Alexis Ehrlich
Zach Wahls, at the age of 18, testified in front of the Iowa House Judiciary Committee against the possible constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in Iowa. Mr. Wahls preached the idea of marriage equality and that the sexual orientation of one's parents does not have a large impact on the character of that individual. He is now a gay rights activist and tours to promote same-sex marriage and gay rights awareness.
I used Mr. Whals as the subject of this Leadership Response Paper because he is a prime example of a speaker who is also a leader and utilizes multiple leadership theories and approaches to achieve his goal of marriage equality. Throughout my paper I describe the many leadership styles of Mr. Wahls, define each approach, and relate them back to his goal of raising awareness for gay rights. Although his speech to the Iowa House Judiciary Committee is all over the internet, he spoke at the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2012 to a large and supporting crowd. I was able to see, first hand, the leadership theories he employed throughout the speech to convey the trials and tribulation he and his family have overcome.
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Leadership Response Paper
Examples of My Leadership
As a result of my leadership courses and involvement, I am a confident and competent leader. I consider myself a servant leader who understands the importance of team work, authenticity, flexibility, charisma, and uniting individuals under a common goal. My goal, as a leader, is to empower and inspire others to be the change they want to see in the world. Below are three assignments where I demonstrate my understanding of multiple leadership theories and describe my leadership style.
Starting any project with your "WHY" or your reasoning behind the task will allow you to be more successful and influential. Simon Sinek wrote the book Start With Why to teach his readers that those who lead inspire their followers to take action through their beliefs. Why an individual or organization does what they do is the catalyst for change.
Within my response paper you will notice my thorough understanding of the concept of framing, a complete analysis of Sinek's main points, the insights I learned, and a deep understanding of how framing influences leadership. Framing is how an individual constructs his/her message to elicit a certain response. Leaders cannot control events, but they can control the context if they have a strong understanding of the art of framing.
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Start With Why
Communicating Your Leadership
I have taken the time to compare my leadership style with a trip leader position for an active travel company. Although the trip leader position and the Organizational Development profession are quite different, similar situations occur in both fields. After reading my paper you will be familiar with my approach to leading and recognize my ability to work with diverse groups of people. I practice servant leadership and recognize the significance and meaning of working as a team, uniting individuals through a commonality, and being authentic, flexible, and charismatic. As a leader, I want to encourage and influence people to be the change they want to see in the world.
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