You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader

Presenters:

John H. Lee, Program Manager

Darwin K. Eldridge, Supervisory IRA

42nd ABMTS

InterContinental Hotel

New Orleans, LA

August, 2011

Objectives of the Session

• At the end of this learning experience, you should know, – What is Leadership? – The Leadership Traits Theory and the Most

Common Leadership Traits, and – The Future of Leadership.

What is Leadership?

• It is something you do—the act of leading.

• It is the ability to lead—application of a skill.

• The ability to influence others to achieve a goal; inspire others to succeed.

• It is not bestowed upon you because you hold a position or comes because you hold a certain position.

Definition of Leadership

Leadership has been written as the “process of social influence in which one person

can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common

task.”

~Wikipedia

A Provocative Thought

Influence is something very hard to measure, but very vital in getting

almost anything done.

~Mick Yates

Leadership vs. Management

Question

What is the difference between Leadership and Management?

Leadership vs. Management

• Management is a subset of Leadership • A Leader knows where to go; a Manager

knows how to get there. • To be an effective leader, one must have

be able to plan and execute (management skills) along with vision, goal, and a sense of purpose (leadership skills). Thus, one must combine management skills with leadership skills.

Leadership vs. Management

• A person can be a manager but not necessarily be a leader. They can plan and execute but they cannot inspire others to be the best they can be through a shared vision, goal, and purpose. (Some leaders have the vision; they just don’t know how to get the vision to a point of reality.)

• Managers tend to quantify, while Leaders tend to qualify! Managers define and measure success while Leaders develop success.

A Provocative Thought

Don’t confuse leadership with management. Though a manager can keep an operation running, only an

influential leader can motivate people to accomplish those changes that meet

their real needs. I'm not putting managers down; the world needs good managers. Management, though, is not

leadership. ~John Haggai

Leading on Purpose

• Making decisions in a strategic manner that makes it easier for other to follow.

• Examine Each Action From a Leadership Perspective

• Leaders Shouldn’t Make Promises they Can't Keep

Leading on Purpose

• Long-Term Leadership (how today's actions can affect long-term reputation)

• Leaders Should Know What to Do

• Leading in a Specific Direction

• Leaders Create Leaders

Leading on Purpose Summary

• It is strategic decision making.

• It is not easy, takes effort, and focus.

• You must practice what you preach.

• You can earn respect and leadership influence with others.

• Practice of these principles makes a true leader.

The Leadership Trait Theory

Theory:

The idea that most people are born with certain leadership traits or qualities.

The Leadership Trait Theory

• The theory is incorrect.• One has to associate the character traits

with leadership. • People can learn to be good leaders just

as they can change any other character flaw or expertise.

• Just as people can learn bad traits/habits, they can learn good leadership traits/characteristics.

Most Common Leadership Traits

• Honest• Forward-Looking • Competent• Inspiring• Intelligent

– These traits have to be demonstrated. – People need to see these traits in your actions.

A Provocative Thought

Self-control comes down to successful leadership of your own character.

~John Haggai

Honesty as a Leadership Trait

• No one is thought to be honest due to recent scandals.

• You are automatically labeled as dishonest when you enter Leadership roles.

• Remember: If you make a mistake, admit to it. It will increase your Leadership Influence substantially.

A Provocative Thought

Leaders without vision are like guides without a map. Though they may come

across as strong, confident, and independent, in reality they are not

influencers but "influencees."

~John Haggai

Forward-Looking as a Leadership Trait

• You must have a vision.

• A stagnant leader suffers from a lack of vision and unwillingness or fear to share the vision.

• A visionless leader spends too much time in the present.

• A strong leader must be willing to take risks and make mistakes.

Competency as a Leadership Trait

• People want to follow a competent leader.

• Leaders have to demonstrate competence.

• Competent Leaders celebrate the success of the team, not themselves.

Pitfalls of Competence

• Too much can appear as arrogance.

• Can draw too much attention to self and not enough to others.

• Don’t minimize other’s contributions and appear to be taking credit for other’s work.

A Provocative Thought

Few things, though, will damage your reputation more than letting other

people feel small.

~John Haggai

Inspiration as a Leadership Trait

• People want to be inspired.

• People will follow an inspiring leader who may not have any other qualities.

• Inspiring people means showing them the big picture and how they fit into its achievement.

• Tell emotional, illustrative stories.

• Express your vision passionately.

Intelligence as Leadership Trait

• Intelligence can be developed.

• It requires a long-term commitment to formal and informal learning.

• Your behavior and attitude can determine people’s perception of your intelligence.

• Humility is a trait found in the intelligent.

A Provocative Thought

Humility is one of those things that can help everything else fall into place.

~Paul Hebert

The Intelligent Leader

• Gently leads people toward understanding

• Focuses on helping others learn rather than demonstrating your smarts.

• Asks questions so others can demonstrate their intelligence.

• Exhibits the Leadership Traits all the time!

A Provocative Thought

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.

~Steve Jobs

The Future of Leadership

• Virtual Contact Leadership – Technology enables communication

anywhere.– Need for greater communication skills.– Leaders of the future must understand the

various communication media and the correct culture for the media.

The Future of Leadership

• Leadership Outside the Organization– Leaders must understand the overall

organization. – Well-rounded, well-grounded leaders will be in

high demand across functional boundaries.

The Future of Leadership

• The Difficulty of Earning Leadership Trust– Position and title do not develop trust. – Assessments of trust must be made.– Core Leadership Skills are the same. – Preparation today is vital to the future.

SUMMARY

• Leadership is the act of LEADING.

• Leaders can be made.

• Leaders display certain common traits.

• Leaders embrace innovation.

• You don’t have to have a title to be a leader.

Reference Pages

• WWW.Leadership501.com

• The 21 Indispensable Qualities of A Leader by John C Maxwell

• 365 Things Every Successful Leader Should Know by John Edmund Haggai

Questions