth noting that a good leader is, first of all, a well-rounded personality. Such a person has a strong character. He is not afraid of life’s troubles, because he easily endures them. Moreover, he can shoulder the hardships of those people who followed him.

For many, a leader is associated with a person who is ahead of everyone. He is followed by people who trust him. Obviously, those around him are not just blindly following him; they see in the leader such traits, thanks to which they can trust the person.

Leadership does not mean absolute independence. Yes, a leader is capable of making independent decisions, but in most cases he acts according to common sense. His actions are always rational and straightforward. The leader can act at his own risk, but only when the risk is justified. The leader always gets his way. Such amazing performance is due not to excessive aggression, but to precise goal-setting. That is why all barriers collapse before his assertiveness. The leader is ambitious – he sets himself unattainable tasks, but this does not frighten him, but only inflames him.

A good leader always has a well-coordinated team. He believes in every member and constantly teaches all his companions. The same colleagues can give their advice, and the leader will definitely listen to them. Everyone on the team, from the lowest level to the leading specialist, receives appropriate support and care. If the leader sees someone more capable than him, he will give up his command chair.

A leader is not at all an ideal person. Like all people, he also has disadvantages. But unlike many, he does not get stuck, but constantly works to eliminate them. He spends his free time on self-improvement and personal development. Because of this, the leader is always more prepared for the unexpected.

Leadership is probably the most useful trait in human character. She both inspires and calls to action. With the help of this quality, the personal potential is revealed. If you have leadership qualities, then you will have everything else.

Summing up my essay, I want to say that all people want to be successful and independent, but someone will be so, and someone will only wish it. It is actions that guide the leader, it is actions that his country and society need, only actions can one prove oneself in something

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• How to Structure a Leadership Essay (Samples to Consider)

Leadership is a complex concept, but it’s essential for boosting your career. That’s why a leadership essay focuses on applying the theoretical models and concepts of successful management to real-life situations. 

If you don’t know where to start writing such a paper, please read on for professional tips!

What Is Leadership Essay?

A leadership essay is a paper that analyzes leadership concepts and their application to real-life situations that may involve everyday business management, crisis situations, and other scenarios. 

Every essay on leadership is about defining a concept. Then, it’s either comparing it to similar management tools or proving that it’s useful (or not).

While some students enjoy writing such papers, other learners hate them. The below samples will come in handy, no matter which group is yours.

What Does Leadership Mean to You? (Essay Sample)

It is one of the most popular topics for a leadership essay. If you need to write a paper like that, ask yourself:

• Who is a good leader?  
• What style do they use?  
• What are the situations when they might switch styles?

You may take a more personal approach to such an essay if your professor allows you to. In the example below, you will see the academic approach to this topic. It analyzes three leadership styles to discover which one corresponds to the meaning of leadership if one thinks of it as guidance and support.

Why I Want to Participate in a Leadership Program (Essay Sample)

It’s another example of a popular topic. Such papers often have a meaning beyond the classroom since they may decide whether you plan to participate in a specific program. It’s critical to make them as effective and compelling as possible.

A personalized approach is the best when it comes to essays like this. In the example below, you will see the paper that relies on individual beliefs and a personal life story to explain why it’s so important for the specific student to participate in the chosen program.

How to Write a Leadership Essay

Like every other essay, this paper has an introduction, several body paragraphs, and a conclusion summarizing your thoughts. (1) The most important part of the introduction is the final sentence,  aka  a thesis statement. That’s where you state your claim to prove or develop in your leadership essay.

Each body paragraph should correspond to the purpose of your essay. To ensure you don’t stray from the aim you’ve established in the thesis statement, write the topic sentences for all your paragraphs in the outline . In simple words, write the first sentence of every paragraph to define its development in advance and see if you cover everything you need.

And now, to the conclusion:

Its most essential element is thesis restatement or the first sentence of that paragraph. It’s not just paraphrasing your thesis; it’s also considering the new information you’ve discovered while writing the essay.

Structure :

• Introduction (End it with a thesis statement.)
• Body paragraphs (Each one starts with a topic sentence.)
• Conclusion (Start it with a thesis restatement.)

Understand the purpose of a leadership essay

When starting to write, think about why you’re creating this paper. Before you sit down and type the words, think about the ideas you want to convey and their meaning in your life:

Can this essay teach you to take responsibility? Or maybe will it help you understand how to be a leader in crisis situations? When you’ve answered the “why” question, begin outlining.

Build a strong thesis

Always start with your thesis statement. It will help incorporate your answer to that notorious “why” question into your essay. Once done, you can plan out the rest of the paper and start working on the body paragraphs as soon as you finish the introduction.

There’s another important tip —don’t rush into writing the conclusion before you finish everything else!

It might seem like a good idea to create a thesis statement and thesis restatement right off the bat. However, you’ll find yourself with more refreshing ideas after completing all the research and thinking necessary for the introduction and each body paragraph.

Decide on a structure; format accordingly

Even if your essay about leadership seems not so formal, and you can use personal pronouns, you still need a clear structure.

The best way to write any academic paper is to keep your introduction and conclusion as short as possible. (But no shorter than three sentences and four lines of text). 

Another important tip is to try making all your body paragraphs equal in length. That way, you’ll give the same attention to all the vital points of your essay.

Ready to Write Your Essay on Leadership Now?

Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the most critical elements of a leadership essay. 

Remember the structure, grammar, and appropriate academic style to create a top-level paper. Please don’t forget to answer the “why” question and remember  why  you’re writing. Then you’ll impress everyone with your results!

