1. I have met many leaders since I began my career in the Coast Guard. The leaders I remembered varied within the ranks, from junior enlisted to senior officer. A couple of people who have influenced me have been successful in their careers while a couple have experienced tribulations along the way, but have always bounced back. The leaders who had the most influence were those who had a good balance between positional and personal power. My leadership influences were introduced to me during my freshman and nineteenth years in the Coast Guard.2. The first influential leader I was introduced to was my first unit after basic training. Coast Guard Cutter Sedge (WLB-402) was a deep-sea buoy tender moored in Homer, Alaska, in 1995. The boatswain's mate third class at the time, Chad Holm, had an immense responsibility. He was in charge of over thirty members of the Deck Force and the daily operations, which required a lot from a junior service member. At the time, Petty Officer Holm displayed a good balance of personal power and position. Considering he was the senior noncommissioned officer of his division, he was by default in a positional power role. He demonstrated leadership by showing confidence and organization. Most of his subordinates were his age, which posed a challenge due to his supervisory role. As a supervisor, he was motivating and inspired each of his non-raters to rise above their responsibilities and career path. He held competitions to see how well we conducted buoy operations, deck navigation, helm and lookout watches, and port duty drills. The fact that he cared about how well we performed showed in his interactions with us and this resonated and inspired us to be the best we could be. Petty Officer Holm sought… middle of paper… is defined by how I see myself as a leader. I have a leadership skill, which I am comfortable with, but I always refine it when I observe the traits of leaders who inspire me. My philosophy is that I understand that I have a significant duty to them just as they have to me. I have been granted the responsibility to one day step into my shoes and become an enlisted leader. Therefore, I was tasked with teaching them the right way to conduct Coast Guard operations. This is important because the leadership cycle depends on the quality of direction instilled in the future generation. If the leadership was sub-par, expect the outcome to resonate with the new leader and cause problems that could potentially recur. If the quality of leadership was influential, our future leaders will have a solid foundation to build on for their subordinates.