Reading for Leading

Late again. Sigh. One of these days, I'll make it on time. This will NOT become a pattern!

Anyway. We had an interesting assignment last week. I saw the point, but I didn't like it as much. We were supposed to take what our speaker told us about different types of leadership for different situations and persons and find it in our lives/leadership roles. What if I don't use all of them in my life? I'll do my best...

The four types:



This is the nifty chart we used in class. I guess I'll see how I did with them in my two main leadership roles.

When I'm mentoring, I'm not going to delegate to a first-grader. First of all, she wouldn't be able to focus on the task without my constant supervision. She wants to play! And she might not understand the assignment without me there to explain each section of the assignment she needs to complete. I'm positive this is a form of Coaching, using high Directive and High Supportive behavior to accomplish a task. I like this form of leading because I feel like it helps me to grow as well as the person I'm working with.

The committee chair of C2G uses Delegation in leading the rest of us, so we go out and get the necessary jobs done. I, in my interactions with the Deans and Donor Liaisons of the various colleges I'm over, use Supporting. I meet with them, talk, bounce ideas, exchange assignments, and rarely have any need to DIRECT the DEAN, or any others. Mostly, I am providing support and help for them through my ideas, volunteer recruiting capabilities, or in gathering supplies/information for the colleges' individual activities.

Well, it's a week late, but it's there. I don't really ever use Directing or Delegating. Maybe occasionally with my roommates, and in small doses, but it's not incredibly apparent. Maybe later in my life I'll fill roles that require these themes of leadership.

Also, we're supposed to be reading a book on leadership for the next month. Taking a suggestion from my wonderful father, I am going to read "Leading without Power: Finding Hope in Serving Community" by Max De Pree. I just got it in the mail yesterday, along with another title of his: "Leadership is an Art". Maybe I'll read both. Either way, I'm pretty excited. I read the introduction yesterday, and I can already tell this is going to be good!