References:

• https://lsa.umich.edu/onsf/news-events/all-news/directors-blog/writing-leadership-essays.html
• Essay samples
• Essay writing
• Writing tips

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What It Means to Be a Leader? Creative Writing Essay

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An autobiography about leadership

It is common for people to assume that some people are born leaders while others believe that leadership can be learned. However, I strongly believe that everyone has some leadership potential with the exception that some people are more of leaders than others. Accordingly, we all have a starting point in leadership, and thus, with sufficient training and practice, we can make good leaders.

As a result, leadership should be a process, which helps groups of people to achieve goals by ensuring that all the leaders in the group enjoy a mutual relationship in influencing decisions. It then follows that leaders must possess certain skills/abilities, knowledge, behaviors, and values, which make then either good or bad leaders.

Accordingly, leaders should be organized and committed in anything they are involved in besides possessing a complex set of knowledge, values, and skills to support their roles. Most importantly, leaders should know their values, knowledge, and abilities in order to claim their share within a group with confidence. This also ensures that leaders recognize their strengths and compensate for their shortcomings.

On the other hand, leaders learn and practice skills in addition to possessing more specific abilities such as the knowledge and understanding of various tasks, excellent communication skills, ability to build teams/groups, the willingness to take risks, and the ability to add value to the group or individuals. Furthermore, leaders spread optimism as they treat other people with empathy, and show support for those in need. Above all, leaders are trustworthy and accountable to their people and various commitments.

Table: A summary of leadership features

Defining the role of leadership communication

From the foregoing autobiography, it is worth noting that different roles, abilities, values, and skills are needed for one to qualify as a successful leader. Moreover, the discussions downplay the notion that some people are born to be leaders by insisting that everyone possesses the ability to be a leader if only one identifies his or her abilities, knowledge, and skills, which should be nurtured and practiced to perfection.

However, from the roles highlighted in the discussions above, I find that my definition of leadership communication has been changing over time. It is widely accepted that communication skills form the core of leadership, and without these skills, many leaders find it difficult to guide their people through various tasks. On the other hand, I believe that it is never too late for those in leadership roles to learn communication skills and implement them in their day-to-day activities.

There are many reasons as to why leaders should learn leadership communication skills. To begin with, excellent leadership communication skills encourage open communication between leaders and their people by creating an environment, which allows people to exchange ideas and solve problems without favor or fear. Here, leaders are called to encourage their subordinates to embrace open communication by exchanging ideas frequently.

For instance, in an organization where employees are encouraged to communicate with their superiors more frequently, studies show that task performance, job satisfaction, and communication increase while problems arise less often. On the other hand, good leadership communication skills enable leaders to deliver clear messages to their subordinates.

Whether written, oral, or non-verbal, any message sent out is received in the same way it was sent. Therefore, to ensure good communication and eliminate any chances of misunderstandings, it is imperative for leaders to develop their communication skills to the effect that any message conveyed is understood in the manner intended.

Most importantly, leadership communication skills should not limit leaders to being mere communicators, but they should allow leaders to do as much listening as talking. Here, by listening to their subordinates, leaders stand a better chance of handling different situations before they cause problems. Listening will also allow leaders to determine the needs of their subordinates in order to meet them accordingly.

The role of leaders in listening has changed over time as leaders move from the autocratic style of leadership to more participative and inclusive styles where employees in a given organization understand and take an active role in decision-making because they know that their leaders are listening. Such organizations where employees are treated with empathy and recognition remain successful through difficult situations because everyone is on the same page.

Another aspect of leadership communication that has changed over time is the role of non-verbal cues in communication. Over the years, people have been insisting on the need to develop excellent communication skills, but much of these efforts have been directed toward verbal and written skills. A gap is fast developing between verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and the number of people who are aware of their non-verbal behaviors is far less than otherwise.

Here, it is my understanding that communication entails various aspects ranging from written and verbal skills through non-verbal communication skills. As a result, for one to be a good communicator, it is imperative that one develops skills that cut across the range. Therefore, it is my understanding that leaders who wish to convey clear messages to others should consider their tone of voice and facial expressions among other gestures as they communicate.

For instance, if a manager is communicating a serious financial problem to other employees, it is natural that he should have a serious face. Non-verbal communication cues are important because they coincide with the verbal message being conveyed thus making the message more effective. However, leaders should not allow their non-verbal cues to overshadow their main message as this will end up causing unnecessary misunderstandings.

Overall, good leadership communication skills are the core of leadership as illustrated in the foregoing discussions. Here, it is notable that effective communication creates an environment where open communication thrives, ideas are shared, problems are effectively solved, and clear messages are sent and received with minimal distortions.

Most importantly, good leadership communication skills enable leaders to communicate more effectively by incorporating different aspects of communication ranging from oral, written, and non-verbal skills. Therefore, it is important for leaders, particularly upcoming leaders in the twenty-first century going forward to embrace good communication skills, which should reflect the current changes in organizational designs across different sectors.

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• Change and Strategic Management
• The Myth of Multitasking
• Origins of Change Management
• Change in the TV Station
• Organizational Decision Making: Group Decision Making vs. Individual Decision Making
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Why Do You Want To Be A Leader?

Have you taken the time to get clear for yourself why you want to be a leader? Or, are you waiting to get to a particular level? Or, actually have people reporting to you before that question seems relevant? Consider that:

“Why do you want to lead?” is a question you should be asking yourself early and often in your career.

Of course, I’m making an assumption that you are reading this article because you already are or know you want to become a leader. However, attaining a position of leadership does not by default imply a desire to be a leader.

Having worked for my first 15 years out of college as a corporate employee, the term leader was usually used based on someone’s position rather than their skills as a leader. For many, the desire to become a leader is more about getting a promotion than a commitment and interest in leading others. After all, promotions are a common way to reward people for doing good work, regardless of whether that good work involves leading others. And having people report to you, i.e., people you are expected to lead, comes along with the territory as you travel up the ladder to success.

