News & Notes May 2007

The Leader Within You

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do
more and become more, you are a leader. – John Quincy Adams

Are you a leader? What is your leadership style? This question was one of many posed by instructors from the Penn State University Cooperative Extension during PACD Spring Region meetings. The instructors presented “The Leader Within You” from the Penn State Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow Program.

The Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow leadership curriculum was developed to help individuals develop and strengthen their personal leadership skills so they can play active and constructive leadership roles in their communities. The curriculum includes information on working together, resolving conflicts, analyzing issues, goal setting, and
planning, as well as improving participants’ skills to affect
change in their communities or organizations.

“The Leader Within You” module included information and discussion about the challenge of leadership, citizen leadership, trends in leadership, motivation, empowerment and applying leadership skills. One of the main points the instructors stressed was the fact that everyone is unique and leadership styles and philosophies are influenced by individual values,
beliefs and life experiences. The challenge is to discover and
develop your own leadership style and philosophy.

In order to facilitate this process of discovery, the trainers led participants through a series of exercises to reveal individual leadership competencies, leadership style and leadership philosophy. In one exercise, participants reviewed their abilities on a list of leadership competencies and indicated their strengths and weakness in each area. The areas of leadership
competency included:
• Setting the example
• Getting and giving information
• Knowing and using group resources
• Planning
• Directing groups
• Representing the group

After indicating strong and weak areas, instructors asked participants to choose one or two categories on the weaker side and work toward improving them. According to the instructors, “It takes continual practice and effort to develop leadership.” What areas would you work on?

One of the more pertinent discussions during the training involved the concept of citizen leadership. According to the presenters, “Much of good leadership is just being a good citizen, leading by example and caring for others and their concerns.” They indicated the following seven steps to becoming a better citizen and adding value to your
leadership potential:
1. Be a team player
2. Be courteous
3. Act constructively
4. Be a good sport
5. Be conscientious
6. Celebrate the success of others
7. Believe in fairness

Some of you may be asking how this pertains to me and my role in the conservation district. For starters, most conservation district employees and board members work with a wide variety of people. They interact with the public, with other staff, with board members and volunteers.
Conservation district employees and board members work with the community to identify opportunities or problems. They help set goals and objectives in the community. In short, each and every one of you is a leader in some regard and understanding your own leadership style and philosophy clearly affects how well you respond to the challenge
of leadership.

“The Leader Within You” training was presented as part of Pennsylvania’s Conservation District Leadership Development Program-Building for Tomorrow. If you missed this informative training and would like handouts or additional information, please check the following link: http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/ua414.pdf.

Lead on!

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