Parks’ Parks’ Leadership Leadership Can be TaughtCan be Taught

Presented by Patrick DonovanPresented by Patrick Donovan

Part 1Part 1

Parks believes that leadership can be taught Parks believes that leadership can be taught and that not all leaders were born being and that not all leaders were born being predisposed to leadership roles.predisposed to leadership roles.

Additionally, she believes that the best method Additionally, she believes that the best method of teaching leadership is one of Case-in point of teaching leadership is one of Case-in point teaching.teaching.

That is; she believes that structured, but on That is; she believes that structured, but on hand personal experience teaches students to hand personal experience teaches students to apply their knowledge to actual real-life apply their knowledge to actual real-life problems.problems.

Key points in this method include drawing four Key points in this method include drawing four major distinctions.major distinctions.

Distinction 1: Distinction 1: Authority v. Authority v. LeadershipLeadership

A successful organization has both A successful organization has both formal and informal leaders.formal and informal leaders.

For administrative and functional For administrative and functional purposes; some members are purposes; some members are given authority to make important given authority to make important leadership decisions.leadership decisions.

However, these authority figures However, these authority figures alone can not promise the success alone can not promise the success of a group.of a group.

Authority does not make one a Authority does not make one a good leader.good leader.

One must exhibit the qualities of One must exhibit the qualities of leadership to be an effective leadership to be an effective leader.leader.

Distinction 2: Distinction 2: Technical Problems Technical Problems v. Adaptive Changesv. Adaptive Changes Technical problems can be easily Technical problems can be easily

solved with solutions and solved with solutions and processes that are already processes that are already known and are in place to known and are in place to resolve predictable technical resolve predictable technical challenges.challenges.

Adaptive challenges are new and Adaptive challenges are new and unpredicted. They require new unpredicted. They require new training and problem solving; training and problem solving; making them much harder to making them much harder to resolve.resolve.

Adaptive changes involve more Adaptive changes involve more than simple routine solutions; than simple routine solutions; they require old and established they require old and established institutions and habits to adapt institutions and habits to adapt to them.to them.

Distinction 3: Power Distinction 3: Power v. Progressv. Progress

Power is not a requisite for Power is not a requisite for leadership and leadership and effectiveness.effectiveness.

The need to show personal The need to show personal power often times stands power often times stands in the way of making true in the way of making true progress.progress.

The priority needs to be The priority needs to be placed on making progress placed on making progress and power identification and power identification needs to be what is placed needs to be what is placed on the back-burner.on the back-burner.

Distinction 4: Distinction 4: Personality v. Personality v.

PresencePresence To be an effective leader it To be an effective leader it

is not necessary to have a is not necessary to have a magnetic personality or a magnetic personality or a certain charisma.certain charisma.

Instead, it is much more Instead, it is much more important for a leader to important for a leader to be fully present and be fully present and comprehending problems comprehending problems completely in order for completely in order for them to make informed them to make informed progress making decisions.progress making decisions.

My Implementation.My Implementation.

1. I must not assume that my authority 1. I must not assume that my authority makes me a good and effective leader.makes me a good and effective leader.

2. I must be able to break bad habits and 2. I must be able to break bad habits and learn new ways to solve new issues when learn new ways to solve new issues when they arise.they arise.

3. I must work for progress and not to 3. I must work for progress and not to retain authority.retain authority.

4. I must concentrate on my duties rather 4. I must concentrate on my duties rather than my likeability.than my likeability.

Part II: I AgreePart II: I Agree

Leadership is very complex and Leadership is very complex and sometimes it is better to be creative than sometimes it is better to be creative than inspiring. Park’s whole thesis is on inspiring. Park’s whole thesis is on whether leadership can be learned and I whether leadership can be learned and I believe that it can with the proper believe that it can with the proper instruction and practice. Effective instruction and practice. Effective leadership is an art and must be practiced leadership is an art and must be practiced until one can create a master piece.until one can create a master piece.

Leading LegendsLeading Legends When you think of leaders…When you think of leaders…

A Shift Away From A Shift Away From HeroesHeroes

In today’s world, the role of leader has In today’s world, the role of leader has become less epic.become less epic.

The command- and-control form of The command- and-control form of leadership has become inadequate in leadership has become inadequate in today’s information sharing, post-industrial today’s information sharing, post-industrial modern world.modern world.

The CEOs and presidents of today need to The CEOs and presidents of today need to have more of a creative approach to their have more of a creative approach to their leadership styles.leadership styles.

The Art of The Art of LeadershipLeadership

Leadership is now Leadership is now more of a creative more of a creative process.process.

This makes leaders This makes leaders more like artists than more like artists than epic heroes.epic heroes.

The Creative ProcessThe Creative Process

1. Conscious Conflict: Identify and flush out 1. Conscious Conflict: Identify and flush out the conflict so as to fully understand it.the conflict so as to fully understand it.

2. Pause: Step back and allow yourself the 2. Pause: Step back and allow yourself the time to think through the conflict carefully.time to think through the conflict carefully.

3. Image or Insight: That Eureka moment 3. Image or Insight: That Eureka moment which came from a productive pause and which came from a productive pause and reflection.reflection.

4. Re-patterning: Reorganizing your resources 4. Re-patterning: Reorganizing your resources and systems to implement your newly realized and systems to implement your newly realized resolution.resolution.

5. Interpretation/Testimony & Testing: The 5. Interpretation/Testimony & Testing: The new system is tried and tested.new system is tried and tested.

The KilnThe Kiln The new resolution will either be effective The new resolution will either be effective

or fail just like pottery in the kiln.or fail just like pottery in the kiln.

If it is a success you have completed your If it is a success you have completed your work of leadership art; if not you will re-work of leadership art; if not you will re-enter the process until your solution is enter the process until your solution is effective.effective.

OR