Through the years, however, both as an employee and a consultant, I’ve met many people who did not actually want to lead other people. However, they were promoted to a leadership position simply as a reward for their knowledge and expertise in their field. I’ve also encountered others who wanted to become a better leader so they could be considered for that next promotion, not because they truly wanted to lead others.

So it isn’t surprising when I encounter someone in a leadership position who hasn’t really given much thought to why they want to be a leader. Many haven’t even been asked the question. That is because a focus on leadership development often does not begin in many companies until someone is in a high enough position to be declared a leader by default.

Three Reasons Why Knowing Why You Want To Lead Matters

1. Your “Why” is the Foundation for Building Trust with Others

While this may seem counter-intuitive, the answer to why you want to lead isn’t about you. It’s about the impact you will have on others. Getting clear about the difference you want to make for others — both the people you lead directly, as well as the difference you want to make where you work and live — helps you to communicate what people can count on from you. This an important foundation for earning the trust of others.

2. Your “Why” Serves as a Source of Inspiration to Become the Best Version of You

Like it or not, once you are declared a leader by virtue of position, people are watching. You can choose who you want to become in the face of being watched more closely, as well as how you will be perceived. Or, you can let circumstances and your reaction to them drive your performance as a leader and the perception of others. Clarifying why you want to be a leader is the start to leading by design and intention.

3. People are Counting on You to Lead Them

Whether you ended up in a position of leading others being clear about why you want to lead or not, people are counting on you to lead them both by example and as a champion for them and the impact you will make together. They may not have been able to choose whether they report to you, but they do have a choice regarding whether they will follow your lead. The ability to convey why you are leading others is important if you want influence others to follow you by choice rather than because you are the boss.

As you grow, the answer to “Why do you want to be a leader?” might actually evolve and change. So if you haven’t taken the time to answer this question recently (or ever), now is a great time to think about your why!

“Why Do You Want To Be A Leader?” – 3 Additional Questions

• What difference do you want to make for those you lead?
• What do you most want to be known for by others?
• What impact do you want to make on results and/or the environment you work in?

So whether you already know why you want to be a leader or not, now is a great time to think about your why, for both you and the people who are or will be counting on you to lead them.

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My “why” as related to my work is: “To be a champion for excellent systems engineering for everyone interested in the discipline, so that we can successfully respond to our increasingly complex world.” If I wanted to simplify, or not make it so work related – I’d just say “To be a champion for excellence.” In my mind, that means encouraging others to always strive to keep learning, growing and improving, to be the best they can be; and leading by example, doing those same things myself.

Thanks for sharing your why with us Lori!

My why is because I have found myself truly in holistically by committing to the service of others. It really helps in assessing the needs of the community and builds your emotional intelligence.

Wonderful Dennis! I would love to hear more about what you specifically do in service to others so I invite you to share more here.

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Leadership Essay

27 August, 2020

12 minutes read

Author:  Richard Pircher

As a college student, you must write essays on a regular basis since the latter is one of the most common types of home assignments. All this means is that in order to get good grades and be successful with writing the papers, you need to have a sound understanding of the structure. Additionally, what you should never neglect is the variety of essay types. Indeed, your essay will significantly differ from one type to another: description essay will most likely have a structure that is slightly different from an argumentative one.

What you may have already encountered in your academic life is the work on a leadership essay. Although it sounds pretty complicated and vague, it is mostly possible to master an essay on leadership. Below is a guide for you to get an insight into this particular essay type.

What is a good leadership essay?

A good leadership essay is the one in which the essay writer has fully covered the topic of leadership and understood its core ideas. More specifically, to end up with a flawless leadership essay, you will need to indicate what makes a person a good leader. For achieving the latter, you will most likely need to conduct research and trace how a particular person reaches his or her goals. In other words, the task is to discover which actions the person undertakes, what their followers say about him or her, and how the person organizes the work. So, a leadership essay implies providing real-life success examples and further revealing them.

Above all, a good leadership essay is the one that follows a precise, clear, comprehensive structure. Structuring your essay about leadership in the most coherent way leads to a win-win situation: you have fewer troubles and barriers to writing a brilliant essay, and your teacher is able to comprehend the essay easily. This guide is what you will need to refer to to get an insight into how the flawless structure for a leadership essay looks like and how it will let you take a benefit.

How to write a Leadership essay?

To write a leadership essay that stands out, you first need to brainstorm all the ideas that you have and come up with a topic for your essay. If you are struggling with this step, you may think of some of the most influential people, read about them, and find out what makes them unique. Or, you can pick any topic which is mentioned at the end of this article. After you have chosen an issue, it is time to structure your essay appropriately.

As you already know, an essay constitutes three essential sections: introduction, main body, and conclusion. Below is the more detailed description of each of the parts.

Introduction

Of course, your leadership essay introduction will always vary depending on the topic of the essay. However, you can always begin by stating your vision of leadership regardless of the topic. Additionally, to motivate the reader and instantly catch his or her attention, you may use a quote of a famous leader, or simply a quote which you find relevant to the topic. Be aware that you should avoid outlining the essence and the role of the leadership in your introduction; leave it for the body paragraphs.

What you may also do in your leadership essay is ask a question, which will most likely intrigue the leader. Or it will at least give your reader an overview of what you will dwell on  in your essay.

Body Paragraphs

You will need to divide the main body into 3-5 paragraphs to make the structure more comprehensive. What you have to do at this point  is  give your reader a sound understanding of your ideas. Therefore, try to fit each idea in a single body paragraph so that you do not confuse your reader. Do not hesitate to indicate your examples to strengthen your arguments. For instance, you may explain a fact that makes a particular person you are writing about a real leader.

