Introduction
Leaders are critical to the success of any group, so this is a crucial topic. Hence, authoritative guidance is essential to ensure that day-to-day tasks are done in line with rules and policies. For a company to reach its goals, its leaders must work with all its different groups. Leaders must ensure that their employees have enough space to do their jobs without being stifled. Leaders are also in charge of delegating tasks. In the same way, as a leader, it is my job to use strategic methods to bring the organization’s vision and mission to life. So, in this personal leadership assessment paper, I will look at my strengths and weaknesses as a leader by using the behavioral theory, which describes my leadership traits and assessment methods (Javed et al., 2019).
Clifton Strengths Evaluation
Learning
Based on CliftonStrengths (Louis, 2012), my greatest strength is learning. It can be described as acquiring knowledge through study, experiences, or lessons. For example, I work as a financial advisor and enjoy attending training programs and workshops to gain more skills and certifications that enable me to achieve my client’s financial goals. This strength enables me to thrive in different work environments through learning experiences, thus growing confidence in a skill mastered.
Empathy
My second strength is empathy. It is the ability to sense the emotions of the people around me and feel what they are feeling. For example, as a financial advisor, I have learned that clients tend to be sensitive about the health of their financial resources. Being empathetic with my clients has helped me build trusting relationships with them. I can efficiently support my clients by making recommendations tailored to their requirements. This is a strength because people get drawn to me as I can anticipate their needs and help them express their emotions and feelings to themselves and others.
Competition
My third strength is competition. This can be described as the strong desire to compete or succeed. For example, I have always wanted to be the best in my class by getting higher grades than the rest, as it has always made me feel good about myself. This is a strength because the act of being competitive breeds success. Additionally, competing with others motivates me to bring out the best.
Ideation
My fourth strength is ideation. This can be described as the process of creating new concepts. For example, I am always first at prospecting new strategies, such as tax preparation advice or new investing prospects that capture my real value as a financial advisor and thus attract my clients’ interests. My colleagues believe I am creative, innovative, witty, and intelligent. This is a strength because I am always enlightened and able to acquire new perspectives on different challenges.
Command
My last strength is command. This can be described as the act of giving an authoritative order. For example, I constantly confront my fellow financial advisors in the firm whenever something is wrong, no matter how unpleasant it may be. This is a strength because it is the first step to problem-solving. Additionally, I can challenge people to be honest and clear-eyed.
Leadership Theory
In addition to the technical leadership skills I have learned in school, I have also come to understand that leadership theories help put different kinds of leadership into groups. The ideas also serve as schools of thought, explaining why and how some people get to the top of their fields. They pay much attention to traits and actions others can copy and use to improve their leadership skills. Leadership theories not only back up what leaders do but also emphasize the personality traits of people who do well in leadership roles. Even though there are a lot of different theories, behavioral theory has become a popular way to think about leadership (Hunt & Fedynich, 2019). This theory says that leaders get their traits from their daily actions. This suggests that these traits may not be natural, meaning that a leader’s success or failure is determined mainly by what they do inside an organization.
Western Governors University (2020) says that behavioral leadership theory divides leaders into groups: those who focus on tasks and those who focus on people. Leaders who focus on the team as a whole work with those in charge of problem areas to find solutions, while leaders who focus more on the process look at the system as a whole (Markovic & Ljajic, 2016). Leadership styles have developed over time in response to the demands of organizational development and the quest for increased efficiency and effectiveness in management. Management professionals have developed numerous leadership theories and strategies to assist managers in steering their firms toward the desired goals. Nevertheless, some leaders may choose one of the two options depending on their situation. Also, behavioral theory focuses more on actions and behaviors than personality traits. Leaders who have been in the trenches and learned how to get things done tend to get more done. The behavioral theory says that for leaders to be successful, they need to know a lot about people, technology, and ideas (Western Governors University, 2020; Stewart et al., 2019). When a manager has technical skills, they know how to do things the right way. Leaders who are good with ideas can easily handle any situation or organization, but those who are good with people need to talk to their subordinates. Depending on the case, I can switch my focus from people to projects and back to people. I also have the technical, conceptual, and social skills to succeed. I have learned to be a leader outside of the classroom by working.
According to the behavioral approach to leadership, an organization is a social entity whose behavior must be managed and developed efficiently. The behavioral approach to leadership tries to motivate the activities of employees, which is consistent with Hunt & Fedynich (2019), who posit that individuals are irreplaceable resources that organizations must continuously optimize through motivation. At the top of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs are self-actualization, high self-esteem, and the satisfaction of physiological conditions. Managers in the twenty-first century might benefit from becoming familiar with the behavioral approach to leadership and behavioral theory (Altymurat et al., 2021). These frameworks are necessary for measuring managerial effectiveness, anticipating employee actions, and predicting future outcomes.
