Nisar Qureshi
2-18-11
Personal Mission Statement
Many people have different perspectives on leadership and how it applies to them.
Leadership can take many different forms and can be applied in many different ways. My
personal definition of leadership is when an individual is able to empower an individual or a
group of individuals to complete a certain goal or task successfully. This definition of leadership
is shaped by my personal values and certainly is not the only way a leader can be defined or
viewed by others. Throughout this statement we will look at the values, skills and goals that have
shaped my view on leadership.
First, I believe that leadership can be defined as an individual who is able to empower
another individual or a group of individuals to complete a certain goal or tasks successfully.
Moreover, I believe there are different levels of leadership. The first of these leaders is a standard
leader. This leader leads people where they want to go. Next is a great leader. A great leader
takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be. Finally, there is the special
leader. A leader of this magnitude leads individuals even when the leader is face with his or her
own adversity. This personal philosophy of leadership for me was shaped by many different
aspects of my life.
One area of my life that has had a great impact on my personal philosophy of leadership
is my goals. The aspects of my life in which I set goals include personal, spiritual/moral,
caring/giving, strength/fitness, family, and career/academics. Through these aspects of my life I
have set both short term and long term goals. An example of a long term goal which I have for
myself in the career/academics portion of my life is to attain my law degree and a master’s in
business administration. One of the reasons I set this goal for myself is because I feel as though
lawyers and businessmen have the great ability to alter the social construct of society. I believe
that I can utilize these degrees to help aid people in need. Another goal which I have in the
aspect of caring/giving is to set up a scholarship fund for individual who share the same passion
for my field of academia. This goal most likely won’t be able to be accomplished until much
later; however by setting it now it gives me something to strive for every day. In assessing my
goals one can get a good feel for the values that I hold in high regard. Two values that I hold in
very high regard are hard work and care. I feel that I can implement these values in my
leadership experiences. Two values that I would like group members to hold in high regard are a
commitment to hard work and a sense of care for other group members. In my opinion by
instilling these traits in groups that I lead, I can help make these groups more effective.
Overall, I have decided to participate in the University of Illinois Leadership Certificate
program in order to help me develop my leadership skills. In becoming a stronger leader this will
help me achieve goals that I have set out for myself. Additionally, I will be able to assist others
in achieving their goals with the skills that I will develop through the Leadership Certificate
Program. Overall, I feel as though the Leadership Certificate Program will help me achieve my
own personal goals, as well as help me assist others in achieving their goals.
Goals
Upon assessing my personal leadership strengths and weaknesses I formulated two goals
which I would like to achieve through my participation in the University of Illinois Leadership
Certificate Program. My first goal is to learn how to effectively lead different groups of people in
different situations. My second goal is to not be an overpowering leader when working in
groups. These goals will be accomplished by working with teams on class projects, through my
job as a manager on the University of Illinois men’s basketball team, and through my work with
the Sports and Entertainment Law Society. By accomplishing these two goals I feel as though I
will be a more effective leader in the long run. Additionally, I feel as though I will be a tested
leader and will be able to successfully lead in any situation that I may be placed in.
First, I would like to learn how to motivate different people in different environmental
circumstances. Furthermore, I want to learn to how to motivate individuals in different situations
to work as a team in accomplishing a task. This goal is the highest priority goal that I would
like to accomplish as a participant in the leadership program. One way I plan on accomplishing
this goal is to lead a different group of people in a different task each twice in each semester
leading to the end of the fall 2011 semester. These groups can be through class, work, or in a
Registered Student Organization. Additionally, I don’t need to be successful in these leadership
situations; however, I must be able to take away one thing I did well in each situation, as well as
one thing that I could have improved upon in each situation. The reflections of these situations
will be documented through journal entries I will make based on the outcomes. Through the
accomplishment of this goal I plan on being able to effectively lead a variety of different people
in different situations.
Second, I would like to exude a more democratic form of leadership. Currently I feel as
though when I lead in groups that I am very demanding over my group members. Moreover, I
find it hard to trust members of my groups and teams to successfully accomplish tasks. I plan on
accomplishing this goal by participating in the I-Program Insight. Additionally, I will work in
three different groups either through class, work, or a Registered Student Organization, where I
will allow my group members to provide input in decisions as well as trust my group members.
Once these experiences are completed I will ask my group members for feedback about what I
did well as a leader and what I could have done better as a leader. These experiences will be
completed by the end of the fall 2011 semester. Also, I plan to reflect on both of these
experiences and look at both the positives and negatives of each situation. Through this
experience I believe I will be become a more effective leader in the future and gain the respect of
my team and group members.
All in all, I would like to accomplish two goals by the end of my experience in the
University of Illinois Leadership Certificate Program. First, I would like to learn how to lead
different groups of people in different situations. Secondly, I would like to learn to be a more
democratic leader in teams and groups. My plan is to complete the tasks associated with these
goals by the end of the fall 2011 semester. Through my accomplishment of these goals I feel as
though I will be a better all-around leader as a result of these experiences.
Plan for Development
Skill/Attribute
-Self Awareness
-Self-Management
Interpersonal Development
Leadership Objective
Evidence
More closely analyzing how a
lead teams and groups in
different situations and
assessing my strengths and
weaknesses by how I handle
myself in those various
situations.
Learning more about the
specific areas of selfmanagement and then
implementing these values
into my life. Additionally, I
will analyze how I currently
have these skills implemented
in my life and then how I can
better implement them in my
life as well.
-Managing different groups in
school and work.
-Good life balance of work
and school.
-Relationship Building
-Communication Skills
-Ethical Practices
-Team Development
Organizational/Group
Development
-Leading Change
-Project and Program
Effectiveness
-Systems Thinking
Assessing the relationships in
my life right now and
analyzing how I can improve
them and make them stronger.
Moreover, I would like to
learn ways to forge new
relationships as well.
Assessing the relationships in
my life right now and
analyzing how I can improve
them and make them stronger.
Moreover, I would like to
learn ways to forge new
relationships as well. I plan to
forge new relationships with
individuals through effective
communication.
Learning what are correct
ethical decisions that should
be made as well as assessing
my current values of integrity
and decision making.
Working in groups and
assessing how I handle
different situations and then
analyzing how I could better
handle myself in those
situations.
Learning correct ways to
implement new programs as
well as learning correct
visionary forms of leadership.
I will also plan to implement
these values in groups that I
work with in the future.
Assessing how I handle
delegation and organization
while working in groups and
then reflecting on what I could
do better within those groups.
Analyzing how business and
corporations go about systems
thinking and then assessing
the best ways to go about it
-Networking with individuals
throughout the sports and law
fields.
-
-Community Building
Transitional Development
-Sustaining Leadership
myself. Additionally, I would
like to look at how
environmental factors
influence my decision making
process.
Volunteering and assisting
members of the community
and thereby understanding
how to build cohesiveness
within a community.
Working in a variety of
different groups and assessing
how to transfer my leadership
skills to these different groups.
-Working at the Morton Food
Pantry.