Synthesis Essay Louis Zamperini - 1782 Words

Synthesis Essay – Louis Zamperini SMSgt Joey Barta Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy February 6, 2015 Instructor: MSgt Witherspoon Louis Zamperini Imagine what it would take to one day be competing as an Olympic athlete, soon after find yourself stranded on a life raft for forty-seven days, only to be captured as a prisoner of war (POW) for the next twenty-five months. This is exactly what Louis Zamperini did and he lived through it all too be a visionary and ethical leader until the day he died. In this paper I will explain how through all ups and downs of Zamperini’s life he used the elements of adaptability and transactional leadership behavior of contingent rewards. I will also explain how he was an ethical leader by showcasing his resiliency and how his actions fit into the Air Force Core Value of service before self. I will also explain Zamperini’s actions relate to a few instances of me showing similar traits in my actions. First I will explain how Zamperini acted as a visionary leader. Visionary Leader Louis Zamperini acted as a visionary leader by frequently adapting to change throughout his life. According to the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education â€Å"adaptability† is broken down into three different elements; cognitive, emotional, and dispositional (Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education [BCEE], 2014b, p.5). Although Zamperini used all three of these elements in his actions, decisions, and