Leadership is defined as a transformational relationship where vision, empowerment, and positive attitude are communicated between leaders and followers to achieve mutual goals through collaboration. It involves: 1) Communication of a vision from leaders to inspire followers. Leaders empower followers and foster trust and teamwork. 2) Leaders and followers working interdependently to inspire meaningful change through shared leadership and charisma. 3) Leadership being practiced through inspiration of followers, sharing power, and getting the right people involved in collaborative efforts.

1. Personal Philosophy of
Leadership
Megan Gorham
Leadership and Organizational Studies
Chapman University
May 12, 2009

2. Definition
Leadership is a transformational
relationship where vision,
empowerment, and positive
attitude are communicated
between leader(s) and followers
who have a mutual goal of change
through collaborative eorts.

3. The Leadership Pinwheel
•WHAT: A
transformational
relationship,
communication-centered
WH •WHERE: Climate of Trust,
O W
Respect, and Teamwork
O
H
•WHO: Leaders and
Followers
WH
T
ER
A
•HOW: Communication of
E
H
W
vision, Empowerment
WHY
•WHY: Circular, Free-
flowing
•WHEN: Now!

4. Definition
(“What” Elements)
Leadership is a transformational
relationship where vision,
empowerment, and positive
attitude are communicated
between leader(s) and followers
who have a mutual goal of change
through collaborative eorts.

5. WHAT: Is Leadership?
Transformational
A Relationship: Change:
• Between LEADERS and • Development and
FOLLOWERS Growth
• Interdependent • Results in a sense of
dedication and
Communication-Centered
belongingness
• Free-Flowing • Inspires motivation
•Multi-directional
•Upward
•Lateral
•Downward

6. Definition
(“Where” Elements)
Leadership is a transformational
relationship where vision,
empowerment, and positive
attitude are communicated
between leader(s) and followers
who have a mutual goal of change
through collaborative eorts.

7. WHERE: The Culture of
Leadership
Trust and Structure of Organization
Empowerment
• Mutual Trust and Respect • Web-like
must be practiced and • Interconnected
valued
“The leader is in the center
of things”
~Sally Helgeson, The
Female Advantage
“A Great Leader gets the
right people on the bus,
Teams WORK
enabling the leader to follow
with trust” Teamwork is valued over
~ Jim Collins, Good to Great
individual achievement

8. Definition
(“Who” Elements)
Leadership is a transformational
relationship where vision,
empowerment, and positive
attitude are communicated
between leader(s) and followers
who have a mutual goal of change
through collaborative eorts.

9. WHO: Are Leaders and
Followers?
Servant 1st , Leader 2nd
Positive
• Communicated and •Open forum of communication
practiced in the •Inspires mutual respect trust
relationship
“This is how you get respect, by
offering something that you have”
~Morrie Scwartz, Tuesdays with
Morrie
“Sharing the leadership role by
working side by side with others
will make people feel naturally
inclined to follow”
~ Mark Maier, Lecture 9/2/2008
“Keep the Faith, Baby”
~ Captain Charles Plumb

10. WHO: Are Leaders and
Followers?
Charisma
Followers
• Ability to inspire • Trust and Empowerment
confidence and motivation • Leader/Follower Roles are
through empowerment not static
“[Leaders] know the
“A good leader gets above
importance of surrounding
average results out of
themselves with strong and
average people” talented people”
~ Sue Graham, Macy’s ~ Jim Collins, Good To Great

11. Definition
(“How” Elements)
Leadership is a transformational
relationship where vision,
empowerment, and positive
attitude are communicated
between leader(s) and followers
who have a mutual goal of change
through collaborative eorts.

12. HOW: is Leadership
Practiced?
Inspire Meaningful
Communication of Change
• Strong, inspirational • Through charisma and
articulation of vision communication of vision
• Provides a sense of • Ability to aect the
direction, purpose and attitudes, values, and
climate of change. beliefs of followers
• When communicated with
Empowerment
charisma, followers will
identify with the •Power sharing
atmosphere •Result of mutual respect
and trust
•Most important – Get the
right people

13. WHY: a Pinwheel?
•WHAT: Relationship with
Information
•WHERE: The Leader is in
Communication
the center of things
Fo
•WHO: Leaders and
llo
er
we
w
r
Followers are
llo
Fo
interdependent
Leader
•HOW: Communication
Fo
er
llo
w
w
and information flow
er
llo
Fo
freely
Information
•WHEN: New
opportunities for growth
in every revolution.

14. WHY: a Pinwheel?
•WHAT: A
transformational
relationship,
communication-centered
WH •WHERE: Climate of Trust,
O W
Respect, and Teamwork
O
H
•WHO: Leaders and
Followers
WH
T
ER
A
•HOW: Communication of
E
H
W
vision, Empowerment
WHY
•WHY: Circular, Free-
flowing
•WHEN: Now!

15. Definition Revisited
Leadership is a transformational
relationship where vision,
empowerment, and positive
attitude are communicated
between leader(s) and followers
who have a mutual goal of change
through collaborative eorts.

16. Definition Revisited
Leadership is a transformational
relationship where vision,
empowerment, and positive
attitude are communicated
between leader(s) and followers
who have a mutual goal of change
through collaborative eorts.

17. Definition Revisited
Leadership is a transformational
relationship where vision,
empowerment, and positive
attitude are communicated
between leader(s) and followers
who have a mutual goal of change
through collaborative eorts.

18. Definition Revisited
Leadership is a transformational
relationship where vision,
empowerment, and positive
attitude are communicated
between leader(s) and followers
who have a mutual goal of change
through collaborative eorts.

19. Definition Revisited
Leadership is a transformational
relationship where vision,
empowerment, and positive
attitude are communicated
between leader(s) and followers
who have a mutual goal of change
through collaborative eorts.

20. Resources
Albom, Mitch Tuesdays with Morrie; An Old Man, A Young Man and Life’s
Great Lesson. Broadway Books: New York, 2000.
Butler, J. DeWine, S. and Moda, D.P. Organizational Communication:
Foundations, Challenges and Misunderstandings. Boston, MA: Pearson
Education, Inc. 2008
Collins, Jim Good To Great. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2001.
Daft, Richard. The Leadership Experience. Mason, OH: Thomson
Southwestern. 2006
Greenleaf, Robert K. Mark Maier. Lecture. Chapman University. October 2008.
Graham, Sue. Personal Interview. 1 March, 2008. 9:00AM
Maier, Mark (Editor) Leading As A Way of Serving Supplemental Readings
Packet, 2008.
Helgeson, Sally The Female Advantage: Women’s Ways of Leadership. Double
Day: New York. 1990.
Rost, Joseph. Leadership for the 21st Century. Westport. Praeger. 1991.