Leadership: Do you really want to be out front?

Linda Oestreich, STC PresidentJune 4, 2007

STC Israel Convention

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Opening Questions

• Why would anyone want to be led by you?

• Do you have, or can you get, what it takes?

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Plan• Introductions• Definition• Myths and theories• Keys to leadership: trust and communication• Competencies of leadership• Leadership strategy cycle• Tips and lessons• Teamwork• Exercise• References

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What is leadership?• Leadership is a complex process by which

a person influences others to accomplish a mission, task, or objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent.

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Leaders are…

“People who leave their footprints in the areas of their passion”

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In other words…

• Good leaders make people WANT to achieve high goals and objectives; bosses TELL people to accomplish a task or objective.

• It is the followers, not the leader, who determine if a leader is successful.

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Myths of leadership

• Leaders are charismatic.• Leaders are born, not made.• Leaders exist only at the top of an

organization.• Leaders control, direct, manipulate,

and prod.• Leadership is a rare skill.

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Bass’ theories of leadership• Trait theory: Some personality traits lead

people naturally into leadership roles.• Great event theory: A crisis or important event

may cause a person to rise to the occasion, which brings out extraordinary leadership qualities in an ordinary person.

• Transformational leadership theory: People can choose to become leaders and learn leadership skills.

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Two keys to leadership

• Trust• Communication

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TrustTrust, n. 1. Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or

character of a person or thing.2. Custody; care.3. Something committed into the care of another;

charge.4.

a. The condition and resulting obligation of having confidence placed in one: violated a public trust.

b. One in which confidence is placed.

5. Reliance on something in the future; hope.

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Communication• In 350 B.C., Aristotle said, “if communication is to

change behavior, it must be grounded in the desires and interests of the receivers.”

• Lead through 2-way communication. • Recognize and practice good nonverbal

communication. • Set the example. • Don’t ask your team to do things you wouldn’t do. • What and how you communicate builds or harms

the relationship you have with your team.

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Nonverbal communication

• Eye contact• Facial expressions• Gestures• Posture and body position• Proximity• Vocal elements

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Barriers to communication

• Culture, background, and bias• Noise (real and perceived)• Ourselves• Perception• Message• Environment• Stress

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Four competencies of leadership• Management of attention

– A set of intentions or vision– A sense of outcome, goal or direction

• Management of trust– Reliable, constant, focused, authentic

• Management of meaning– Communicate your vision– Integrate facts, concepts, and anecdotes into meaning and

focus– Get people to understand and support goals in a variety of

ways• Management of self

– Know your own skills and deploy them– Know your strengths and nurture them– Accept risk– View failures as steps toward success

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Leadership strategy cycle• Intent

– What are the key success factors?– What intended behavior do you hope to

achieve?• Behavior

– Actual behavior that resulted from work?• Effect

– What reactions did you observe?• Adjustment

– What behavioral change is needed to get back to original intent?

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Example• Intent

– establish a resource of leadership to meet needs of community leaders

• Behavior – process driven, no ability to meet needs, lost

vision in leadership changes• Effect

– miscommunication; too much energy in wrong places; unhappy community leaders

• Adjustment– reassign leadership; redefine vision; enhance

communication; clarify results expected

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Twelve tips for leaders

1. Know what is going on.2. Set the direction.3. Help them stay on course.4. Offer guidance.5. Open doors if you can.6. Assess their progress.7. Be smart; use their smarts.

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Twelve tips (continued)

8. Help team maintain self-esteem.9. Offer an empathetic ear.10.Use their ideas, results, etc.11.Give them credit and thanks.12.Never take credit for their work.

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To work well, teams need• Direction (key result areas, goals,

measurements)• Knowledge (skills, training, information,

goals)• Resources (tools, materials, facilities,

money)• Support (approval, coaching, feedback,

encouragement)

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Set preferences for

• Communicating• Planning and/or problem solving• Resolving conflict• Deciding

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Team incentives

• Let them decide

– who works on what– how to handle nonperformers– how to strengthen their weaknesses– who their own team leader is– ways to improve their performance

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Bottom line

• Tell people what you expect of them.• Make the work valuable.• Make the work doable.• Give feedback.• Reward successful performance.• Be enthusiastic!

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Individual exercises• Leadership style

– Authoritarian– Participative– Delegative

• Leadership matrix– Friend– Leader– Bankrupt– Boss

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Team exercise• Count off into teams of three.• Examine your thesis statement. (1 min)• As a team, do you accept or reject it as an

idea? (2 min)• Choose a recorder to record your

statements.(5 min)• Develop 3 to 5 statements that support

your team position. (3 min)• Choose someone on your team to present

your case. (2 min)

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Thesis statements• Cartoon characters

should wear pants.• Neighbors should

mind their own business.

• A journey of 1000 miles is better than studying 1000 books.

• Lotteries are harmful.

• Cats are worthless creatures.

• Vegetable soup cures colds.

• An old friend is better than two new ones.

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Discussion

• What did you notice?• Who took the lead?• Were decisions made as group, or

did someone take charge?• How did you arrive at conclusions?• Who chose the recorder? The

presenter?

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References• Bass, Bernard, Stogdill’s Handbook of Leadership: A Survey of Theory and

Research, New York: Free Press, 1989• U.S. Army Handbook (1973). Military Leadership• Kouzes, James & Posner, Barry (1987). The Leadership Challenge. San

Francisco: Jossey-Bass.• Pearson, J. (1983). Interpersonal Communication. Glenview, Illinois: Scott,

Foreman and Company• Covey, Stephen R. (1989) Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. New

York: Simon and Schuster.• Peterson, David B. & Hicks, Mary Dee (1996) Leader as Coach. Minneapolis,

MN: PDI International• Big Dog’s Leadership Page;

www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadcon.html• http://www.leader-values.com/Guests/Lead23.htm• Dean Carlo Brumat, from the Duxx Graduate School of Business Leadership• Symposium for Chief Elected and Chief Staff Officers; ASAE & the Center

for association leadership; Feb 12-13, 2007, (Tecker Consultants, LLC, 2006)

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Questions and Wrap-up?

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Contacting me

• Linda L. Oestreich• STC President (2007-2008)• day: +1 858-655-3878• eve: +1 619-303-6277• cell: +1 619-518-1186• pres@stc.org