Leadership Summit: Welcome to the Launching Pad! 6 Months, 30th Post, By Preston Yarborough

The Leadership Launching Pad  was conceived to be a resource for those dedicated to developing our next generation of leaders. We invited  leadership experts, educators, coaches, and leaders of many ages to share insights. After  six months and 30 posts, it’s worthwhile to reflect on what the LLP blog has become and envision where it might go from here. For those of you new to the LLP, please use the search tags (right column) to locate potential posts of interest. We hope for the content to reflect the activities and interests of our community. If you have a topic you would be willing to contribute, please contact us (jpyarbor@uncg.edu). We'd love to add your perspective to the mix!

The focus of the Leadership Launching Pad has much in common with the Leadership Summit, a recent event sponsored by The Search Institute and the Center for Creative Leadership. Some of our country’s foremost practitioners of youth leadership development convened in Greensboro, NC, to discuss the current state of youth leadership development. Summit participants envisioned how the profession of youth leadership development might grow in the coming years.

I believe the Leadership Summit represented a real and present “leadership launching pad.” Those of us at the virtual Launching Pad want to extend an invitation to our Leadership Summit friends. Please enjoy the information contained herein, and we would love for you to join our network and expand the breadth and depth of our common goal of providing an effective launching pad for leader development. We have expanded into Twitter (@LeadrLaunchPad--see "Follow Me" button on right)  To ease your introduction, please scan the brief 6-month review below. Consider it a cursory introduction to our growing community.

The Launching Pad’s managing editor, Katelyn Chapman, has diligently worked to source diverse and fresh leadership perspectives. We strive to provide to post weekly and Katelyn runs a tight ship. Between her management and our contributors’ generosity, the Launching Pad has generated a wealth of knowledge during its brief tenure. We encouraged contributors to provide well-informed pieces, but avoid sounding too academic. At their best, the posts are insightful, clever, authentic expressions of leader development.

Some of these leadership expressions were personal growth experiences: Kendra Hammond (Leadership Anxiety), Eric Durham (Leaders and Nuts), and Lara Amshay (Taking Risks) offered undergraduate student perspectives. A different point of view came from Mike Beitler, after his bid for U. S. senate last year. Volunteers played a crucial role in the campaign process. He commented on their enthusiasm, commitment, and how they influenced his understanding of leadership in Leadership Lessons from the Campaign Trail.

We’ve received a variety of thought pieces. Chris Ward, a doctoral student with extensive coaching experience with undergraduates wrote about Relational Leadership. Dr. Marin Burton shared her wisdom on Experiential Education, addressing both the philosophy and method of the process. Jessica McCall shared 10 Commandments of Small Group Leadership; Jessica is a faculty member in UNCG's Department of Communication Studies, is an excellent facilitator, and has a wealth of knowledge matched only by her passion for the subject. Professors from the Bryan School of Business weighed in as well. Dianne Garrett wrote a series on Change Principles 1, 2, 3, and 4 based on neuroscience leadership; Joe Erba addressed leading change in an entrepreneurial organization; and William Tullar provided his thoughts about “The Stuff of Leadership.” Mark Villacorta, PhD shared his thoughts on multicultural aspects of leadership and society--heady stuff.

Preston Yarborough (yours truly) has written on Experience is the Best Teacher...Wanna Bet?, Values and Leadership, and Community Identity: Moving from "A" to "The."

Katelyn Chapman has expounded on What is Leadership?, Choose Your Challenge, Getting Your Team on the Same Page, Managing Relationships, Creating and Achieving Your Personal Vision (the highest visited post to date), and Changing Your Environment.

We have a variety of articles on other subjects as well, so please explore using keywords, topics of interest, or simply scrolling through our posts. If you would like to contribute a post, you may see our post guidelines on the FAQ page. We want to network with other organizations' websites, resources, and integrate high quality leadership content from across the country. The potential breadth and depth of this resource is limited only by our investment of time, imagination, and technological know-how. Join us and help the Launching Pad reach new heights.

Please Join Us!

Leaders Change™ Principle 4, By Dianne Garrett

Leaders constantly make and communicate decisions (as they change and as they lead change); they balance satisfying the immediacy of short-term needs to the strategy of long-term goals.

