In this module there are 2 assignments:
The first assignment a talks about a change project you have been
through in the past as a leader, or as a participant, and analyze it
using the leadership and change ideas ( in this I was participant from
change of our commanding officers the previous one most of our work was
paper based and we moved our work from paper based to computer based
work) this basically old ideas vs new ideas scenario.
The second assignment talks about personal reflection piece that
calibrates your own personal style or journey to becoming a leader and
which calibrates your skills and experience using some of the ideas and
concepts from class and giving evidence for your views. (For this one
you can use me as example and talk about me if achieve the rank of
brigadier and hold the position of manager or the president of Human
Resource Department in Qatar Armed Forces.
you should separate the 2 assignments the first assignment is 2500 words
and the second assignment 1250 words and use sources on both of them
Personal Reflection
While some people think that leadership is inborn, the tremendous success in becoming a leader in experience, learning from others, and personal efforts. Leadership is about the ability to influence others to see and support one’s vision. The leader, thus, should have a vision and communicate it clearly to followers for them to understand and support its achievement (Boyatzis et al. 670). I have discovered that a leader cannot be successful in working independently from followers due to their significant contribution to realizing the vision. Therefore, an effective leader should always motivate others to achieve a shared goal for an organization to succeed. For example, in my organization, when the new commander came in, he had the vision of transforming the work processes into automated systems to achieve efficiency. Success did not come out of the vision but sharing it with other organization members who supported it fully. Therefore, in my journey to become a leader, I have gained important lessons from the commander and others in the organization, and understand that transformational leadership is key to influencing others and empowering them to achieve their potential in the armed forces.
Working in the Qatar army has given me an excellent opportunity to lead. People working in the disciplined forces should develop the skills to lead since they can be called up to be leaders in different circumstances. I have already worked as a first lieutenant in Qatar armed forces, as well as in the Human Resources Department and as a Head of the Administration Division. The positions may appear as great and challenging, but I cannot remain in the comfort zone. I seek growth and will continue working towards more challenging leadership positions. My aspirations include brigadier and hold the position of manager or the Human Resource Department position in Qatar Armed Forces. I love working with people, influencing them to achieve their most significant potential. I would also want to see the army attracting competent soldiers. Therefore, the role of a leader in the human resource department appeals to my aspirations.
I have worked under great leaders in the Qatar armed forces and understand the value of effective leadership. One of the styles that have fascinated me is transformational leadership since it is people-oriented. For example, a leader should allow others to lead as they grow and develop within the workplace (Schaubroeck et al., 45). When the new commander came into the organization and introduced the vision to automate work, he organized subordinates into teams and assigned different roles with appointed leaders to manage the groups. As one of the organization’s human resource department leaders, I was fortunate to work with the new commander and learn from his leadership skills. I was one in one of the teams that engaged actively in the implementation of the project. The experience was excellent, with numerous lessons that I plan to use in my future leadership responsibilities. I have the confidence to initiate and lead a change in my leadership role.
Although I have worked under great leaders, I strive to lead better and manage organizational changes. Learning and development are essential aspects of becoming a better leader through more in-depth knowledge and self-awareness (Zheng and Muir 2). I have established my leader identity to view myself as a person who can influence others to achieve important goals. Therefore, besides building experience as a leader and developing skills, such as communication, listening, problem-solving, critical thinking, and motivating, I should begin to view myself as an effective leader. I should change my attitude to embrace greatness, which is necessary for a great leader. I have been practicing what I have learned over the years in my current position and hope to move up the ladder for more prominent roles in the Qatar Armed forces. I believe it is possible since I have learned critical lessons from my superiors.
Significant changes occur at a personal level when one understands the self and leadership role and merges the two to achieve transformation. The process leads to new personalized ideas of leadership into identity, increasing confidence levels, and operating in the influence (Zheng and Muir 2). Over the years, I recognized the power of my attitude in becoming a great leader. I can climb to the highest level or position in the army if I believe in myself and put what I have learned into practice. The secret of success in this area is to embrace the interdisciplinary approach to discover more about the skills and knowledge of leadership and apply it in way (Fisher and Robbins 281). I have worked with charismatic and transformational leaders, such as the new commander, giving me a chance to develop essential skills that I can apply as I practice to become a better person and leader.
