Practices of Successful Leaders

I would like to continue my comments on the #1086 posting  of Tomorrow’s Professor about Practices of Successful (Group) Leaders
To create this list Kouzes and Posner (2002) surveyed and interviewed more than 500 leaders of organizations and business.  They found five common practices of successful leaders.
1. Challenging the process
2. Inspiring a shared vision
3. Enabling others to act
4. Modeling the way
5. Encouraging the heart

I already discussed the practice of inspiring a shared vision in a ministry team.   Leaders will explore new ways of doing things and is willing to take risks.  Problems are seen as an opportunity as well as a challenge.  Leaders will need the skills of creativity and problem solving.  “It is not necessary for a leader to come up with every new idea or to provide the ingenuity for every shift in direction. Rather, the leader can be a facilitator of creative process, using strategies such as asking provocative questions (such as “What has been your most memorable event today?” or “What would make this meeting most enjoyable?”); setting up experiments (such as every person contributing one object that is in his or her present possession as a way to ascertain a common group theme); and involving people in retreats (everyone could make a sandcastle that represents an ideal concept such as building bridges between different groups of students); brainstorming sessions (such as one focused on how many functions can be identified for a roll of dental floss); or even art exercises that elicit more creative, right-brain ideas.” Change creates anxiety so leaders are able to show that the stress of change can be managed.  A leader also helps the team determine which new ideas are worthwhile and useful.

In my study of leadership, I found that modeling is crucial for helping team members move in new directions.  A leader needs to demonstrate new skills and give the team members opportunity to practice.  Kouzes and Posner list five ways that a leader can model good practices.
1. A leader communicates in a manner that is clear, understandable, and up-front. This can be accomplished by stating the purpose and motivation for any group activity or agenda. The leader avoids covert, hypocritical, and ambiguous messages.
2. A leader demonstrates a caring and respectful attitude toward others when in face-to-face contact and also shows a sense of consideration and dignity for others outside the immediate environment.
3. A leader shows engagement and works intently toward completing the tasks of the group. A true leader energizes a group by modeling the commitment and effort needed to make things happen, inspiring the group to establish strong norms for hard work and achievement. However, to be productive, a leader must also pay attention to counterproductive factors such as job stress, burnout or fatigue, or emotional tension, and work to reduce of prevent them.
4. A leader acts to maintain behavior that reflects fair play and integrity and established standards for ethical conduct.
5. A leader models effectiveness, the single most important action a leader can demonstrate.”

The fifth and last element in this posting was recognition of team members for doing the little things that make a difference and for reaching goals and succeeding in major accomplishments. “Sincere acts of unselfish kindness, observations and gestures reflecting interest, and acknowledgment of individual uniqueness are all ways a leader is responsive and encouraging to members.”

I thought that this information worthwhile to consider when reflecting on my leadership practices.  It is only through reflection on how I function as a leader that my skills will improve.