Philosophies | Talia Varone

Personal Leadership Philosophy Statement

My leadership philosophy is similar to that of a gardener. As a gardener, you have the knowledge of what is needed for a seed to grow into its full potential. Not just one seed, but a variety of diverse types that all grow in the same space. As a gardener, you understand the importance of providing the seeds dedication, care, and necessities for optimum growth. Over time, a seed will grow into what it is intended to be with the help of its environment, strength, and an efficient gardener.

I need to be a leader that is patient, dedicated, and capable of providing information and skills essential to helping people grow into their full potential, just like a gardener would do for their flowers. Just like with knowledge of different types of flowers, a leader also has to be informed and know how to manage diverse groups of people. Not just what makes them different, but also knowing what techniques to use in various leadership situations. At the core, I believe in selfless leadership and utilizing what I have to benefit another. There is a rewarding sacrifice that comes with that type of thinking because it is a focus on the people you are leading. Like all great things, impactful leadership does not come easy. It takes sacrifice, time, dedication, care, and a certain knowledge of who you are leading.

Personally, I think of the students I work with as the seeds needing to be catered to in order for them to grow into strong flowers. In order for this to happen, I have to be a meaningful leader that knows what they need. I know that this type of leadership comes with sacrifice but what ignites me is the passion I have to ensure that every student has what they need to succeed. As a little seed, I didn't have what I needed which made my journey to becoming a flower almost impossible.

Knowing that I have the opportunity to be that person that I needed when I was young is why I continue to lead.

Leadership Educator Philosophy Statement

As a leadership educator, my identity is an addition to my personal leadership philosophy. The personal leadership philosophy is the foundation of what I believe to be essential for every leader, regardless of the topic. The leadership educator philosophy statement incorporates the personal intertwined aspects which directly influence how I structure leadership teaching and learning. Being raised in a community of color brought a different outlook on the world compared to a typical white child. My leadership teaching and learning style mirrors leadership styles from communities of color because that’s what I was raised in. I am more comfortable in a group of people from a different race as opposed to a group of people from my own. This is essential for my style because it does not follow the typical style depicted by the white race.

According to research, communities of color typically follow a “We” Perspective which describes a style of leading involving putting the family, or group over the individual as opposed to white communities who mirror an individualist leadership style. My leadership teaching and learning reflect the ideals and methods of communities of color as opposed to my own racial community group. Regardless of my upbringing, I still recognize I belong to the white race which automatically gives me privilege. This socially constructed ideal typically mirrors negative behaviors but, in my teachings, and learnings, it is used as a tool to aid communities of color. By being part of a different race, I am able to add an additional teaching opportunity on top of my established leadership teaching. This allows not only communities of color to have an ally but also allows for dialogue among my own race about steps to create change. This motivation, which is built into the foundation of my personal leadership philosophy, comes from the knowledge, experience, and teachings I have acquired over the course of my life.

Emphasizing social identities is another key factor when framing my leadership teaching and learning style. Understanding social identities and the impact they have on a student is essential for effective leadership teaching. Each student is represented by their social identities, both personal and perception-based. These social identities matter when teaching a student about leadership. Social identities are not a single identity concept but instead revolves around the idea of multiple identities. This further demonstrates the need for a “We” perspective community, because knowledge from different levels and perspectives is crucial for effective leadership development, as opposed to a singular perspective. Respect, another part of the foundational aspects of leadership, is crucial for a leader to be effective and in this society, the minority population automatically receives less respect than the white population. A minority student has to get over this hurdle before even stepping into a leadership role. Knowing this, my teaching and learning style incorporates all elements of a student including their social identities. Paired with the We community style of teaching, students are able to feel supported and prepared when developing their own leadership style.

This style of teaching and learning aligns with my personal leadership philosophy of putting the follower first. Similar to a cycle, the idea of leadership under the “We” perspective is seen as temporary and it is understood that all leaders eventually cycle back amongst the followers. By following this style, I am able to provide students with the necessary tools to understand the impact of community, both positive and negative, which directly affect their leadership styles. A solid foundation combined with a “We” perspective, used to include social identities within the leadership process, creates an informed, accountable, community-based leader.