Drawing from experiences as a captain, coach and general manager and the on-going process of striving to become a good leader, this seminar and open discussion will look at the relations of leaders to their organizations. Open communications, straightforward dialogue and self-reflection can all be seen as commonalities among great leaders. The seminar will look at some parameters around leadership as well as techniques to inspire and motivate both yourself and those around you to become the great achievers we all want to be.

Leadership in Organizations

Leaders are the mirrors for the entire organization. Look at the attitude of the leader and one can see how the org is doing. A leader must often stay enthusiastic in times of difficulty and stay humble in times of prosperity.

Leadership is humbling. “Humility is the grace that constantly whispers, ‘It’s not about you.’” Some of us might feel that daily, but most of us may need some more frequent reminders. And that is ok! Humility often comes from self-reflection: knowing who you are, where you’ve been, and what you have accomplished.

Leadership has an endpoint but organizations should not. Sometimes it can be hard to separate the two, but the leader is not the organization. It will go on after you. Your job as a leader is to be the source of energy and change to grow the organization during your time there.

Leadership is all about how you make other people feel. Your achievement as a leader is measured in the success of others. How your org flourished in the time you lead them. How you motivated and inspired your people.

Being a Responsible Leader

You don’t get to have your own personal opinion any more. You always speak from your leadership position. You speak out of the same mouth hole no matter what hat you are wearing.

Open and honest dialogue is the key to solving almost any issue your organization faces. Many people in your org may never have had to have an honest conversation before now. It is your job to bring tough issues to the surface and face them head on even when it’s uncomfortable.

People respect consistent behavior. I have found that an org respects a well thought out expectation and then consistent behavior that reinforces it. Consistent, thoughtful and fair behavior goes a long way in establishing strong footing and an org that wants to follow your lead.

You are not perfect. Confront mistakes head on. Debrief what happened, why it happened and what you want to do in the future when something like that happens next time. Forgive yourself and move on.

References

Many of the leadership tips found in this lesson were referenced from an article by Gary Burnison.