Reflection Paper: Legal and Policy Issues

[s]Reflection Paper: Legal and Policy Issues

A reflection paper helps in reinforcing and overviewing what has been done, where improvements were possible, and also in expressing the feelings and reactions in relation to a particular experience. A reflection paper also helps in connecting the knowledge gained to that applied in the projects and the manner in which that knowledge helped in defining the projects. This reflection paper also connects knowledge base to the projects undertaken till now to reflect on the leadership skills that I have exhibited especially focusing on the legal and policy issues that arise and the effectiveness of the decisions that I have taken and how they could have been more informed.

Legal and policy issues arise on a daily basis and it is the responsibility of a leader to take decisions accordingly and that too on time (Hasl-Kelchner, 2006). When a leader is uninformed about the law, the decisions that are taken may not be according to the needs and demands of the issue. An uninformed decision may also lead to further exacerbate the issue and hence it is essential for leaders to invest time and resources to learn this very important skill. Furthermore, if a leader is informed about the law and policies, but does not have a clear vision then that too may lead to problems that could have been avoided with a better understanding and vision (Hasl-Kelchner, 2006).

Leadership is an art and it is learned with experience and with time. The success of a leader as also mentioned above though starts with a vision. As a leader I also have a vision that keeps me focused towards my goals. With regard to the legal and policy issues I believe that legal issues need to be expressed in practical terms and the approach leaders take needs to consider the law as a tool for achieving business objectives. If there is clarity in the area of legal issues, problems can be stopped in their infancy. This early intervention would allow for a comparatively inexpensive resolution. My goal as a leader has always been to translate the legal into language that makes business sense. To help facilitate this goal, I developed legal training programs for corporations that directly relate to people's everyday work responsibilities and decisions.

The past experiences that I have had have also informed my decision making with regard to the policy and legal issues. In 1996, I attended a Course 'Church leadership and Administration' that helped me a lot in understanding the theory and philosophy of leadership in general. It also helped me in making capable of applying the techniques of leadership and in making me understand the responsibilities in relation to ethics, planning and administration that a leader has to take. Furthermore, the course was also helpful in making me understand the principles of educational administration specifically focusing on the leadership in the local church. The course assignments in those days too also helped in reinforcing the knowledge gained ...