Also, always stick to your thesis statement and don’t forget that the body paragraphs should reveal the parts of your thesis statement.

As you may already know, you need to restate your opinion and briefly summarize all the points from the main body in conclusion. For instance, if you wrote your essay on qualities of an effective leader, state the most fundamental qualities and indicate why they matter the most. Besides, try not to copy what you have already written in the body – it is better to restate your opinion using different words. And, of course, beware adding any new and extra information; indicate only those points that you have already outlined in the text. Finally, keep in mind that it is always favorable to keep your concluding remarks short.

Leadership Essay Examples

Writing a leadership essay requires some research and time. In case you feel the necessity to go through an essay example, below is a leadership essay sample you can refer to.

Is leadership an inborn or an acquired feature?

Is everyone capable of becoming a leader, or is this ability innate? A lot of researchers have been struggling to answer this question. One assumption about leadership implies that the leader is the person who possesses particular characteristics. Another assumption claims that leaders are capable of acquiring specific features over their life span. As the evidence shows, leaders own many features that distinguish them among others and make more and more people become their followers. These might be cognitive abilities, psychological traits, professional qualities, and a lot more, and all of them will be either acquired or innate. Based on the importance of leadership qualities, such as commitment, stress resistance, and the ability to make quality decisions, it is reasonable to claim that leaders are made, not born. 

One can deem commitment as one of the top fundamental qualities of the leader. In essence, such a feature indicates that a person is passionate about the common goal, strives to be a team player, and makes every effort to reach a shared goal. As the history shows, none of the successful companies was uncoordinated by an influential, committed leader: Apple, Amazon, Microsoft – all of these companies are examples of dominant teams led by a dedicated leader. A committed leader also inspires his or her team to achieve common goals and put more effort into the shared activity. Besides, commitment is unlikely to be an innate feature; it instead comes with experience. This is so, since commitment implies dedicating oneself to the shared task, and one can reach it only via learning and continuous self-improvement.

Stress resistance is another incredibly important feature that every good leader should possess. This is because only a stress-resistant leader has sufficient capabilities to overcome any complexity and not let the anxiety and stress prevent him or her from making proper decisions. Besides, such a leader will most likely have a positive influence on the team, as long as leading by example will motivate the team members to attain the same emotional stability. What is so far familiar about stress resistance as an effective leader’s feature is that it can be either innate or attained. However, although some researchers admit that emotional stability is something one is born with, it is not entirely true; many people still put a great effort into self-improvement, changing the attitude to unfortunate situations, and so on. Therefore, being resistant to stress can be mostly attributed to a personality.

An ability to make high-quality decisions most likely determines the chances for an enterprise’s success. In particular, such quality is incredibly fundamental for a company of any size and professional orientation. Additionally, it is one of the top tasks of a good leader to make final decisions. What he or she should do implies brainstorming, discussing various opinions in the group, making forecasts, analyzing all the pros and cons. However, the leader is the one to make a final decision. Thereby, he is in charge of researching the market, discovering all the hidden truths, and analyzing the organization’s potential and capabilities to result in the most effective decision. As it flows logically from the latter, an ability to make sound quality decisions is purely a professional quality. This leads to the conclusion that one has to work hard to become a genuine leader and master the skill of making effective decisions. 

Overall, the leader may possess a multitude of different skills and master them perfectly. However, what has so far become transparent is that any leader, regardless of which team he leads, must possess three essential qualities. These qualities are commitment to the common goal, ability to handle and resist stress, and, finally, an ability to make effective decisions. All of the three qualities are most likely to be acquired over a lifetime. The statement below leads to the conclusion that even though some qualities can be innate, most are not the ones that leaders are born with. Hence, this answers an essential question: leadership feature is acquired, and not necessarily inborn.  

20 leadership essay topics

When coming up with your next leadership essay topic, it is imperative to brainstorm ideas and think of what leadership might be related to. If you are struggling with a topic of the importance of leadership essay or any relevant type of essay, you may quickly take a look at some of the possible topics we prepared for you:

• What are the main qualities of the leader?
• Successful Time Management as a feature of an effective leader
• The role that rhetoric plays in leadership
• The most exceptional leader in the history of the 20-th century
• The role of female leadership
• What are the challenges of the leader of the 21-st century?
• How college helps students develop leadership skills?
• Qualities of the leader that motivate people to follow them 
• Top things to avoid doing to become a team leader
• Examples of effective and ineffective leadership in the history
• Top techniques for developing leadership skills
• The interconnection of creativity and leadership 
• Is a university’s role fundamental in developing leadership skills?
• Dictatorship as an anti-example of leadership
• Liberal vs Authoritative leadership: which one works better?
• The influence of the leader’s role model on the followers’ mindset
• Main difficulties that the new leader may face in a new team
• Leadership of today vs leadership of the past: what has changed?
• Reasons why I want to become a member if the leadership program
• The role of cognitive abilities for the leader 

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Leader I Want To Be: Why I Want To Be A Leader

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Essays About Effective Leadership: Top 6 Examples and Prompts

Effective leadership is an essential trait that all people should strive to develop; here are 6 examples and topic ideas essays about effective leadership .

Many qualities make an inspiring and effective leader, such as vision, focus, and motivation. Like other skills, effective leadership can be innate or learned and practiced. When writing about leadership, include the strengths of an effective leader and how these qualities positively impact their team. You can also discuss weaknesses that can make a poor leader and how to combat these issues.

Here are 6 examples and 10 essay prompts to get you started on your next essay.

