Stanford 1
ASA College
Division of Business
Organizational Behavior
Leadership
Gjaimeir Stanford
April 24, 2015
Professor Onda
Stanford 2
Table of Contents
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………… (Page 3)
Theories of Leadership ……………………………………………. (Page 3)
The attributes of an effective leader ……………………………… (Page 4)
Leadership styles…………………………………………………… (Page 5)
Governance…………………………………………………………. (Page 6)
My leadership attributes……………………………………………. (Page 8)
Leadership attributes I lack but would like to possess…………….. (Page 9)
Conclusion……………………………………………………………. (Page 9)
References…………………………………………………………… (Page 10)
Stanford 3
Introduction:
When I think of the word leadership it means to me one’s ability to get others to willingly
follow. A leader is always doing something in pursuit of the vision and inspiring others to do the
same. I believe that leaders are not just born but are created and can be nurtured. Every community
and organization needs leaders at every level.
A leader’s vision is clear and is a vivid picture of where to go and has a firm grasp on what
success looks like and how to achieve it. Leaders must be able to communicate their vision in
terms such that followers buy into it. He or she must communicate clearly and passionately.
Growing up during the 90’s, I saw a lot of great leaders in my community and school system. In
addition, I was given the opportunity to hold leadership positions while in middle school, high
school, and in college.
Theories of Leadership:
The Theory of leadership states that there are three basic ways to explain how people
become leaders. The first two explain the leadership development for a small number of people.
The first theory is Trait Theory which states that some personality traits may lead people naturally
into leadership roles. The second theory is Great Events Theory which states a crisis or important
event that may cause a person to rise to the occasion, which brings out extraordinary leadership
qualities in an ordinary person. This last theory is Transformational Leadership where people can
learn leadership skills and can choose to become leaders. Transformational leadership is the most
widely accepted theory used today.
The attributes of an effective leader:
Stanford 4
There are many attributes that create an effective leader. The first integrity which is the
integration of outward actions and inner values. A leader must have the trust of followers and must
display integrity. Honest dealings, predictable reactions, well controlled emotions, and absence of
tantrums and harsh outbursts are all signs of integrity. Other attributes of a leader are humility and
dedication. A leader spends all the time and energy that are necessary to accomplish the tasks at
hand. A leader inspires dedication by setting an example, and doing whatever it takes to complete
the next step toward attaining the vision. As the saying goes “you must lead by example.”
If a leader does not lead by example, they can lose their followers. A humble leader is not
self-effecting but rather tries to elevate everyone. Leaders who demonstrate humility recognize
that they are no better or worse than other members of the team. Leaders with humility also
understand that their status does not make them a god. A leader is open minded and creative. Good
