Leadership: It’s in the Application Dr. Rebekah McCloud, Director SDES TRiO Center University of Central Florida

Florida Grant Developers Network K-12Winter Training Conference

February 6, 2014

Leadership: It’s in the Application

Dr. Rebekah McCloud, DirectorSDES TRiO Center

University of Central Florida

As a result of this session, participants be introduced to:

Definition of Leadership How to Adapt Leadership Styles Leadership Growth What Leaders Really Do Management vs. Leadership 10 Rules of Good Followership Issue Facing Non-Profit Organizations

How can Issues be Addressed? Issues Facing Non-Profit Leaders

How can Issues be Addressed?

Learning Outcomes

“Leadership is like a can of paint…it’s value is in the application”

--Unknown

Think-Pair-Share (Handout #1)

Think about painting a house. What are the characteristics of: A poor job An ok job A good job An excellent job

Take 2 minutes to write something down on the handout provided

Pair-Share: Take two minutes (one each) to share with a partner

As we go through this training session, asses yourself on the various topics.

Think-Pair-Share

Peter Drucker: “The only definition of a leader is someone who has followers.”

Warren Bennis: “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”

Bill Gates: “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.”

John Maxwell: “Leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.”

DEFINITION: Leadership is a process of social influence, which maximizes the efforts of others, towards the achievement of a goal.

Source: Keven Kruse, What is Leadership, Forbes at http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/04/09/what-is-leadership/

Definition of Leadership

Many theories of management and styles of leadership exist. In the end, none of them are right and none of them are wrong. Different people respond better to different styles of leadership. To be a truly skilled leader, become aware of the needs of your staff and adapt your leadership style to nurture the most productivity in your workers. Follow these four easy steps…

Step 1. Identify your own intrinsic leadership style. Knowing and understanding your own natural leadership style is the first step toward adapting your behavior to the needs of your workers.

Step 2. Recognize the pros and cons of the five leadership styles. All of the leadership styles are appropriate in different situations.

How to Adapt Leadership Styles

Step 3. Appreciate the diversity among your staff. Workers with more skill will most likely respond well to democratic and laissez-faire leadership styles; those with less experience will likely respond more to a more autocratic style.

Step 4. Experiment with different styles to see what works best with your group of workers. Maintain an "open door" policy so that workers can approach you to discuss work-related issues. As you get to know your workers, you will get a sense of how much direction and how much freedom they need to be productive.

Steps 1-4 Adapted from Samantha Hanly, Houston Chronicle, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/adapt-leadership-styles-18975.html

Leadership develops daily, not in a day

What matters Most is what you do day by day over the long haul

The ability to lead is a collection of skills, nearly all of which can be learned and improved

It is the capacity to develop and improve their skills that distinguishes leaders from followers

Four Phases of leadership growth: I don’t know what I don’t know I know what I don’t know I grow and know and it starts to show I simply go because of what I know

Source: John Maxwell (The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership)

Leadership Growth

Leaders decide what needs to be done, create networks of people to accomplish the agenda, and ensure that the work actually gets done.*

Sets the vision of an organization Vision—A vision statement includes a

complete description of you sometime in the future after your goal has already been successfully accomplished.

Establishes the mission Mission—A mission statement describes

your overall purpose. It is detailed and speaks to who you are and what you will need to do to make your vision a reality.

* Adapted from John Kotter, What Leaders Really Do, Harvard Business Review, http://www.faithformationlearningexchange.net/uploads/5/2/4/6/5246709/what_leaders_really_do.pdf

What Leaders Really Do

Develops Goals* Goals—A goal is the purpose toward which an endeavor

is directed. Goals may not be strictly measurable or tangible.

Maps out objectives* Objectives—An objective is something that one's efforts

or actions are intended to attain or accomplish; purpose; target. Must be measurable and tangible (SMART).

Empowers staff to go forth and do** Delegate tasks clearly and concisely Acknowledge employee achievements Open your door to employees Coach employees to be all they can be Promote employee education Give up some of your power in favor of employee

autonomy Invite feedback from your employees Be willing to do what you ask them to do

Evaluate Yourself

*Source: Adapted from Goal vs Objective, http://www.diffen.com/difference/Goal_vs_Objective

**Adapted from How to Empower Employees at http://www.wikihow.com/Empower-Employees

What Leaders Really Do

1. Planning and budgeting versus setting direction The aim of management is predictability—

orderly results Leadership’s function is to produce change.

Setting the direction of change is essential work.

2. Organizing and staffing versus aligning people Managers look for the right fit between

people and jobs Leaders look for the right fit between people

and the vision. 3. Controlling activities and solving

problems versus motivating and inspiring Management strives to make it easy for

people to complete routine jobs day after day. Leaders attempt to touch people at their

deepest levels—by stirring in them a sense of belonging, idealism, and self-esteem.

