What makes you a good leader?

According to Kouzes & Posner in their book The Leadership Challenge, a good leader can be broken down into 5 leadership practices that all inherit certain leadership behaviors.

1. Model The Way – this states that a good leader must set the example they would like others to follow.  They follow through on their promises and make sure others support common values and principles.
2. Inspire A Shared Vision – Good leaders envision the future by describing or showing ideal capabilities in an upbeat and positive manner, while including and recognizing others interests
3. Challenge The Process – Leaders search for new and innovative opportunities, they take risks, and are willing to experiment.  They challenge skills and abilities, often breaking projects into smaller do-able portions while always asking the question of what can be learned.
4. Enable Others To Act – A good leader will foster collaboration with cooperative relationships to strengthen others.  They give others freedom and choice, supporting decisions made by others with respect.
5. Encourage The Heart – Good leaders will creatively recognize, praise, and celebrate others contributions and successes through appreciation and encouragement.

A recent assignment I completed in the High Performance Coaching and Technical Leadership program through UBC, we conducted a 360 analysis through Kouzes and Posner’s Lerdership Practices Inventory.  This allowed me to assess my leadership skills and practices from my own viewpoint and from my peers.  I found this to be a very useful tool in which I was both humbled and relieved.  It showed that my peers saw me as a strong leader; however, it made me realize certain practices and behaviors in which I need to work on, along with practices and behaviors I should continue to be strong with.  An interesting fact that became evident was that I may be harder on myself than needed to be.  There were certain practices in which I thought needed improvement, in which my peers actually thought I was stronger than I presumed.  The little things count, and although these leadership behaviors may not be a major thought to my own leadership practice, certain behaviors can be viewed different in others who receive it.  With this new knowledge of where my strengths and weaknesses lie within my leadership practices, I have a new focus and direction with how to lead my team of coaches and athletes.

Are you a good leader?

What might your strengths and weaknesses as a leader be?

References

1. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.studentleadershipchallenge.com/Assessments.aspx
2. Kouzes, J.M., & Posner, B.Z. (1987). The Leadership Challenge: How To Make Extraordinary Things Happen In Organizations (5^th). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
3. Kouzes, J. M., & Pozner, B. Z. (2013). Leadership practices inventory workbook: Understanding and making sense of your LPI feedback(4th ed.). San Francisco: Pfeiffer.