How many of your decisions are from your ‘have-it-now system’ as opposed to your ‘plan-and-wait system.’ I ask you this important question – how impulsive (or thoughtful) are you in your decisions?

Today, I did a self-accessed impulsivity test to access how many of my buying decisions were reactive instead of proactive. I went shopping with cash and a credit card. Being extra self-aware today, I was additionally contemplative over each and every purchase. In the day’s shopping, I saw lots of pretty things for my granddaughter; successfully not overspending for her; I bought one item - spending only $10 which was just what I planned on. I also bought three towels for the home that were 75% off - spending another $8.50. As you can see, involved in my buying decisions was the balance of now versus the future.

How would you do in an impulsiveness test? I urge you to conduct your own impulsiveness experiment to watch your own decision-making processes. Email me at drg@qleadintl.com and let me know how you did.

Principle 4: Controlling Impulsiveness

The good news- being deliberate is learned. You can develop a stronger brain braking system to control distractions that move you away from your intention and into immediacy. Leaders must know, in the moment of action, what to say ‘yes’ to and what to say ‘no’ to – your company depends on you.

The key to intentional decision-making is practice and intentionality. I offer you this list of nine strategies; many of these strategies are listed in a fantastic book by Dr. Pier Steel, The Procrastination Equation.

Ten Strategies to Living Less Impulsive

1. Rest and sleep. Dr. Peirs Steel tells us that the number one procrastination challenge is being tired; in that state we don’t have enough brain power to win over distraction. Stay rested to control your energy reserves.
2. What are your top five values (or your company’s values)? We make our decisions based on what we deem valuable – be it beauty, kindness, innovation, adventure, etc. Anchor in your values and you’ll have more power to say ‘no’ to the impulsive temptation in the moment.
3. Create positive goals instead of negative goals. In other words, craft your positive intention of ‘Live well – strong and full of energy’ instead of the negative phrasing ‘lose 10 pounds.’ You want to feel good (not bad) when thinking of the goal (Steel, 2011).
4. Do a goals plan. In order to achieve, you have to choose and embrace your targets (goals). Clearly identify what you want in life. Then objectively know where you currently stand. Next, list the steps that take you from here to there. You’ll be more likely stay on course focusing on a 15-minute doable action over an overwhelming goal.
5. Select 1, 2, or 3 ‘things’ to get done in a day, no more. Committing to a small number keeps you focused and on track. Using a planning system, not just a phone reminder system, will advance your execution. Check out the SMARTPlanner time management system at www.smartplanner.org. The beauty of this system is in its ability to see the whole picture of your responsibilities in one-view. Stay focused on the important not simply trapped in the urgent.
6. Create a personal email routine. All of life is not urgent; our fast technology world has taught us differently. Create your email habit with intention. My base email behavior is I login to email at the beginning of a work-day, at the end of a work-day, and when I have an email to send. When I log in to email out, I of course, check the incoming emails, I read them and handle the urgent, respond to others that take less than two minutes of my time, and star the ones that require future attention. Are all your emails urgent? I think not. Develop a system.
7. Have support. Ask for help - Hire a personal trainer. Hire a personal or business coach (www.qleadintl.com). Buddy with a friend. Bond with your spouse. Create an advisory board for yourself. We are social animals; use group power to help you live strong.
8. Speak your intention out-loud. Nothing like putting your integrity (do what you say you will do) on the line to hold you to what is important.
9. Control your environment. Manage your situations – don’t put yourself in spots of difficulty. I sometimes find it difficult to concentrate at home – I see the laundry that needs attention, the floors that need vacuuming, etc… and then I spin at deciding what to do. The temptation to do something easy or more fun can become stronger instead completing the important. My answer is to go to a coffee shop to work; I then focus and get my task completed. Dr. Kevin Ochsner of Columbia University offers us a great strategy; he says create ‘condition statements’ to help us win over a strategic change. For example, “If I want a chocolate bar, I’ll eat one chocolate kiss (instead of a whole candy bar.) Re-enforce the ‘if then statement’ by putting a picture of a chocolate kiss in a strategic place.
10. Small rewards pay a big return. Our brain uses a brain-chemical that moves us to action. This chemical feels good to us – it’s our reward system. So, apply this intentionally. When you start a task, decide on a small reward – maybe its lunch with a friend. You’ll find fuel to get the task done when you are motivated by the pleasure of lunch with your friend. This works.

