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Module II - C3
Leadership Skills

Major Sections

Day and Time

Purpose

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

1. Describe 5 styles of leadership and the situations in which each is most effective.
   
   
2. Identify their preferred leadership style and the situations where it will be most effective.
   
   
3. Describe 3 leadership styles different form their own and identify partnership situations where each would be most effective.

Equipment, Materials, and Supplies Needed

• Two easels, newsprint, dark-colored markers, and masking tape
  
  
• One set of hard copies of 24 DrawPerfect animal pictures
  
  
• Transparencies
  
  
  • None
  
  
• Prepared Newsprint
  
  
  • PN-1: Objectives
  • PN-2: Leadership Styles
  
  
• Handout
  
  
  • HO-1: Continuum of Situational Leadership
• Trainer Supplements
  
  
  • None

Materials in Participant Manuals

• Transparencies
  
  
  • None
  
  
• Handout
  
  
  • HO-1: Continuum of Situational Leadership

Room Setup

Predelivery Preparation

Trainer Resources

• National Assembly of National Voluntary Health and Social Welfare Organizations (1991). Characteristics of a "good" chairperson and coordinator. In The Community Collaboration Manual. Washington, D.C., 60-62.
  
  
• Tichy, N.M., and M.A. Devanna. (1986). The Transformational Leader. Training and Development Journal, July, 27-32.*

I. Introduction (Opening, 10 min.)

A. Welcome participants, and ask them to introduce themselves by name, to identify their partnership, and to describe their role in the partnership.

B. Briefly review the purpose of the workshop.

C. Review workshop objectives (PN-1).

II. Lecture: Situational Leadership (10 min.)

A. Importance of Leadership

1. Leadership is the ability to influence the behavior of others.
   
   
2. Partnerships need appropriate leadership to ensure that their mission, goals, and objectives are met.
   
   
3. To turn the work of the community back to the community and empower its members to achieve their goals, it is essential that appropriate leadership be exercised. "Appropriate" means leadership that meets the needs of the community or partnership in any given situation.
   
   
4. Partnerships need to have leaders with the flexibility to stretch beyond their preferred styles of leading to meet the needs of the moment.
   
   
5. As an alternative to a single leader, a group may distribute leadership among people who have the skills needed by the partnership for the tasks it needs to accomplish. Shared or rotating leadership can build on the individual strengths and resources of all members.
   
   
6. Partnership members must be able to recognize a variety of leadership styles and to determine which style best serves the needs of the partnership in a given situation.

B. Styles of Leadership (PN-2, Leadership Styles)

1. Five styles of leadership behavior can be used.
   
   
2. The style that is appropriate for a partnership at a given time is determined by the situation; no style is preferable all of the time (HO-1, Continuum of Situational Leadership).
   
   
3. The styles are:
   
   
   1. Telling. The leader identifies the problem, issue, or concern; considers alternative solutions; chooses a solution; and tells the group what to do.
      
      This works well when there is:
      
      
      • Little need of expertise or information from others; and
        
        
      • Low involvement of others in solution implementation.
      
      
   2. Persuading. The leader makes the decision, but attempts to persuade the group to accept it by describing how the decision fits the needs and interests of the group.
      
      This works well when there is:
      
      
      • Little need of expertise and information from others; and
        
        
      • High involvement of others in solution implementation.
      
      
   3. Consulting. The leader gives group members opportunity to influence the decision from the outset. The leader presents relevant background, and asks the group for ideas. The leader selects the most promising alternative.
      
      This works well when there is:
      
      
      • High need for expertise and information; and
        
        
      • Low involvement of oth;ers in solution implementation.
      
      
   4. Joining. The leader participates as a group member, having agreed in advance to carry out the group's will.
      
      This works well when there is:
      
      
      • High need for expertise and information; and
        
        
      • High involvement in solution implementation
      
      
   5. Delegating. The leader defines the problem, states its boundaries, and asks the group to solve it. The leader agrees to support the group's decision as long as it fits inside, the boundaries.
      
      This works well when there is:
      
      
      • High need for expertise or information;
        
        
      • High involvement in solution implementation; and
        
        
      • Clear limits or requirements for the solution.

III. Small Group Exercise: Preferred Styles of Leadership (35 min.)

A. Introduction to the Exercise

1. Explain that the purpose of this exercise is to help participants examine their own preferred leadership style and relate it to the styles just described.
   
   
2. Add that in order to avoid getting bogged down in words and definitions, symbols are used for this purpose.
   
   
3. Direct participants' attention to the pictures posted around the room--lion, deer, cat, eagle.

B. Small Group Work

1. Ask participants to gather in front of the picture that best represents their leadership style.
   
   
2. Once participants have gathered, ask each group to:
   
   
   1. Discuss what leadership style the animal represents to them.
      
      
   2. Write their responses on newsprint.
      
      
   3. Select someone to report out to the other groups.

C. Report Out

1. Ask the large group to reconvene.
   
   
2. Ask each group to report out its impressions
   
   
3. Other groups may ask questions only for clarification. Save discussion until all groups have reported out.

1. Within each group, how did members' ideas differ about the animal they had chosen?
   
   
2. How do the groups' descriptions of the animals fit the categories discussed in the lecture?

IV. Small Group Exercise: Exploring Other Styles (30 min.)

A. Introduction to the Exercise

1. State that this exercise again uses animals as symbols of types of leaders.
   
   
2. Explain that this time participants will look at styles that might differ from their own and describe the characteristics of that style.

B. Individual Work

1. Ask each participant to select one of the pictures.
   
   
2. After all participants have selected a picture, tell them to turn over the picture and look at their selections.
   
   
3. Have participants take a few minutes to reflect on the picture and jot a few notes to themselves describing the leadership characteristics they associate with the picture.

C. Large Group Discussion

1. Have each person show his or her picture and describe the leadership characteristics he or she associates with that animal.
   
   
2. Ask participants who selected an animal with a leadership style very different from their own how they could get along with someone whose style is like that animal.
   
   
3. Mention a few animals that seem to have more negative connotations, and ask in what situations the associated leadership style would be appropriate.
   
   
4. Emphasize the need for a variety of leadership styles to meet various needs of the partnerships. Remind participants that each leader can expand his or her style to meet the needs of the group. Note that shared leadership allows a variety of skills and talents to be used to help the partnership meet its goals.

V. Summary (Closing, 5 min.)

A. Summarize the major points of the workshop.

B. List on newsprint the items from the workshop for use in team discussion.