Lessons about leadership I have learned as a leader in three school districts. Presented at the BC ERAC #it4k12 conference in #ignite (Pecha Kucha) format - 20 slides, 15 seconds each, 5 minutes total
Transformative change requires strong leadership
I've learned a lot serving as a leader for 24 years in three school districts
I've learned a lot by reading books, blogs, magazines
I've learned a lot by trying, failing, trying, succeeding…
I will share some of the things that I've learned about leadership with you today
Leaders should ask more questions than provide answers
Create sets of questions for different encounters and situations as you consider what you need or want to know and do
Tap into the people you meet and discover their thoughts and ideas
Be inquisitive
Leaders lead people
To do so, they need followers
Make it your priority to connect with as many types of people as you can
Get to know the people on your team, in your organization, from other organizations and companies - how can you help them and how can they help you
Leadership is about creating a movement and movements are all about getting people on board
As you connect with people, carefully select from your questions and get people talking
Speak less, Listen more
Active listening is key - it conveys connection, interest, sincerity
Look people in the eye, softly though - don't freak them out
But, listen like you mean it
You don't always know what you need to know
Be teachable as you connect with people - soak up their knowledge and experience
Be a fearless learner - try new things, take chances
Demonstrate that you are learning from others by testing their ideas
As you've met people, listened to them, and learned from them, relationships form
Good relationships with a diverse group of people are important
You get sounding boards, people that speak truth into your life, people you can consult, and trust
Leadership can be a lonely activity so you need relationships to feel connected and supported
Be a real person
Let people in to get to know who you really are, share your interests, family stories
Be honest, truthful, sincere, but gentle
Say what you mean, do what you say - be integral
People want to know that you will follow through
Engage with people inside and outside of the organization, often
I like to go out of my way to walk past cubicles and say hello, have a short conversation, listen to people's stories
Not just my own team members but in other departments as well
Take a lunch break and sit with people you don't know well
Be seen, available, and accessible as much as possible
I have an open door practice, and people take good advantage of it - they know I am available to them
Leaders must acknowledge that they are not alone in achieving their vision - the people that they lead are who make the vision come to life
People gravitate to and want to follow and support a humble leader
I've learned to get over myself - I know I cannot go it alone - I know that those who support me are smarter than I am in their areas of expertise
Together we are better
People want to know that you care about them
Leaders must genuinely demonstrate that they do care
Write personal notes - I hand write birthday and thank-you cards to my staff
Attend funerals of loved ones
Be available to listen to their personal and professional struggles - offer to help or just listen
Along with caring, learn to be empathetic
Really make an effort to truly understand where someone is coming from, see things from their perspective
Really appreciate what people are going through, where they are coming from
Don't jump to conclusions
When walking the halls, going to meetings, encountering people, smile
Have you noticed how someone's face will light up when you smile at them
I often smile at strangers - for some that might seem awkward but I bet it makes them feel better
Smiling is a sign of optimism, caring, wanting people to feel good and have a good day
It's free, it's simple, and our faces are designed to do it, so do it!
We all have experienced low trust environments where people want it in writing, they don't believe each other, they are suspicious, out to get one another
Integrity + intentions + capabilities + results leads to credibility which leads to trust
Trust enables organizations to move more quickly, get people on board, embrace change
Consistent behavior is key
Okay, you've done all the right things to earn the right to be a leader, now what?
You need to crystalize a vision, a positive story of where you and your organization will go
Your vision needs to be aspirational, something that is out of reach but feels like it could be possible
You need to invite people to join you on this journey with you - you need them to share and pursue your vision with you
Leadership is about taking the long view
You need to be a futurist which means you need to be hyper aware of what's going on in the world around you, what the trends are, what futurists are saying
You will want to contextualize the possibilities of the future to how it affects your organization
You need to be positive and optimistic about the future while also being realistic
From your vision and future-orientation, will come your strategy or master plan
Your master plan must articulate how you will achieve your vision and views about the future
It will consist of a scripted set of moves that will guide your team and organization forward to the aspirational future
This does not need to be a 50 page document that nobody reads - less is more - be focused on the key steps required to get moving forward
Leaders must be communicating often
This is how people will know what you are about, what the vision is, your views on the future, what challenges you face
You can share and communicate in meetings, individual conversations, broadcast emails, newsletters
Always be ready and willing to communicate clearly, calmly, and confidently, especially during a crisis or to support a change initiative
As leaders we need to be aware of the impact that change has on people
People love change, as long as it doesn't affect them
But seriously, some people thrive on it, others embrace it, while others need support and time to make the change - we must differentiate how we help people adopt change
We must provide the vision, clarity of purpose, and clear direction about how the change will unfold and how people can navigate it
We are wired to make change, to improve things for people, to embrace the future
It would be so easy to just maintain the status quo but as leaders, we just can't do that
So we initiate change…
There are a lot of obstacles, setbacks, naysayers, budget problems, political shifts, etc. that can upset our well laid plans
Leadership involves a lot of sticktoitness, we must hang in there, find a way around a problem, rise above a frustrating setback, overcome sabotage
Leadership, it is a very rewarding, exciting, challenging, frightening, exhausting pursuit
We can all probably think of some amazing people who have lead us through change to new places
How humbling it is that we get to do the same for others