In closing, self-awareness is key to impulsiveness. Know your goals, your current reality and the steps to closing the gap. Know your values. Get support and control your environment. And finally, give yourself rewards along the journey to success.

Author:
Dianne Garrett
Co-founder, QLEAD Intl
http://www.qleadintl.com/

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To see Dianne's Leaders Change™ Principle 3.

To see Dianne's Leaders Change™ Principle 2.

To see Dianne's Leaders Change™ Principle 1.

Leadership Lessons from the Campaign Trail, By Michael Beitler

I have been a student of leadership must of my life. After graduating from a university business school, I entered the financial world and eventually became a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in banking. In the business world, I saw leaders who were amazingly effective, leaders who were marginally effective, and leaders who derailed completely.

While still serving as a CFO in banking, I decided to pursue graduate school studies (MA in Psychology and Ph.D. in Leadership Development) to get a better understanding of leadership effectiveness. I enjoyed the challenge of graduate school level work and the exploration of a wide range of leadership theories, but all of the theories seemed to focus on only one or two aspects of leadership. None of the leadership theorists seemed to appreciate the complexity of leadership.

After leaving the financial world I entered the academic world. The academic research I read and conducted was interesting. But, once again, it all seemed to focus on particular aspects of leadership at the expense of an understanding of the complexity of leadership.

In 2009, I was asked to serve as my party’s candidate for the U.S. Senate. Being my first political campaign, I expected a very steep learning curve. It was.

I was especially surprised by the lessons learned about leadership. A political candidate is immediately thrust into a leadership role. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to attend the Institute of Political Leadership (IOPL). IOPL prepared me for many aspects of the candidate’s role (talking to the print media, doing TV and radio interviews, crafting political strategy, fine tuning your message, etc.).

After graduating from IOPL in December 2009, I felt prepared for most of the challenges facing a political candidate. Surprisingly, I felt rather unprepared for the leadership role (no fault of IOPL).

I had served as a leader many times throughout my professional career. I had a vision for the campaign. I had a realistic view of our budget constraints. I had sufficient time and energy to devote to the campaign. But I had never worked with a small army of volunteers before.

Peter Drucker’s comments about volunteers became instantly clear. Volunteers are the ultimate in motivated workers. I recall seeing my volunteers working Facebook and other social media sites at 2am every morning. Their energy seemed limitless.

Suddenly a high-energy volunteer would disappear. And then another one would disappear. A few days later another volunteer would vanish. IOPL had predicted a volunteer turnover rate of three weeks, but I refused to accept it.

I assumed it must be about me. What did I do wrong? What did I say that was offensive?

It took a while for me to realize the complexity of my leadership role. I was only one ingredient in the mix.

In addition to my own strengths and weaknesses, I had to consider the strengths, weaknesses, needs, and preferences of the workers. I also had to consider the unique opportunities and threats of our task.

Workers (paid or volunteer) loss jobs, have family problems, go back to school, take on more responsibility in their church or civic organization, start or end a romantic relationship, or experience some philosophical angst that causes them to re-evaluate their commitment to “your” project. The best thing you can do is talk to them; do what you can do to help. But allow them to take responsibility for their own lives.

Keep in mind that leadership is complex and dynamic. Things change. You change, your followers change, and the requirements of the task change. As the leader you are always dealing with a different mix of variables. Get frequent feedback about your leadership effectiveness. Use an instrument such as the Leadership Versatility Index to make feedback dialogue part of your organization’s culture.

Leadership is more than providing an inspiring vision. You must develop the versatility to deal with the changing needs of your followers and the task itself.

Author:
Michael Beitler, Ph.D.
Professor at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG)
Libertarian Canidate, US Senate http://www.beitlerforussenate.org/about
http://www.beitlerforussenate.org/about

Relational Leadership, By Chris Ward

Six years ago I was struggling in one of my leadership roles. I was serving as a Team Leader/Social Service Designee/Life Enhancement Coordinator at an innovative retirement community, and having a hard time.

