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What Makes a Leader?
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Unlike much leadership training, which tends to focus on that rare combination of attributes found in highly inspirational leaders, this highly participative pack focuses on basic leadership qualities found in all of us. The problem is we don’t always realise we have them.
Once we’ve identified them - and understood when and where they can be used in everyday, work-based situations - they can make a real difference to our overall performance. Whether presenting ideas, instigating change, pouring oil on troubled waters or showing objective judgement - using ‘leadership behaviour’ will help us achieve our goals - and in turn benefit the organization itself.
First in the session a True/False Questionnaire serves to raise awareness. It challenges individual participants’ (and then team) views on leadership and guides them into a more in-depth review of their ideas and prejudices – and explodes some common myths.
Having set the scene teams (or individuals) work through sets of 55 Cards that each describe a different attribute. Is it a ‘general skills’ attribute, is it the attribute of a manager or is it a leadership attribute? The task is to sort the cards and narrow the selection down to 20 essential leadership qualities and behaviours. The statements, or attributes, have been collected from a wide range of reliable and peer-respected publications (books, journals, websites) and genuinely attempt to explain what makes a good leader. Comment for each card and the reasoning behind the ‘ideal’ choice are in the Trainer’s Notes.
To round off the activity teams return to the questionnaire used at the start and, in group discussion, re-visit their initial responses. How have their views changed as a result of the session? How do they sum up leadership? Notes for the Debrief are all in the Trainer’s Notes.
- what leadership really means – reveals myths
- the limitations of the purely ‘traits’ approach
- to identify basic leadership behaviours at work
- the profile and role of a good leader
- the differences between managers and leaders
- greater self-awareness and critical thought
- Divide group into teams, briefly introduce the activity then issue Handout 1 (‘True or False?’) to each person to complete the 1st section (about individual responses). Now ask them to work in teams to complete the 2nd section (about the team’s response).
- Discuss results to bring out prejudices and falsehoods about leadership. //Now issue each team with a sets of 55 cards. Ask them to think about the statements on the cards. Which are specific to a ‘leader’ rather than being generic statements or ones specific to a manager? Ask them to narrow it down to those cards that best sum up the key attributes of an effective leader.
- Lead a debrief about the selections (all covered in the Trainer’s Notes).
- The True/Flase session at the start and the card activity can now be linked to see how much their original ideas have been challenged and changed.
- Use the Handouts 2, 3 & 4 to establish the new view of leadership expressed in this exercise, and to identify key differences between leaders and managers.
- Participants now look at how to apply their learning in order to strengthen their role at work. In the final stage they prepare Action Plans that identify situations in their particular job where their new-found knowledge of leadership behaviours can be put to good effect.
- Debriefs of each section are fully supported by clear Trainer’s Notes.
P. Mistretta, Center ParcsNorthgate Games always add a dimension to enhance the learning experience.
K. Watkins, Royal Wolverhampton HospitalNorthgate Games: - perfect for putting theory into practice.
- Trainer's Notes
- Handout 1 (A4 pad): True or False?
- CD-Rom containing PDF files for printing Handouts 2, 3 & 4
- Handout 2: Leadership or not?
- Handout 3: Leadership or Management?
- Handout 4: Executive Leader or Manager?
- 4 x Set of 55 Cards
