Zachary Moores Personal Philosophy of Leadership

Zachary Moores Personal Philosophy of Leadership

Zachary A. Moore
University of Cincinnati: Exploring Leadership Honors Seminar

Zachary Moores Personal Philosophy of Leadership

Abstract
In this personal reflection, I will explore my philosophy of leadership in many different
facets. First, I will describe my personal philosophy on what leadership means to me, citing
leadership theories such as Authentic Leadership and the Social Change Model of Leadership.
Then I will describe my communication style, conflict management style, and StrengthsFinder
strengths that construct my channels of successful leadership. When discussing these features of
my leadership style, I will simultaneously describe various situations in my life that illustrate
how my personal attributes contribute to my overall theory of fruitful leadership. These
situations will include my first and failed Eagle Scout project, my time leading my boy scout
troop as Senior Patrol Leader, my time serving as President of the Big Walnut High School Leo
Club, my experience as the Mayor of Leonard City at Buckeye Boy State, and constructing my
election platform for the Executive Treasurer position of my fraternity chapter. In closing, the
reflection will discuss how I will implement the leadership models and theories that I learned
through the Exploring Leadership Honors Seminar throughout the remainder of my life.

Page 1 of 10

Zachary Moores Personal Philosophy of Leadership

The topic of leadership can be hard to navigate and is often over-saturated with ideas and
opinions. It is certainly perplexing when one considers that most models share large portions of
their ideas, making it difficult to distinguish one from another. Whether its the Social Change
Model discussing the Consciousness of Self or the Authentic Leadership concept discussing
Intrapersonal Perspective, the overall notion of leadership is often the same picture just viewed
through different lenses. After reviewing several different models of leadership developed
through past decades, I have been able to select particular theories that I identify with most
greatly. Perhaps my greatest finding was that I believe not in one single theory of leadership
alone, but rather in many collective leadership philosophies. In addition, my philosophy of
leadership is that it cannot be taught or debated by words alone. Effective and mobilizing
leadership is unable to be quantified or measured; discussing the qualities of influence
administrators only allows people to touch the surface of what leadership actually is.
Leadership can only be properly examined through the veil of experience. Leadership is
truly taught when a person is put into the role of people management and interpersonal
empowerment. Only through this type of demanding situation can leadership be fully
contemplated and analyzed. After attaining experience in these roles, self-reflection is then
required to fully understand ones singular model of leadership. Self-reflection is key due to the
fact that no two people are the same. Since varying behaviors can be seen by different public
figures such as outspoken politicians or soft-spoken non-profit owners, leadership means
something different for each individual. Cultural and societal standards also can lead to different
types of leadership, resulting in systems like the competitive leadership roles in the US political
system or the humble exchange of ideas practiced in historical Native American tribes. What
does this prove? This demonstrates that the leadership concepts discussed later in this essay must

Page 2 of 10

Zachary Moores Personal Philosophy of Leadership

provide equal weight to the importance of personal and social attributes. My philosophy of
leadership is that, in terms of a particular persons leadership style, one must first consider the
personal attributes (such as those of communication style and conflict-management style) of the
individual. Then, the context of the persons leadership situation must be considered, including
considerations like the situational timeline and constituency. Finally, leadership models can then
be applied to that persons handling as a leader. Due to the complexity of leadership throughout
history, this analysis provides leadership researchers a guideline in performing more
comprehensive studies into leadership styles as well as human behavior research overall (for
what are leadership philosophies but an extension of sociological research?).
As mentioned above, the first part of exploring my leadership philosophy requires
looking at my personality attributes. Just as the ingredients in a cake mix can provide an idea of
what the resulting cake will turn out to be, so too do my traits illuminate the reasoning for my
leadership styles. In the Exploring Leadership Honors Seminar, three human trait tests were
taken by students: the StrengthsFinder strengths evaluation, the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode
Instrument test, and the Pierre Casse Communication: A Self-Assessment Exercise. After
taking the StrengthsFinder test, I discovered that my primary strength remains in maintaining
harmony. Not just a strength, I realized that this concept of mutual respect and maintaining
peace is a lifestyle I live every day. During the summer of 2013, I spent a week at Bowling
Green State University participating in the American Legion-sponsored Buckeye Boys State
program. What made this week special was the state government simulation that 1,600 other
boys and I were placed in, learning political functions and the importance of citizenship in public
discourse. Early in the week, we were split into cities of about 30 boys, allowing for Boys
State candidates to run for city positions. Simultaneously anxious and excited, I decided to run

