MSLD 511 Module 7- Inner Work for Authentic Leadership

Being a caring and empathetic individual has empowered me to become a more successful advisor. When students come up to me with a question, I consider the student’s point-of-view and find a solution that best fits them while following university policies. Considering students in decision making is one thing, however after watching Bill George’s video on authentic leadership, I realized that my advisement wouldn’t have been as effective without hands-on experiences.

As Northouse stated, there is no real definition of authentic leadership: it all depends on you (2015). George clarified this when discussing three important points on inner work. The first is that inner work involves real-world experience. Just as Northouse mentioned, authentic leadership can be conceptualized intrapersonally, which is the way where leaders focus on their knowledge, regulation, as well as self-concept (2015). Though putting myself in “the student’s shoes” can help me make more effective decisions, perhaps my leadership wouldn’t have been as effective without actual experience as a student from the same university I am currently working for.

Prior to getting hired as a university counselor, I was a fresh graduate from the main Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University campus in Daytona Beach, Florida. Many of my students (mostly undergraduates) look up to me because not only do I truly care for my students, but I’ve actually been through what many of the students are and will be facing. For instance, many of my students love my class recommendations because I’ve taken the same class before. Not only do I discuss what topics may be involved in the class, but I also provide information beyond that. This includes discussions about the level of difficulty for the class, the workload, as well as the timing on when the class should be taken in the degree plan. These are examples of George’s second point, where ones process experiences through some type of reflection.

Though my experiences enhance my overall performance, I can’t always depend on it. It is important for leaders to keep in mind that things change over time and that we all must be able to adapt and implement new things. This is George’s third point, where leaders seek honest feedbacks from others. Northouse also mentioned this when pointing out the interpersonal perspective of authentic leadership (2015). As a personal example, undergraduate students are required to take a research course prior to many upper-leveled courses. In the past, the only advice I gave to my students was that it should be taken as soon as you finished the prerequisites. Over time, some of these students come back and provide me more details on the class. In the end, I learned that students should take the course immediately after completing business statistics, as well as pairing it with an easier course due to the tremendous amount of coursework involved. Though I never got to experience this course, I went from my own perspectives to a blend of the student’s perspective: a closer result to actual experience.

References:

Northouse, P. (2015). Leadership: Theory and Practice 7^th ed. Los Angeles: Sage Publishing

Sound, M.T. (2012). Harvard's Bill George: Inner Work for Authentic Leadership [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmPu2LQ84ts