Adapted from John Kotter, What Leaders Really Do, Harvard Business Review, http://www.faithformationlearningexchange.net/uploads/5/2/4/6/5246709/what_leaders_really_do.pdf

Management vs. Leadership

10 Rules of Good Followership (Handout #2)

1. Don’t blame your boss for an unpopular decision or policy; your job is to support, not undermine.

2. Fight with your boss if necessary; but do it in private, avoid embarrassing situations, and never reveal to others what was discussed

3.Make the decision, then run it pass the boss; use your initiative.

4. Accept responsibility whenever it is offered.

10 Rules of Good Followership

5. Tell the truth and don’t quibble; your boss will be giving advice up the chain of command based on what you said.

6. Do your homework; give your boss all the information needed to make a decision; anticipate questions.

7. When making a recommendation, remember who will probably have to implement it. This means you know your own limitations and weaknesses as well as your strengths.

10 Rules of Good Followership

8. Keep your boss informed of what’s going on in the unit; people will be reluctant to tell him or her their problems and successes. You should do it for them, and assume someone else will tell your boss about yours.

9. If you see a problem, fix it. Don’t worry about who would have gotten blame or who gets the praise.

10. Put in more than an honest day’s work, but don’t ever forget the needs of your family’ If they are unhappy, you will be too, and your job performance will suffer accordingly.

Evaluate Yourself

10 Rules of Good Followership

Economic Unrest* Leadership Succession* Change Management* Learning Gap

*Source: Center for Creative Leadership at http://www.leadingeffectively.com/top-three-issues-facing-nonprofit-organizations-in-2012-2/

Issues Facing Nonprofit

Organizations

Economic Unrest

The loss of funding created a huge resource problem for the nonprofit sector and increased the need for services.

More nonprofit organizations now compete for fewer dollars.

Funders and donors question their own decisions on why they should give to a particular nonprofit organization.

It has become more crucial for a nonprofit to state why they acquire their funds and how they use those dollars.

This new environment is pushing nonprofit organizations to be more accountable.

Issues Facing Nonprofit

Organizations

Economic Unrest

Create and stick to a budget Tie your budget to your mission

and strategic plan Advance your understanding of

nonprofit financial sustainability Learn to write grants Create a development plan for

your organization Write a sustainability strategic plan Do a SWOT Analysis (Handout #4)

Evaluate Yourself

How Can Issues be Addressed?

SWOT Analysis (Handout #3) Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

SWOT Analysis is a useful technique for understanding your Strengths and Weaknesses, and for identifying both the Opportunities open to you and the Threats you face.

Used in a business context, a SWOT Analysis helps you carve a sustainable niche in your market.

Source: SWOT Analysis, Mind Tools at http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_05.htm#sthash.jwfesYyj.dpuf

How Can Issues be Addressed?

Strategic vs. Tactical Planning

Strategic planning is an organization’s process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy.

In order to determine the future direction of the organization, it is necessary to understand its current position and the possible avenues through which it can pursue particular courses of action.

Generally, strategic planning deals with at least one of three key questions: "What do we do?" "For whom do we do it?" "How do we excel?"

Many organizations view strategic planning as a process for determining where an organization is going over the next year or—more typically—3 to 5 years (long term), although some extend their vision to 20 years

Source: Strategic Planning at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_planning

How Can Issues be Addressed?

Strategic vs. Tactical Planning

Tactical Planning is Short range planning that emphasizes the

current operations of various parts of the organization.

Short Range is defined as a period of time extending about one year or less in the future.

Managers use tactical planning to outline what the various parts of the organization must do for the organization to be successful at some point one year or less into the future.

Tactical plans are usually developed in the areas of production, marketing, personnel, finance and plant facilities.

Source: Tactical vs Strategic Planning at http://managementinnovations.wordpress.com/2008/12/10/tactical-planning-vs-strategic-planning/

How Can Issues be Addressed?

Leadership Succession

There is a leadership capacity deficit in the nonprofit sector.

The nonprofit sector has wonderful leaders and passionately participate in their organization

Some leaders find it difficult to guide their organization’s strategic plan

Some organizations may not have a succession plan in place.

Leadership seats in many organizations are currently occupied, but a retirement or a quick departure from the organization could leave the organization empty-handed

Issues Facing Nonprofit

Organizations

Leadership Succession

Develop a leadership succession plan/sustainability

Make the plan known to all; perhaps add it to your constitution and/or by-laws

Grow your own leaders Expand and diversify the

professional development options available to staff

Create good followers

Evaluate Yourself

How Can Issues be Addressed?

“When the infrastructure shifts, everything rumbles.”—Stan Davis

Change Management/Transition

Nonprofit leaders are tasked with Managing change Being creative with their resources Using volunteers Selecting board members who can

contribute in multiple ways Retaining and hiring the appropriate staff

Face multiple changes at the same time.

A change in mindset and a change in behavior are the keys to meeting the demands of a nonprofit organization

Issues Facing Nonprofit

Organizations

Change Management/Transition

Plan for change Embrace change Empower your staff/volunteers to

deal with change Make sure everybody is on the

same page Create an Elevator Speech

Evaluate Yourself

How Can Issues be Addressed?

