Evidence of Knowledge Acquisition The strategic mobilizer competency is one in which leaders utilize a strategic game plan or action plan to motivate and inspire their subordinates. Effective leaders make it their job to take the initiative to refine and enhance their followers’ productivity in the workplace. Strategy in any organization requires adept thinking and planning. Leaders who are competent in strategic mobilization inspire their team members to take the appropriate action in order to best prepare the company for any obstacle that may come their way. Strategic leaders think in terms of the road ahead and they analyze every decision and principle involved in their organization. Looking back to the MAiL courses, one takeaway that has really stood out to me is the idea of awareness; strategic leaders are always aware of their members’ leadership styles and take note of how team members work and what to look for in terms of their interests and values. Leaders that are adept in strategic mobilization hold themselves accountable for instilling in their subordinates how to effectively think and act when times get tough. What I have learned is that productivity is a crucial element of this competency due to the fact that mobilization refers to acting and actually doing something instead of remaining static in an organization. Leaders inspire their followers to work hard and to always keep the best interests of the organization and its members in mind. A strategic leader puts detailed thought and masterful judgment into every situation that takes place in the organization. Leaders of this caliber do not just take charge but rather they encourage their subordinates to offer their opinions and insights into each and every action that takes place.
Interpretation of Knowledge Strategic leaders empower others by creating and stimulating an environment where they feel like their voice and opinions matter. Leaders look out for employee participation and encourage to follow their dreams and to make initiative when it comes to making changes within the organization and shedding light on certain decisions being made. Strategy is also known as careful planning, which is necessary in organizations where decisions and changes are made daily. The idea behind strategic leadership, or mobilization, is that there must always be an action plan when it comes to executing the aforementioned changes and decisions. When I think back to the ideas and concepts that I took away from the various MAiL courses, I consider the coaching and mentoring elements as a way of infusing strategic mobilization in organizations. In this case employees are motivated to make a change and actively invest in their organization in a respectable, inspiring manner.
Application of Knowledge With respect to application, it is tough for me to come up with artifacts that have aided my growth in this competency. What comes to mind is the Personal Growth Plans that I wrote in LDRS 501 and LDRS 516; when I think about strategic mobilization I think about not just having a plan but being endowed with the ability to do something about it and to achieve it. Writing my personal growth plans have helped me to realize that I do not want to be considered as static but rather I desire to inspire with my ability to bring my future goals and plans to life. In my paper I wrote about where I want to be in five years from now, which is to serve as a mentor or a coach to someone who needs direction in his or her life. This plan of mine started to come to life sooner than five years because in my LDRS 516 course I was given the opportunity to mentor someone who was going through a tough time trying to figure out if she should go to nursing school right away or hold off for a while. She was conflicted because she did not know where to even begin and part of my mentorship to her was to ask her if she really wanted to go to nursing school and her response was an astounding yes. I advised her to pray about what was bothering her and that if she felt God calling her to something that she needed go for it. I think my personal growth plan and my mentoring plan are examples of academic and anecdotal artifacts. Being a mentor to this young woman has brought me that much closer to fulfilling my dream as a mentor or coach to people who want to be heard and feel like they are wanted and cared about.
Creation of New Knowledge In terms of strategic mobilization, my goal to continue my growth in this competency is to bring to life what I wrote about in my personal growth plans from LDRS 501 and from my capstone. My personal growth plans mean nothing if I do not step and take charge of the plans I made for myself. In both personal growth plans I discussed my desire to be a trustworthy, dependable individual who wants to help others. The “what" and "who" of my goal is to uplift, counsel, and use my past experience to help others cope with things going on in their lives that they need a shoulder to lean on. With respect to measurability, I have decided to measure my progress in terms of watching and monitoring how my actions affect others. Being the best version of myself will help me to attain my goals because actions speak louder than words and I have a strong desire to become what I wrote about in my papers. There is no sense in making a goal if it is not realistic and my ambition to do something worthwhile with my personal growth plan is realistic in that everyone could use someone to uplift and motivate them. Time is of the essence and there is no time to waste when it comes to turning my weaknesses and my struggles into a beneficial plan of mentorship for others.