Page 3 of 10

Zachary Moores Personal Philosophy of Leadership

for the position of mayor. Fortunately for me, I found no competition for the position and easily
accepted the position. As the week passed on, certain clicks developed among the boys in my
city. Barriers developed between the Cincinnati guys, the Columbus guys, the athletic guys,
along socioeconomic lines, and in random areas. In retrospect, this is when my harmony strength
most stood out. As quoted in the StrengthsFinder Action-Planning Guide, people with this
strength build a network of people with differing perspectives, often without confrontation.
Not surprisingly, this is exactly what happened. I consulted the figure-heads of each of these
unspoken factions and described my vision of a stronger city. I outlined my vision for utilizing
our groups geographical and sociological diversity to promote progress as opposed to enhancing
internal conflict and diminishing our groups culture. This clear expectation of harmony allowed
my city to prosper, earning awards in areas like city engagement throughout the week. The next
trait that formulates my leadership style is my communication style. Communication is inherent
in leadership, largely due to the fact that leadership is a reciprocal activity of organized efforts.
According to Casses Training for the Cross-cultural Mind, my communication style is
dominantly people in that I am spontaneous, empathetic, warm, subjective, emotional,
perceptive, sensitive. The best situation to illuminate this aspect of my leadership style is my
time serving my boy scout troop as the Senior Patrol Leader. Resembling the position of
president for a boy scout troop, the Senior Patrol Leader works in coordination with the Patrol
Leaders of the troop to develop troop meetings, plan campout weekends and activities, and
organize short-/longterm goals for the troop. My people-oriented communication style allowed
me to understand the opinions of each of the troop leaders and better gauge troop interest in
certain instances. In addition to the adjectives mentioned regarding the people-oriented
communication style, Casse mentions that individuals with this communication style talk

Page 4 of 10

Zachary Moores Personal Philosophy of Leadership

about Self-development, Team Spirit, Teamwork, Motivation Much of the Senior Patrol
Leaders unspoken duties included regularly probing troop morale and implementing alterations
in the course of troop activities accordingly. I often asked scouts questions like What motivates
you to keep in scouting? or How has scouting better prepared you for leadership in school,
extra-curricular activities, and your community in general? These questions and close
engagement with my boy scout counterparts exemplified the importance of my communication
orientation in my leadership. Following communication, my management style of conflict
demonstrates the last behavioral trait of my leadership approach. To learn how I best manage
conflicts, I took the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument test along with the rest of my
Exploring Leadership Honors Seminar. Also not surprisingly, the results of my test fit
accordingly with my people-oriented communication style and harmony strength; I am
accommodating when it comes to managing conflict. In my senior year at Big Walnut High
School, I had the opportunity to lead the Leo Club, a sister volunteering organization to the
Lions Club, as the President. Unfortunately, I found myself often neglecting the duties of this
position because of my already hectic schedule. To add to the problem, the teacher advisor to the
club just moved into the role after the previous advisor retired from the position with nearly 15
years of leading the club. The combination of my passive presidency and an inexperienced club
advisor inevitably brought chaos to the organization, whether in the form of awkward questions
coming from the club members about why the club was not as active or trying to negotiate
volunteering opportunities with the new advisor. How did I prefer to address the issues that
naturally arose? I shrunk into my comfort zone. After taking the conflict mode instrument, I
discovered that I attempt to protect the integrity of my leadership style by avoiding my conflicts
altogether or just accommodating to the wishes of the other parties involved. Perhaps the most

Page 5 of 10

Zachary Moores Personal Philosophy of Leadership

revealing trait of my leadership style, I understand now that I need to utilize more of a
competitive conflict style to better position my leadership activities for success. The unique
aspect of this trait is that it manifests itself both internally and externally. Becoming more
competitive not only means I can better handle interpersonal disputes. Rather, I will keep myself
accountable by being competitive with the vision I have of myself exemplifying my leadership
style versus my actual self. Often times, it is not that people do not understand what type of
leader they are that inhibits them from fulfilling their personal leadership vision. It is the fear of
facing the challenges required for authentic leadership or the fear of leaving ones comfort zone
that dismantles the opportunities to be a sincere leader in their respective fields. Being more
competitive with myself will challenge me to take those necessary steps to becoming a more
authentic leader, a lacking challenge that resulted in my failure as the Leo Club President.
The most defining feature of leadership derives from a persons particular values and
beliefs. Understanding ones values is an integral asset among the entire set of leadership
theories, especially in the Social Change Model of Leadership. While the behavioral traits I
possess act as channels to enact my leadership philosophy, the direction of my philosophy is
grounded in my moral compass. Like most of humanity, this compass is oriented primarily by
my religious background and societal beliefs. In fact, a significant portion of my leadership
philosophy can be derived from the teachings of Christ over two millennia ago. As a servant
leader and arguably the most authentic leader in recorded history, this holy man provided one of
the best models of leadership still known. More importantly, the value set he instilled in the
Christian faith, including those values of love, hope, peace, kindness, gentleness, and selfcontrol, has allowed people like me a set of values to develop our personal leadership styles
around. Instead of just blindly following certain leadership models, having the spiritual integrity

