Module 2 is all about exploring theories and models of leadership - from Lewin's three styles of leadership developed in the 1930's to the transformational leadership style of today. As you reviewed the materials in this module, I hope you reflected on the leaders you have either worked with or observed. Please share a description of the most effective leader you have
either worked with or observed, the major change they were leading toward, and your
analysis of their leadership style. You also completed two leadership skills assessments - share the highlight of your
self-analysis by posting one of your leadership strengths and one of your
leadership aspirations here as well.
Personally, one of the most effective leaders I have ever worked with was the Director of the Arts Council where I served as an administrator for several years. Dr. Weaver was an amazingly talented leader who led the entire arts community to a united arts fundraising effort (overcoming tremendous resistance from Arts Council member organizations who were afraid participating in a united fund-raising campaign each year would reduce their budgets) and strategically put together public and private support for the renovation of an old post office for a new Arts Center and headquarters for the Arts Council. However, one of the most impressive changes she provided leadership to was the adoption of a new element of the county building code that required each new corporate building of a certain size to dedicate a certain percentage of the cost of the building to purchase art to display for the public! She had unflagging energy and determination and she had high expectations for everyone who worked with her, but she was very attentive to what was reasonable and what wasn't. Her leadership style was definitely transformational - she helped us maintain a clear vision of both the cultural and material changes we needed to work toward, made sure we had the resources we needed to be successful, inspired and energized us, and invited us to the table as valued colleagues to chart our course. In staff meetings where we were proposing new ventures she was famous for asking, "if we decide to do this, what will come off the table?" In today's environment of being expected to do more, more, more with fewer and fewer resources, it would be wonderful to have more leaders like Carolyn Weaver! I look forward to reading about your inspiring leaders and will be sharing my own self-analysis of my leadership skills soon.
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ReplyDeleteModule 2 Forum - Parton
ReplyDeleteI have only recently transitioned into teaching; I have a degree in Information Technology. I have worked a good deal of jobs since then, but I have to say I have not experienced much when it comes to leadership where I have worked, especially with technology integration.
I have witnessed good leadership qualities within a close friend of mine, Cindy Fazio. She helps run a family business and she is involved in her community; in the chamber of commerce in her area, the YMCA and in a variety of other community affairs. Her family business is a printing company in which they print the majority of advertising in her area. She is a visionary, you can throw an idea at her and she can see ten different ways to make it grow. She values her employees tremendously and knows that they need to be a team to keep their business going. She is the first to step up and speak out on a new employee who does not work well with the established team, she will give them a chance to cooperate and if not she will let them go. She is excellent at planning, organizing and directing events and people. If I had to label her with a type of leader it would have to be a Transformational Leader, she is very people oriented and loves to set up the whole ceremonial thing when it comes to promotions and such. I would describe her as honest, straight forward, dependable and inspiring.
I believe her leadership efforts are successful because she is devoted and driven. She assesses a situation, knows what needs to be done and then takes charge and does it. She can bring people together for a common cause and successfully navigate them through obstacles and indifference. She is currently working on a 25 year class reunion in which no one would step up and take the lead, not even those who were elected to organize the reunion. She developed a decisions committee, which has never been done before for this class, in which representatives from different areas come together to decide on all the arrangements. She stepped up and nominated the decorations committee, the music committee, the treasurer, the food and beverage committee and more. She has mediated squabbles and indecision and kept the process going. She looks to everyone for answers and is completely democratic with votes on decisions. She is very inspiring to me and I feel blessed to know her.
On the “How Good Are Your Leadership Skills?” test I scored a 74 which put me in the “You’re well on your way to becoming and good leader” category. I scored the highest in Positive Attitude and Outlook along with Motivating People to Deliver the Vision. I tend to always look to the bright side of things and truly believe things could always be worse, so why complain. Motivating people to deliver the vision is set on a framework of when people work together they can achieve great things. In teaching I prefer the students to work together, to help each other, to succeed. I believe in the old saying that “Two heads are better than one”. On the “Collaborative Leadership Self-Assessment” I scored the highest in the “Developing People” section, 69/70, which is again related to motivating people. I believe I picked up on having these skills somewhere in my life and that is the reasoning behind be becoming a teacher. I aspire to be the type of leader people trust and believe in, a leader who inspires others to develop to their full potential. I do need to work on a good deal of areas such as self-confidence, even though I truly believe everyone can achieve great things I am not so confident in my own achievements. Another area I scored poorly on was Building Trust in the self-assessment exercise. I have been in more than one collaborative process where I have been left high and dry. I am one who will always do what I say I will, but I don’t trust others to do the same and have a difficult time ensuring a group of collaborators that each of the others will be as trustworthy as I am.