Elevator Speech (Handout #4): It should grab attention and say a

lot in a few words. It should be 15-30 seconds long and

should use action words. Your elevator speech should have the

general form: “We do (nature of service) for (ideal client) so that they can (benefit to the

client)". Consider including a compelling

"hook," an intriguing aspect that will engage the listener.

Incorporate examples and stories to help support your points. (STAR—situation or task, action, result). Stories make your speech memorable.

Elevator Speech

Knowing what fire to put out first Knowing your leadership blind spot How to build strategic alliances Developing Next Generation

Leadership Diversity

Source: Council of Nonprofit at http://www.councilofnonprofits.org/resources/resources-topic/leadership

Issues for Leaders

Knowing what fire to put out first

Prioritizing is about making choices of what to do and what not to do. To prioritize effectively you need to be able to recognize what is important, as well as to see the difference between urgent and important.

The important, or high priority, tasks are the tasks that help us achieve our long-term goals

At first glance, many of the tasks we face during a day seem equally urgent and important. Yet, if you take a closer look, you will see that many of the urgent activities we are involved are not really important in the long run.

With good prioritizing skills, you finish as soon as possible all the important urgent tasks. Then, you can focus your attention to those most important, but not urgent tasks.

Source: Prioritizing Effectively at http://www.time-management-guide.com/prioritizing.html

Issues for Leaders

Knowing your leadership blind spot“See ourselves as others see us,” --poet Robert Burns

Make sure you are getting feedback; without it, you can overestimate your organizations’ capacity and neglect areas that need improvement.

Five categories essential for organizational effectiveness: leadership, decision making and structure, people, work processes, and systems and culture.

Areas to ponder: the degree to which an organization’s vision is

compelling; clarity about the organization’s impact; and the extent to which an organization’s culture

inspires staff and contributes to strong performance.

the extent to which an organization clearly communicates its priorities;

the degree to which decision roles and processes are well understood; and

the degree to which an organization can implement change

Issues for Leaders

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. —Chief Seattle, 1854

How to build strategic alliances Business Card Work a Room Elevator Speech

The most important goals and resulting benefits of strategic alliances are: Increased services Increased programmatic

collaborations. Increased market

share/competitiveness Increased funding Increase

Source: Advanccing Together: The Role of the Nonprofit Board in Successful Strategic Alliances at http://firstnonprofit.org/images/uploads/pdf/Strategic_Alliances.pdf

Issues for Leaders

Developing Next Generation Leadership

Rotate people through different jobs. You want to give participants first-hand experience in many different roles throughout your company.

Challenge them with unfamiliar jobs. Stretch assignments are growth-oriented exercises with some inherent risk. They’re designed to push participants past their skill level.

Create mentoring programs. Typically, employees are paired with more senior employees at their company, though some programs match employees with mentors at other firms. Create clear guidelines for the relationship.

Ensure participants get frequent feedback and coaching. You want them to stretch but not break, so make sure they have adequate support in new assignments. Frequent evaluations will help you catch and address problems early on.

Tap veterans’ advice. Don’t let older workers’ knowledge walk out the door when they retire. Set up mentoring programs between veterans and high-potential future leaders.Allow participants to wash out. Not every candidate will have what it takes to be a good leader. Restock the program as needed and go outside the company if necessary to seed the program.

Source: How to Develop Future Leaders at http://guides.wsj.com/management/managing-your-people/how-to-develop-future-leaders/

“Diversity is generally defined as acknowledging, understanding, accepting, valuing, and celebrating differences among people with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, spiritual practice, and public assistance status.”*

A diverse workforce is a reflection of a changing world and marketplace.

Diverse work teams bring high value to organizations.

Respecting individual differences will benefit the workplace by creating a competitive edge and increasing work productivity.

Provide and participate in diversity training

Identify specific issues around diversity in your organization

* Source: Esty, Katharine, Richard Griffin, and Marcie Schorr-Hirsh (1995). Workplace diversity. A managers guide to solving problems and turning diversity into a competitive advantage. Avon, MA: Adams Media Corporation.

Issues for Leaders

Today we talked about: Definition of Leadership How to Adapt Leadership Styles Leadership Growth What Leaders Really Do Management vs. Leadership 10 Rules of Good Followership Issue Facing Non-Profit Organizations

How can Issues be Addressed? Issues Facing Leaders

How can Issues be Addressed?

Recap of the day

Know your stuff Get a terminal degree Get your hands dirty Walk the Dog Toot Your Own Horn Be a straw, not a cup Get wisdom, discipline and

understanding (Proverbs 23:23) Give back

Final Thoughts

Questions

Contact Me:Dr. Rebekah McCloud

University of Central FloridaP.O. Box 161920

Orlando, FL 32816-1920407-823-0344

[email protected]

Q & AContact Me