1. What Makes an Effective Leader? by Tony Gill

2. a guide to becoming an effective leader by yashi srivastava , 3. leadership: 5 practices of effective leaders by yvette gyles, 4. 6 characteristics of an effective leader by lauren landry, 5. six leadership lessons by order of the peaky blinders by andrew denton mbe, 6. leadership and the quest for certainty by keith grint,  1. what is effective leadership, 2. what does effective leadership look like in the corporate industry, 3. what to avoid to become an effective leader, 4. habits of an effective leader, 5. studying the mindsets of effective leaders, 6. effective leadership and its benefits to an organization, 7. indicators of strong and effective leadership, 8. poor leadership vs. effective leadership, 9. real-life examples of effective leadership, 10. how perception creates effective leadership.

“Work at using leadership styles that do not come naturally, styles that you find difficult. By becoming a well-rounded leader, it is easier to adapt your leadership technique for different situations.”

Gill uses a research-based approach to answer the central question of his essay. He looks at various sources that tackle the topic of effective leadership and stitch them together to make a comprehensive guide to effective leadership.

“Leadership is not a mystical quality, and anyone can become a more effective leader by developing some important skills.”

The author, Yashi Srivastava, defines what differentiates leaders from managers first. Then, she provides some dos and don’ts of an effective leader and how people could apply them in different situations. 

“Whereas as leaders, we need to be concerned about creativity and innovation, making positive changes, and seeking to challenge and push boundaries.”

Gyles specializes in leadership training for companies, so her approach to the essay is geared more toward company leaders. Nevertheless, it’s highly educational for all those interested in learning effective leadership meant for dealing with various people and guiding people to a direction or goal.

“Effective leaders don’t avoid the hard truths. Instead, they take responsibility for their decisions, maintain optimism, and focus on charting a new course of action.”

Landry’s essay focuses on her six top characteristics of an effective leader. Some of these characteristics are what you’d expect to see in an essay like this. Entries like transparency are less common but equally important in practicing effective leadership.

“Rolling your sleeves up with everyone else not only sets an example, it makes people want to follow you.”

Fiction mirrors life, and it’s one of the best sources to learn lessons that are otherwise too complex or vague to see in real life. Despite his penchant for crime and violence, Thomas Shelby is undeniably one of the most influential leaders on TV. This essay details the leadership skills used by a 1920s gangster character and how you can use them in modern life to become an effective and inspiring leader.

“Leadership is often associated with certainty; indeed, it is sometimes reduced to the decision-making process such that anything which smacks of uncertainty is categorized as weakness or a failure of leadership.”  

Grint’s essay on leadership explores the factors around leaders’ certainty or confidence. Of course, not all leaders have a clear answer to a problem, which is fine. The important thing is that they have a mindset to look for solutions and a modicum of honesty about their lack of uncertainty.

10 Essay Prompts on Effective Leadership

It’s your turn to express and explore your view of effective leadership. Use these prompts to work out your approach or steps to effective leadership. Here are ten prompts about effective leadership to help you get started on your essay.

Defining effective leadership is one way to explore your understanding of the idea. Remember that your definition of effective leadership could vastly differ from the other essays you’ve read. It’s also a great starting point for new people who want to warm up to the habit of writing essays about leadership.

Essay writing tip: If you’re new to writing essays, consider simplifying your essay. Try shortening it down to a five-paragraph essay .

You can find many leaders in the corporate industry, but some are more effective than others. Use this prompt to work out how you envision effective leadership in the corporate world. You can also apply the same idea to other fields, like at school, among friends or peer groups, or in the family. Consider carefully the field or organization you’d like to use for the essay.

You may have personal experience with a person who could have been an effective leader if not for their bad habits. You might have been that person and realized how your bad habits had held you back from practicing effective leadership. This is your chance to write about your experience, whether via observing someone else or through personal growth.

Practicing effective leadership goes beyond having direction and a vision for the organization. Becoming an effective leader also takes time and patience. Use this prompt to discuss the habits of great leaders and how these habits make them effective in their leadership.

Get into the mind of a leader and explore how such a person might become more effective in their leadership. This topic may involve discussing various people, whether real-life persons or fictional characters. Research how they think, handle their role and manage the people they lead.

Understanding the benefits of effective leadership is one of the best ways to drive someone to practice and adopt it. Use this prompt to detail how an effective leader boosts morale, productivity, motivation, communication quality, and confidence in the people they lead. It applies to all organizations, like businesses, teams, and networks.

How do you know whether a person’s leadership style and approach are effective or not? Use this essay topic to discover the different methods of measuring effective leadership. Read about the different measurements and indicators of leadership used in corporations and organizations.

Leaders can be good, mediocre, or bad in their leadership approaches and styles. This essay prompt will push you to compare bad leadership and effective leadership. You can also add methods of improving one’s leadership style to become more effective.

You can find a lot of excellent leaders throughout history. This idea focuses on discussing different leaders, their leadership styles, and levels of effectiveness.

Interpersonal skills are vital to great leadership. Perception of others’ feelings and thoughts can help you become an even better and more effective leader. Discuss how intuitiveness positively affects one’s leadership style. 

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What Makes A Good Leader: Essay Hints

Table of Contents

In this essay, you need to discuss the essential qualities needed for becoming an effective leader. In fact, different situations require different types of leadership styles, so it may be hard to choose the qualities that define good leaders admired by people from bad ones.

Besides, there are common misconceptions about their role. In this article, we will try to answer the question of “what makes a good leader essay” and give you some recommendations about the aspects you should focus on.

Essay structure and key points to cover

Wondering what the best way to approach an essay on leadership qualities is? Leadership essays can be written in the expository style and structured to include different subtopics:

• Discussion of major leadership theories.
• Personality traits defining great leaders.
• Leadership styles and how they work.
• Leadership principles and core values.
• Examples of leaders in different spheres of society.
• People you consider to be leaders in your life.
• Leadership skills you have.

