Learn to Lead Chapter 3 Review

Air Force Definition of Leadership: The art and science of influencing and directing people to accomplish the assigned mission.

• Leadership is an art because it requires imagination and creative skill.

• Leadership is a science because it is an academic subject requiring careful study, observation, and experimentation.

• Among the leader’s many responsibilities, accomplishing the mission is most important.

• Most experts include in the definition three components: the follower(s), the leader, and the goal.

Assumptions about Leadership in America:

1. You need to be a commander to lead.

2. Leaders are born, not made.

3. Leaders are not accountable.

4. Leaders are bullies.

5. Leaders must not be moral.

• All of the above assumptions are FALSE!!

• Leaders have to fill several roles because it helps navigate the multiple and diverse challenges they meet along the way.

Roles that Leaders must Play:

• Visionary - Paint an inspiring future picture for the whole team.

• Motivator - Issue a challenge to the team that drives its members.

• Communicator - Deposit ideas in the minds of others.

• Expert - Have immense knowledge.

• Teacher - Teach your teams how to act and what to value.

6 Tips to Becoming a Better Speaker:

1. Know your material.

2. Practice.

3. Relax.

4. Visualize Yourself.

5. Don’t Apologize.

6. Evaluate Yourself.

Great Man Theory: Professes that to study leadership, focus on the life stories of successful people.

• Great Man Theory asserts that leaders are born, not made.

• Great Man Theory fails to explain failure as it purely idolizes the character and accomplishments of well-known leaders.

• The Air Force contrasts with the Great Man Theory by having a doctrine built by experience, education, and training.

• Great Man Theory is guilty of hero worship and has biased views on world events and leaders.

Trait Theory: Explains leadership in terms of the personality and character of the leader.

• Major weaknesses in the Trait Theory include how there is no consensus of ideal leadership traits.

• With many diverse challenges facing a leader rapidly, one set of traits can never account for all of them as nobody is perfect and possesses their own flaws.

• Prejudice blinds one’s ability to look at a great leader objectively because their personal traits do not match one’s preconceived notions of what makes a leader.

• The American flag is our most important and most recognizable national symbol.

• On June 14, 1777; the US congress created the flag. June 14th is celebrated each year as Flag Day. It is regarded as an important national symbol as it is a physical representation of the hardships we have faced together as one united country. Additionally, it represents the best things about or people, land, and commitment to equality.