Reflective Essay on Leadership Traits and Areas for Improvement

REFLECTIVE ESSAY 1
Reflective Essay
Student
Institution
Professor

REFLECTIVE ESSAY 2
Abstract
In this essay, I have provided my personal reflection of the lessons learned throughout the
subject. The essay starts with a definition of leadership and a brief discussion of leadership
theory with an isolated emphasis on traits theory. Furthermore, I have given my experiences
throughout the subject starting with test questionnaires. In my 16PF test questionnaire, my
highest scores were in emotional intelligence (3.4), Perfectionism (3.2), Liveliness (2.8) and
rule-consciousness (2.8). This shows that I am able to control my emotions and the emotions of
others in my future leadership positions. However, a major weakness that comes with my
strength as a perfectionist is that I may turn into a micromanager. The essay has also discussed
the results of my 50 item leadership questionnaire. Besides, I have given my lessons from the
class activities which involved watching the Ted talk, performing leadership tests in groups and
evaluating gender and leadership using the article written by Zenger and Folkman. The fourth
part of this essay provides my key areas of improvement. I have realized that my leadership traits
may be prone to hypocrisy, micromanagement and authoritarian leadership, which I can improve
on by treating employees like human beings and not machines, embracing inclusive leadership
and involving in group activities in the organization as well as encouraging on-the-job training as
a leader in future. In the end, I have given an in-depth conclusion summarizing everything
discussed in the essay.

REFLECTIVE ESSAY 3
Introduction
Leadership and effective leadership are two different, but closely related concepts.
Ideally, leadership involves a person’s ability to inspire support and confidence among the
employees who are required to achieve the goals of a firm (Zhou & Wu, 2018, p. 376).
Conversely, effective leadership is a leadership based on effectiveness. Effectiveness
encompasses attaining desirable results such as quality, productivity, and satisfaction in a
specific situation. In this reflective essay, I have provided a critical analysis of my experience
throughout my learning of People Culture and Contemporary Leadership as a subject, with a
major aim of explaining my key leadership traits and areas for future improvements so that I can
become a more effective leader.
Honestly, leadership as a theory is very wide, with some people confusing it with
management. Although leadership and management share some common features, a manager is
basically concerned with playing the five roles of planning, controlling, coordinating, organizing
and commanding as outlined by Henri Fayol (Khan, Sentosa & Salman, 2018, p. 14). On the
other hand, a leader is a person who goes beyond these five roles by trying to transform the
organization by inspiring confidence and support among the employees so that they can exceed
the expectations of the organization. One of the theories of leadership that have impressed me
most is the traits theory. The traits leadership theory bases its argument on an assumption that
leaders are born and not made. It outlines the key characteristics that leaders are expected to
have. Mutalib & Ghani (2013, p. 17), expounds that successful leaders must have interests,
personality traits, and abilities that are different from those held by less effective leaders. Among
the primary traits of an effective leader entails achievement drive, honesty, and integrity,
emotional intelligence, charisma, and creativity among other traits. After learning the

REFLECTIVE ESSAY 4
perspectives of leadership in week seven and knowing the leadership roles, I became more
curious and tried to identify some traits required of effective leaders. I have listed these traits in a
table in Appendix I
Interestingly in week 8, the topic of discussion was the Characteristics and Traits of
Leaders. This topic accurately coincided with my table outlining the traits of a leader. Therefore,
as we handled the topic, I had great expectations that most of the traits I had earlier listed could
be discussed. I also had several questions in mind. For instance, how are these traits helpful in
leadership? How can people know that they possess these traits? Can someone possess all these
traits at once? What if someone lacks these traits, can he/she be able to acquire them through
education or experience? Apart from just learning the traits, I expected that I will get answers to
these fundamental questions.
McCleskey (2014, p. 117), explains that personality encompasses individual differences
in feelings, patterns of thinking and behavior. Leadership effectiveness is primarily dependent on
the leader’s personality as different personality traits impact on task accomplishment, the context
of work and personal satisfaction. During the lesson, I learned several personality traits which
ranged from tension, perfectionism, warmth, emotional intelligence, self-resilience, and
dominance, openness to change and sensitivity to vigilance, sensitivity and social boldness
among other traits. Of particular importance to me among these traits was emotional stability as
it enables leaders to cooperate effectively with the group members (Yammarino, 2013, p. 150). I
also realized that to better understand whether one is having a particular personality, a Sixteen
Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) can be used. I, therefore, conducted my personality test
using this tool as attached in Appendix II.