Dr Yvonne Sum begins our leadership development program through this Open Leadership Forum where discussion of leadership definition in theory or practice is so varied: whether it is engaging and leading others towards a vision, or to pioneer new thoughts or deeds as a thought leader, or even to lead our own selves in self leadership. Please refer to articles at www.dryvonnesum.com on Relationship Intelligence and The Magic of Rapport as useful resources to augment this class.
What is an effective leader?
By popular request, a working definition (that I quoted in this class) is reproduced here:
Strong leadership starts with being able to pull together a group of people - who may not have anything in common - and getting them to buy into a vision of themselves as a collective group who can achieve uncommon results. - Connie Jackson, Chief Executive of St. Bartholomew's & the Royal London Charitable Foundation
As a guide, I am inviting you to reflect on the following suggestions:
1. What does leadership mean to you?
2. What contexts in your life are you a leader?
3. Are you presently being the leader you want to be? If so, please celebrate!
4. If not, how would you like it to be? How would you know when you get there?
5. What is stopping/ preventing/ blocking you from being that leader?
6. What are you prepared to do to be that leader?
Successful leadership in any context - career, business, wealth creation, intellectual, physical or spiritual pursuits, social network, love relationships, life - is not just about leadership styles, skills, capabilities and having the best environment: although that all helps. It has become evident that sustainable success as a leader is mostly about possessing a resourceful mind-set - beliefs, values, mental attitudes, identity, philosophy - that support us to get what we want or be who we desire, whilst engaging others to be a part of our vision. Well-planned customized leadership development through quality leadership training, and more recently leadership & executive coaching programs are becoming modalities of choice by which we can work in collaboration with experts like Dr Yvonne Sum to discover, develop and transform our leadership styles and skills.
