As a younger professional, I was often asked how I would describe my leadership style or my leadership philosophy. At the time, I would often say that I’m a coach, a mentor, and a more hands-off type of leader. I thought that was a great answer. It worked time and again and people would nod in approval. I wouldn’t understand how wrong I was until I started to really think about the responsibility I have as a leader and the responsibility I had as a follower. What I described above as my response as a younger professional is reflective of a true leader who understands the responsibilities that come with acting as such. If anything, what I described to people was more in line with managing and acting as a manager or supervisor (Northouse, 2013; Kotter, 1990).

Thankfully, I have had incredible professional opportunities since then and opportunities to watch true leadership, engage in discussions about leadership
and have students, faculty, and staff identify me as one. That final part though was the most impactful. As soon as I heard from these groups that I was seen as a leader, I finally understood what leadership is and I needed to retool.

Early in my career, I was also focused on the idea that leadership was trait-based or skills-based. As a younger adult, I constantly faced messages about leaders needing to be dominant, masculine, confident, extroverted, etc. However, we know this delegitimizes the voices of so many.

These long-held views of leadership ignore how women, people of color, and other groups appear less than or unfit for leadership roles (McEwen, 2013). It is vitally important for leaders to be aware of critical pedagogy, the larger body of theory containing critical race theory and critical feminist theory (Beachum, 2013). Critical race theory provides educators with a way of examining, analyzing, explaining the experiences of people of color. Critical feminist theory challenges us to consider women were traditionally excluded from being seen as knowers of knowledge and to consider the “shared experiences of women across the divisions of race, class, age and/or culture” (Young & Marshall, 2013, p. 977). According to Parker & Stovall, “Critical pedagogy calls for educators to be agents working for social change and equity in schools and communities” (as cited in Beachum, 2013, p. 923). This allows us the opportunity to understand our own privilege and how we may, even inadvertently, be using more traditional Western theories to encourage and sustain privilege. Foster (as cited in Rogers, 2013) said it best, “Leadership is and must be socially critical, it does not reside in an individual but in the relationship between individuals, and it is oriented towards social vision and change, not simply, or only, organizational goals” (p. 453).

Now that you’ve heard enough of how I was not leading, or leading inclusively, the true purpose of this post is to share what leadership style and philosophy. Firstly, and I think this should be obvious at this point, I believe leaders are made, not born. Coleman, Boyatzis, & McKee (2002) provide vignettes of two leaders and argue, “Although it may seem that the leaders in our examples were “born” because they acquired leadership strengths tacitly and mostly invisibly, neither was born knowing how to lead a team or develop strengths in others” (p. 101). Second, I believe the foundation of leadership is the relationship. Not just any relationship, but one that is built on mutual respect and confidence (Kouzes & Posner, 2007). Kouzes & Posner (2007) argue, “A relationship characterized by mutual respect and confidence will overcome the greatest adversities and leave a legacy of significance” (p. 24). Higher education and the field of student affairs specifically have very significant and numerous challenges that we are either facing right now or will be in the coming years. If we are to thrive through these challenges, we must engage one another in relationships characterized by mutual respect and confidence.

My leadership philosophy… 

I believe that leadership is something that can be learned and practiced by anyone who genuinely and authentically wants to make a contribution or who wants to engage, no matter their formal authority or position. Everyone within a division of student affairs, or a student organization, can engage in leadership.

I believe a leader is someone who is focused on empowering those around them and inspiring them to work toward change and transformation. Leaders listen and engage opposing viewpoints. Leaders, in collaboration with those around them, are responsible for showing and living the values of the organization. As a leader, I build positive relationships with those I am leading and we work together to engage change, support students, and tackle issues. As a consistent advocate for students and those I lead, it is my responsibility to take the vision and inspire in those a desire to succeed and excel.

I believe leaders have a sense of self-awareness and come from a place of authenticity. Leaders do not hide their mistakes and weaknesses out of fear. Leaders lead with their heart and are sensitive and open to others (George, 2003). Leaders do not forget that at the core of our organizations, groups, etc. are people. People come to the table with their own needs, concerns, crises, celebrations, dreams, etc. As leaders, we should honor those. Through being more authentic leaders and showing ourselves to those we lead, we end up inspiring and influencing transformation more than we could by keeping ourselves closed-off from those we lead.

“Leadership is a choice, not a position.”

Covey, 2022, p. 38

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Brown, R. Lara-Alecio, & S. Jackson (Eds.), The handbook of educational theories(pp. 923-928). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.
Coleman, D., Boyatzis, R., & McKee, A. (2002). Primal leadership. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Covey, S. (2022). Trust & Inspire. New York: Simon & Schuster.
George, B. (2003). Authentic leadership: Rediscovering the secrets to creating lasting value. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Kotter, J.P. (1990). A force for change: How leadership differs from management. New York: Free Press.
Kouzes, J.M. & Posner, B.Z. (2007). The Leadership challenge(4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
McEwen, M.K. (2013). The nature and uses of theory. In S.R. Komives, D.B. Woodard, & Associates (Eds.), Student services: A Handbook for the profession(pp. 153-178). San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Rogers, J.L. (2013). Leadership. In S.R. Komives, D.B. Woodard, & Associates (Eds.), Student services: A Handbook for the profession(pp. 447-465). San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Young, M.D. & Marshall, C. (2013). Critical feminist theory. In B.J. Irby, G. Brown, R. Lara-Alecio, & S. Jackson (Eds.), The handbook of educational theories(pp. 975-984). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing, Inc.