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One does not need to be in a leadership position in order to influence or make an impact onto a person or an organization. 

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One does not need to be in a leadership position in order to influence or make an impact onto a person or an organization. 

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Throughout this semester I have learned through readings, the text and through my peers that you do not need to be in a leadership position in order to become a Level 3 leader. It is something that all of us could be doing every day, and maybe some of us are but have not realized that. I often didn't see myself as a true leader because I simply didn't have the "title", however, this class has helped me recognize that I've been leading every single day and i didn't even know it. I've learned about my own VABEs and I've learned how to better observe and see others VABEs. I see these learnings about myself as aiding in development of my Leadership Point of View.

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As a leader, it is important to be passionate about your work. 

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As a leader, it is important to be passionate about your work. 

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I have had an eye opening moment at work over the past six months. There are several leaders within my company that lead on a level 1, where they see team members as numbers and output. I believe that this is due to a few factors, with one being simply not knowing how to be an effective leader (emphasizing power over influence, productivity over compassion, etc). However, I strongly believe for some of these leaders, the underlying denominator is lack of passion in their work which truly translates to their behavior towards their team members. I truly believe that leadership is an affair of the heart and that if you love what you do, it will translate into their every day life and leadership style. It is especially important to exert positive energy and passion towards what you to do when you are in a leadership position and when you have followers. Without knowing, others may be looking up to you and you may be leaving an impact on them without even realizing.

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Choose to lead with compassion and an open heart. 

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Choose to lead with compassion and an open heart. 

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A recent LinkedIn article really struck a cord with me. It read, "What if instead of your manager telling you, 'Your numbers have been down for the past three quarters, and if you don't improve your future with this company is uncertain', your manager instead said, 'Your numbers have been down for the past three quarters.... are you okay? What is going on? Is there anything that I can help you with?". Leading with an open heart, listening to others, being compassionate, leading with your VABEs and tapping into others VABEs is an important leadership technique. I choose to leads with compassion because I would want the same done for me. I choose to lead with an open heart because outside of work we are all cut from the same cloth. I choose to lead with compassion because it shows respect for your followers and builds their trust in you as a leader.

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Managing your own energy first is a key component of being a successful and effective leader. 

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Managing your own energy first is a key component of being a successful and effective leader. 

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I have learned that my energy impact my productivity and energies of those around me. I have learned that being exemplary, upbeat and positive enables those around me and also myself to flourish. I have not always been the best at managing my own energy at work, however, I have learned that if I don't, it can hinder my productivity and relationships around me. I believe that having a work-life balance is a key component of managing your own energy, Although inspirational, Elon Musks' work ethic should not be confused for effective leadership, as he has been known to not exemplify certain leadership characteristics that we have learned about this semester. I believe that knowing how to properly manager your own energy will allow you to become a true level 3 leader.

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A team charter is an incredibly useful and valuable tool in improving team success.

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A team charter is an incredibly useful and valuable tool in improving team success.

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I have mentioned in a previous VAC that I first learned about team charters during a Leading and Managing People course in the Loyola PMBA program, where in the beginning of the semester we created a team charter for the group project. It allowed us to utilize everyone's strengths and set expectations for the semester. I have recently created a team charter for a $1.5 million dollar project at work where 10+ key players are involved. The charter included information such as expectations, deliverables, goals, and overall mission and strategy. I have found that clearly outlining the goals of the project have created a comradery and have lead to more effective and productive project meetings. As a leader, I now see the importance of clarifying the purpose, vision, values, and goals for my project teams as it has already had a positive impact and has proven to be effective.

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Being an ethical leader is more than just conforming to your organizations corporate social responsibility policies. 

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Being an ethical leader is more than just conforming to your organizations corporate social responsibility policies. 

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I have always associated ethics within a workplace with following the CSR policies that are in place, however, from this class I learned that it is so much more than just that. I have never fully considered CSR to be genuine endeavors, instead I see these policies as a way for companies to cover themselves. This class taught me that truth-telling, promise keeping, fairness and respect for the individual are also very important cornerstones of ethical leadership that should not be ignored. I think that because there cornerstones are not formally mentioned or written down within the CSR policy, they get lost or never get applied. I strongly believe that without these four cornerstones in place, leadership is not likely to be effective or long lasting.

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One of the most powerful ways to inspire followers is by listening, learning by asking questions, learning from mistakes and engaging others. 

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One of the most powerful ways to inspire followers is by listening, learning by asking questions, learning from mistakes and engaging others. 

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I believe that an effective leader understands that they do not have all the right answers and probably never will. Engaging others, asking questions and learning from their own mistakes is an effective way to build trust in your followers. As we learned in the Influencing Others without Formal Authority, leadership is all about the three I's - invite, include and inspire. One of the most powerful ways to inspire your followers is by listening. This shows that the leader cares and thus builds trust. Leading by asking respectful and humble questions shows humility and has potential to inspire your followers.

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Having a leadership strategy is a key component of effective leadership

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Having a leadership strategy is a key component of effective leadership

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An effective leader must not only have the qualities that appeals to followers but leaders must also lead by initiating and managing change. This includes bridging the gap and understanding the relationship between the followers, the organization and the environment as a whole. Being an effective leader is understanding how these elements work together. We must not forget that leading is not just about appealing to followers, but it is also ensuring that the organizational design is effective and is working. This is also where having a vision comes into play. A leader cannot be effective without the ability to see the whole picture, without a vision and without a strategy.