| Course | LDR-3050 Foundations of Leadership |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 1 |
| Paper type | Module 1 reflection assignment: understanding leadership |
| Length | About 527 words, 4 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Thomas Edison State University |
| Program | Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for LDR 3050 Module 1
Leadership as Something I Do, Not Something I Have: A First Reflection From the Night Shift
Student Name
Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership, Thomas Edison State University
LDR-3050: Foundations of Leadership
Mentor Name
Month Day, Year
Leadership as Something I Do, Not Something I Have: A First Reflection From the Night Shift
Why I Am Thinking About This Now
A year ago I was promoted from order selector to night-shift supervisor at a grocery distribution center in Cranbury. I had been the fastest selector on the shift, and I assumed that speed and knowing the building would make me a leader. Within a month, two of my best selectors asked to move to days. Northouse (2020) describes leadership in several ways, as a trait, an ability, a skill, a behavior, a relationship and a process, and this module made me ask which of those I had been relying on.
Two Supervisors I Remember
My first supervisor, Ray, was loud, confident and decisive, the picture of a "born leader." He made every decision himself and rarely explained one. We hit our numbers, but people left the shift as soon as they could. My second supervisor, Marisol, was quiet. She walked the aisles every night, knew everyone's name and asked what was slowing us down. When the conveyor jammed, she asked the senior loaders for ideas before deciding. Our numbers were as good as under Ray, and almost no one left. Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991) argued that traits such as drive, honesty and self-confidence do matter, but that they only give a person the potential to lead; what the person does with them decides the result. Ray had the traits. Marisol did the work of leading.
Leadership as a Process
The definition that fits my experience best is the one Northouse gives: leadership as a process of influencing a group of people toward a shared goal. That definition makes leadership something that happens between people, not something one person owns. It also means that influence can come from anyone on the shift. Our most respected loader, a man who has worked there for twenty years, influences how the new hires work more than I do.
Born or Made?
The module asks whether leaders are born or made. Judge et al. (2002) found in a meta-analysis that personality traits, especially extraversion and conscientiousness, are related to who emerges as a leader and to how effective leaders are judged to be. So some of it is inborn. But the same study showed that traits explain only part of the picture, and my own experience says the rest is learned. Marisol was not a natural extravert; she had learned to ask questions and listen.
What I Will Do Differently
I am going to stop relying on being good at the job and start practicing the behaviors that build influence. In the next month I will walk the aisles twice a night to ask what is slowing people down, explain the reasons behind changes to the pick schedule and ask our senior loader to help train new hires. I will track whether requests to transfer off the shift go down.
Conclusion
I started this course thinking leadership was something a person has. After this module I think it is something a person does, repeatedly, with other people. That is encouraging, because it means I can get better at it.
References
Judge, T. A., Bono, J. E., Ilies, R., & Gerhardt, M. W. (2002). Personality and leadership: A qualitative and quantitative review. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 765-780. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.87.4.765
Kirkpatrick, S. A., & Locke, E. A. (1991). Leadership: Do traits matter? Academy of Management Executive, 5(2), 48-60. https://doi.org/10.5465/ame.1991.4274679
Northouse, P. G. (2020). Introduction to leadership: Concepts and practice (5th ed.). Sage.
LDR 3050 Module 1 instructions, in plain terms
LDR-3050 asks for eleven reflection assignments, worth 26 percent of the grade together, alongside eleven self-assessments, twelve discussions and a final paper. Each reflection is your chance to think about your own beliefs and actions in light of one module's topic and to show that you can connect the textbook's theory to real practice. The first module covers what leadership is. Write in the first person, use examples from your own work or community, and cite Northouse and at least one other source. Avoid summarizing the chapter; use it to examine what you have seen and done. A short opening about why the topic matters to you now, followed by sections that test the chapter's ideas against your experience, works well for this first paper.
Inside the LDR 3050 Module 1 example
The reflection opens with a real moment that raised the question, a new supervisor losing two good workers. It compares two remembered supervisors, one with leader traits and one with leader behaviors, and uses research on traits to explain the difference. A section explains why the process definition fits best and notes that influence can come from anyone on the shift. A section on born versus made weighs research on personality and leadership. The reflection ends with three concrete changes and a measure the writer will watch. The writer stays honest about his own mistakes, which gives the reflection credibility, and every claim about leadership is tied to a person or event the reader can picture.
Reading the LDR 3050 Module 1 grading rubric
Mentors grade reflections on the connection between theory and practice, honest self-examination, specific examples and clear writing with citations. In this first reflection, papers that test several definitions against real people, rather than choosing one without reasons, show the thinking the course is built to develop. Using research to support or challenge the textbook earns more than citing the chapter alone. Concrete actions, each with a sign of success to watch for, show the writer means to use what was learned. Accurate APA citations for Northouse and for the research used complete the grade. Reflections that admit an early misconception, as this one does about speed and leadership, show the self-awareness the first module aims to start.
LDR 3050 Module 1 help: mistakes that cost marks
Students lose points by writing about leadership in general terms, by choosing a definition without explaining why it fits or by describing a leader they admire without connecting the description to course concepts. Others write only about others and never about themselves. Use real people and real moments, even if you change names. Connect each example to a specific definition from the chapter. Close by naming one thing you will change at work. Keep the focus on your own growth rather than on judging others. If you have never held a formal leadership role, use a team, a family responsibility or a volunteer group as your example. A free first sample on your own LDR-3050 Module 1 reflection is available on request.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
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More LDR 3050 and Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership sample papers
- LDR 3050 Module 2: Reflection Paper: Which Leadership Style Do I Actually Use?
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LDR 3050 Module 1 questions, answered
Where can I find a free LDR 3050 Module 1 sample paper?
A night-shift supervisor's reflection testing six definitions of leadership against his own experience is above.
What are the main ways Northouse defines leadership?
As a trait, an ability, a skill, a behavior, a relationship and an influence process.
Are leaders born or made?
Research finds personality traits matter, but they explain only part of leader effectiveness; much is learned behavior.
What is leadership as a process?
A view of leadership as influence that happens between a leader and followers working toward a common goal.
How many reflections are in LDR-3050?
Eleven reflection assignments, together worth 26 percent of the grade.