Let’s just stop right there and address some of the remarkable things about the last sentence. First of all, you may have noticed that my title was a long, ridiculous mash-up of roles. If you aspire to lead, you will at times find yourself carrying the burden of multiple responsibilities and roles that are tenuously connected. Accepting that reality and mentally preparing for adaptation and creative application of your leadership style will position you for greater effectiveness. Also, we don’t tend to think of retirement communities as “innovative,” but this one was extremely cutting edge. The leaders I met there were some of the most dedicated and skilled that I have worked with in eighteen years of practicing leadership. If you aspire to lead, you will find amazing leaders in the most unexpected places.

I was responsible for leading a team of multi-disciplinary caregivers as we served fourteen older adults who were living in our nursing care household. I was in charge of the daily operations of this household. I was responsible for inviting our elders to participate in social events, book clubs, exercise groups, trips to the movies, football games, etc. I was responsible for making sure their personal needs were met by helping them manage their finances, medical needs, support systems, psychological wellness, and social interests. This is where I struggled—try as I might, at the end of every week I would find that I had neglected to call an elder’s optometrist for a replacement lens for a pair of glasses, or to call a family member back with a piece of information about their loved one’s health status, or to play checkers with one older gentlemen who found interaction with peers stressful. I felt horrible when someone’s genuine needs were neglected—I was responsible, and I was always disappointing someone.

I will never forget plodding into my social service mentor’s office and sinking low in my chair as we began our bi-weekly supervision meeting one Monday afternoon. I was understandably frustrated, embarrassed, and discouraged, and ashamed to admit my continuing failure to this veteran, high-powered social worker.

By the way, don’t let yourself be so ashamed of failure that you prevent
yourself from asking for wisdom from those veteran leaders who can help you the
most!

She listened to my confession and seeing my stuckness, she took action. With a no nonsense tone, she said, “Come here.” I obediently walked around her desk to face her. She placed a legal pad on the desk in front of me and put a pen in my hand. “Show me how you write down your social service tasks,” she said calmly. Taking the pen, I kneeled down behind her desk, wrote the date, and began listing items I needed to complete for my elders that day—“phone calls, emails, doctor’s visits, library runs, bank deposits, checker games…” I paused, my pen hovering over the list. Seeing my brain searching for missing items, she waited patiently. After a few moments I finally turned to her, “I know there is something missing, but I just can’t bring it to mind.” I put the pen down firmly on the desk in defeat. She smiled, reached for the legal pad, tore my list off the top, and set it next to the clean page. Then she picked up the pen and raised it towards me expectantly.

If you aspire to lead there will be times when you feel as if you are at a
dead end. When you are at a loss, pause a moment, gather yourself, get yourself
a new piece of paper, and pick up your pen again…

I took the pen from her hand. “Now,” she said, “which of your elders is right next to your office; the first one on the east side of the hallway?” I looked at the ceiling to envision entering the doorway and approaching the residents’ rooms. “John, “ I said. “OK, write ‘John’ at the top of the page. Now, what does John need today, and what does he need this week?” I began to write, “Well, John is still recovering from hip surgery, and seemed to be getting around better this morning. But he did say he will be done with his first round of post-surgery antibiotics on Thursday and I need to get him a refill. He seemed a bit down though, and I should spend some time visiting with him later to see if he’s tired or feeling some post-surgery blues. That reminds me that I should ask him when his next therapy session is. Oh, and I need to call his sister with an update, because she left a message for me Friday afternoon as I was leaving.” My pen was flying across the page and I paused in astonishment. My new list was already as long as my old list and I had only begun thinking about one resident! I turned to my mentor, my mouth still hanging open, and she chuckled. “I have found it effective to think in terms of ‘people’ rather than ‘tasks’, and it looks like it will be effective for you too. See you next week.”

If you aspire to lead, you will have moments of insight that will pop up
quickly. If you don’t hook on to them immediately, they tend to fade into the
busyness of your day as fast as they emerged. Good leaders identify their growth
moments, grab them with both hands, and wrestle them to the ground like a cowboy
roping a calf.

I walked out of her office; my mind newly opened, and realized that I had been given a whole new lens for approaching my work. By thinking through the people I was serving and interacting with, I was able to access the actions I needed to take. I walked back to my office, sat down, and completed my “people list”. By Friday afternoon I realized that I had finally met everyone’s needs.

