Bring Out the Best in District
Leadership
Presented by:
Kathleen Douglass
Zonta club of Brampton-Caledon
Workshop goals:
• Familiarize yourself with the elements of
leadership
• Discuss motivations for leadership
• Think about how to develop a culture of
leadership
• Consider why leadership development is
important
3
Principles of Leadership
• Know yourself and seek self-improvement
• Be technically proficient………. or at least competent
• Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your
actions
• Make sound and timely decisions
• Set the example = good role model
Leadership
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Listens first, then speaks
Asks questions
Inspires by example
Promotes ownership
Facilitates intangibles
Use conditional statements
Encourages choices
Facilitates mindfulness
What are your biggest
challenges as a leader?
Leadership motivations
• Why would someone want to serve in a
leadership role?
• Do our members know these benefits?
• How would you describe the opportunity
to appeal to head or heart?
7
Culture of Leadership
• Balance of:
• Builds on strengths
• Mentors, coaches and guides
• Manages change & continuous
improvement
8
Culture
• The set of shared attitudes, values,
goals, and practices that characterizes
an institution, organization, or group.
• What kind of a culture do you want to
create in your district?
9
Creating and maintaining a
leadership based culture
•
•
•
•
•
•
Build leadership culture
Plan development opportunities
Provide coaching and mentoring
Master professional skills
Share best practices
Discuss leadership
Working Assumptions
• Everyone has wisdom
• Everyone is responsible for their own learning
• Honour diversity of opinions, styles and
personalities
• Speak with intention and listen with attention
• Welcome differences as a source of creativity
• Critique the idea, not the person
Sources of Team Conflict
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Differing work styles
Lack of communication
Lack of access to information
Lack of resources
Competing deadlines
Personality clashes
‘Under-use’ of common sense
Clarity of Expectations
• Does the team know what is expected of
them?
• How do you clarify what is expected
•
•
•
•
Action items
Deadlines
Reminders
Being held accountable
• Summarize next steps
Hard on Issues, Soft on People
• Focus on the issue not the person
• Focus on common interests
• Appeal to shared common interests
when you have a conflict
• Use the shared common interests to
find a solution
• Be solution-focused
What have you learned about
leadership while a Zonta
leader?
Team Basics
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Get commitment to group goals
Identify and build on shared values
Know each other (high trust levels)
COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE
Support each other and stay focused
Learn by doing
Have fun and celebrate success
Aspects to Team Success
• Clarity of expectations
• Context
• Commitment
• Communication
Communications
• Communication is built on trusting
relationships
• Encourages two way dialogue
• Remains receptive to and listens for
underlying issues when someone is
expressing concerns
Communications
•
•
•
•
Ask questions for clarity
Seek first to understand
Don’t react immediately
Consider
• Cultural differences
• Individual styles
• Immediacy of issue
Good communications contribute to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Productive, effective meetings
Fewer conflicts
Enhanced leadership
Strong culture
Successful achievement of goals
Mission and vision are aligned
20
Leadership at meetings
•
•
•
•
•
Welcome ideas
Invite clarification
Maintain focus
Stimulate discussion
Make decisions as needed
21
Meetings
• Purpose
•
•
•
•
•
Give/get information
Solve problems, resolve conflicts
Get input
Gain commitment to ideas/actions
Discussion or develop consensus
22
Virtual Meetings
• Prepare for meeting
• What is the purpose of the meeting?
•
•
•
•
What issues will be addressed
What deliverables are you expecting
What steps will get you there
Set ground rules
• Agenda, resource documents ahead of time
Conducting the Virtual Meeting
• Set the stage with your opening
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Engage them
Involve them
Encourage individual participation
Build consensus
Build big picture
Discuss
Redirect side issues
Clarify and recap as you go along
Closing the Meeting
• Review meeting
• Create an issues list
• Have we covered it?
• Are there are any barriers to deal with issues?
•
•
•
•
Build a decisions list
Ensure actions list is understood
RECORD action list
Evaluation – 2 questions
Sharing best practices
• Please share 2 of your best tips for
successful meetings.
Growing Leaders
• How do you encourage members to:
• Develop leadership skills
• Create a culture where risk (failure) is
accepted
• Take a chance
• Say yes?
27
Why do we think about
leadership?
•
•
•
•
•
Ensures a succession plan
Creates a leadership-focused culture
Risk management strategy
Key component to strategic planning
Identifies leaders to carry out vision and
implement mission
28
Evaluating current and future
leadership needs of the board
• Is the board representative of district?
• Which board members will be leaving?
• What qualities, experiences and connections
will be absent when these board members
leave?
• What are the emerging needs of both the
organization and the board?
29
Leadership development
• Provide opportunities for members to use
their skills, attributes and knowledge
• Encourage leadership whenever/
wherever possible
• Acknowledge growth
• Say thank you to those who have said
YES!
30
Evaluation
• What was one thing you learned (or
were reminded of)?
• What can you apply immediately?
• What further enrichment, support or
training would help you in your role?
www.zonta.org
copyright © 2016 Zonta International