1. Drive Leadership Skill Area
This project is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council (PADDC)

2. What is drive?
To strive vigorously toward a goal or objective, with passion
Most people consider drive to be more internally motivated
This means that the skill must come from within
Drive is not something that can live within your brain; be memorized or learned in a book. Drive is something that must be developed within each individual for each activity they endeavor. It is not something that is “mastered” but that is worked on each day.

3. Having Drive Requires 3 Parts
Direction
There needs to be an end goal
Movement
This is constant, even though you may move backwards before going forward again
Emotion
The person must have an optimism and passion for continuing the work
You’ll notice that, by definition, drive requires three parts.
Direction – this is where you are taking your plan or activity. The skill of drive is fruitless if there is no target to aim for. Understanding and keeping this goal in mind will help drive you
Movement – In someone who is driven, there is constant movement. This does not mean that the movement towards the goal will always be going forward. In order to achieve the goal, this may require you to go backwards, reassess, and evolve your plan. The key is that you do not stop or lose sight of your end goal
Emotion – Neither of the above two make much sense without infusing a personal attachment to the goal. This may come easily if your activity and goal stem from a deeply rooted passion. However, a good leader can be driven to do many things. This may mean that you find any connection to your goal and dig deep to find the value in what you’re doing

4. The “Flow” of Drive Decision End Goal Movement Direction
Drive only occurs when each of the three pieces described on the previous slide are happening simultaneously. This is what makes drive a consistent factor that can withstand unexpected events and even failure. Drive does not mean that your plan goes perfectly, the first time. It means that despite all of the bumps and misses along the way, and the different plans you may need to attempt, the “flow” consistently remains in the direction of the end goal. This naturally requires some level of optimism and passion for what you do.
Movement
Direction

5. Drive & Leadership
Leaders are the common thread in any goal or mission
They need to be driving this forward!
This inspires others to move in the direction of the goal too
Leaders need to be able to:
Recognize risk and failure
Learn from the process
Continue on
A leader is the one person in any group of people that is supposed to be consistent in working towards some goal. If the leader is moving this agenda forward, others will naturally begin to follow
A part of this process is continuing to move in the direction of the goal, while calculating risk and learning from failures. Leaders are people who show those around them the passion behind the mission, and prove that it is important to keep moving forward.

6. “Drop a Penny” Activity
We are going to challenge ourselves to do a simple activity
Put your hands together, palms and fingers touching
Have someone put a penny between your 2 ring fingers
Clasp your hands together, while leaving your ring fingers
extended
Now – try separating your ring fingers to allow the penny to drop into palms **DO NOT straighten your other fingers**
Keep trying until you are successful
Most people will have difficulty doing this without straightening their pinky fingers. The majority will eventually be able to drop the penny successfully!

7. What did you learn? Who thought this task would be extremely easy?
For those who had a lot of difficulties – did you ever want to give up?
What allowed you to eventually be successful?
How can this skill help you at school and work?

8. “Your ability, or mine?” Activity
We are going to work as a group to reach a goal using specific abilities
Break into groups of 3
Designate one person who will “see”, one who may “walk”, one who may “talk”
Whatever “ability” you’re given requires that you “lose” the other 2
Each group must collectively get from one end of the room to the other using only the ability they have been given, and any materials in the room

9. What did you learn?
What was your first reaction to being limited in your abilities?
What was the most difficult part of this activity?
What strategies did you use to reach your goal regardless of your difficulties?
How can these skills help you at school and work?