Superior Leadership: What Makes the Difference?

Kay HempsallThe University of New England

and NSW Branch ATEM

Can it be learned?

Leadership is a set of skills and traits that can be learned and worked on

Often there is a general perception that good leaders are scare. Why?

Respond only to specific situations

Unwanted until they are needed

Mistaken for managers

People

Spontaneity, serendipity

Release, empowerment

Effectiveness

Programmer

Investment

Principles

Transformation

Principle-centred power

Discernment

Doing the right things

Direction

Top line

Purposes

Principles

Is the ladder against the right wall?

Leadership Management

Things

Structure

Control

Efficiency

Program

Expense

Techniques

Transaction

Utility

Measurement

Doing things right

Speed

Bottom line

Methods

Practices

Climbing the ladder fast

Stephen Covey, 2004, The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness

Challenges Facing the Sector

Increasing compliance requirementsWorkplace choicesOHSRisk Management Quality AssurancePerformance Management

Budgetary constraintsWorkload issues…Impact on your ability to lead and manage?

Exercise: Qualities of Leadership

Think of a leader (past or present) who demonstrates some aspect or quality of leadership that is important to you

Share your ideas with at least one other person

Qualities of a Leader

What are some of the differences that make the difference?

Leadership Quotations

What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal. Albert Pine

It is not who is right, but what is right, that is of importance. Thomas Huxley

Toleration is the greatest gift of the mind. Helen Keller

Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important...they do not mean to do harm...they are absorbed in the endless struggle to think well of themselves. T.S. Eliot

Leadership Quotations

The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions. Confucius

There are no mistakes so great as that of being always right. Samuel Butler

Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them. Every day begin the task anew. Saint Francis de Sales

The four-way test of the things we think, say or do: ...Is it the truth? ...Is it fair to all concerned? ...Will it build good will and better relationships? ...Will it be beneficial to all concerned? Rotary International Motto

What is Superior Leadership?

Superior leadership works through the emotionsGreat leaders

Move us

Ignite passion

Inspire the best in us

No matter what leaders set out to do their success depends on how they do it

If leaders fail in the primal task of driving emotions in the right direction, nothing they do will work as well as it should

Goleman, 2002, The New Leaders

Some Strategies

Developing or refining skills

Staying open to seeing and doing things differently“Insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly expecting to get a different result” Albert Einstein

“If you do what you have always done you will get what you have always got” Anonymous

“Minds are like parachutes – they only function when open” Lord Thomas Dewar

Looking after yourself

Leadership Theory

TraitsBorn to lead

BehaviouralSkill set

SituationalChange style to suit situation / people

Servant LeadershipLead by serving others

Leadership Styles

Visionary – Moves people towards shared dreams

Coaching – Connects what a person wants with organisation goals

Affiliative – Creates harmony by connecting people to each other

Democratic – Values people’s input and gets commitment through participation

Pacesetting – Meets challenging and exciting goals

Commanding – Soothes fears by giving clear direction in an emergency

Goleman, 2002, The New Leaders

Leadership Flexibility

There is nothing so unequal as the equal treatment of unequals

Not everyone is coming from the same placeDifferent strokes for different folks

Everyone is a potential high performerSet well planned goalsMonitor performance

You can expect more if you notice moreEspecially the art of catching people doing things right

Recognition

Correct problems immediately

Two Skills for Today’s Leaders

Handling AmbiguityLearn to tolerate uncertaintyNon linear networksCrisis and renewal are integral parts of organisational development

Leading for LearningHigh ethical standardsImprove organisational processesGain clarity about issues before brainstorming solutionsEnhance communication

Becoming an Effective Leader, 2005, Harvard Business School Press

Emotional Intelligence Model

Self-managementSelf-motivationSelf-regulation

Self-awarenessVision, values, beliefs

Relationship managementKnowledge/skills

Awareness of others

Understanding

Empowered personResilientLess stressSatisfactionIntuition/insight

CooperationCollaborationBetter decisionsWin/winMeaningful relationships

Benefits to OrganisationImproving and fulfilling professional relationshipsBetter insights = better decisions = better outcomesMore effective as leader/managerIncreasing efficiency = increasing profit

PersonalCompetency

SocialCompetency

IntRApersonal (self)SELF-REGARD

EMOTIONAL SELF-AWARENESS

ASSERTIVENESS

INDEPENDENCE

SELF-ACTUALISATION

IntERpersonal EMPATHY

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP

Bar-On Model

Adaptability

REALITY TESTING

FLEXIBILITY

PROBLEM SOLVING

Stress Management

STRESS TOLERANCE

IMPULSE CONTROL

General Mood

OPTIMISM

HAPPINESS

Why People Misunderstand Each Other

Personal Filters

Thought Patterns

Beliefs and Values

Attitudes, History, etc …

Information Input

Sight

Hearing

Taste

Touch

Smell

Words

ORIGINAL ACTUAL DATA

Information Output

Opinions

Personal Values

Personal Beliefs

Ideas

Feelings

INTERPRETATIONS

Developing Self-Awareness

Johari Window

Created by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham

Managing the Emotional Environment

Ability to elicit cooperationMotivationBuild rapport / relationship

Ability to listenSelf awarenessSelf regulationEmpathy

Building an Emotional Bank Account

Ability to place needs of others, and the organisation, above your own

Clearly Define Outcomes

Fine Tune Your Self Awareness

Develop Behavioural Flexibility

Take Action (versus “Talk Fest”)

Whether you believe you can, or you believe you can’t, you are right!! — Henry Ford

Success Formula

Summary

Gifted leadership occurs where heart and head meet

Leaders execute a vision by Motivating

Inspiring

Listening

Persuading

To make a difference we need to promote emotional intelligence in our organisations

Goleman, 2002, The New Leaders

Questions …