Page 6 of 10

Zachary Moores Personal Philosophy of Leadership

(or in the case of an atheist, personal convictions) to guide leadership styles allows for a
wholesome philosophy leadership, not just one that follows the whims of societal evolution. My
underlying belief of leadership is that every person on this planet is created for specific
leadership purposes, whether it is for situational needs or for personal growth. While being a
leader is not an inherited trait, certain skill sets and innate behaviors allow for individuals to
excel in their particular style of leadership. When a leader follows his/her principled beliefs,
these skill sets then act as channels of leadership.
This is when the different leadership models come into play. Since there are over seven
billion people on this planet and growing, providing different categorizations for personal
leadership philosophies allows for a better way to view leadership systematically. Due to its allencompassing nature, the leadership style I most personally identify with is the Social Change
Model of Leadership. The Social Change Model reflects my philosophy because it looks first at
the individual, resembling my belief that all leadership derives from personal values first and
foremost. Second, the Model explores Group Values and the way it capitalizes on the multiple
talents and perspectives of each group member (Komives, Lucas, McMahon, pg. 455). The
Group Values functions through the leadership channels previously mentioned, including
behavioral and personality traits. Lastly, the Model promotes change through the sense of
citizenship and belonging to the overall community of an organization. This again reflects the
fundamental nature of value sets within leadership. This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to run
for the Executive position of Treasurer in my fraternity chapter of Beta Theta Pi. Running against
a third-year business major with a year of experience as house manager, I knew that my platform
and speech had to be persuasive, enlightening, and firmly authentic. In preparation for my
speech, I employed the Social Change Model to design my platform. The first part of selling my

Page 7 of 10

Zachary Moores Personal Philosophy of Leadership

dynamic leadership was selling myself as an individual to the fraternity. Not only was I
scrutinized for my competency as a leader on the Executive Board, I was questioned about I
intended to follow through with the ideas included on my platform (congruence) and then my
level of commitment to this position. Next, I included in my running platform that I would
engage the brothers in house by providing weekly office hours (collaboration) and providing
monthly newsletters with treasurer updates and goal completion (common purpose). In addition,
I indicated on my platform that my handling of late payments and private issues would be done
respectably and sensibly (controversy with civility). Finally, the overall tone of my speech
indicated that I would handle our chapters financial issues with accountability and equity,
ensuring a long-term sustainability of our fraternity for future generations (citizenship). When
considered holistically, this model establishes a longevity and security in organizational change.
The next leadership model that I align my philosophy of leadership with is the Relational
Leadership Model. Why would I divide my personal philosophy between the two? This is
because of the active concepts of change employed in the Relational Leadership Model, such as
inclusivity, empowering, and ethical processes. While the Social Change Model specifies needed
aspects of change, the Relational Leadership Model describes the actions necessary to bring the
change about. To illustrate the Relational Leadership Model in relation to my philosophy of
leadership, I will describe my first Eagle Scout project that failed. To complete the requirements
for becoming an Eagle Scout, one must first complete an extensive Eagle project. Entering into
high school, I began thinking about the options I had. On the Labor Day of my freshmen year, I
volunteered parking cars at my church since people generally park there when going to the
Sunbury Village Square (theres a parade and market set up on Labor Day). Unfortunately,
people must first cross a heavy-traffic bridge in order to get to the square. Seeing this, I came up

Page 8 of 10

Zachary Moores Personal Philosophy of Leadership

with the idea of a more direct route, a pedestrian bridge, connecting my church parking lot to the
village square (Purpose). After a series of meetings with local village officials including the
mayor and village council, the proposal blossomed. The project was quickly approved by both
the Sunbury Village Council and the Sunbury United Methodist Church Trustees (Inclusive). I
then began a marketing campaign for the project, encouraging my boy scout troop to get
involved (Empowering). Through a Donatos-sponsored pizza luncheon and the generosity of my
churchs congregation, the project budget soon grew over $30,000. I was even fortunate enough
to have received a $15,000 anonymous donation! To ensure the accountable handling of the
money, I placed all of the donations into a church bank account (Ethical). Unfortunately, the
project never entered into fruition on account of mounting construction expenses. However, the
entire process provided me my greatest experience as a leader thus far. Because of my
consistency of keeping the purpose of improving pedestrian safety at the forefront of the project,
the empowerment of others and inclusive nature of the project were easily maintained. Perhaps
with more time and greater funding, this project will continue in the future. My greatest
takeaway of this experience was that my relational leadership led to over $35,000 in donations,
all due to the amazing results of effective empowerment and necessary group inclusion.
Having discovered my sense of leadership philosophy, I will continue to develop my
values into every aspect of my life. Being an authentic leader requires consistency, something I
will strive to maintain moving into future leadership positions. I will also utilize my newly-found
communication style, conflict management style, and strengths as effective channels of my
leadership style to others. Applying the critical 7 Cs of social change found in the Social
Change Model to actively engage others through the process-oriented Relational Leadership
Model, my philosophy of leadership has been developed for decades to come.

Page 9 of 10

Zachary Moores Personal Philosophy of Leadership

Works Cited
1. Wagner, Wendy, and Daniel T. Ostick. Exploring Leadership for College Students Who
Want to Make a Difference. New York: Wiley, 2013. Print.
2. "Clifton StrengthsFinder." Clifton StrengthsFinder. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2014.
3. Kilmann, Ralph H., and Kenneth W. Thomas. Conflict Mode Instrument. Mountain
View, CA: CPP, 2002. Web.
4. Casse, Pierre. Training for the Cross-cultural Mind: A Handbook for Cross-cultural
Trainers and Consultants. Washington, D.C.: Society for Intercultural Education,
Training, and Research, 1981. Print.

Page 10 of 10