While the experience is necessary to learn from weaknesses and apply strengths, I should look ahead and plan to become better. As a transformational leader, I will implement successful changes in the organization, especially in work processes. In such a position, I am learning to inspire, encourage, and motivate people. Leading in the army is not easy work due to the responsibilities assigned to soldiers. Commanding the military has never been an easy task and requires a great leader who has a vision and inspires others to support it (Mayfield et al. 97; Taaffe 4). I have been reading about great commanders in history, such as Abraham Lincoln, and am encouraged by their charisma. As a result, I have focused my efforts on understanding people and what they want from a great leader to practice the lessons. I also want to be innovative in the way I relate with and lead my followers.
It will be great to be part of the team of leaders that will shape the Qatar army’s future and make it an excellent place for soldiers to work and to ensure the security of the country. I will strive to create and implement changes that will be remembered for generations in the country. One way to accomplish this is to set an example as a leader for others to follow. The key is to empower leaders in helping others use their competence for the organization (Crawford et al. 114). I have discovered that a great leader leaves an impression on followers and allows them to influence others. I should be part of a culture that will impact the army and the country. However, working with others to create a positive organizational culture that embraces transitional ownership and commitment is key to success as a leader. Besides, it will help develop employees with high organizational satisfaction (Belias and Koustelios 132; Saadati et al. 10). Therefore, I am learning what it takes to be an influential leader in the armed forces.
Leadership is rewarding, though challenging responsibility. Regardless of the challenges and personal weaknesses, I know that I will become a better leader and person in the armed forces. I have learned critical lessons from my superiors and literature that equips me to become a better leader in my current and future positions. I want to be more charismatic and a transformational leader who will empower others to reach their potential. I will inspire, motivate, and encourage them to become leaders and better soldiers in the organization. Working with others will give me the satisfaction I seek as a leader. I have gained skills and am prepared to use them as I climb up the leadership ladder. Besides, as a transformational leader, I will establish and implement critical changes to improve the Qatar Army
Works Cited
Belias, Dimitrios, and Athanasios Koustelios. “Organizational culture and job satisfaction: A review.” International review of management and marketing vol. 4, no.2, 2014, p. 132.
Boyatzis, Richard E., Kylie Rochford, and Scott N. Taylor. “The role of the positive emotional attractor in vision and shared vision: toward effective leadership, relationships, and engagement.” Frontiers in Psychology vol. 6, 2015, p. 670.
Crawford, Joseph A., et al. “Putting the leader back into authentic leadership: Reconceptualising and rethinking leaders.” Australian Journal of Management vol. 45, no.1, 2020, pp. 114-133.
Taaffe, Stephen R. Commanding the Army of the Potomac. University Press of Kansas, 2018.
Fisher, Kelly, and Christine Reiser Robbins. “Embodied leadership: Moving from leader competencies to leaderful practices.” Leadership vol. 11, no.3, 2015, pp. 281-299.
Mayfield, Jacqueline, Milton Mayfield, and William C. Sharbrough III. “Strategic vision and values in top leaders’ communications: Motivating language at a higher level.” International Journal of Business Communication vol. 52, no.1, 2015, pp. 97-121.
Saadati, Masoomeh, et al. “The relationship between perceived organizational justice, organizational commitment and job satisfaction.” Health, Spirituality and Medical Ethics vol. 3, no.1, pp. 2016, pp. 10-17.
Schaubroeck, John M., Simon SK Lam, and Ann C. Peng. “Can peers’ ethical and transformational leadership improve coworkers’ service quality? A latent growth analysis.” Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes vol. 133, 2016, pp. 45-58.
Zheng, Wei, and Douglas Muir. “Embracing leadership: A multi-faceted model of leader identity development.” Leadership & Organization Development Journal vol. 36, no. 36, 2015, 1-5.