1. Building Leadership: A Lifelong Pursuit

2. Goal: To encourage you to build your full leadership potential To recognize and learn from leaders To know leadership characteristics and build these ‘habits’ To identify your strengths and sustain their development

4. Leaders vs. Managers Leaders visionaries, strategic thinkers, influential, decisive, goal directed, a sense of mission Managers focus on the task at hand, establishing clear, transparent finances, obtain the best possible outcomes with limited resources You manage things; you lead people. Some do both well; both are essential but skills sets differ

5. Leadership development Social and psychological science- observational studies, surveys Essential for corporate, organizational, and government success 91,000 books on leadership Still many unknowns Zenger, Rath, Covey, WHO my primary sources

6. Leadership Roles Patient care/public health Research Administration Education Family/home Business Government/politics Community Civil society/boards Do leadership skills in the workplace work the same way at home?

7. Great Leaders Are magnets for highly committed individuals ( >70% of employees positive about leader/boss, workplace) Discover and grow the strengths of others Are trust worthy Stay and build-have a long term focus Demonstrate gratitude and appreciation Not risk averse Are loyal But not perfect

8. Seven Characteristics (Covey) Continually learning, training, asking questions, developing new skills Daily putting on the ‘harness of service’ Radiate positive energy, upbeat, enthusiastic Believe in others Lead balanced lives See life as an adventure Change catalyst usually with synergistic solutions

9. The Focus on Strengths & Weaknesses Peter Drucker: Most individuals think they know what they are good at. They are usually wrong! Since 1990 leadership gurus have agreed- individuals don’t identify strengths well Need others (bosses, friends, clients) to inform us, possibly ‘strength finder assessment’ Organizations need to assist individuals to identify and grow strengths Stop addressing weaknesses (still common part of many performance reviews)

10. Why focus on strengths? Most leadership strengths can be improved-from 50-70% to 90-95% Weaknesses (usually at <30% efficacy) usually are improved minimally and then return to baseline Employee survey-42% provide no feedback; 56% on weaknesses; 2% on strengths

11. 34 Strengths (Competencies) www.strengthsfinder.com Achiever Activator Adaptability Analytical Arranger Belief Command Communications Competition Connectedness Consistency Context Deliberative Developer Discipline Empathy Focus Futuristic

12. Continuing Themes/Ideas Harmony Ideation Includer Individualization Input Intellection Learner Maximizer Positivity Realtor Responsibility Restorative Self-assurance Significance Strategic Woo

13. My Five ‘Strengths’ Learner- energized by the process. A catalyst for change. Need to be on the cutting edge. Analytical- theories must be sound. Prove it or I won’t accept your observation. Input-inquisitive, gathering ideas, fact repository Arranger-’conductor’, enjoy complex challenges Intellection-enjoy thinking, problem solving, musing, reflecting

14. Fatal Flaws As many as 20% of leaders have a ‘fatal flaw’ that can hinder or destroy leadership Needs to be identified and addressed and may require professional help Eg. uncontrollable anger; addictions; failing to complete tasks

15. Conclusion Develop your potential to become an exceptional leader and use your strengths for a career that fulfills your dreams to make a difference

16. The 360 Degree Assessment Our self perceptions are often/usually wrong Need accurate feedback processes from peers, boss, subordinates, customers, clients Responses should take only 10-20 minutes and be annual Positive process –identifying strengths, growing them, not harping on weaknesses

17. Can you become the leader you want to be ? Talents are inborn but need opportunity to be enhanced; leadership can be learned/acquired- a lifelong goal Potential varies- usually not well developed Leadership is the right use of powers and principles Power leadership- coercion. utility, or principles Principled leadership-shared values, integrity, trust, ethical behavior, honour, respect, humility

18. What about Weaknesses? Disregard them unless a ‘fatal flaw’ is present Possibly weaknesses need to be addressed in childhood to ensure adequate development across the knowledge spectrum Organizations require a variety of leaders- different strengths are essential

19. Sustaining Strengths Sustainability = motivation x clarity x support from others (workplace) x opportunities for practice x measurement of progress Motivation lies within the individual- drive, autonomy Clarity-about the ‘strength’ and its application Support-from the 360 Practice-with input on performance Metrics-identify targets, time frame

20. Seven Deadly Leadership Sins- Ghandi Wealth without work Pleasure without conscience Knowledge without character Commerce without morality Science without humanity Religion without sacrifice Politics without principles

21. The Emergence of Servant Leadership Arrogance/prominence was a valued component of leadership in Roman, Greek, even Jewish culture Christian culture began emphasizing humility as a desired trait for success and effective leadership Benjamin Israeli/Abe Lincoln- revered politicians both sought to lead with humility

22. Quotes to quote (Forbes) The function of a leader is to create more leaders, not more followers You don’t need a title to be a leader. People buy into the leader before they will buy the vision Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done, because he wants to do it Earn your leadership every day