A leadership philosophy is a structured approach to leading others. Leaders often write philosophies as a guiding statement for reference while leading a
team. At its core, one’s leadership philosophy should explain “what I believe, what you can expect of me, what I expect of you, and how we can work best
together” (Deierlein, 2015).
Your leadership philosophy can take any form you wish. It can be a paper (2-3 pages), a collage (with 1 page written explanation), a video (5 minutes), a
PowerPoint presentation, or another form that you prefer. As a starting point, it should include the following, although you may add anything else you see as
pertinent:
Personal Values: What you believe in, such as honesty, commitment, respect for others
How You Will Work: Descriiption of how you will carry out your responsibilities
Expectations: What you expect of others and what they can expect of you
Non-negotiables: What you will demand and what you will not tolerate
Priorities: What’s important, and in what order
Personal Idiosyncrasies: Your peculiar likes or “pet peeves”
Commitment: Your willingness for feedback