As its name suggests, the behavioral leadership theory is premised on the notion that other leaders may learn from and imitate the acts of strong leaders. According to the style hypothesis, successful leadership is not always natural but can be nurtured by a leader’s observable actions (WGU, 2020). Behavioral leadership theories focus a significant amount of attention on the leader’s actions, believing that this is the most accurate way to measure the leader’s effectiveness. Instead of focusing on traits, the behavioral learning theory examines how individuals behave. This hypothesis posits that distinct behavioral patterns can be classified as “leadership styles.” There are a variety of leadership styles, including task-focused, people-focused, country club, status quo, and authoritarian. According to this idea, a leader’s actual acts and behaviors influence their success (WGU, 2020). A vital advantage of the behavioral theory is that it empowers leaders to learn and make decisions regarding their leadership development. It enables leaders to make course modifications as necessary.
Moreover, this type of leadership indicates that anyone can assume control, which is a tremendous advantage. The behavioral theory provides excellent flexibility, but one of its flaws is that it needs to provide clear instructions on how to act in every situation. Numerous leadership theories are based on behavior, but none of them are universally applicable (Harrison & Harrison, 2018)
Personal Leadership Strengths
As illustrated in the CliftonStrengths test, my greatest leadership strength is that I like to learn. This strength is the ability to implement leadership policies and decisions by acquiring new concepts. For example, I can understand my clients needs in-depth and align them with their interests, thus giving the correct feedback on tax-efficient investment and planning strategies. According to Mansoor (2021), this is a leadership strength because it enables individuals in social institutions such as businesses to collaborate towards a common goal (p.42). Due to the social character of businesses, the activities of employees directly reflect the direction supplied by senior management.
Additionally, it is an essential skill needed by leaders in handling crises within an organization. It is related to the behavioral leadership theory because, according to Sowjanya et al. (2016), it is demonstrated to be beneficial as a management style. The management concept extends back to the early nineteenth century when it was envisaged as the coordinated execution of numerous departments working toward a shared objective. However, by the beginning of the twentieth century, management had evolved into the discipline of motivating and directing individuals to achieve specific goals.
My second leadership strength is command. This strength can be described as leading others by giving influential and authoritative orders. For example, when working with people who need close supervision, the success or failure of a project almost always depends on how carefully I check and supervise the work at the financial firm. This is a strength because, according to McGlone (2005), the ability of a leader to influence the behavior of subordinates and other organization members is vital to the success of any particular leadership strategy (p.3). Consequently, the ability of leaders and managers to influence organizational behavior through observation and inspiration is crucial for achieving objectives. I can regularly do my job as a supervisor, which leads to staff members who can do their jobs well. It is related to the behavioral leadership theory because one of the most effective methods to demonstrate the significance of the idea is to compare the leadership styles of a task-oriented and a people-oriented leader. If there is an issue with the team’s performance, a task-oriented leader will examine the workflow to determine if it must be modified. A leader with compassion will always inquire about their followers’ concerns. Regardless of the behavior they choose to exhibit, the concept of behavioral leadership urges leaders to maximize their actions and choices to flourish as leaders.
My third leadership strength is competition. This strength is a strong desire to compete successfully and emerge as the winner. For example, my learning scores are slightly higher than those of other CliftonStrengths assessments (Sowjanya et al., 2016) and thus making me a competitive, efficient leader. This is a strength because how the world moves means that leaders must adapt their competitive strategies to each situation. Additionally, since behaviorist theories examine the actions of leaders rather than their personalities, they argue that outstanding leaders must be created via training and experience instead of innate talent. It is related to behavioral leadership theory because the behavioral approach to leadership studies focuses on the ability of a leader or management to motivate team members to work toward a common objective. According to the behavioral approach to leadership, the actions of the group as a whole determine the group’s activities, affecting whether or not the organization’s goals are achieved. For example, virtual workplaces need effective methods that ambitious, innovative, and passionate leaders can only use. It has been seen that leaders who are idealistic and willing to learn to get better results than traditional leaders.
Personal Leadership Weaknesses
My greatest weakness is poor delegation of duties. This weakness can be described as the inability or unwillingness of a leader to assign duties and responsibilities to other team members. For example, I would rather handle all my clients alone than assign some to junior financial advisors. This a weakness because it can cause the leader to burn out, limit team members’ opportunity to learn and develop, and produce less-than-ideal decision-making. Additionally, it can lead to an individual’s inability to lead the rest efficiently and, thus, failure to achieve organizational goals. It is related to behavioral leadership theory, which emphasizes that the rest can copy leaders’ traits. A leader who refuses to delegate loses the potential to develop the abilities and self-assurance of their team and foster a more efficient and collaborative work environment.
