Course overview



Please use this workbook to record your reflections and responses to the sections in the course. It will help you to capture your thinking and provide a record of the things you want to follow up in your plan to be a more effective leader.You might find it useful as evidence of continuing self and professional development.It is provided as a Word document so that you make additions and changes to customise it for yourself. Course overviewThe programme consists of six modules:Thinking about leadershipWhy?PowerCreativity and innovationChangeBecoming the leader I want to beLearning outcomesFollowing the whole programme will:Increase your understanding of key leadership conceptsEncourage you to reflect on your own leadership qualitiesHelp you to develop a personal action plan to improve your effectiveness as a leaderModule 1: Thinking about leadership1.1: Introduction & first thoughtsThinking about someone you have admired in a leadership role (someone you have met, not a distant or historical figure like Gandhi or Mandela):What things did they do and say that made them effective?If they had any weaknesses, what were these?Point to a single thing where they made a difference to you.Now, thinking about someone you have seen who was not effective in a leadership role:What things did they do and say that made them ineffective?If they had some strengths, what were they?If you could give them advice on how to be a better leader, what would that be?Make a note of words and short phrases that you associate with:strong leadershipweak leadership1.2 Leadership theoriesKendra Cherry identifies Eight Major Leadership Theories:Great ManTraitContingencySituationalBehaviouralParticipativeManagement (transactional)Relationship (transformational)If you took the What’s Your Leadership Style? Quiz, what did it indicate is your main style?What aspects of the other styles might you need to develop?Kendra Cherry identifies 16 key traits or characteristics associated with effective leadership:Intelligence and action-oriented judgementEagerness to accept responsibilityTask competenceUnderstanding their followers and their needsPeople skillsA need for achievementCapacity to motivate people)Courage and resolutionPerseveranceTrustworthinessDecisivenessSelf-confidenceAssertivenessAdaptability and flexibilityEmotional stabilityCreativityWe would want all of these some of the time, and some of them all of the time.Where are your own strengths in relation to these characteristics?Which of these characteristics do you think you need to develop to be more effective?1.3 LEADERSHIP STYLESThis module looked at how different leadership styles can change with the specific situation or context,Thinking about recent events where you have seen different leadership styles, note your observations – either as a leader or a follower – and whether you think it was appropriate to the situation. In each case, would a different leadership style have had a better outcome?1.4 transformational LEADERSHIPHaving looked at the videos about Transformational Leadership, what aspects of Transformational Leadership do you most want to develop in yourself?How might you go about that?1.5 Observing leadership stylesThis section asked you to observe leadership around you.Use this area to note what you saw e.g. the behaviours of the leader and the reactions of those they are leading. What is effective and what is causing friction?Self reflectionThis time, thinking about yourself:Do you have a dominant or preferred leadership style?Do you have different styles for different groups of staff/partners/volunteers?Do you consciously think about the style to use, or do you base it on past experience and/or intuition?How would you describe yourself as a leader?It is important to write this down. Use any words, phrases, and diagrams - whatever you prefer to encapsulate your self-reflectionHow do others see you as a leader?If you have had any feedback from other people, what do they think about you?Has the feedback led to you making any changes to your leadership style?Module 2: WHY?2.2 Simon Sinek on inspiring action and the golden circleThis module focuses on the importance of knowing WHY we do what we do, and the challenge of how to articulate this to others.When you've watched the video here are some things to consider:How far do you think people understand the purpose of your library/information service – why you do what you do?What could library services do to shift public perceptions from the transactional e.g. book borrowing and information enquiries to the deeper values and beliefs of the service?Try to encapsulate the purpose of your library/information service – WHY you do what you do - in two sentences.This could be more difficult than it seems! Look at what you’ve written and ask if it describes WHAT you are doing rather than telling people WHY you do it. You will want to come back to this as you move through the course. It can take time to get to a core WHY statement.If you are engaged in a project or initiative for your service at the moment, write a WHY statement for this. Module 3: power3.2 Forms and types of powerThis section looked at six main forms of power:Coercive powerReward powerLegitimate powerReferent powerExpert powerInformation powerThinking about these:How and when do you use them?How do others around you use them?Rosabeth Moss Kanter suggests six ways to increase power:1. Show up: The power of presence.Seek out networking opportunities, accept invitations - or get yourself invited to things.2. Speak up: The power of voice.Putting your ideas into words that get people to listen and see you as a leader. If you're uncomfortable with public speaking, get a coach, take lessons, and take every opportunity to practise.3. Look up: the power of visionKnow why you do what you do and how it fits with higher principles and values4. Team up: the power of partnering.Professional knowledge and skills aren't enough. We need to build good relationships inside and outside our organisation.5. Never give up: the power of persistence.Keep at it! Everything can look like a failure in the middle. Review things and make adjustments. Try different tactics. ?Surprise the naysayers.6. Lift others up: the power of empoweringShare the success and elevate others.Which of these are the most challenging for you?How could you address this?3.3 Transactional analysis The aim of Transactional Analysis (TA) is to help us move our conversations and relationships to an Adult-to-Adult positionIf there is a work relationship that you would like to improve:Consider what is going on in conversations and interactionsWhat is your position/ego state in the majority of these situations?If you want to move to an Adult position for yourself and encourage it in the other person, what specific things can you do to achieve that?3.4 Power in the workplace What strategies could you use to increase your power at work?What actions could you take to increase your self-confidence?3.5 Leadership presence Muriel Maignan Wilkins identifies three important aspects of presence:Assumptions?