Since then I have discovered that “relationship” is a mental model that serves me well as I lead. By understanding my leadership responsibilities/duties and then creating a list of the people I am in relationship with, I am able to conceptualize important tasks and create plans of action that enable me to serve people well. I invite you to try this out. Make a list of all of your key relationships this semester—professors, advisors, the students sharing leadership with you in organizations, key family members and friends, your leadership coach, etc. By considering the nature of your relationship with each person/group, and connecting relevant goals and responsibilities to those relationships, you can see how you must take action now and in the future.
Author:
Chris Ward, M.S., NCC
Group Facilitator, TeamQUEST
Doctoral Student, Counseling and Educational Development, UNCG

The 10 Commandments of Small Group Leadership, By Jessica Delk McCall

As a faculty member in the Department of Communication Studies, I often have the opportunity to teach a course entitled “Small Group and Team Communication”. Being able to facilitate student development and growth throughout the semester is extremely rewarding and reminds me just how difficult it is to continuously implement effective communication skills in team and group settings.

Perhaps one of the most challenging concepts to actually embrace and apply is how to identify and develop leadership skills in the group context. After many experiential activities and analysis of key theories, I ask students to analyze the leadership skills within their groups. Many students find that Kouzes and Posner’s (1995) ten commandments of leadership help them better understand what leadership really requires in the group setting.

1) Seek out challenging opportunities for growth. There are always opportunities for growth in a group. This might require the group member to focus on individual areas for improvement or to recognize ways that the entire group can become more effective.

2) Be willing to take risks and learn from mistakes. Taking risks in a group requires confidence, while the ability to learn from mistakes requires all group members to be humble. Because group interaction is so prevalent in our society, we must seek ways to improve and become more effective. By embracing our confidence and humbleness we encourage growth in ourselves and others.

3) Visualize positive future interaction. While many group members enter group contexts fearing the worst, it is critical to keep a positive attitude about the group and the group’s abilities. Even though many of us have had negative group experiences at some point in the past, visualizing positive future interaction will enable us to focus on the group’s success.

4) Seek to develop connections with others to promote shared vision. Building rapport and connecting with others is priceless. It is only by letting down their guards and seeking commonality that group members can begin to create a shared understanding of what should and can be accomplished.

5) Facilitate the development of group goals and trust. Actually discussing group goals and working to develop trust, will unify members and enhance buy-in and interdependence.

6) Empower others. Leadership is certainly not about gaining individual power, but instead, about working to empower others. By assigning tasks that recognize competence, allowing members choice, and offering support when needed, we can give all members power.

7) Exhibit behaviors that model shared values. Leadership requires us to set an example for others by striving to behave in ways that uphold group values and ideals.

8) Set and achieve short term goals to increase commitment. As a group meets short term goals, they are able to better visualize success and thus, members are more committed to not just good, but great work.

9) Reward individuals. Group members will all contribute different ideas and abilities to a group situation. It is important to recognize and reward individual offerings so that all members know they are valued and appreciated.

10) Celebrate team success. Whether this is the reciting of a group slogan or a trip out to dinner, it is critical to recognize the team’s success. Succeeding as a team is a major accomplishment and should always be recognized (as cited in Cragan, Wright, & Kasch, 2004).

Over the years, I have found that many of the strongest and most effective small groups don’t rely on one or two leaders to guide them through the semester. Instead, all members of effective small groups strive for communication behaviors that provide leadership in the task domain, procedural domain, and interpersonal domain. Kouzes and Posner’s (1995) ten commandments provide all group members with a set of leadership guidelines that are critical for a group’s success.

References:
Cragan, J.F., Wright, D.W., & Kasch, C.R. (2004). Communication in small groups: Theory, process, skills (6th ed.). United States: Thomson.

Kouzes, J. & Posner, B. (1995). The leadership challenge. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Author:
Jessica Delk McCall, Ph.D.
Jessica McCall serves as the Basic Course Director and Lecturer in the Department of Communication Studies at UNCG. Additionally, she is a Level III TeamQUESt facilitator and an advisor for the College of Arts and Sciences.