2. Russell Underwood
Dr. Scrutton
BUS 3430
11/30/2014
Leadership Philosophy
Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. Becoming a good
leader is different from becoming a good manager. Becoming a good leader comes with
experience, self-practice, and learning from mistakes. Whereas becoming a good manager just
entails doing things by the book. Managers are told how to do a good job. A good leader is one
who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.
Becoming a good leader is not something that happens overnight. A good example of a
leader is a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer in the military. These officers must lead anywhere
from 200 to 10,000 soldiers. But it can 15+ years to become a Senior Non-Commissioned
Officer. A soldier in this position must have excellent leadership skills because they are
responsible for the lives of all the soldiers beneath them. Soldiers look up to their leader just like
employees in every other job look up to the people they feel are leaders. A leader is not always
3. in a management position. Most people actually dislike their manager but choose to listen and
look up to the person that works with them that has the most experience. People that have been
around the company for a while must be doing something right or else they wouldn't still be
working there. The veterans of a company will help the rookies and teach them how things get
run and the shortcuts on getting things done. A leader takes care of the people he/she is leading.
To become a leader a person must not only change the way they act but also the way
they think. A leader cannot only think of themselves when they make a decision. When a
decision is made they must think of how their decision will impact the team. "If your actions
inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader," John
Quincy Adams (Brainy). Great leaders have a passion for what they do. A leader believes in
what they are doing so they will practice what they preach. Managers however do not have to
believe in what they are doing. Sometimes they are in a management position just for the
money. Which is another reason leaders are more valuable in a company. A leader does not
expect to get paid extra to lead but a manager often makes double the salary of a normal
employee and they are guaranteed to have more benefits. Leaders enjoy what they do and their
only want is to be able to continue doing whatever it is they are doing (Cherry).
Everybody learns from their mistakes. Thomas Edison failed 1600 times at creating an
4. effective light bulb. But when he was asked about it he said I didn't fail 1600 times, I just found
1600 ways on how not to make a light bulb (Edison's Story). A common way for humans and
animals to learn is through trial and error. After we make a mistake we usually learn to repeat
the same action. Especially if that mistake causes drastic events. Wise men profit more from
fools than fools from wise men; for the wise men shun the mistakes of fools, but fools do not
imitate the success of the wise, Cato the Elder (Moncur).
Leadership is not taught it must be learned as a person progresses in life. When a person
becomes a leader they can no longer think only about themselves. A leader is responsible for all
of his or her followers. It takes time and experience to become a successful leader.
5. Works Cited
Moncur, Michael. The Quotations Page.
1994. http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/24296.html
Brainy Quote. Leadership Quotes. 2001.
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_leadership3.html
Cherry, Kenda. Ten Ways to Become a Better Leader. About Education. 2014.
http://psychology.about.com/od/leadership/tp/become-a-better-leader.htm
Bedi, Joyce. Edison's Story.
http://invention.smithsonian.org/centerpieces/edison/000_story_02.asp
