Bennett Will

RSM 369 Section 2

Dr. Linda Lane
9/6/18

Philosophy Paper

“Leaders aren’t born, they are made. They are made by hard effort, which is the price
which all of us must pay to achieve any goal which is worthwhile.” Vince Lombardi

My leadership philosophy comes from the big idea of hard work and dedication and
trying to apply that to all aspects in my life. These can range from sports, friends, work, family,
faith and others. Vince Lombardi mentions leaders are not born, but made, it has been proven
countless times with such notable people as LeBron James, Tom Brady, and President John F.
Kennedy. Their hard work and dedication allowed them to excel in what they chose to do. People
looked up to them to make decisions as a leader because of their dedication.
As we go through college we need to choose a career path not only for success, but also
something we enjoy doing. We are the future of this country and need leaders in all aspects of
our lives. Leaders can only be made through hard work and perseverance to get the job done and
get it done correctly. Even in group projects not everyone is going to be in charge of a task.
Some of the most successful leaders begin their careers on the bottom run. However, if there is a
situation where the leadership style is turned into a Laissez-faire style people will look to
someone for some form of leadership. Whether the task is major or minor in any project the
leader will be someone the group can count on that because of their leadership skills.
In both high school and college, I have had my share of group projects that required the
best of me. When others didn’t help me or did very little, was a problem, but not a major
concern. The concern was getting the job done right and finished. As I leader I hope people
follow my mentality of working hard because I’m always willing to help anybody and putting in
extra effort to make sure everyone is helped and using their highest potential. Who knows maybe
my leadership will rub off on someone who will become a great leader in the process.
Another form of leadership I participated in was my high school tennis team. Usually the
seniors are team captain’s, so my senior year I was chosen to be one of these for our team. As a
team captain I was in charge of assigning people different tasks each day. These tasks bringing
out the equipment to the courts and helping out with some practice drills. As a senior and a four-
year veteran of the team I had to work hard on my leadership role, so next year’s seniors would
have the same success that I hope to achieve. Also I had to set an example for the under
classman, whether it’s helping out, showing good sportsmanship or being a source of motivation.
The old saying goes hard work pays off and I believe that as well when it comes to leadership.
The more I work with others the better the payoff will be to where my team becomes better
teammates and players just like me.
As a student and leader I strive to be the best person I can possibly be. To be the best
leader I can be is through my hard work that not only gives me results, but also influences others
to work just as hard. That is one of the hardest traits or skills to come by when it comes to
leadership. Just as Lombardi says leaders are not born, but made through hard work and
dedication in all aspects of their lives. One day I hope to become a leader in the sports industry
and fur fill all my dreams and achievements. I know this will require hard work and creating
major goals to accomplish over the years from graduating college to working in sports. This can
all be achieved through my leadership philosophy.
Bennett Will
RSM 369 Section 2
Dr. Linda Lane
9/6/18