What Is Your Leadership Philosophy?
If you have ever been coached by me or sat in on one of my free classes, you know this is the first question I ask. Just five words. Deceptively simple. And possibly the hardest question an oral board panel will ever put in front of you.
Leadership is a personal reflection of how you think about what it means to lead people, what would motivate them to follow you, and how you intend to sustain that through an entire leadership career.
Think about the best leader you ever worked for. What made them effective? What did they do that made you want to follow them? Your philosophy can likely be found in the same concepts that inspire you to be led.
From there, build your answer around three to four personal themes. Things like setting clear expectations, mentoring your people, committing to training, or creating an environment where honest feedback flows both directions. These should not be borrowed from a leadership textbook. They should reflect how you actually think about the responsibility of leading a team.
A strong leadership philosophy is personal, specific, and something you can deliver confidently without notes. If it is meaningful to you, it is the right answer.
This comes from the Leadership Questions section of my book, "The Strategic Promotional Guide for Law Enforcement." If this resonates, there is a lot more inside.
This piece first ran in The Edge, my newsletter for law enforcement professionals. Subscribers get it first.
It goes out every two weeks and covers promotion strategy, career performance, and leadership. New subscribers also receive The Oral Board Edge, my guide to winning your next promotional oral board.
