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Leadership

Definition of Leadership

Leadership is the process of directing, encouraging, motivating and guiding an organization to maximize the efforts of its personnel to accomplish the entity’s goals and objectives. Leadership also includes helping individuals to develop and achieve their highest potential. Effective leadership includes modeling, practicing and teaching proper attitudes, behaviors, skills and methods of leadership and performance. Wise leadership also includes leading with vision, respect, mentoring and innovation. The real essence of meaningful leadership is the interest in and passion for the development of those for whom the leader has stewardship.

Assistant: No experience with leading or supervision of others. None, or very limited supervision of other employees.

Associate: Limited leadership or supervision of 1 or a few other employees, perhaps mostly students. Elementary understanding of basic/fundamental leadership methods and techniques.

Senior Associate: Supervision of a few other employees, including other full-time employees and students. Developing understanding of fundamental leadership methods and techniques.

Professional: Supervision and leadership of other employees, both full-time and students is a larger portion of job duties and requirements. Is able to apply standard leadership methods and techniques to assisting direct reports in improving performance and development.

Senior Professional: Leadership of departments and/or multiple individuals including professional employees, who may themselves be leading others. Is able to apply complex leadership methods and techniques to encourage self-motivation and self-direction within the organization. Practices and models mentoring techniques to encourage development amongst direct reports.

Principal: Leads complex organizations including employees at many levels. Is able to lead with vision, encouragement, mentoring and motivational techniques and practices. Shows seasoned ability to lead others in making strategic decisions, encouraging innovation and developing others within the organization.

Leadership – How to Develop

University Courses:

  • “Leadership” SELFG 051 - Independent Studies online course
  • “Humanities Leadership and Professional Development” HCOLL 396R – Independent Study online course
  • “Leadership Development” – PSYCH 358 – 3.0 Credit course
  • “Managerial Leadership Development – HRM 413 - 3.0 Credit course
  • University Leadership/Management Course – Brian Evans
  • YTrain??

Training / Other Courses:

  • The Extraordinary Leader: Elevating Leadership Strengths – Zenger/Folkman

Professional Associations / Certifications:

  • Certified Business Office Manager (CBOM)
  • Certified Manager (CM) – Certification

Books / Publications:

  • If I Could Tell You Just One Thing – Richard Reed
  • The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership – Bill Walsh, Steve Jamison, Craig Walsh
  • Start with why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action – Simon Sinek
  • Limitless: Leadership That Endures – Ajaz Ahmed
  • Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box – The Arbinger Institute
  • The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential – John C Maxwell
  • Wooden on Leadership: How to Create a Winning Organization – John Wooden
  • Monday Morning Leadership: 8 Mentoring Session You Can’t Afford to Miss – David Cottrell
  • Multipliers: How The Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter – Liz Wiseman
  • Emotional Intelligence 2.0 – Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves
  • Talent Unleashed: 3 Leadership Conversations to Ingnite The Unlimited Potential in People – Shawn D. Moon, Todd Davis, Michael Simpson, A. Roger Merrill
  • Mentoring 101 – John C Maxwell
  • One Minute Mentoring – Ken Blanchard and Claire Diaz-Ortiz
  • The One Minute Manager – Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson (And “The NEW One Minute Manager” by the same authors)
  • The Three Signs of a Miserable Job: A Fable for Managers (and their employees) – Patrick Lencioni
  • In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America’s Best-run Companies – Thomas J Peters and Robert H. Waterman, Jr.
  • A Passion for Excellence: The Leadership Difference – Tom Peters and Nancy Austin

Experiences:

Leadership – How to Demonstrate

DO: Describe what you did in completing / achieving your development plan

  • Give specifics about the books you read, the courses you took and the concepts you actively sought to learn and improve. Why did you choose these resources?

ASSESS: Share, if applicable, any assessments that were taken / provided related to your activities

  • Share examples of feedback from those you lead who have noticed positive changes in your management style.
  • Share and discuss with the CDC or your supervisor the results of the assessments you took as part of formal training courses or books read, focusing on improvements in specific areas.

LEARN: Explain what you felt that you were able to learn during your journey / experiences

  • What new things did you learn that really impressed you that you would like to incorporate into your everyday leadership?
  • What written goals and plans have you determined to pursue to change your specific management practices and interactions?

APPLY: Give specifics examples where you have / plan to make direct application to your work

  • Describe what you are specifically doing differently in your efforts to manage, lead and/or supervise others that came directly as a result of what you learned/discovered/experienced.
  • Describe how this has effected your relationships with those that you supervise.
  • Describe how this has made you a better/more effective manager/leader.

REFLECT: Review / consider things you would have done differently had you had this experience earlier

  • After putting into practices these new skills, what other skills do you think would help you to improve even further?
  • How can the things you have learned and put into practice be shared with those that you are leading/mentoring? What is the best/most effective way to do this?