- prepare for meetings and other situations by getting into the right mindsetCommunications?- develop our repertoire of communication techniques and use them appropriatelyEnergy?- match your energy to the situationWhat aspects of you presence would you like to improve?What actions could you take to do that?Module 4: Creativity and innovation4.2 Being creativeWhat does creativity mean to you??Thinking about yourself at work:When do you feel most imaginative and playful?How often do you share ideas with colleagues?How willing are you to consider other people's ideas?Are you more likely to seek out people who have lively imaginations and talk about their ideas?Are you more optimistic than pessimistic?When you start something new, how confident do you feel that it will turn out well - even if you can't see how?Make a note of the ways you are already creative:your attitudes to creativityhow other people see you in terms of creativitycreative things you have done - small and largehow you nurture creativity in yourselfhow you encourage creativity in others4.3 Creative thinkingWrite down THREE THINGS you are prepared to do to be more creative.Joanna Maxwell suggests four key steps to enhancing our innate creativity. For each of these write down at least TWO specific things you will do to be more effective in each of the four steps:Step 1: Be CuriousStep 2: Make ConnectionsStep 3: Challenge YourselfStep 4: Cultivate Your Ideas4.4 InnovationIn the context of library and information services, try to identify:Three RADICAL innovationsSix INCREMENTAL innovationsThinking about your own organisation or service:What innovations have you made that have led to improvements for your users?What aspects of your service would benefit from more innovation?What could you do to encourage innovation in your service/team?4.5 Innovation with othersThinking about your own workplace situation:What could you do to encourage positive conversations about new ideas and new ways of doing things?If you are on the brink of a new project or service review:What steps can you take to ensure that it taps into all the best creative thinking talent of the people around you?Module 5: Change5.1 Change: an introductionThink of a recent change that went well. What made is work? How did people feel in the change process? What, for you, were the things that made it positive?Now think about a change, or a proposed change, that didn't work. What was happening to obstruct the process? What, for you, were the most negative aspects of the process?What were the differences? What made you (and others) accept or support one change while resisting the other?5.2 John Kotter on changeJohn Kotter identifies an eight-step change process:Create UrgencyForm a guiding coalitionDevelop a vision and strategyCommunicating the visionEnabling action and removal of obstaclesGenerating short-term winsHold the gains and build on changeAnchor changes in the cultureLooking back to the changes you thought about in the previous Introduction section – 5.1:Map the positive and negative aspects against Kotter’s 8 steps.For each step, write down the things that could have been done to make the change process more successful.5.3 Personal reactions to changeThinking about the stages of dealing with change and the coping mechanisms:Identify at least two things that you can do to help yourself in times of changeThinking about a work colleague (or group of colleagues) - what can you do to support them in any changes that are happening at the moment? 5.4 Resistance to changeThink about a time when you were resistant to a change proposed by someone else.What were you thinking?What were you feeling?What did you do?Based on your own experiences and your observations of other people, write your own list of reasons why people resist change and what might be done to help them through the resistance.5.5 McKinsey on change managementWhile reviewing the video by Mary Meaney make your notes on the main aspects of organisational change and things you want to adopt for yourself and your organisation.Aspire - vision and strategyAssess - capabilities and mindsetsArchitect - why change? systems, skills and role modellingAct - energy, momentum, confidenceAdvance - grow leadershipModule 6: Becoming the leader I want to beThis module is the opportunity to look back at your thoughts and reflections about leadership and creativity and formulate an action plan to continue developing as a leader.Look back at your notes in each module/section and highlight the areas where you are already strong as a leader. What aspects of leadership and creativity do you want to develop in yourself?As a way of beginning to turn these thoughts into an action plan, complete the following sentences:The three words I would use for the kind of leader I want to become are …The skills I possess that I need to build on are …The skills I would need to develop and practise are …Things I could do to ensure that I make time for reflection are …The people who could help me develop as a leader are …The people around me who I could help to develop as leaders are …The values I want to hold onto are …The things I most want to change in my organisation are …The single most important thing I will do next week to put myself on the path to achieve these things is …At this stage it is advisable that you make the opportunity to discuss your continuing development with your manager or someone who could act as a mentor.Please look at the suggestions of where to find other learning and leadership development opportunities. Make a note of any that you will pursue: ................
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