Leading With Influence Creating Your Personal Leadership Style

Our job as leaders is not to create followers, but to inspire others to lead where we leave off.

What is Leadership? Good leadership is difficult to define, but you know it when you see it. Take a moment and think about someone you would say is a good/great leader. What traits or characteristics does s/he have.

Well Said! “Being in leadership is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, then you aren’t.” -Margaret Thatcher

Definitions of Leadership “The only definition of a leader is someone who has followers.” ~Peter Drucker “Leadership is influence - nothing more, nothing less.” ~John C Maxwell “Leadership is ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen.” ~Alan Keith “Leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realize your own leadership potential.” ~Warren Bennis These quotes are the progression of thoughts about leadership. What are some traits of good leaders?

Characteristics of Good Leaders Honesty/integrity Supportive Trustworthy Make things happen Fair & equitable Values & ethics Positive attitude Motivate others Strong vision Created opportunities Inspiring Safe space Organized Listen “Walk their talk” Respectful About the person’s way of being—describe character—personal attributes

Characteristics of Good Leaders Attributes or personal qualities Are as much about the person’s way of being as they are about what s/he accomplished Demonstrate a belief in something greater Invite others to also contribute to something greater

All Leadership Is Personal Leadership Unique to you Comes from within yourself It is your way of “being” It is the way you “bring yourself” to the situation Begins where behavior and values align Personal leadership has 6 significant parts

Volunteers vs. Paid Employees Is there a difference in required technique? Our organization is no stronger than its leaders. Committed leaders increase value to members. Value increases participation from the members. Participation strengthens the organization from the inside out. For this to happen, there must be leaders who lead. Remember: You can not lead your team any further than you have traveled yourself.

Personal Leadership in 6 Parts Leading where you are (with what you have) Vision Presence Embodying Values/Modeling the way Enabling others Making contribution

What can you do right now in this moment with what you have? Lead Where You Are What can you do right now in this moment with what you have? What would make a difference right now? What is the small thing that matters?

Vision can be defined as: a vivid mental image; the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses; a religious or mystical experience of a supernatural appearance Vision has to do with sight

The “more” or “greater than” you want to contribute to Vision Your world view The “more” or “greater than” you want to contribute to The thing you want to make “present to the senses” What you want to create

Your Leadership “Presence”? “What you are speaks louder than anything you have to say”. -David Beck Your presence is how people feel when they are around you. This includes how safe they feel, what you bring out of them, how you listen, how and what you share of yourself.

Alignment between beliefs and behaviors “Walking the talk” Embodying Values Alignment between beliefs and behaviors “Walking the talk” Modeling the way—demonstrating values through actions not telling (do as I do) “Becoming the change you want to see in the world.” -Gandhi

Enabling Others “The greatest gift you can give to others is not to show them your greatness, but to reveal to them their own.” -unknown

How can you use your personal leadership/way of being to help others? Making Contribution How can you combine the small things to make a difference in a bigger way? How can you use your personal leadership/way of being to help others?

30 Day Invitation Pick one leadership trait you want to develop and consciously explore it for the next 30 days. Take 15 minutes at the end of each day, record what you observed and experienced

The Power of Reflection What did you observe about where you embody and where you espouse your values? What actions did you take to bring your values and actions more into alignment? What went well? / What did not go well? What was the impact? What will you do differently next time? Celebrate what you did well

True Leaders Must Overcome FIVE FEARS

1 The Unknown Turning the unknown into adventure will give you permission to succeed.

2 Abandonment Humans are pack animals – it is natural to be afraid of being alone.

3 Failure Is it Failure or Defeat?  Defeat is when life crumbles around you, and you stay in it but do nothing to climb out. Get knocked down one hundred times – get back up one hundred and one!

4 Rejection What if they say no? What is the worst that could happen?

5 Success Some people are never actually taught the definition of Success – and how to handle it when it comes our way.

True Leaders Must Overcome FIVE TRUTHS

1 Respect The result of people trusting you, and wanting you to share their journey with them. Nothing better than sharing the same crusade.

2 Reputation Is not created during a relationship. It is created after. It is the feeling that we leave people with after they are directly involved with us. Community service builds perception and awareness.

3 Integrity The result of respect and reputation coming together to create the belief that I can trust who you are and can count on you to do what you say you will do.

4 Accountability A person who has accepted the responsibility to lead, must do it with a passion to improve the organization and not a fear of being disliked. A leader fully accepts accountability.

5 Change Respect the tradition of yesterday, but do not be held hostage by those traditions. You must move forward in the spirit of improvement.  

Get involved. Lead.