Leading with integrity is the rising tide that lifts all boats to a position where excellence and meaning can be pursued and trusting relationships fortified.

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My leadership philosophy grew out of a desire to live a life of meaning and purpose. I aspire to promote the good, the true and the beautiful. Leaders have a responsibility to create a grand vision of what is possible and model the way to advance that vision.

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Integrity

Integrity is the fundamental principle of my leadership philosophy. Integrity and competence are the defining qualities or a good leader. Leaders with integrity do what they say they are going to do. This is one area of leadership I have focused on throughout my time at Gonzaga. I have tried to act and speak the truth as clearly and succinctly as possible.  Integrity creates a solid foundation for me to work from and to engage with others. I treat others as I want to be treated, fairly and as an equal. I hold myself accountable for my actions. Accountable means I keep my commitments to others, and I help others be accountable. Integrity coupled with accountability inevitably leads to success even in the face of failure.  Integrity implies a standard and failure is the price paid for standards. I have taken the motto of Jocko Willink, “we either win or we learn.” Leaders have to make critical decisions that sometimes fail to meet expectations. There is no disgrace in failure so long as the decision was based on sound principles and enacted in good faith. Failure of this caliber is an opportunity to learn, readjust and move forward because it is not a failure of character. Kouzes & Posner (2017) stated, “The difference between an exemplary leader and an individual risk-taker is that leaders create the conditions where people want to join with them in the struggle. Leaders make risk safe…of course when you experiment, not everything works out as intended."

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Trust

The risk involved in pursuing grand visions demand integrity as a foundation for trust. Trust’s power lies in its ability to create possibilities and innovation. Trust is the core of collaborative action. Organizations built on integrity and trust share information, challenge the status quo, admit mistakes and engage in rigorous debate in a united effort to advance the vision of the whole. I lead a team tasked with creating curriculum, traditions, and processes for a new charter high school. We had to make hundreds of decisions. Decisions concerning curriculum were contentious. Everyone shared the vision of a classical, rigorous education but differed on its execution. By trusting each other’s motives, attacking the problem and not the person we were able to develop a curriculum that incorporated the best of all ideas presented.  The first year we made several course corrections as theory and practice collided. Failures were quickly addressed and corrected. We capitalized on our successes and leveraged them to increase enrollment and visibility. By the third year we reached full enrollment.

 

This experience reinforced my commitment to enabling others to act. I do this by teaming with competent people then getting out of their way so they can do what they do best. My leadership style is to set the standard, clarify the vision, remove barriers to achieving the ideal, and create a path forward. I believe people work best when they are given clear directions and the freedom to leverage their strengths in accomplishing their tasks. This approach creates a win – win environment that values the individual and their unique contributions. 

 

Communication

To be more effective, I spend time in daily reflection following the Ignatius model. Each night I review my day and note times I have not been authentic in my speech or have been judgmental in my questioning. These observations give me an opportunity to plan how to act the next time I slip into old habits. In Dr. Conner’s class I learned the ladder of inference. This is an incredibly useful tool in helping me understand my decisions, the decisions of others, and how to engage in discussion that challenges assumptions without challenging the person. I utilize questions to encourage deeper conversations and greater mutual understanding. My LPI 360 revealed a weakness in encouraging the heart which presents as a lack of empathy. By leveraging my strength of seeking to understand how my actions affect others, I intentionally express genuine concern and encouragement through maximizing my daily conversations. What I’m seeking in these conversations is a commitment to growth and a strengthening of trust on which to build a future of success for all involved.

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Value of the Individual

I firmly believe people are our greatest resource. This belief has not changed since I began my leadership studies at Gonzaga. In truth, I have become more convinced of the intrinsic value of human capital. Northouse (2016) stated, “ Servant leadership places a premium on treating each follower as a unique person with intrinsic value that goes beyond his or her tangible contribution to the organization” (p. 228). I ascribe to Robert Greenleaf’s definition of a servant leader. “The servant-leader is servant first…The best test is: do those served grow as persons: do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?” (Greenleaf, 1977/2002, p. 27). Individuals acting with integrity and initiative transform the world - not organizations or governments. 

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A Change of Mind

One assumption that has changed is my belief that everyone wants to be a leader. I have concluded the responsibility of leadership is not a mantel everyone is comfortable carrying. Understanding what motivates people and what they value helps me identify those that want the challenge of leadership and those whose strengths and interests could be used more effectively in other areas. Leaders and followers need each other; their symbiotic relationship maximizes talent. Carey’s Five Frames (1999) opened my thinking to how others perceive leadership in ways contrary but equally valid to my own. Looking through a new lens allows me to create opportunities more aligned with people’s values. I exploit coaching conversations to identify next steps, clarify what success looks like and identify and address barriers to advancement to assist both leaders and followers.

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Personal Transformation

Latent potential is a tragedy. I contribute to the good, the true and the beautiful in the world as I help others grow and transform. Personal transformation advances my vision of the world in which the majority of individuals live purpose driven lives that lift themselves, their families and their communities. Leading with integrity and authenticity, I seek to create opportunities to unleash the abundant potential inherent in all human beings.