How Do You Lead? |Origin: LS102
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
How Do You Lead?
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
This topic hit home for me in ways I didn't expect. The question "How do you lead?" forced me to slow down and honestly examine my own patterns rather than just theorize about leadership in the abstract.
A few things really stood out:
First, the idea that the most basic requirement for leadership is having followers — not a title, not a vision, not even a desire to lead. That reframed everything for me. Leadership doesn't begin when I receive a new responsibility or step into a role — it begins the moment someone chooses to follow. That puts the weight of leadership on relationships, not credentials.
Second, the Goleman leadership styles framework was eye-opening. I had always assumed good leaders lead from their natural temperament. Learning that the best leaders actually adapt their style — coaching, affiliative, authoritative, democratic, pacesetting, even coercive when the situation demands it — was both humbling and freeing. It means leadership is not about being someone I'm not; it's about reading the room and responding with the right tool for the moment.
Third, the concept of a leadership legacy as something that spurs present action, not just end-of-career reflection, struck me deeply. The legacy we want to leave should inform the decisions we make today. That's a powerful motivator for anyone in education, where the work we do has a ripple effect on students, families, and communities long after we've stepped away from the role.
Going forward, I want to be more intentional about:
Recognizing when I'm defaulting to management because it feels safer than leadership
Adapting my style to what my team and students actually need, rather than what's comfortable for me
Building trust through candor, constancy, competence, and caring — the qualities Bennis identified as the foundation of real leadership
I'd love to hear from others — which leadership style feels most natural to you, and which one have you had to learn to grow into?
In this module, I learned that leadership begins with self-awareness. Before leading others, it is important to understand why I want to lead, what motivates me, and what kind of impact I want to create. I also learned that leadership is not only about authority or position, but about influence, example, communication, and the ability to inspire others toward a shared purpose. Another important lesson for me was recognizing that different leadership styles can be effective depending on the context, and that understanding my own tendencies helps me lead more intentionally.
I plan to apply this learning by becoming more reflective in the way I lead teams and projects. In my professional life, especially in education, I want to be more conscious of how I motivate others, how I communicate vision, and how I create trust. This module reminded me that effective leadership is a continuous process of learning, adaptation, and personal growth.
I feel as though I change my teaching style depending on what each individual needs. I will recognize how the students respond throughout the course and adjust myself to them.
In order to lead one needs a desire to lead. Based on the group and the circumstances, a leader and adjust their leadership style to be coercive, democratic, affiliative, coaching, pacesetter, or authoritative. Qualities that a good leader possesses are positive, honest, and hopeful. A leader in education coaches students and gives them what they need to succeed.
I like to use a combination of the different leadership styles depending on the situation.
I lead using the coaching method. I enjoy being hands on and working with others to become our best selfs.
I prefer a coaching approach, working one-on-one. I adapt to each person some learn by doing, others by reading first and then practicing.
I have a collaborative and situational leadership style. My leadership strength is as a coach with a keen interest in encouraging and developing people around me to perform well and grow in their careers.
It was interesting to learn that I am a combination of different leadership styles. However the strongest one is Coaching.
Comment on Natali Rodriguez's post: Very well said and I can only agree with your post.
I learned that I usually lead with a coaching style of leadership. This is very accurate as I tend to gravitate toward encouraging and developing those around me because I have a genuine interest to see them do well and succeed. I enjoy building close, long-lasting connections that foster trust and confidence. A few things I have to watch out for though is to make sure I resist pushing people toward learning for learning’s sake. Just because it's important to me doesn't mean others will be motivated in the same way. I also sometimes focus more on processes and systems when issues come up, so I might automatically rush to solve every problem when it would be best to allow others to solve their own problems and give them space to experiment and find their own solutions.
From this module, I have learned concepts, skills, and strategies that has strengthened my understanding of the subject and improved my ability to think critically and apply my knowledge in the real world.
Lead by example, be supportive, give everyone a voice before making the final decision. Get to know my team and provide them with all of the resources they need to be successful in their role.
I change my leadership style to the person being led. Some people are just natural performers. They have a job to do and they do it. Others need to be encouraged to perform. It almost feels like I am babysitting sometimes. One person is great one day and super lax the next. It's like learning a new person every day. Those days are tough.
My leadership probably is different than others. I believe in the concept of Learning Organization where my staff have the opportunity to become also leaders and received training to growth and improve their skills, motivation, recognition and the opportunity to share our mission and vision into the same direction to achieve our institutional goals.
I lead with a balance of clarity, collaboration, and compassion. My approach centers on creating an environment where people feel supported, informed, and empowered to do their best work. I set clear expectations, communicate purposefully, and ensure that everyone understands how their contributions connect to our department’s goals.
I believe in leading by example through professionalism, accountability, and kindness. I stay accessible to my team, encourage open dialogue, and provide guidance that helps others grow in both skill and confidence. When challenges arise, I focus on solutions and use them as opportunities to strengthen processes and communication.
There are always new things to learn, and you must listen and adapt. No two people are exactly alike, and they each need/deserve leadership that helps them reach their fullest potential.
There are different types of leadership styles, and leaders can work with any of the different styles, and do not have to be just one style. The desire to lead is a significant component in leadership. There are many different personalities you work with, so leaders can adapt to the different leadership styles.
Comment on Randi Wolf's post: Robert Lee In this lesson I learned the skills needed to be a effective leader.
