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Running head: Leadership in Practice Part II

Leadership in Practice Part II

Student Raymond Garcia

University of San Diego: Professional & Continuing Education

Organizational Leadership LEPS-540-01-SU16

Professor Mathew Deane

May 27, 2016,

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Running head: Leadership in Practice Part II

One leadership trait is not enough to make a good leader. It takes a

combination of traits to condition a person as an effective leader, according

Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991). Kirkpatrick and Locke identified several of these

leadership traits which consisted of drive, desire, honesty and integrity, self

confidence, intelligence and knowledge of the business. When applied properly,

some of these traits may be particularly successful in a professional setting and

may address leadership challenges.

The trait that I selected as being more appropriate for addressing my particular

leadership challenges is knowledge of the business. Knowledge of the business is

acquired through training and experience. Having knowledge of the industry

comes with time and appropriate experience and if it is used as a style, it can

promote a strong structural format for any organization. Knowledge of the

business is the basis and key function in the profession of law enforcement.

I have had the opportunity to perform daily task related to knowledge of the

business, in the form of instructing, in relation to police procedures. Whether if

its instructing cadets at a police academy in the capacity of a recruit training

officer or instructing a trainee as a field training officer for my organization,

learning the fundamentals of any profession is vital. The application of this trait

is strongly affiliated with the Substitutes for Leadership Model because it teaches

the individual to work independently without always having to refer to the leader.

How I implemented this technique was through the use of teaching and having
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the student/subordinate learn through training and experience. As a result, the

student/subordinate acquired knowledge that they were able to utilize in the field

and or classroom setting. Obtaining this knowledge provided independence and

reduced the need for the leader to step in and take control.