It’s important to demonstrate an original personal understanding of leadership concept and provide impressive illustrative examples taken from today’s real life or history. That’s the best thing to do when reviewing various leadership qualities.

What are the qualities of a good leader: essay ideas

When we take an in-depth look at history, we see countless leadership qualities that were adopted by both good and bad leaders. When writing what are the qualities of a good leader essay, you should focus on the characteristics and strengths of a leader, and how they help influence and motivate other people along with achieving own goals.

These are emotional and behavioral characteristics of well-known leaders that helped them succeed:

• Vision – effective leaders have exciting ideas, they usually are forward-looking, and have excellent strategic planning skills.
• Communication – communicating ideas clearly and concisely is essential to ensure teamwork towards the same goal.
• Integrity – they are honest and can always tell the truth in any situation.
• Confidence – they dare to take risks to achieve their goals and never give up.
• Responsiveness – good leaders value their team, listen to people they lead, and quickly change their behavior to match different situations.
• Determination – good leaders are passionate about what they do and can motivate people by demonstrating their own commitment.
• Empathy is the most important skill which allows to create strong bonds of trust and build successful teams.

Tips on writing a winning essay on leadership

When working on what makes a good leader essay, students should follow certain basic steps.

• Research relevant sources on the internet to get a better understanding of the concept, read a lot, and make notes of interesting ideas which can be used in your paper.
• Brainstorm ideas to write about, formulate a strong thesis statement and create a detailed working outline. Organize information in a logical order.
• Start writing a draft with an introduction. Engage readers with a hook – provocative question, anecdote, stunning fact, convincing statistics. Introduce a subject, providing relevant background information. End introductory paragraph with a specific thesis that sums up your ideas.
• Devote separate body paragraphs to specific points supporting the main argument. Begin paragraphs with topic sentences, presenting key points, give detailed explanations, and provide additional evidence and examples. Include appropriate citations with proper referencing. Sum up and demonstrate how each paragraph contributes to the logical argument.
• Create a convincing conclusion to wrap up the paper’s key points.
• Revise the first draft , make improvements in content, logic, and sentence structure. Edit to improve word choice and clarity.
• Proofread the final version – fix minor errors and typos. Create references list and check the formatting of the entire paper.

The use of a leadership essay sample

Still not sure that you can write a good leader essay that will impress your readers? Read biographies of famous people who played crucial roles in human history, created big successful businesses, managed large corporations to learn which qualities contributed to their success.

Besides, you may want to check out some good paper examples.

Find out how powerful papers on this topic are structured and what interesting points they cover. Use essay samples as templates or models to follow.

See this short sample paragraph which discusses one of the leadership qualities for inspiration.

Empathy, an ability to recognize other’s feelings and perspectives and understand other people’s needs is crucial in leadership. Being empathetic means you can step into another person’s world and this character trait is essential for success due to several reasons. It’s impossible to effectively lead people you don’t understand. You can effectively motivate and influence someone if you know their feelings. Empathy is one of the keys to successful leadership because it helps build relationships with people they lead and create an environment of open communication. Luckily, empathy is natural for humans and we can even learn to be more empathetic and demonstrate this ability to people around us.

No time to write your essay on leadership? We’ve got plenty of time here! Our writers strive to help you out. Click the button faster and get yourself a perfect essay with no struggle!

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Why Do You Want to Be a Team Leader? 5 Best Answers

One of the most common interview questions is, “why do you want to be a team leader?” there is a hundred percent chance of an interviewer asking this question. This blog post will discuss 5 sample answers to this question. We will also provide tips on how to make your answer stand out.

Leadership is a critical component of any organization, but it can be especially challenging in fast-paced and high-stress environments. Team leaders need to be able to motivate their team members, make decisions under pressure, and handle difficult situations. If you are interested in becoming a team leader, it is important to be able to articulate why you want the position.

Table of Contents

Why do employers ask, “Why do you want to be a team leader?”

The answer to this question will give the employer an idea of your motivation for wanting the position. They want to know if you are looking for a leadership role because you are genuinely interested in leading a team or if you are simply looking for a title.

Tips to Answer “Why do you want to be a team leader?”

When preparing your answer to this question, it is important to remember that your goal is to stand out from the other candidates. Here are a few tips to help you do just that:

• Be specific about your previous leadership experience and how it has prepared you for the role of team leader.
• Discuss your passion for helping others grow and develop in their careers.
• Explain how being a team leader would allow you to make a difference in your company.
• Share why you feel ready and prepared to take on the challenge of leading a team.
• Discuss your interest in leadership and your ability to motivate and inspire others.
• Read the job description carefully and use specific examples to illustrate why you would be the perfect candidate for the role.

By following these tips, you can be sure that your answer to “why do you want to be a team leader?” will make you stand out from the other candidates.

Sample answers to the question “why do you want to be a team leader?”

Sample answer 1.

“I want to be a team leader because I have a passion for helping others succeed. In my previous role as an account manager, I often helped new hires learn the ropes and get acclimated to our company culture. I enjoyed being able to help them grow in their career and reach their full potential. As a team leader, I would be able to help even more people succeed. I would also be able to share my knowledge and experience with other team members, which would help our team be more successful.”

Sample Answer 2

“I’ve always been drawn to positions of leadership. Even in high school, I was elected student body president. I enjoy being able to motivate and inspire others to achieve their goals. As a team leader, I would be able to use my previous experiences to guide and support my team members. I would also be able to continue developing my leadership skills. Additionally, being a team leader would allow me to impact our company’s success positively.”

Sample Answer 3

“I want to be a team leader because it is a natural progression in my career. I have been with our company for five years and have held several positions of increasing responsibility. In my current role as a project manager, I often find myself taking on leadership roles when other team members are unavailable. I know that I have the skills and experience to be an effective leader, and I am ready to take on this challenge.”

