A511.4.3_SeabournBeau

 In your own words, summarize key points related to managerial motivation, traits, and effectiveness. Then assess your own leadership skills, traits, and competencies. Where are you strong? How can you leverage those strengths to improve your value to organizations like your employer? How might contingency theory and situational variables assist in that process?

 This week we were presented with insight on how to look within ourselves and others for important traits and abilities. In my reading, I learned that there are areas in which managers can be quite strong and areas in which managers can improve. Managers can have a strong emotional intelligence and be able to harness their feelings into something constructive. On the other hand, a manager might be weak in a social setting or in their social intelligence. Having the ability to understand the situation you're in and then make an appropriate response can be a difficult task and attribute to master. Knowing that you should not be emotional is one thing, but if a situation calls for empathy and understanding, you as a leader, need to know how to handle that situation. The combination of attributes and effectiveness allows people to become better leaders. If you can determine the role you're in and then effectively apply leadership skills to that role, you can ultimately have leadership success.

To access myself, I feel as though I have a good sense of self-awareness and good interpersonal skills. I believe that I can relate to people and or recognize a situation, and try to apply my leadership skills appropriately. I do have a slight weakness in the emotional intelligence department. I tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve, which can hinder my ability to effectively lead and control the situation I am in. It would be in my best interest to try and detach myself emotionally from some of the situations that I can get involved in. Sometimes I tend to allow other people to influence me with their emotions also. Although that is not always bad, I have to be better at trying to limit the amount of emotional energy I put into one situation.

Lastly, if I were to become more level headed and less emotional, I could become a better leader. That would allow me to make more clear decisions and apply learned knowledge to a situation without getting to upset or angered. If my employer knew that I could be level headed, that could increase my credibility and the potential for future promotions. Relating to the cognitive resource theory, being a boss who limits the pressure on his workers could lead to a better organization and better work results.