V Need example essay topic

Introduction Being a self-appointed social scientist I decided this week to read the assignment before reading the J&J text. I deliberated the concept of leadership and power, and came up with my own model for effective leadership. I then read the text, only to discover without too much surprise (but probably a little disappointment), that I had not developed anything earth shattering; rather I had put together what many before me had already considered! V only my framework was something that I could understand, apply and relate to, based on my experience of good, bad and indifferent leadership. Using the Dakin Parker Model of Ensuring Effective Leadership (unpublished, 2005) I aim to apply the underlying concepts to a real task I have just been given at work: I am to project manage 4 national 2-day programs to train our future trainers on how to teach the 10-day new hire program in the summer. This involves leading:" X the meeting solutions group in finding / booking sites capable of hosting over 100 participants, "X the delivery group who co-ordinate registration, logistics, admin & onsite back-office &"X the instructors (being a lead instructor myself) who need to get the attendees (i.e. future trainers) comfortable with 10 days worth of material in 2 days.

The Dakin Parker Model The premise is that the allusion (or illusion, as in some cases) of leadership can be broadly divided into 3 areas: 1. Intellectual / Professional = having / obtaining /training the appropriate skill set 2. Emotional / Social = having / creating /maintaining psychological health 3. Leading = keeping it all together These 3 distinct areas are held afloat by 5 balloons; motivation, discipline, integrity, personal adjustment and principle alignment. Each element relates as much to the leader as it does to his subordinates; a good leader not only needs to align his principles with that of the group but he must be able to bring about the alignment of the principles of those whom he leads. Not only must the lead be able to balance his motivation with self discipline but also strike that balance within the group.

Most importantly, I believe a leader must always uphold the highest level of integrity and by living this example, prompt integrity in those following him. Leadership Theories With all the scientific evidence collected over the centuries on the trait theory of leadership the experiments have managed to conclusively conclude that there is no conclusive evidence to support a conclusive set of trait present in all successful leaders. I firmly agree with this. Rather, each leader has his own strengths which need to be accentuated and weakness which need to be addressed / considered. As a combination of feedback I have received in the past and of my perceptions of myself, I consider the positive characteristics of my leadership style to include:" X An organized mind! V I am able to analyze elements logically and present them well".

X Good communication skills! V yes I am a man of MANY words, but I believe I use them well". X Trustworthiness! V I am told that I engender a safe, honest environment within a team". X Intellectual ability! V I can honestly say that I am good at designing and teaching training programs".

X Inclusion and consideration! V I work very hard to give everybody a voice and let them feel like an important part of the process". X Charisma and charm! V all the old ladies want me to marry their daughters". X Creative and unconventional! V I like to solve old problems in new ways.

I am all too well aware of the following areas that need work:" X Acting or deciding too quickly! V rather than thinking a solution through for possible flaws". X Not being macho enough! V the old boys club has yet to extend an invitation". X Detailed and not strategic focus! V need to have a look at the big picture more frequently"X I need pressure to perform!

V in a position of leadership who is there to pressure the leader?" X My voice tone is sometimes unintentionally in telling / autocrat mode and this won! |t help my cause. Concepts of Power As I am not yet a manager within my firm and some of the people who I will be leading are, the concept of power is central to my success. I will not be able to nonchalantly rely on past successes or on my staff level or title to give me a power platform. However, I do know most of the people I will be working with and my approach will be to rely on already established relationships to build co-operative affiliations with my entire team. Due to the nature of my personality and of the group I will be leading, the trait-factor approach to power is more relevant than the dynamic-interdependence view.

To this end I need to be considerate of 2 discrete groups: 1. Everybody involved with hosting the meeting (i.e. the 3 bullets in the second paragraph) &2. The attendees who are my resources to instruct the full-length program to our new joiners. To establish power I need to be aware of the following relating to the above groups respectively: 1.

While not new to the individuals, my new role is new to the group. A competitive or coercive attitude won! |t work. Timelines and expectations need to be set. 2. Expectations exist, a skill set needs to be developed, most of the future trainers are my peers and they have mostly never taught before. Positive power needs to be established with the following actions, respectively: 1.

Establishing credibility. Being deliberate and aware of my actions. Listening and being objective. Acting decisively. Giving clear, concise and candid communications. 2.

Being the master of my material. Believing in the product and program. Empowering the participants to make decisions. Good Team Leadership good leader is not only a person who gets the job done on time, but is one who is able to be considerate of those who work for him. Building off the text, my framework in the diagram above and the strengths in my own leadership style, I will be a successful leader of this initiative by being cognizant of the following: Intellectual / Professional need to: !

V Set the tone immediately upon joining the team by being prepared at the first meeting, researching progress and have / communicate all of the points below to the group.! V Discipline myself and my actions by setting mini-milestones to keep the pressure on myself! V Establish exactly what abilities, skills & attributes I need of my team to complete the task! V Set and maintain group milestones along a timeline.! V Define the expectations that I have of the individuals and of the group upfront.!

V Communicate clearly as to how I would like things done, but leave enough room for initiative, innovation and creativity on the part of the individual.! V Consider the budget and other financial aspects of the project. Make the teams aware of anything that they might need to keep in mind from a financial perspective.! V Use democratic, objective and inclusive decision-making techniques so that the opinion of the group (especially those who have done this before) are not disregarded.! V Delegate to empower, but instill sufficient structure so that communication lines are known and that my position of power is not compromised my contradicting directions. Emotional / Social need to: !

V Be very aware that all my movements and actions will be watched and analyzed by many different types of people! V Ensure that I show that my principles are aligned to those of the group! V that I work as hard as I expect others to work and that at all times I want to achieve the group task more badly than any other personal objectives that I might have! V Adjust my personal behavior! V without compromising myself I need to be aware of my shortcomings and attempt to correct them; especially I must focus on self-discipline.! V Sincerely continue to build relationships with everybody I lead.

The established relationships will only continue to be positive if I make a positive effort to maintain and grow them. I need to be equal in my approach, affection and attitude.! V Cause co-operation amongst team members by initiating communications between the various groups involved, by constantly being aware of what everybody is doing and by hosting regular update meetings.! V Increase my profile within the group and also external to the group; by regular emails within the team, copying my leaders and by updates that are sent out to the entire division.! V Acknowledging extraordinary input and service!

V this is harder than it sounds because for this to be an effective tool of maintaining emotional health, rewards need to be objective, consistent and throughout the project. Leading! V Always display the highest level of ethical behavior and demonstrate values.! V Be very discreet about what I discuss with whom.! V Work harder than I expect my staff to work and delegate as much to myself as I do to them.!

V Set and meet personal and group deadlines and milestones. Conclusion We all agree that good sound leadership cannot be put in a bottle and sold off a shelf. Also we know that sometimes we will not make the right decision. However if we can consistently show that we deserve to be in the position of leader, that our heart is in all of our actions and that we have the skills and the maturity to be entrusted with the future of the group and of the individuals! V and if we respect that trust! V there is very little that we will not be able to accomplish.

Johnson and Johnson.