How to Run a Leadership Activity

The buzz in the community of Learning and Development Leadership Development done. "If only we could train good leaders," went the argument, "we can beat the world"

This belief is so ingrained that nobody stops for this question. But if you step back a moment, there are some important questions. For example:

1. Leaders must be trained, educated Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin?
2. If a leader can easily be trained, why there are followers (which begs the question:)
3. What is so great a leader?
4. If everyone understands how to lead, not a problem when followers led a bad thing?

We all know that good leaders. We know when we were in the playground, and when they are pregnant delinquency, we followed. We can try our first cigarette at the urging leaders and clandestine pursuit of the interests of our youth in their bid also. It is clear that quality leadership is not only seen from a young age, but an important part of our development.

So why do we think we need to train leaders? Well, for several reasons. Firstly, although the lead an innate talent, like all natural gifts, if not properly channeled, bad habits and developing the potential of flowering can go unrealized. Second, there is a need there is more to leadership than candidates. Playground leaders can go to a military career or a more high-flying world of big business, but they will not ultimately running a small social units of the service road outside the provincial town.

Finally, leaders must become a part of the team and teams to operate effectively, the demand has led to the game, so they can effectively serve know. So after finding that a good leadership training is needed and wanted, how can this be arranged?

The jumping off point for training, and, formally taught the theory and principles of leadership. There are only three ways to do this.

1. Books. There are literally hundreds of texts on leadership. Most business schools also free podcasts and webinars. Students may want a number of treatises on various management systems and processes, but gently catch.

Some of the best writing is outdated and does not meet modern management ideas. Many useful pieces of academic, but based on case studies at the top of the experience of leadership and thus separated from the practical reality. Although the book is an important source, they were satisfactory as a reference and as part of a more focused study.

2. Program. There are probably not many programs as there are many books, but it seems like. Whatever your discipline, industry, academic or vocational background of geography, has natural leadership bespoked derivatives are packed with the needs and meet your needs. Although many of these programs will be tailored to your business with an experienced physician, in the end, leadership system, process or methodology will be taught as a matter of personal preference of the coach, because each reflects best practice. In fact there are hundreds of models of leadership.

Everything will be based on observations and research and will have an application, but there is no "right" or "wrong" system. All courses are not highlight a particular approach and provide a basis for consistency between the participants.

3. Practical experience. Sure way is to develop leadership practice. As led by the leader, the result is "successful" it must capture the behavior that led to success. And if this fails, the behavior must be changed and try again. Therefore, coaching and mentoring is very effective.

But of course, but practical experience may be highly desirable, can also be expensive and risky. So how can an organization that aims to inspire leadership qualities provide an opportunity to practice in a safe environment that allows their leaders seem to make mistakes and learn from them?

Although I am sick of hearing customers say that their business 'different', the truth is that the company is not equal to each other. Just as every person is an individual, any organization that reflects the people in it in terms of history, culture, systems, processes and resources. Perhaps there are common characteristics that a leader in the company can make, but there are no absolute answers.

Organizations must develop appropriate training regimes with their own objectives. Regardless of how this is achieved, it will almost always starting a process model or the philosophy of a culture that shows "how" leadership "will be done here. "

Although there is no doubt that the formal program a key role in defining a common understanding and approach to leadership, in the final analysis, a practical element to leadership skills is an internal process. Although not widely recognized or accepted, the leadership approach is based on the model of six stages:

1. History: How do we get where we are?
2. Location: What happens now?
3. Prediction: What would happen if we do not change?
4. Vision: Where do we go?
5. Strategy: How we use our resources to achieve our goals?
6. Implementation: The schedule, activities and responsibilities

This model shows that to be successful, leaders must ask six basic questions:

A. Where are we?
B. Where do we come?
C. Where are we heading if we continue like this?
D. Where are we now?
E. At this time we are there?
F. How do we get there and what we need?

By following this approach, the leader of the team structure, distribution of resources and support, guidance and information the team will get.

Although the model itself is simple enough, fits into the course a bit more problematic. The content is simple, direct and easily understood. With a group of senior, competent coach who can usually easily through the theory in the morning. The problem is with the practical sessions. Most courses are ten to fifteen delegates, but six or seven is not uncommon.

To practice effective leadership skills, the team must consist of at least four members. So with each delegation the opportunity to lead and assume that some teams can practice in parallel had this one all day, especially if it provides feedback and consolidation of quality. For practical experience, I use tools like the Super Tanker, Westrek, Vikings Attack! and Terra Nova. This is self-contained package that has everything needed for the session to carry out. To add "spice" to a competitive activity between the groups with prizes for the winning team to perform. This creates additional pressure on the leader and is a useful tool for creating tension within the team.

The following structure is very tight, but by limiting sessions to 45 minutes to 15 minutes for the feedback, you can 16 delegates during the day (very full). Ideally of course you will find the course spread over two days and allowing more time for the exercises and feedback. This will also give more time to consolidate and plan of action after the delegates return to the workplace.

Time (minutes) - Topics
10-Introduction and Home
35 The aim of the course, delegates experience
15 - Overview of leadership (Groups / Breakout Discussions on outstanding properties and quality of national, political, religious leaders, etc.)
15-Plenum Leadership
15 Introduction to Leadership Model
15-Coffee
105-Advanced Leadership Model (Breakout sessions and handouts on the Ask a Question, vision, strategy, goal setting, feedback)
60-Lunch (issued with a short leader to exercise to run in the afternoon)
30-Summary: What does leadership (acne & group sessions)
45-Super Tanker program (three or four groups in parallel)
15-Super Tanker feedback to the leader (follower to give feedback)
45-West pull exercises (three or four groups in parallel)
15-West Pull feedback to the leader (follower to give feedback)
45-Murphy exercises (three or four groups in parallel)
15-Murphy feedback to the leader (follower to give feedback)
45-Terra Nova to exercise (three or four groups in parallel)
15-Terra Nova feedback to the leader (follower to give feedback)
45-Action Planning and Evaluation

Alternative would be to structure the session to break into logical components and then run them in a series of 2-3 hour classes during the development of three or four weeks. For the hearing that the really successful it is important that the leadership lessons learned in accordance with the needs of the organization and that the delegates to leave the course with a clear action plan om their own performance.

The importance of feedback sessions can not be pressed. An agreement not to disclose must be obtained from all participants, and the follower should feed back to the leaders how they felt during the exercise. This can be a brutal, but very important lesson for the participants of the full value of the session to get.

In short, every company needs leaders at all levels within the organization. With some careful planning, clear learning outcomes and the right tools, almost anyone can set up a very successful program that provides dramatic performance and longevity.