Another Armstrong Essay Topic

[Perez]

Hello all,

It's now that time for me. I've decided on the topic for my essay, and I've just completed my first draft. Any thoughts, suggestions, or criticisms are appreciated! I'm sure there's plenty to improve on, as there always is. So here it is, and please no flaming.
Wordcount:499 with title.

                           
C/CMSgt Perez
Blank Composite Squadron
ABC-DE-123
                      Leadership Mistakes I Have Made and What I have Learned from Them
The tried and true method of learning to lead is by trial and error, and anyone who has ever lead anyone knows that mistakes are inevitable. Today, I will share with you some of my own personal failures, and what I have learned from them.
   As leaders, it is our duty to set challenging, yet achievable goals for our followers. My first year on encampment staff, I made the mistake of expecting too much from my cadets. I was impressed with their level of competence and ability to learn, but I was still frustrated come the end of the week. Some of them were still making simple mistakes, and I wondered if this was due to poor mentoring on my part. At the graduation ceremony, they were all rewarded for their efforts by being named  honor flight, further convincing me that they were a very capable group of individuals. It was then when I realized that I was expecting too much of them within the limited time they had to learn. As you can see, this was because of my outlook. I should have been paying more attention to what they were accomplishing, instead of focusing on only their shortcomings. In the end, I was able to learn  an important lesson that week, one that has changed how on accomplishment and success. I've come to learn that outlook is the most important factor when it comes to satisfaction. This brings me to my next point.
   Being somewhat of a perfectionist, I always strive to achieve the most that I can in life, and have a tendency to seek the approval of others. In certain instances, this negatively effects my productivity, both in and outside of C.A.P. Instead of  focusing on the task at hand, I become overly concerned with what someone else thinks. In the past this has distracted me from giving my subordinates the attention and mentoring that they need. I was not aware of this until my  time as Cadet Commander for my previous squadron. Only when I took a proverbial step back to examine what could be done to improve productivity at the squadron did I realize I was focusing too much on what someone else would think. The British Special Air Services have a motto, "who dares wins ." I believe this speaks for the importance of sticking to your convictions.  While it is vital to be open to feedback from those you work with; especially your superiors, there are certain times when not everyone will agree with the way something is being done, and I think you have to find your own sense of satisfaction with your choices.

Leadership is a complicated thing. Anyone can give you a book definition  for leadership, but we spend our entire lives trying to master it. Truly, anyone who has ever been a leader has failed. It's what we do after the fact that defines us.