Nicholas Colombo

A great review of all the different ways a leader can organize their career goals and a number of assessments and tools to solicit feedback on performance improvement. Used correctly, all of these tools are used as a positive feedback loop to move towards better and better leader performance.

Knowing one's learning style helps raise empathy when attempting to have workplace conversations about ways to improve or to teach. Additionally, innovation is facilitated by reframing how a topic of focus is addressed. Instead of a negative focus that seeks to target a problem which can lead to defensiveness from the team, appreciate inquiry redirects towards a positive approach of what is working and how to do more of that.

Understanding the needs of the higher education industry and the direction the industry is expected to shift towards helps a would-be leader know how to refine their focus on what their legacy should be. Leadership that is embodied and modeled helps the surrounding faculty, staff, and students see and want to express it themselves. Inspiration to beget future leaders is possible when fundamental obstacles are addressed, such as the reasons key demographics pull down completion rates. 

The interconnectedness of a positive, strong leader, having a group of followers that are empowered and passionate, and an environment/situation set up for opportunity and growth are all needed. Missing one of the three leads to disaster.

After learning about the textbook knowledge of what are the six leadership styles, how they work, their pros and cons, and when they are best implemented, I realize that at an almost unconscious level I easily traverse the use cases for each. I've certainly had the opportunity to learn from major mistakes, such as being too coercive or authoritative, but I navigate using coaching, affiliative, and the other styles based on the employees of my team and the environment (flexibility to get the job done, freedom to try new ways/strategies, and more).

I learned that there is an overthinking that takes place that lends to the idea managers and leaders are completely different people, and that because of this perception, it appears that one would want to be a leader RATHER than a manager. But the reality is, leaders are great managers, and vice versa. One needs the passion, vision, ever-questioning how things are currently done as part of "Kaizen". However, without the skills to implement these inspirational ideas means they remain just that, ideas. The most successful leaders are able to effectively manage what it takes (people, resources, processes) to make… >>>