Emerging definition: Being a leader is following your own values and at the same time constantly staying open to potential changes and new ideas. It is important for a leader to be aware of people's differences, and recognize that challenges are part of most processes. It is also important to demonstrate critical thinking and be able to act adaptively to a specific context in order to make others respect and follow you.

I have not added any new ideas to my leadership definition this week because I think the current definition already illustrates most of Saphiere, Mikk, and Devries' ideas about the five factors that affect communication. I wrote about how important it is for a leader to follow his/her own values and how the context is important in communication. I also pointed out the fact that it is important to be aware of people's differences which overviews the idea that it is critical to be aware that people can have different communication's styles. Finally, as this is my final definition for the semester, I edited my definition.

Emerging definition Being a leader is to be able to follow your own values but at the same time constantly staying open to potential changes and to new ideas. Being aware of people's differences, and recognizing that challenges are part of most processes will facilitate a leader to effectively spread his/her ideas. As a leader, it is also important to demonstrate a critical thinking and showing the ability to act adaptively to a context in order to make others respect and follow you for taking wise decisions.

As the weekly reading for this week explores a new way of thinking about how sustainable desired changes can be effective, I decided to add that a leader needs to be constantly open to potential changes. In addition, I made some changes to my definition to make it more concised as I thought it became a bit too long and confusing.

◾Boyatzis, R. E. (2006). "An Overview of Intentional Change from a Complexity Perspective." Journal of Management Development, 25(7), 607-623. doi:10.1108/02621710610678445

Emerging definition: Leadership can be seen as a positional manner or as a process that leaders engage themselves in. Being a leader is following your own values but at the same time constantly staying open to discover new ideas, being aware of people's differences, and recognizing that challenges are part of most processes. As a leader, it is also important to demonstrate a critical thinking that will make others respect and follow you for taking wise decisions. By showing the ability to act adaptively to a context, a true leader can succeed at spreading effectively his/her ideas.

First, this week I removed the first original sentence of my leadership definition because my definition is starting to be a bit too long and lacking consistency. Plus, I believe that the idea of this original sentence is implies in the rest of the definition. Also, I add that "recognizing that challenges are part of most processes" should help leaders to be efficient because according to Komives and Lucas challenges and problems are inevitable in most team works which correspond to the forming stage.

Emerging definition: Perception on leadership can greatly change from people to people. Leadership can be seen as a positional manner or as a process that leaders engage themselves in. Being a leader is following your own values but at the same time constantly staying open to discover new ideas. As a leader it is also important to demonstrate a critical thinking that will make others respect and follow you for taking wise decisions. By showing the ability to act adaptively to a context and to perceive the group as a whole, a true leader can succeed at spreading effectively his/her ideas.

After reading about Steve Job, Gandhi, and Carlos Ghosn's leadership style, I understand the importance of "thinking differently" as Gandhi stated. I also appreciate Ghosn's statement about how important is to be open to a new culture to develop new skills. Therefore, I added to my new definition that is is important to stay open to new ideas even though you already have set values.

Emerging definition: Perception on leadership can greatly change from people to people. Leadership can be seen as a positional manner or as a process that leaders engage themselves in. Being a leader is following your own values, demonstrates a critical thinking that will make others respect and follow you for taking wise decisions. By showing the ability to act adaptively to a context and to perceive the group as a whole, a true leader can succeed at spreading effectively his/her ideas.

This week I only made few changes because I think I already mostly included this week new leadership concepts in my previous definition. I previously emphasized on the importance that a leader "demontrates a critical thinking" which I think reflects also the idea learned in the article of Heifetz; For me to be able to "get into the balcony", it is also to be able critically think and ask ourself if we are doing the right actions. However, I think that "getting into the balcony" is also taking a step back of the group for a while, and this is why I added that it's important to have the ability to perceive the group as a whole.

Emerging definition: Perception on leadership can greatly change from people to people. Leadership can be seen as a positional manner or as a process that leaders engage themselves in. Being a leader is following your own values, demonstrates a critical thinking that will make others respect and follow you for taking wise decisions. By showing the ability to act adaptively to a context and in the interest of others, a true leader can succeed at spreading effectively his/her ideas.

According to Astin's article, people showing leaderships skill are not necessary defined by their positional hierarchy, but rather by how they act for the community. This is why I add that leadership can be seen as a process that leaders engage themselves in. Plus, true leaders act in the interest of others which according to Aston's article is more effective than when leaders act for their own interest.

Emerging definition: Perceptions on leadership can greatly change from people to people. Being a leader is following your own values and demonstrates a critical thinking that will make others respect and follow you for taking wise decisions. By showing the ability to act adaptively to a context, a true leader can succeed at spreading effectively his/her ideas.

Through the reading, "The Function of Ethics -- and Its Main Impediement." from Paul and Elder, I understand the importance for a leader to develop a critical thinking in order to be ethical. Since I believe that in order to have followers, a leader needs to have the ability to show he/she is taking wise decisions, I add it to my emerging definition.

In addition, from the reading "Overview: The ethics of right vs. right." How Good People Make Tough Choices, from Kidder, I think a leader should have the ability to take decisions depending of the context. This is why I state in the last sentence of my definition that taking the context into consideration while taking important decisions should help a leader to be more effective.

Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006). "The Function of Ethics -- and Its Main Impediement." Understanding the Foundations of Ethical Reasoning (pp. 4 - 36). Dillon Beach, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking.
Kidder, R. M. (2003). "Overview: The ethics of right vs. right." How Good People Make Tough Choices (pp. 13 - 29). New York: Simon & Schuster.

Emerging definition: Perceptions on leadership can greatly change from people to people. Being a leader, is following your values, in a way you can act with confidence in front of your followers. By following you own values, deciding on your own definition of leadership you can share experiences and opinions in a way people will follow you.

By reading, "Ground your leadership vision in a personal vision." Discovering the Leader in You: A guide to realizing your personal leadership potential from R. J., & King, S. N. (2001), I understand the importance of knowing and understanding your own values. A leader will act more efficiently if he/she acts accordingly to his/her values because it should give the leaders confidence in his/her actions and decisions.

In my previous definition I wrote that "My view on leadership is probably different of what most people would think of it" but by reading, "Deciding what you believe." Seven zones for leadership: Acting authentically in stability and chaos(pp. 20 - 40). Mountain View, CA: Davies-Black Publishing, Inc, from Terry, R, I understand that most people is going to have different view on leadership. This is why I changed this part of my definition too.

Terry, R. (2001). "Deciding what you believe." Seven zones for leadership: Acting authentically in stability and chaos(pp. 20 - 40). Mountain View, CA: Davies-Black Publishing, Inc.

Lee, R. J., & King, S. N. (2001). "Ground your leadership vision in a personal vision." Discovering the Leader in You: A guide to realizing your personal leadership potential (pp. 31 - 54). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Inc.