Leadership Skills

Introduction to Leadership

Dr. John Persico Jr.

612-310-3803

Agenda: Day 1

• Welcome

• Introduction of Participants

• Leading in an Integrated Model of Evidence-Based Practices

• The Leadership Challenge: Management versus Leadership

• Self-Assessment of Leadership Competencies

• Leadership Values

• Leadership Ethics

• Leadership Development Plans: Take Home Activity

• Debriefing

Welcome

The process of developing new skills should include

the following:

• Identify a needed skill area.

• Agree on a learning method for improvement.

• Practice and receive feedback.

• Increase awareness of the effects of performance on

others.

• Measure change within a well-defined timeframe.

• Recognize and reward skill enhancement.

Introduction of Participants

• Who are you?

• Why are you here?

• What are you most proud of in your

career to date?

• What are five strengths you bring to

this class?

• What would you like to take away

from this session?

Learning Objectives

1. State the difference between management and leadership.

2. Identify the characteristics and behaviors of an effective leader.

3. Make a commitment to participate actively in developing your

leadership skills and building organizational capacity.

4. State the exemplary leadership practices identified by Kouzes &

Posner in their research and reported in their book entitled "The

Leadership Challenge."

5. Assess your competencies in the leadership knowledge and skills

areas required for successful implementation of evidence-based

practices.

6. Write a leadership development plan based on the self-assessment

of competencies.

7. Meet with your supervisor to discuss and receive feedback on the

leadership development plan.

Promote Lifelong Learning

You can develop lifelong learning traits:

• By showing curiosity about human nature and how

the world works.

• By seeking and valuing diversity.

• By persisting in seeking out new solutions.

• By using your unique talents and intelligence to

promote positive change.

• By learning and applying technology tools to solve

problems.

Show Respect

• Value yourself. Be honest and ethical, and

practice strong moral values.

• Treat all members of the school community

with politeness and respect.

• Honor the ideas and opinions of others.

• Offer to help.

• Be responsible for keeping an open mind.

Policies

• Ask questions at any time.

• Listen to all ideas and opinions.

• Leave for restroom when needed.

• Please be back from lunch and breaks on

time.

• Let us know if the day is not working for you.

Evidenced Based Practice: A Definition

• Evidence-based practice refers to the use of

research and scientific studies as a base for

determining the best practices in a field. The

movement began in the 1990s with a focus on

the medical profession.

• It has since crossed the line to other

professions, including education. The basic

premise of the movement is to provide

transparency and to assure the public that

techniques and procedures will provide the best

possible interventions or treatments.

A Checklist for Best Practices:Determination*

1. Has at least one randomized clinical trial shown this practice to be effective?

2. Has the practice demonstrated effectiveness in several replicated research studies using

different samples, at least one of which is comparable to the treatment population of your

region and/or agency?

3. Does the practice demonstrate positive, significant effects on intended outcomes?

4. Can the practice be logistically applied to your region/agency?

5. Is the practice feasible: can it be used in different formats, is it attractive, is it cost

effective, and is training available?

6. Is there sufficient information, including details and a manual, for the practice? Are key

components clearly laid out?

7. Is the practice well accepted by providers and clients?

8. Is the practice based on clear and well-articulated theory?

9. Does the practice have associated methods of ensuring fidelity (consistency of delivery of

treatment/intervention over time)?

10. Can the practice be evaluated?

11. Does the practice show good retention rates?

12. Does the practice address cultural diversity and different populations?

13. Can the practice be used by staff with a wide diversity of backgrounds and training?

*(adapted from Iowa Consortium, 2003)

Evidence Based Practices

An Integrated Model of Implementation

Film: Evidenced Based Teaching

• This short 15 minute film from the UK makes a

“Case for Evidenced Based Teaching.”

• http://www.evidencebasedteaching.co.uk/free.html

Discussion: Evidence Based Practice

This discussion will take place in a small group.

Please share your thoughts and experiences on

the following questions that are in your workbook:

• What has been your experience with Evidenced Based

Practice?

• What changes do you think will have to be made in education

for these practices to become established?

• What do you think are the major barriers to the changes that

need to be made?

• What can you personally do to help break down these barriers?

• How would more strategic thinking help in this area?

The Leadership Challenge

• Managers versus Leaders?

• Is there a difference?

• What are the skills a manager needs?

• What are the skills a leader needs?

• Can these skills be merged? Are they

complementary?

Leadership Exercise: Traits

• Using your work book, take the traits that define

leaders and managers from the list by Warren

Bennis and put them in the columns that you

think best define your skills in each area.

• You will have a list of manager traits and leader

traits.

• Circle your three strongest in each area.

• What traits are you missing that you think are

important?

The Leadership Challenge

• Kouzes and Posner identified five practices of

great leaders.

• In your small groups, define each of the five

practices in your own terms.

• What do they mean?

• How do they apply in an educational

environment?

