As an officer in the United States Army, it has been critical for me to understand every aspect of leadership and why it remains important to be an effective leader. During this course I learned some valuable lessons about myself as a leader and how I can improve my leadership skills in the future. Journal entries along with an understanding of available leadership theories have been an integral part of my learning during this course. For all the journals and assessments I have completed, I feel they have given me a good understanding of my current leadership status and my future potential as a leader. All specific assessments examined different areas related to leadership; these assessments covered several separate areas of concern and identified my overall strengths and weaknesses as a leader. Throughout this article I will briefly discuss each of these evaluations and journal entries as they pertained to me and my leadership. The first assessment I completed opened my eyes as a leader. As expected, my score for my overall leadership potential was on the higher end of the scale due to my background and the amount of experience I have in leadership positions. This assessment provided a very accurate picture of my overall leadership potential because I have always placed an emphasis on being very good at what I do, working hard to not follow a path that didn't work the first time. The Army spends a lot of time turning followers into leaders and leaders into followers using varying levels of training throughout their military career. This training allows the Soldier to refine the knowledge and skills needed to be an effective leader in every aspect of their job. ...... middle of paper ...... Retrieved December 17, 2013, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/benefits-effect-communication-workplace-20198.htmlFORBES. (2014). The only true leadership is that based on values. Retrieved January 14, 2014, from http://www.forbes.com/2011/04/26/values-based-leadership.htmlIvey Business Journal. (n.d.). Followership: The other side of leadership. Retrieved January 14, 2014, from http:iveybusinessjournal.com/topics/leadership/leadership/followership-the-other-side-of-leadership#.UtbFeaFMHIUMilitaryTimes. (2013). 14 leadership traits and 11 leadership principles. Retrieved November 19, 2013, from http://forums.militarytimes.com/showthread.php?1594653-14-Leadership-Traits-and-11-Leadership-Principles-judging-a-leader-or-a-NATIONLussier, R. & Achua, C. (2013). Leadership: Theory, application, and skill development (5th ed.). Mason, OH: Southwest Cengage Learning