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I am proud to have a long term association with some of the best leadership development tools available. For nearly 30 years, I have been leading workshops, coaching leaders, and consulting using The Leadership Challenge®. This research and behavior based approach continues to be the gold standard for leadership development. I am also privileged to be a licensed consultant for the Extreme Leadership course, developed by best selling author and friend, Steve Farber. I also continue my decades long relationship as a Sr. Consultant for the Tom Peters Company.

Leadership is a Learned Skill

 

We all start from a different and unique set of circumstances and experiences. What is not different is the skill set necessary to lead others. My personal journey, both as a leader and my corporate responsibilities for leadership development, led me to the Leadership Challenge model. Two reasons made it the clear choice. First, it is based on research from ordinary people who produced extraordinary results. While there are great lessons to be learned by studying the great leaders in history, the truth is most of us need real practical advice from people like us. Second, it works. By increasing the frequency of the five practices identified in the research (and explained below), each of us can become the very best leader we can. The following description of the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership® is from the website, www.leadershipchallenge.com.

The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership® resulted from an intensive research project to determine the leadership competencies that are essential to getting extraordinary things done in organizations. To conduct the research, Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner collected thousands of “Personal Best” stories – the experiences people recalled when asked to think of a peak leadership experience.

Despite differences in people’s individual stories, their Personal Best Leadership Experiences revealed similar patterns of behavior. The study found that when leaders are at their personal best, they habitually:

 

Model the Way

Leaders establish principles concerning the way people (constituents, peers, colleagues, and customers alike) should be treated and the way goals should be pursued. They create standards of excellence and then set an example for others to follow. Because the prospect of complex change can overwhelm people and stifle action, they set interim goals so that people can achieve small wins as they work toward larger objectives. They unravel bureaucracy when it impedes action; they put up signposts when people are unsure of where to go or how to get there; and they create opportunities for victory.

Inspire a Shared Vision

Leaders passionately believe that they can make a difference. They envision the future, creating an ideal and unique image of what the organization can become. Through their magnetism and quiet persuasion, leaders enlist others in their dreams. They breathe life into their visions and get people to see exciting possibilities for the future.

Challenge the Process

Leaders search for opportunities to change the status quo. They look for innovative ways to improve the organization. In doing so, they experiment and take risks. And because leaders know that risk taking involves mistakes and failures, they accept the inevitable disappointments as learning opportunities.

Enable Others to Act

Leaders foster collaboration and build spirited teams. They actively involve others. Leaders understand that mutual respect is what sustains extraordinary efforts; they strive to create an atmosphere of trust and human dignity. They strengthen others, making each person feel capable and powerful.

Encourage the Heart

Accomplishing extraordinary things in organizations is hard work. To keep hope and determination alive, leaders recognize contributions that individuals make. In every winning team, the members need to share in the rewards of their efforts, so leaders celebrate accomplishments. They make people feel like heroes.

 

Finding the right model for your organization is critical. Engaging the best facilitator is equally important. We are proud of our track record of producing results. As the owner and lead facilitator, I insist that we present the model from a real world, practical approach. All of the facilitators at Michael T. Neiss and Associates have led teams and been responsible for organizational results. Read more here: