REFLECTION SHEET: LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY

Throughout our lives, and especially over the course of this program, we think about,

discuss, write, and practice so many of the concepts covered in our course work. However, I had

been practicing leadership, making choices based on values, and encouraging growth in others

long before I started at Loyola. Before Loyola, however, it was rare that I was ever asked to

define and articulate the concepts I was practicing in my life. This paper is just that. It is an

articulation of my own leadership philosophy as I conceptualize and practice it currently.

Therefore, I chose this paper as an example of “Reflective Leadership.”

This piece of writing shows my ability to understand, analyze, and apply different

leadership theories to my work in a way that serves others through empowerment and

connection. In this paper, I break down and pull out parts of transformational leadership,

authentic leadership, pluralistic leadership, and the Social Change Model of Leadership

Development theories that inform my own leadership philosophy. This paper also demonstrates

my capacity to critically reflect on my own identities and privilege, and how they influence

leadership. For example, I speak to creating positive change, but recognize that as a person of

many privileged identities, it is imperative to consider how my conceptualization of positive

change can be one-sided and perpetuate an oppressive system. Therefore, the incorporation of

more inclusive leadership practices, such as pluralistic leadership, into my own philosophy

demonstrates my ability to use leadership for the promotion of an ethical and just society. In this

paper, I also speak specifically about leadership as a reflective, and ever-evolving process

showing my understanding that one’s commitment to reflective leadership involves life-long

learning. Overall, I believe that this paper demonstrates a thorough understanding and practice

of “Reflective Leadership,” as the content spoke both directly and indirectly to all of the outlined

competencies.