Category: Unit 2

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Unit 2 Response to Norm Beange – Learning Activity 3

When I read your post,  I could immediately relate to it because I also scored equally strongly on human and technical skills, and less so on conceptual skills. Unlike you however, I had a very limited view of leadership prior to this course and  felt that my weak conceptual skills prevented me from being an effective leader. However I have been growing in my understanding of leadership and have come to the realization that in some arenas, human and technical skills are more important than conceptual skills. For example, education, mentorship and counselling are three areas that immediately come to mind. I am excited to discover where this journey will take me as I begin to recognize and embrace my strengths.

With reference to your Style questionnaire results, it is my understanding that your low task score does not relate directly to your work with technical designs and processes, but rather is an indication that in your leadership style you give more attention to the degree to which you make others feel comfortable than you do to helping them define their roles and understand what is expected of them. I feel that this aligns with your informal management style that you referenced which is appreciated by many of your employees who have been working with you for decades. I find it fascinating how informative these seemingly simple surveys have been! Thanks for your post.

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Light from Many Lamps Assignment #1

The story I selected happens to be the first one in the book, “The Secret of Happiness is Something to Do” written by John Burroughs. In this passage John Burroughs shares his conviction that happiness comes from doing work that one loves, that keeps one busy and content, and that gives one’s life purpose and direction (Watson, 1951).

According to Northouse, ‘expert power’ is based upon followers’ perceptions of a leader’s competence, and it “increases a leader’s capacity to influence the attitudes, values or behaviours of others” (p. 11). One of the characteristics of Servant Leaders conceptualized by Greenleaf is that they are committed to helping each person in the organization grow personally and professionally (Northouse, 2016). The leadership lesson that I see in this reading is that a natural love for one’s work and a desire to share that passion with others can give rise to emergent leadership through mentoring relationships. This is exactly where I find myself at this stage in my career. I have been blessed to have found an occupation that not only occupies my time but gives me purpose and meaning, and I have a strong desire to share my knowledge and experience with less experienced teachers to help them to become passionate, expert teachers as well. My desire to build and support my fellow colleagues does not arise from a desire to showcase my knowledge and skills, but rather, to demonstrate authentic, transformational servant leadership.

 

Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: theory and practice (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Watson, L. E. (Ed). (1979). Light from many lamps. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

 

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Unit 2 Learning Activity 3

The results of the surveys were eye-opening. I learned that other people see many more leadership traits in me than I see in myself because I still struggle to see myself as a leader in the traditional sense. Yet I scored lower than my raters in perception and sensitivity. Listening and awareness are two of the 10 traits of a Servant Leader identified by Spears (Northouse, 2016) that are crucial for me to develop. It is very important it is for me to listen well and be attuned to the thoughts and opinions of others, particularly because my score on the style questionnaire indicates that I am more likely to lead with an emphasis on relationships vs tasks.

My stronger human and technical skills also make me more suited for leadership that involves close relationships with people, either by sharing my knowledge with them, or guiding them through the application of my knowledge.

My results of the Birkman assessment indicate that I am also a detail-oriented person with strong administrative skills. The picture that is emerging is that my leadership style is closer to management than leadership. I am less concerned about a big-picture visionary ideas than I am about order, consistency, problem-solving and people development. Each step of this journey is incredibly insightful and I am confident that by the end I will have a clear understanding of where and how to walk out my ‘why’ effectively.