Some brought or referred to books they had read or were reading. It was a great afternoon of sharing resources as well as ideas. Below is a summary of notes taken on the day.
Attributes identified for a successful leader
- Motive is critical – self-motivated/arrogant leaders will not win the confidence of those they are leading
- Should not see themselves are being superior to those they are leading
- Leaders must be willing to show their vulnerabilities
- Should be willing to do anything they ask their team to do
- Must have an attitude of servitude rather than an attitude of dominance
- Rather than being motivated to make themselves look good; they should be motivated by wanting to achieve the best possible outcome
- Understanding how to motivate growth in those for whom they are responsible
- It’s not about ‘the leader; it’s about ‘the team’ and the project at hand.
- Be willing to grow themselves and their leadership ability to more effectively lead their team
In what way are we all leaders?
- A leader doesn’t have to be the person standing in the front
- Some may have a genetic propensity to be a good leader, but leadership can also be learned
- Treat others the way you want to be treated
- We talked about ‘cleaning up the kitchen’ in a community (such as an office or school environment). Good practices need to be set by the management. Each individual should take responsibility for their own use. Abusing that space is being disrespectful to your teammates. Care for common spaces the way you would care for your home
What challenges do we face personally, to improve our self-leadership?
- Improve time management skills
- Need to accept yourself as a leader
- How to manage transition to retirement
- Not being afraid to be vulnerable at times
- Learning to let go
- Developing meditation skills
- Believing in yourself
- Don’t overthink things
- Have the courage to be specific when a problem emerges. Don’t expect others to read your mind.
- Learning to be less agreeable and therefore having the courage to assert yourself when it matters.