Sample Answer 4

“I want to be a team leader because it is an opportunity to make a difference in our company. I have been working in the marketing department for three years, and I have seen firsthand how important strong leadership is to our success. As a team leader, I would be able to use my knowledge and experience to help our team achieve its goals. Additionally, being a team leader would allow me to impact our company’s bottom line positively.”

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Final thoughts

There are a number of reasons why you may want to be a team leader. Whatever your reason, it’s important to be able to articulate it in a way that is convincing and relatable. The above sample answers should give you some ideas on doing this. Remember, your response should be specific to you and your experiences.

Thank you for reading! I hope this was helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below. Thanks again! 🙂

1 thought on “Why Do You Want to Be a Team Leader? 5 Best Answers”

very helpful in helping me to keep the answer short and sweet

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The Examples of a Good Leader

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Leader — What Type of a Leader Do You Want to Be

What Type of a Leader Do You Want to Be

• Categories: Leader Leadership

About this sample

Words: 837 |

Updated: 12 December, 2023

Words: 837 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Works Cited

• Casper, D. M. (1997). The world of Toy Story: Secrets and strategies. Prima Lifestyles.
• Harris, M. (1996). A buzz in the toy box: The story behind Pixar animation studios. Hyperion.
• Price, D. (2008). The Pixar touch. Alfred A. Knopf.
• Kehr, D. (1999). When toys come alive. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/21/movies/film-when-toys-come-alive.html
• King, S. (1996). The movie business, the end of the world, and other assorte d subjects. G. P. Putnam’s Sons.
• Gabler, N. (2006). Walt Disney: The triumph of the American imagination. Vintage.
• Ebert, R. (1995). Toy Story. Chicago Sun-Times. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/toy-story-1995
• Canemaker, J. (2005). Walt Disney's Nine Old Men and the Art of Animation. Disney Editions.
• Chaney, J. (2018). Making of Toy Story: How Pixar's Toy Story Was Born. Ballantine Books.
• Perkowitz, S. (2017). Hollywood science: movies, science, and the end of the world. Columbia University Press.

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Leadership Perspective: What Makes Leadership Development Impactful? Exploring a Whole-Person Approach

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More From Forbes

So, you want to be a ceo—here's the most important thing to know.

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Laryssa Topolnytsky, Ph.D., is a Partner at Heidrick & Struggles , leading the firm’s North American CEO & Board Effectiveness Practice.

As an organizational psychologist working closely with boards of directors to identify and cultivate chief executives, aspiring CEOs often ask me what foundational skills and qualities will help them attain the top job and become high-performing, impactful leaders.

The CEO role is not for the faint of heart. Like gold medal athletes, top-performing CEOs make what they do look easy—but it’s not. Leading through uncertainty while facing a daily barrage of challenges is mentally and physically exhausting. The extraordinary pressure and accountability one feels when they're responsible for thousands of employees can make even the most purposeful and goal-oriented CEO want to quit. Indeed, CEO turnover hit a 20-year high in 2023 and may rise.

For those still drawn to the top job, there are several things that can help ensure a CEO thrives.

The Standout Trait For CEOs

Traditional hard skills, such as financial and business acumen, are obviously foundational for the role of CEO. But softer leadership skills, such as communicating effectively, building high-performing teams, managing stakeholders and inspiring employees, are becoming more widely acknowledged as criteria for success. One’s cultural fit—the alignment of their leadership style and values to the existing or desired company culture—is also correlated to success. However, research and my personal experience working with high-performing CEOs point to a key differentiator that doesn’t get the attention it deserves: agility

Agility is both a mindset and a skill set. If leadership capabilities are tuner dials set for certain situations or audiences, then a CEO's agility is their capacity to turn the dials successfully. Do you have the mindset and the skills to know which leadership capabilities must be dialed up, dialed down or left untouched in any given situation?

Being agile also means having the ability to recognize what needs to change (and for how long) when a situation emerges. It demands self-awareness. It’s knowing your default tuner setting and intentionally developing the leadership capabilities that don’t come naturally. It encompasses evaluating your options calmly and accurately, seeking help when needed and owning what you can control.

4 Components Of Agile Leadership

While it's always been important, the need for agility is amplified because it contributes to other organizational strengths that accelerate performance. My company, Heidrick & Struggles, surveyed 654 executives and found that 93% contend that agility is critical to business strategy. On top of that, 94% consider it essential for today’s ways of working, including leading and developing hybrid/remote teams and seeking and retaining global talent.

Based on personal observations and proprietary research, I've come across four underlying traits that enable up-and-coming executive leaders to be more agile.

1. Foresight: CEOs must be able to anticipate change and be able to balance the long-term impact while making a quick pivot. It requires dexterity with thinking, as well as solving complex challenges, thinking logically and generating effective solutions.

2. Learning: Aspiring executives must acknowledge what they don’t know. This means embracing a growth mindset —the optimistic belief that you can develop skills and abilities with focus and effort. You need to be self-aware, humble and curious, always seeking fresh experiences and alternative ways of thinking. Then you must consistently apply that new knowledge.

3. Adaptability: It's integral for agile leaders to be aware of—and willing to change—the time-worn mental models and biases that hinder organizational and personal progress. Adaptability requires strong social agility that demonstrates assertiveness, self-confidence, self-reflection, a willingness to grow and empathy.

4. Resilience: Can you bounce back from setbacks by taking accountability and refocusing to move forward? This takes tenacity, self-discipline, focus, emotional control, achievement orientation and composure.

Our recent assessments of leaders’ potential indicate that fewer than half are strong at any of the four agility traits; in particular, fewer than 10% of them are adept at being curious and thinking with dexterity. Additionally, nearly 45% of leaders possessed a static thinking style—performing low-value tasks while absorbing new business model responsibilities that led to overworking.