• What are some examples of each from your

own experiences?

Key Leadership Competencies Inventory

• The Leadership Competencies Inventory in

your workbook lists a number of competencies

that have been found to be critical to good

leadership. These will later be referred to when

you complete your Leadership Development

Plan.

• Complete the Inventory using the scale

provided to identify how you rate in terms of

each competency.

• When you are done, go back and circle your

five strongest and five weakest competencies.

Leadership Values

• Definition:

Values are qualities of character such as

courage, prudence, and fidelity that provide

the moral and psychological foundation to

sustain judgment and act on it. Educational

leaders and senior-level managers must

possess several key leadership values to

model behavior.

Four Principles for Values Based Leadership

• Self-Reflection

• Balance

• Self-Confidence

• Humility

Balancing Your Life

• The following is a short 13 minute video from

TED. The speaker is Nigel Marsh and his

subject is:

• How to make work-life balance work

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdpIKXLLYYM

Values Clarification Checklist

• Using the values list in your work, check off

your top seven values. You may add values if

you find any that you think are important and

are not in the list.

Values Clarification Exercise

• Using your workbook, complete the values

clarification exercise and answer the four

questions noted in the workbook.

• After you have answered these questions, refer

back to the values list above and identify the

common values that are reflected by the

comments you wrote.

• Do you feel that your daily activities and actions

reflect these values on a consistent basis?

Why or why not?

Leadership Ethics

• Definition:

Ethics encompasses the standards for evaluating

right and wrong and the personal qualities that

sustain the ability to make and act on these

judgments. Ethical standards guide decisions and

focus behavior for right or wrong action. They

anchor our sense of personal and professional

integrity.

Ethical Interpersonal Behavior

Supporting Others and

Bringing Out Their Best

Collaborating With Others

Achieving Synergy or Innovation

Listening to Others

Cooperating with Others

Learning From Others

Respecting Others

Working Together

Peacefully

Sabotaging or

Undermining Others

Battling Others/Name

Calling

Tolerating Others

Exclusive Inclusive

Un

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Green Zone: The Ethical Ceiling. Optimal level for creativity and innovation.

Yellow Zone: The Ethical Floor: Don’t go below this level.

Red Zone: Behaviors than have no palace in school or the workplace.

From: Leading in Context LLC.

Questions for Ethics

• Where do you fall on this graph?

• How supportive is your department in helping

you to move into the green areas?

• What do you need to do to go beyond the

yellow areas?

Ethical Principles

Respect autonomy. Don't let your freedom of choice

be neglected - as well as that of others.

Be fair. Treat people equally. Be impartial and

objective.

Avoid harm. Take every possible measure to avoid

physical, emotional and psychological harm or threats

to one's self-esteem.

Be true. This means telling the truth as well as

keeping your promises and maintaining loyalty.

Be beneficial. Do what you can to contribute to the

general well-being of others, whether it is taking time

out of your schedule to help them or simply treating

them with kindness.

Self-Reflection Exercise on Ethics

• Think of the most ethical leader you have personally known

or worked with. Write down the key traits that you felt

made them ethical.

•

•

•

•

• Identify at least one situation where you think they were

ethical. Describe the situation, outcomes and what made

them ethical.

• Please share your traits and stories with the class.

Ethical Leadership: Case Discussions

• Please refer to your workbook for the case

discussions.

• There are three cases.

• In your small groups, discuss each case and

decide what the most ethical behavior would be

in each case.

• How do your views differ from others?

• Is there one “right” course of action?

• Are tradeoffs made that conflict with ethical

behavior?

Leadership Development

• Experiential Learning

• Self –efficacy

• Visioning

• Taking responsibility

• Gaining focus

• Developing life purpose

• Starting action immediately

• Developing effective goals and plans

Leadership Development Plan

• In your workbook, there are blank sheets to

help you create a Leadership Development

Plan.

• In the first section (Strengths) please complete

the assignment as described.

• We will briefly review comments and ideas in

the large group as it applies to this section or

your plan

Leadership Development Plan

• In your workbook, there are blank sheets to help

you create a Leadership Development Plan.

• In the second section (Areas for Improvement)

please complete the assignment as described.

• We will briefly review comments and ideas in the

large group as it applies to this section or your

plan

Leadership Development Plan

• In your workbook, there are blank sheets to help

you create a Leadership Development Plan.

• In the third section (Action Plan) please

complete the assignment as described.

• We will briefly review comments and ideas in the

large group as it applies to this section or your

plan

Take Home Assignment

• We are assigning a brief homework assignment

for discussion in Day 2 of this Leadership

Class.

• Please complete the assignment noted in your

student workbook.

• Be prepared to discuss this assignment in the

next scheduled class.

Evaluation of Session

• Please complete the evaluation form in your

workbook. (Leadership Course Evaluation)

• In small groups, would you please summarize

your conclusions in terms of what worked for

you in this session and what did not.