An American Perspective on Leadership

8/13/2019 An American Perspective on Leadership

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An American Perspective onLeadership

Presented by John MundahlUnited States Peace Corps Volunteer


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What is Leadership?

Leadership is "organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal".

Notice:1. A leader has a goal, a vision, an idea.2. A leader needs other people. He or she cannot achieve his or her goalalone. This requires teamwork. So, a leader needs a vision, plus peopleskills.


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Are Leaders Born or Made? Leadership is a skill that is learned. You can become a leader.Ask yourself:

1. Do I have an idea for something? A dream. A business I would like to start. A book I would like to write. A dream job. Where do I want to be in 5 years?2. Am I okay working for someone else, or do I want todo something on my own?

Remember:

1. First, you need a goal, an idea, a purpose.2. Then,you need the skills to organize other

people around your goal. These skills can be learned .


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A Look at Facebook1. Facebook was created by Mark Zuckerberg. He had no money.2. But he was brilliant, fascinated by computers at an early age, wrote his

first computer program at the age of 12.3. He went to Harvard. In his 2 nd year he wrote a program called

Facemash. It allowed students to select the most beautiful girl ormost handsome man on campus. Harvard shut it down because noone was studying. Students were spending their time on his new site.


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Facebook continued1. He changed Facemash to Facebook, dropped out of Harvard, moved toCalifornia and started Facebook in 2004.

2. Facebook now has one billion users. He is wealthy.3. He had a vision, a goal, an idea, a purpose. Plus, he knew people love

to communicate with each other.4. But he did not have the people skills, the organizational skills. He had

to learn these and so can you.


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A Look at Microsoft1. Microsoft was started by Bill Gates. He had no money.2. In 1965, when Bill Gates was 13, the Mothers Club in his school had a

rummage sale. They used the proceeds to buy an early computer. Bill Gateswas fascinated by the machine and wrote a program for it, a version of tic-

tac-to, where the user could play against the machine.3. In 1973, he entered Harvard. He scored 1590 out of 1600 on his SAT exam.4. He dropped out of Harvard, moved to California, and started Microsoft with his

friend, Paul Allen.


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A Look at Abraham Lincoln1. Abraham Lincoln was the 16 th President of the United States.2. He is considered our greatest President.3. He was President during our Civil War. He saved our country from

splitting into two and passed the 13 th Amendment which outlawedslavery in the United States.


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Some Facts About His Life1809---He was born in a one room log cabin. He had no money.1819---His mother died when he was ten.

He taught himself to read and write. (He had only one year of school.)1832---He was defeated for the State Legislature of Illinois.1833---He failed in business.1835---His fiancee died. (They were going to get married.)1836---He had a nervous breakdown. (Depression)1838---He was defeated for Speaker of Illinois Senate.1843---He was defeated for the United States Congress.1848---He was defeated again for the United States Congress.

1849---He was rejected for a job as a land officer in Illinois.1854---He was defeated for the U.S. Senate.1856---He lost the nomination for Vice President.1858---He was defeated again for the U.S. Senate.1860---He was elected President of the United States.1860---The United States Civil War began.


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What Can We Learn From His Life?1. He never saw himself as a failure. 2. He never limited his potential by his thinking.3. We are what we think we are.


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Be Careful of Your Thoughts1. Limited thoughts creates a limited life.2. You are as you think.


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American Cultural Values1. These ideas are American cultural values.2. These are things we hear about from the time we are little.3. We are encouraged to dream.4. Failure is accepted as part of the journey to self

actualization.


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Exercise #1: Creating a Vision for YourselfOn a piece of paper write down a few things about your life.1. Theres an idea Ive been thinking about. 2. I have/dont have specific goals for my life. 3. My dream job is 4. Im lost right now, confused about everything.

Im not sure what I want to do. 5. Im okay/not okay working for others. 6. I think I could be successful being a . 7. Five years from now I want to be


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Leadership Skills Can be LearnedListening .

1. We have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason.

2. Leaders are good listeners. They dont just bark out orders and intimidate people.

3. They try to bring out the talents of others.4. They create joyful teamwork.5. No one wants to be around a crabby, negative, demanding, ungrateful person.6. Remember, to be a leader you need people to lead.


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Exercise #2: Listening1. You are starting a small school, based on project-based curriculum, intensive

English classes and use of computer technology.2. You are hiring new people.3. Working in pairs, interview your partner. Find out their talents and skills and

determine how they might help you with your new school.4. You need English teachers, computer science teachers and other teachers,

office staff, maintenance staff, book keeping, fund raisers, teachers who are positive, loving and understand project-based curriculum, parent support.

5. What questions will you ask? Take notes and discuss your findings with theclass.


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Leadership Skills Can be LearnedCooperation

1. Your ability to get everyone working together is essential to your success. Leadership is the ability to get people to work for you because they want to.2. The 80/20 rule is: Twenty percent of your people contribute 80 percent of your

results.3. Make a commitment to get along well with each key person every single day.4. Negative talk and gossip kill morale and breed distrust.


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Conclusion1. You are young. Your life is ahead of you.2. Create a meaningful life for yourself.3. Negative thinking will create a negative life.


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ConclusionYOU can be a leader. YOU can do something unique.But:1. You need a goal, an idea, a vision.

2. You need to inspire others to work with you.

Remember:1. Becoming a leader isnt about chance. Its about developing the skills necessary tolead, motivate, and influence people in good and bad times.2. Leaders are life-long learners. Become a life-long learner.3. Leaders create opportunities for others. Think of others.

An American Perspective on Leadership

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