How To Embody The 4 Agility Components

As an aspiring CEO, how do you successfully execute and transform with agility in today’s hyper-accelerated world? Here are some key strategies and behaviors you can adopt that will prepare you for the top spot—and show employers that you're ready for it.

Developing Foresight

Look for signs of change that will impact you and your organization’s future. Generate strategies to address them, experiment with alternative scenarios and challenge assumptions. Absorb data from myriad sources, including internal and external stakeholders, credible research and literature outside of your industry, to aid your decision-making.

Committing To Learning

Seek out different perspectives. Be inquisitive, listen intently, embrace feedback and extract lessons from your and others’ failures. By actively engaging with others’ perspectives, especially people whose experiences are different from yours, you can remain open-minded and unbiased.

Improving Adaptability

Being adaptable helps you avoid getting derailed when shifts occur. When you develop a growth mindset, you'll be able to recover quickly because you're already prepared to spot and tackle challenges. This can help make adapting to the unexpected easier and less daunting.

Fortifying Your Resilience

To be a savvy CEO, you must see opportunity in misfortune and foster resilience within the leadership team, as well as strengthen your own. Focus on what you can influence, and consistently exercise optimism to manage your mental and physical energy. Don't take things personally, and let go of issues that don’t warrant frustration.

Be sure to safeguard your physical, emotional and mental wellness through self-care. In addition to eating and sleeping well, consider meditating or practicing gratitude. Make sure you're being intentional with your time, saving it for the work you can realistically do and ensuring there's enough left for yourself and your personal life. This may require setting clear boundaries with people who drain your energy.

So, you want to be the chief executive? It's going to take building your pivotal experiences and leadership capabilities and being aware of how your values fit the culture you aspire to lead. But most importantly, if you want to succeed, you're going to need to master agility.

Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?

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Britain’s Violent Riots: What We Know

Officials had braced for more unrest on Wednesday, but the night’s anti-immigration protests were smaller, with counterprotesters dominating the streets instead.

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By Lynsey Chutel

After days of violent rioting set off by disinformation around a deadly stabbing rampage, the authorities in Britain had been bracing for more unrest on Wednesday. But by nightfall, large-scale anti-immigration demonstrations had not materialized, and only a few arrests had been made nationwide.

Instead, streets in cities across the country were filled with thousands of antiracism protesters, including in Liverpool, where by late evening, the counterdemonstration had taken on an almost celebratory tone.

Over the weekend, the anti-immigration protests, organized by far-right groups, had devolved into violence in more than a dozen towns and cities. And with messages on social media calling for wider protests and counterprotests on Wednesday, the British authorities were on high alert.

With tensions running high, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s cabinet held emergency meetings to discuss what has become the first crisis of his recently elected government. Some 6,000 specialist public-order police officers were mobilized nationwide to respond to any disorder, and the authorities in several cities and towns stepped up patrols.

Wednesday was not trouble-free, however.

In Bristol, the police said there was one arrest after a brick was thrown at a police vehicle and a bottle was thrown. In the southern city of Portsmouth, police officers dispersed a small group of anti-immigration protesters who had blocked a roadway. And in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where there have been at least four nights of unrest, disorder continued, and the police service said it would bring in additional officers.

But overall, many expressed relief that the fears of wide-scale violence had not been realized.

Here’s what we know about the turmoil in Britain.

Where arrests have been reported

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Tim Walz's military record: What to know about potential VP's National Guard service

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday, choosing a progressive yet plain-spoken VP candidate from America’s heartland to help her win over rural, white voters.

“I’m pleased to share that I’ve made my decision: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will join our campaign as my running mate,” Harris said via text to supporters. “Tim is a battle-tested leader who has an incredible track record of getting things done for Minnesota families. I know that he will bring that same principled leadership to our campaign, and to the office of the vice president.”

We look at Walz, a 60-year-old U.S. Army National Guard veteran, and his military career over the years.

More: Tim Walz is Kamala Harris' VP pick: Minnesota governor named running mate: Live updates

How long was Walz in the military?

Walz served in the military for 24 years, enlisting in the Nebraska National Guard at 17 in 1981 and then transferring to the Minnesota National Guard in 1996. He retired in 2005 to begin his successful run for the U.S. House, representing Minnesota as command sergeant major, among the highest ranks for enlisted soldiers. His battalion went on to deploy to Iraq shortly after Walz's retirement.

Walz specialized in heavy artillery and had proficiency ribbons in sharpshooting and hand grenades.

But during the 21 years that Walz spent working with large artillery pieces, he suffered hearing loss and tinnitus in both ears, Minnesota Public Radio reported. He was allowed to continue his service after undergoing surgery, which partially resolved his hearing loss.

Where did Walz serve, and what did he do in the National Guard?

During his service, Walz responded to natural disasters, including floods and tornadoes in Minnesota and Nebraska, and was deployed overseas for months at a time, according to MPR.

In 2003, he was sent to Italy, where he served with the European Security Force to support the war in Afghanistan. He was also stationed in Norway for joint training with other NATO militaries.

Walz told MPR that he reenlisted in the National Guard after the September 11 attacks but never saw active combat in his years in the military.

Stars and Stripes reported in 2020 that Walz credited his Army experience with helping him steer Minnesota through the COVID-19 pandemic as governor.

As governor of Minnesota, Walz is commander in chief of the 13,000-soldier Minnesota National Guard. “I’m certainly proud of my military service, but it’s one piece of me,” he told Minnesota Public Radio in 2018. “It doesn’t define me.”

Reuters and USA TODAY reporter Tom Vanden Brook contributed to this story.