Leadership Essay, Research Paper

Leadership has always been a key to my success in life. In today’s business world, effective leadership at all levels is required. I use the same concepts in leading my family, as I do in my business and church. Leadership does make a difference. For example, my daughter is required to take a leadership class at the freshman level of high school. It is my desire that through this course I will be able to use the research findings about leadership to improve my own leadership style.

In this paper, I wish to discuss the concepts of anti-dieting, the four dimensions of Steven Covey, and Dressing for success.

Part of my five-year goal is to become disciplined in the management of my physical body. I realize that with out good physical health, today’s leaders can not stand up to the challenges of corporate life. I have learned that weight does not matter, but the amount of body fat is what counts. I currently am not disciplined in this area. I am convinced that by lowering the amount of fat and increasing the lean muscle mass of my body will help make me a better leader in today’s corporate world. I must eat strategically to boost my business stamina, creativity, and productivity.

Currently I do not eat strategically. I do not make time for a small, nutritious breakfast each day. I have learned to better myself I must do this every day. Eating small meals like an apple every two hours or so throughout the day to keep my energy up. I plan to tap into my body’s survival instincts and force it to realize that it does not need to store fat against famine. I believe that my body will then operate at a higher metabolic rate and burn fat faster. I hope to build a pattern that will keep me fit and give me a total lifestyle change.

I have learned from the six principles of anti-dieting that there will be backsliding. I hope to surround my self with the most positive people, who will encourage me to stay on track, as I will continue to encourage them. I have a problem with high stress levels now. I have learned that stress can be positive because it is energy expenditure in all its forms. I know that avoiding stress reverses functional capacity and seeking stress will help me reach my highest potential. With the new knowledge I have gained from this class, I know that stress only becomes dangerous when it is not balanced by appropriate and adequate recovery.

Calorie counting will no longer be the way I diet. I will enjoy eating healthy foods because recovery means recapturing energy. Adequate sleep is at the top of my recovery list. Nutrition comes in second, with the use of plenty of clean water to flush the toxins out of my body. Exercise will provide an outlet for my stress, while allowing me to sweat the poisons out of my system. Exercise does improve my performance at work and with my family. I hope by using the concepts that I will be more energetic, effective, and creative.

While reading some of Steven Covey’s works I realized that his four dimensions have always been a part of my life. The concept of Security has helped me reflect on my identity, sense of self worth, and self esteem. The in class testing of my OML class has reflected what I already know. It showed me that I was well rounded, and a natural born leader. I have learned that I do need improvement in many areas of my life. Now I will begin working on improving my self.

Guidance is something everyone needs. I realize my immediate need for a suitable mentor. Over the years, my mentors have been rare. Through the concepts of remapping oneself, I have accomplished things such as financial security. A current weakness I am working on is finance. I appear to be somewhat of an extremist. I am dominant in most of my daily activities. I am working on listening to others more, thinking before I speak, while constantly observing my surroundings to improve myself.

Wisdom is what I learn from my elders and the previous mentors I have mentioned. I am working on my sense of balance by learning to understand the various parts and principles of my education relate to each other in my life. My education is showing me how to follow the sensitive, practical approach to reality.

Dressing for success is still truly alive and well. Over the years, I have worked for the Boeing Company on the factory floor. Due to the nature of my work, I have always worn my oldest clothing, so that I would not ruin my good clothing on the job. I have owned work clothes and dress cloths. This has gone one step further into my private life. I have become far too lax in my personal dress code at family, social, and school events. I deem this a business weakness. In a Leadership skill building exercise I took out of our textbook, I found this a business weakness of mine. To improve this business flaw, I have started reading the men’s fashion magazines and articles in popular business publications. I now know how to begin marketing myself for that leadership position I want with a world class company after graduation.

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