Discover the Leader in You!

1. Discover the Leader in You! Developing and Realizing your Leadership Potential

2. Instructors • Laurie Scott, Health Science Information Consortium of Toronto • Daniel Phelan, Ryerson University • Wayne Glover, AssociationsFirst

3. Agenda • Introductions • Perceptions of Leadership • Leadership Defined • Personal Leadership Traits • Leadership Potential • BREAK

4. Agenda, continued • Taking on a Leadership Role in Professional Associations • Leadership Institutes & Programs • Personal Action Plan • Perceptions of Leadership Revisited • Wrap-up and Evaluations

5. Introductions • Please tell us your name, where you work, how long you have been in the library/information profession, and what you hope to get from this workshop.

6. At the end of this workshop you will: • Know how leadership is defined and discussed in the literature; • Know how you can take on leadership roles in your own life; • Know how to develop your own leadership skills; • Understand the role of leadership in team work;

7. At the end of this workshop you will: • Know how participation in professional associations can help with your leadership skills development; • Know what leadership institutes and programs exist for librarians and whether they would be right for you.

8. What You’ll Take Away • PowerPoint slides • Bibliography • Checklist of leadership qualities • List of leadership institutes/programs • Your personal action plan • But not…

9. Great Leaders Sir Winston Churchill – Was he a great leader?

10. Perceptions of Leadership • Who are some people you would identify as great leaders? • Public figures, personal acquaintances; present day or historical. • What do you think makes them great leaders?

11. Perceptions of Leadership • The following slide shows individuals who may or may not be considered great leaders. • What do you think? • Are they great leaders, or not? Why, why not?

12. Oprah Pierre Trudeau René Lévesque Bill & Melinda Gates Bono Margaret Thatcher Tony Blair Stephen Abram Adolf Hitler Nelson Mandela Michaëlle Jean Rudy Giuliani Great Leaders?

13. When You Were a Child • I’ll bet that most of you played a game called “Follow the Leader” • Were you the ‘leader’ or ‘one of the followers’ ? • What do you remember (if anything) about this game ?

14. How to Play ‘Follow the Leader’ • First a leader or "head of the line" is chosen, then all children line up behind the leader. • The leader then moves around and all the children have to mimic the leader's actions. • Players who mess up or do not do what the leader does are out of the game. • The last person standing other than the leader is now the new leader.

15. What you Learned About Leadership from the Game • There has to be a leader • The leader must be chosen • There must be followers • Those who follow must mimic the leader

16. What you Learned About Leadership from the Game • Those who do not mimic the leader are left behind • A new leader always emerges at the end of the game • The cycle continues • Do you think all of these lessons are true?

17. Leadership Defined • In its simplest form leadership is the capacity or ability to lead. • To lead is to either get in front to show people the way or to go along with them.

18. Leadership Defined • In any case, the leader always takes an active role in making something happen with others • The others are referred to as followers

19. Leaders need followers • Not everyone can be a leader in every situation • It is not always necessary, but leaders have probably been followers first • Some people do not have the desire or the qualities to be leaders

20. Leaders need followers • Followers fulfill very important functions and they need their leaders to have certain qualities

21. Leaders need followers • What followers expect: • Honesty • Competence • Forward-looking attitudes • Inspiration • These create credibility Kouzes and Posner

22. Leadership Defined • Some three hundred and fifty definitions of “leadership” have been generated over the last thirty years by leadership researchers • Some say leadership is merely “coping with change”

23. Leadership Defined • Others point to being visionary or vision-oriented as the most important quality of a leader • The “wise use of power” is another partial definition

24. Leadership Defined • One leadership scholar and guru, Warren Bennis, has identified several aspects of leaders in business terms. • A guiding vision • Passion • Integrity • Trust • Curiosity • Daring

25. Characteristics of Leaders • Agents of change • Apostles of hope • Good listeners • Coaches and teachers • Decisive

26. Characteristics of Leaders • Risk-takers • Enforce standards • Tenacious • Results-oriented

27. Leadership Defined • Are leaders born or made? • Early studies assumed leaders were born but none of these studies was conclusive • If leader are born, then leadership training is meaningless!

