Leaders of Today
Leaders of Today
MGT 380
Bruce-Alan Barnard
26 January 2013
Leaders of Today I feel about the airplane much as I do in regard to fire. That is, I regret all the terrible damage caused by fire. But I think it is good for the human race that someone discovered how to start fires, and that it is possible to put fire to thousands of important uses. (Orville Wright) This quote may not make sense to those outside the United States Air Force, but to me it says everything. We have been trained to live by three core values and exercise them at any cost. The question is, who taught us these core values and how to excel within this big machine called the Air Force? Today’s leaders have brought us all into a world of great expectation and pride, but owe their success to great minds of our past. In order for any organization to really stand strong within the perils of this world a solid core or base is needed. For example, in the Air Force we start with integrity because it is the essential element or the foundation on which other values are built. It 's being honest with others as well as with yourself and doing what 's right at all times. Next is our military service -an uncommon profession -- that calls for people with an enduring commitment and dedication to the mission. It requires us to have a sense to service before self. This brings us to excellence in all we do, our third core value. All Americans have entrusted military members with our nation 's security. In order for this core to hold true to its roots, it must be taught and held to a higher standard, Leadership. Leadership is the ability to influence followers to achieve common goals through shared purposes (Rost, 1993; Rost & Barker, 2000). Through time, good or bad leadership has affected us all, and we either grow from it or have followed the path of least resistance. The strange part of this journey is where we will end up if misguided
MGT 380
Bruce-Alan Barnard
26 January 2013
Leaders of Today I feel about the airplane much as I do in regard to fire. That is, I regret all the terrible damage caused by fire. But I think it is good for the human race that someone discovered how to start fires, and that it is possible to put fire to thousands of important uses. (Orville Wright) This quote may not make sense to those outside the United States Air Force, but to me it says everything. We have been trained to live by three core values and exercise them at any cost. The question is, who taught us these core values and how to excel within this big machine called the Air Force? Today’s leaders have brought us all into a world of great expectation and pride, but owe their success to great minds of our past. In order for any organization to really stand strong within the perils of this world a solid core or base is needed. For example, in the Air Force we start with integrity because it is the essential element or the foundation on which other values are built. It 's being honest with others as well as with yourself and doing what 's right at all times. Next is our military service -an uncommon profession -- that calls for people with an enduring commitment and dedication to the mission. It requires us to have a sense to service before self. This brings us to excellence in all we do, our third core value. All Americans have entrusted military members with our nation 's security. In order for this core to hold true to its roots, it must be taught and held to a higher standard, Leadership. Leadership is the ability to influence followers to achieve common goals through shared purposes (Rost, 1993; Rost & Barker, 2000). Through time, good or bad leadership has affected us all, and we either grow from it or have followed the path of least resistance. The strange part of this journey is where we will end up if misguided
References: Inner Work of Leaders : Leadership As a Habit of Mind Mackoff, Barbara Wenet, Gary Alan Pages: 233 Publisher: AMACOM Books Location: Saranac Lake, NY, USA Date Published: 09/2000 Filling the Leadership PipelineKaiser, Robert B. Pages: 125 Publisher: Center for Creative Leadership Location: Greensboro, NC, USA Date Published: 2005 Mastering Leadership Williams, Michael Pages: 292 Publisher: Thorogood Publishing Location: London, GBR Date Published: 2006 Weiss, J. W. (2011). An introduction to leadership. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.