How to become an effective Leader By Jennifer Madrigal

There are many ways to foster leadership qualities in yourself. I have researched ways in which to become a more effective leader. The following are methods I found to be valid, in line with what we are currently reading, and helpful. I searched online and in databases. I am sharing one from each search.

20 Ways to Become a Leader Ellen Ostrow,Ph.D., owns LawyerLifeCoach, LLC, a firm providing professional development, career and executive coaching, leadership skills and effective communication. She is definitely an authority in the area of leadership. Although she focuses on helping attorneys, I am confident the 20 steps to becoming a leader transfer into any field.

20 Ways to Become a Leader  Here is a link to the full article: html html  Here is a link to the full article: html html

Step 1 - Take Charge  Take responsibility for your professional development. Know what you want and be prepared to make it happen. Direct and develop your potential. Librarians can do this by joining professional associations, round tables, continuing education courses, professional publications, etc.  Take responsibility for your professional development. Know what you want and be prepared to make it happen. Direct and develop your potential. Librarians can do this by joining professional associations, round tables, continuing education courses, professional publications, etc.

Step 2 - Know Your Strengths  Keep a log of your successes. Work is satisfying when you are able to use your strengths. For example, “if your someone who loves to learn, you’ll feel bored and frustrated unless you find ways to master new skills and bodies of knowledge” (Ostrow, 2007).  Celebrate accomplishments  Keep a log of your successes. Work is satisfying when you are able to use your strengths. For example, “if your someone who loves to learn, you’ll feel bored and frustrated unless you find ways to master new skills and bodies of knowledge” (Ostrow, 2007).  Celebrate accomplishments

Knowing your strengths will help you decide where you best fit in a library setting, or information management environment. Someone who enjoys technology might consider being a computer services supervisor, whereas, someone who enjoys reading and recommending books will become a reader’s advisory librarian. By choosing the right role for you, your leadership skills will best work for the staff and community.

Step 3 - Create Your Vision  Leaders are visionaries. Start cultivating this leadership skill by creating your own vision statement, “a picture of the future to which you can commit” (Ostrow, 2007). The statement includes your values, your contribution, and the way you live your life. Knowing what you’re goal is helps with professional development and keeps you going during rough patches.  Leaders are visionaries. Start cultivating this leadership skill by creating your own vision statement, “a picture of the future to which you can commit” (Ostrow, 2007). The statement includes your values, your contribution, and the way you live your life. Knowing what you’re goal is helps with professional development and keeps you going during rough patches.

Step 4 - Choose a Workplace with Compatible Values  You are more likely to be a leader in an environment that shares your values. Always read the mission statement of an organization before you apply.  You are more likely to be a leader in an environment that shares your values. Always read the mission statement of an organization before you apply.

Step 5 - Establish Your Own Personal Advisory Board  The personal advisory board includes guidance, role models and support. Identify the skills you need to improve or acquire. Then, select people you see that have these qualities. This step is about being connected. I think a respected professor, librarian, or information broker that you know, or know of, can all make good role models or mentors.  The personal advisory board includes guidance, role models and support. Identify the skills you need to improve or acquire. Then, select people you see that have these qualities. This step is about being connected. I think a respected professor, librarian, or information broker that you know, or know of, can all make good role models or mentors.

Step 6 - Find a Champion  Once you are in an organization, it is a good idea to have a secured person champion for you. This might be someone who allows your visionary style to flourish, someone who goes out on a limb for you.  Once you are in an organization, it is a good idea to have a secured person champion for you. This might be someone who allows your visionary style to flourish, someone who goes out on a limb for you.

Step 7 - Work Toward Excellence  Seek out your own training, do not wait for it to be offered. Do not be a perfectionist with micro-managing, but be positive with high standards. By staying on top, you will be a resource to others. “Expertise builds your reputation as a credible and trusted resource, which is essential for attaining leadership roles” (Ostrow, 2007).

Step 8 - Take Initiative  To be a leader, you must be able to lead yourself. Form connections with people in your organization and out. Influence the situation around you, rather than reacting to ones caused by those around you. “Leaders create a vision, set goals that embody the vision, inspire action to accomplish the vision, and develop strategic plans which lead to their goals” (Ostrow, 2007).

Step 9 - Take Risks  Get out of comfort zone. Doing so builds resilience and self-confidence. View mistakes as learning experiences and not as failures.

Step 10 - Be Optimistic  Being optimistic means to not feel helpless but to stay focused on the end goal, while finding ways to bounce back after setbacks.

Step 11 - Be “un-fungible”  Develop an expertise in an area that will make you valuable to the organization.

Step 12 - Make Your Career More Important than Your Job  When you are focused on your long-term career goals, it allows you to minimize a bad situation.

Step 13 - Develop Your Social Intelligence  Social intelligence is how you relate to people. Develop an awareness of your own feelings. Be self-aware, and self-regulate. Learn to see how others are feeling by listening to the words spoken as well as body language. Build up and empower people by creating an atmosphere of collaboration and openness.

Step 14 - Be Your Own Advocate  Share your knowledge by networking, volunteering your skills, etc., and express convictions. In addition, always acknowledge other’s contributions.

Step 15 - Break Through Expectations  Exceed people’s expectations of you when it’s a possibility.

Step 16- Become an Excellent Communicator  Leaders need to be able to communicate vision in a way that resonates with people and gets them to act. Communication skill gains the cooperation and support of others.

Step 17 - Show Concern for Others  “Research indicates that among the most important characteristics of effective leaders are compassion, nurturance, generosity, altruism and empathy” (Ostrow, 2007).

Step 18 - Develop and Maintain a Support System  Maintaining a support system provides stability, sustains energy and well being. Make it clear to those around you and your staff, or co-workers, that you realize how important they are and that you need them.

Step 19 - Maintain Integrity  People are willing to follow someone they trust. Be a person of your word. Mean what you say.

Step 20 - Persevere  Persevere in the good times and the bad, practice resilience. Keep your values at hand and your eyes on the goal.

England, D. (2002). Inner leadership-personal transformation. Industrial and Commercial Training. 34 (1),

England’s model of personal transformation helps fulfill the knowing yourself aspect of being a great leader. It’s easy to remember too with a mnemonic: R E A L.

R E A L  Recognizing: Becoming aware of our personality  Exploring: Uncover assumptions and beliefs which limit us  Actualizing: To stop thinking and acting out of habit. To make conscious choices. Act in line with your values and intentions.  Leading: Being able to see the real needs of any situation and able to respond with awareness, aptitude and purpose.  Recognizing: Becoming aware of our personality  Exploring: Uncover assumptions and beliefs which limit us  Actualizing: To stop thinking and acting out of habit. To make conscious choices. Act in line with your values and intentions.  Leading: Being able to see the real needs of any situation and able to respond with awareness, aptitude and purpose.

When we are able to understand ourselves, we can better understand those around us. Being able to understand people and being able to empathize is one of the keys to being a great leader, one that resonates with others.

“ Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it. ” Dwight Eisenhower