28. Leadership Defined • Are leaders born or made ? • If leaders are made, then theoretically anyone can be a leader • The truth probably lies in between – leaders are probably born with the aptitude but need guidance and nurturing to realize their leadership potential • Similar to great singers or athletes, who are born with a gift, but need to develop it

29. Is leadership the same as management ? • Generally leaders have traits that make them good managers • But good managers may not be great leaders – why might that be? • Similarly, a visionary person may have the charisma of a leader, but have no ability as a manager

30. Is leadership the same as management ? • It is not essential to be a manager to be a leader • One can be a leader from the ranks • Indeed leaders can be found at all levels of organizations and groups

31. Leadership & Teamwork • What is the role of leaders in team work? • In some instances, creating the team or introducing members to each other • Clearly defining responsibilities • Developing communications guidelines • Identifying a conflict resolution mechanism

32. Leadership & Teamwork • Encouraging an open exchange of ideas during team creation • Creating a shared purpose, direction and goals • Providing detailed and timely feedback

33. Is leadership the same as management ? • “The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.” Warren Bennis

34. The “Tasks of Leadership” • Envisioning goals • Affirming values • Motivating • Managing (priorities, decisions & systems) • Achieving workable unity

35. The “Tasks of Leadership” • Explaining and teaching • Serving as a symbol • Representing the group • Renewing

36. Leadership Potential • How can you determine your own leadership potential?

37. Personal Leadership Traits • Using the provided check list, take 10 minutes to reflect on your own leadership traits – the qualities you have that would make you a good leader, and those that you think might make leadership difficult for you. • There may be other qualities you think are important that are not on the checklist. • Grade yourself from 1 – 10 on each quality. • You may share these with the group, or keep them private.

38. Personal Leadership Traits • What qualities of leadership were not on the checklist?

39. Leadership & Professional Associations • Participation in professional associations is a great way to develop leadership abilities. • There are many different ways to participate, and a wide variety of associations.

40. Leadership & Professional Associations • What reasons might people have for not participating?

41. Leadership & Professional Associations • Reasons we hear for not taking on leadership activities in associations: • I don’t have enough time • It’s a lot of work and responsibility

42. Leadership & Professional Associations • Reasons we hear for not taking on leadership activities in associations: • I don’t have anything to offer; other people are more qualified to serve than I am • I’m uncomfortable expressing my opinion in public • It costs a lot of money

43. Leadership & Professional Associations • I don’t have enough time. • Everyone is pressed for time, but remember that even the busiest people participate. • Negotiate with your employer for the time needed. After all, this is your professional development and it makes you a better employee.

44. Leadership & Professional Associations • I don’t have enough time. • Choose an activity that fits with the time you have. E.g. writing an article (working at times that are best for you such as evenings) may be better than serving on a committee that meets at specific times.

45. Leadership & Professional Associations • It’s a lot of work and responsibility. • Yes, it is! But it’s also a great opportunity for professional and personal growth. • It’s also fun – which makes it feel less like work.

46. Leadership & Professional Associations • It’s a lot of work and responsibility. • Taking on responsibility is an important leadership trait. • It is very rewarding to see the fruits of your labour, and the impact you can have as a leader.

47. Leadership & Professional Associations • I don’t have anything to offer; others are better qualified • Don’t sell yourself short! • Everyone has qualities, skills or knowledge that they can contribute.

48. Leadership & Professional Associations • I don’t have anything to offer; others are better qualified • Long-time members of the profession have experience and knowledge of the “big picture” to share. • Newer members have a fresh outlook on issues and new skills.

49. Leadership & Professional Associations • I don’t have anything to offer; others are better qualified • Behind the scenes work is as important as that directly in the public eye. • You can start small and work your way up.

50. Leadership & Professional Associations • I’m uncomfortable expressing my opinion in public. • This common anxiety can be overcome! • Take a course on public speaking, join Toastmasters or a similar group.