My second leadership weakness is poor communication skills. This weakness can be described as when a leader may experience trouble expressing themselves to their team members clearly and concisely. For example, I sometimes confuse my fellow financial advisors by giving them ambiguous instructions, thus creating misunderstandings in the financial firm. This weakness can prevent collaboration, lead to misunderstanding and conflict, and make it more difficult for the company to accomplish its objectives. It is related to behavioral leadership theory because building relationships with team members and adapting their leadership style to various situations may be challenging for a leader who suffers from communication. Excellent communication is essential in customizing one’s leadership approach to circumstances.
My third leadership weakness is that I am over-controlling. This weakness can be described as the leader’s demand for every detail of the team’s work. For example, I frequently ask for updates from the junior financial advisors, keeping tabs on their whereabouts and needing more faith in their ability to operate autonomously. This is a weakness because it demotivates team members, hinders innovation and creativity, and fosters a climate of mistrust. It is related to the behavioral learning theory, which contends that all behaviors are obtained through interaction with the environment (Bickett et al., 2019). A controlling leader can impair the performance and restrict the potential of a team when members are skilled and experienced
Personal Leadership Recommendation
My first recommendation is empowering team members. This recommendation can be described as assigning tasks and allowing team members to make decisions independently. For example, I should aim to delegate tasks to junior financial advisors at work and give them the responsibility to tackle them. It benefits my improvement as a leader because it increases job happiness and engagement, leading to productive results in an organization. This recommendation aligns with the behavioral leadership theory, which emphasizes the importance of leaders’ steps to empower other members to realize their maximum potential by engaging them (Yukl et al., 2013).
My second recommendation is open communication among team members. This recommendation describes paying close attention to the junior financial advisors’ input, offering feedback, and being open and honest about the decision-making process. For example, I should always pass clear and concise information to my colleagues by giving accurate instructions. It benefits my improvement as a leader because it promotes trust and helps parties clear misunderstandings and disputes. This recommendation aligns with behavioral learning theory, which emphasizes healthy relationships between humans (employees) through open communication to suit the demands of all.
My third recommendation is to be democratic in the workplace. This recommendation is the act of accountability, transparency, and choice among team members. For example, I should control how demanding I am when it comes to the junior financial advisors’ work and leave them to operate autonomously. It benefits my improvement as a leader because it will increase my determination as people-centered approaches have been shown to work better. This recommendation aligns with the behavioral learning theory as it focuses on putting employees’ emotions and needs first and only challenges them when there is an excellent reason to do so.
SMART Goals
Before the end of 2023, I must have met 75% of my career goals and the first four quarters of that year. Therefore, I need to make a plan that balances my team’s plans for the fourth quarter and the plans for the following year. It is important to stress how important it is to keep looking for new customers, manage time well, and keep lines of communication open. Regardless of how busy Q4 is, leaders should prospect for 10 hours a week. Also, there is a better time for careless conversation. Before I talk to a high-level executive, I would like my team to find out if that person has any ideas that might get in the way. Once the problem with the business has been found, the seller can build trust by giving value-based narratives, which are short but detailed stories about how the business has dealt with similar problems. Nevertheless, I need to remember to put only a little stress on the team. Even though it might be tempting to focus on closing deals, now is the time to build strong business relationships that will pay off in the first quarter (Q1).
From now until the end of 2023, my second goal is to finish my CFP by passing the CFP exam and getting certified. The term “certified financial planner” refers to a certification for financial planners recognized worldwide (CFP). Its goal is to give CFP candidates complete, application-based financial planning knowledge. To do this, it covers various topics, such as ethics, regulations, financial concepts, risk management, insurance, and financial planning methodology. The CFP designation is quickly becoming the standard for financial planners and advisors worldwide. The CFP designation would set me apart in a big way, show that I am knowledgeable and trustworthy, and give my clients confidence that I will look out for their best interests during the financial planning process.
Specific Actions
First, I would like to get promoted within my current profession, which is essential to reaching 75% of my long-term career objectives. This new circumstance may entail resources, data, or responsibility. Regardless of the outcome, I would concentrate on assisting as much as possible. It would be astonishing if I were to do this. To become a CFP, I will need to take and pass the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) exam if I want to work as a financial planner. After I finish the classes, I will have to show that I know everything there is to know about financial planning by doing well on the CFP certification exam. That means I need to keep working in finance for a while longer before I can apply for my license.
References
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Yukl, G., Mahsud, R., Hassan, S. and Prussia, GE, (2013). An improved measure of ethical leadership. Journal of leadership & organizational studies, 20(1), 38–48.
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