1. Developing a Personal Leadership Philosophy
LD 2-

2. Training Objective Task: Develop a personal leadership philosophy​
Condition: Given a class, example, reflection guide, and format
Standard: your personal leadership philosophy in the required format to your TAC by the date he specifies
Format for personal leadership philosophy is posted in CITLEARN
“Developing an Effective Command Philosophy” by Harry Garner, Military Review, Sept-Oct 2012 is also posted as a reference

3. Personal Leadership Philosophy: Definition
“A set of beliefs, values, and principles that strongly influences how we interpret reality and guide our understanding of influencing humans. It’s our philosophy, our understanding, and interpretation of leadership, that affects how we react to people, events, and situations around us.”
George Ambler
Ask what are beliefs, values, and principles. (Answer on next slide)

4. Beliefs, Values, Principles
Convictions people hold as true
Derived from upbringing, culture, religious background, and traditions
Values
Deep-seated personal beliefs that shape a person’s behavior
Principles
Moral rules or beliefs that help you know what is right and wrong and that influences your actions
See for one organization’s articulation of its beliefs, values, and principles
The beliefs, values, and principles of CADRE, a parent organization in South Los Angeles that focuses on schools, are at this link and posted on CITLEARN

5. Personal Leadership Philosophy: Purpose
Articulates “what the leader believes” concerning leadership
Creates a map that guides the leader as he attempts to shape a positive organizational climate
“Through the application of a personal leadership philosophy as manifested in the organizational command philosophy, the leader imparts his values throughout the organization and affects its moral and operational compass.”
Harry Garner
What is a “positive organizational climate?”
How does the leader influence this?
What are good and bad examples?

6. Personal Leadership Philosophy: Process
“Reflection on your life story and your experiences can help you understand them at a deeper level—and so you can reframe your life story in a more coherent way as your future direction becomes congruent with the knowledge of which you are and the kind of person you want to become.”
Bill George
We are all products of our experiences. What are some key experiences that have shaped who you are?

7. Personal Leadership Philosophy: Development
Reflect on one’s past experience, values, and beliefs
Identify transformational events or “crucibles” the leader experiences in life
Codify the changes in values and beliefs that result from crucibles
Of those experiences, what are some that might rise to being designated as “crucibles?” Certainly your cadet experience would be a likely candidate. How has that experience shaped your beliefs, values, and principles? How is your leadership philosophy different now than it was when you were a senior in high school?

8. A Sample Personal Leadership Philosophy
A Clemson “orientation ambassador”
Here is a personal leadership philosophy of a Clemson student. As you listen, try to pick our her beliefs, values, and principles? What experiences have shaped her? Note that she is an orientation ambassador for her school. How might her leadership philosophy influence her performance of those duties?

9. Crucibles: Good Times Defining Moment
Thoughts and feelings at the time
How it changed you
Write down some crucible that you would consider “good times” in this format.
Give the cadets about three minutes to do this and then ask someone to share one of their crucibles.

10. Crucibles: Bad Times Defining Moment Thoughts and feelings at the time
How it changed you
Do the same for crucibles that would be considered “bad times.” Be careful not to put anyone on the spot with anything that might be embarrassing.

11. Beliefs, Values, and Principles
My beliefs xx
My values
My principles
Give cadets three-five minutes to record their beliefs, values, and principles and then ask someone to share some examples.

12. Relationship to People and Situations
How I influence people xx
How I react to people
How I react to situations
Same for how they influence people, react to people, and react to situations.

13. Impact on your Leadership and the Organization
My definition of leadership xx
How I lead
How that effects my organization
Same for how they define leadership, how they lead, and how that effects their organization.

14. Assignment Finalize this rough draft
Transfer it to the worksheet in CITLEARN
it to your TAC by the date he assigns
This exercise gives them a start for completing the personal leadership philosophy in the format posted in CITLEARN. Assign them a due date to it to you by. Use it in counseling.

15. AAR for this LTP Sustain Improve
AAR the class as an LTP and forward your comments to the Assistant Commandant for Leadership Programs please. Thanks