1. Do you think leaders are born rather than made, as in “a born leader?” Why?
2. Break up business/educational leadership into its separate parts—knowledge of the organization, management skills, negotiation skills, planning for the future, and any others you can think of. Are each of these traits "learnable" or not? What does this tell you about becoming a better leader?
1) In my opinion leaders are made. Sure one person might initially possess more “natural leadership skills” then someone else however if they stop improving those skills or don’t feel the need to grow then what good is their initial talent. The successful leaders are the ones that might not necessarily possess the initial natural leadership skills but instead are the ones who are willing to grow, learn and develop them.
ReplyDelete2) Knowledge of the organization, management skills, negotiation skills, planning for the future; whether they be in a business or educational setting; are all learnable traits. All these skills can be learned and developed. Anyone, if they have the mindset to do so, can learn about and work on improving these skills in order to become a better leader. The ones that do can be successful and have a positive effect on their staff/team members. The ones that don't and have more of a fixed mindset when it comes to leadership might possibly fail or end up worse case scenario like the Enron executives.
I agree that successful leaders are people who are willing to learn and develop their leadership skills. In fact, people with this mindset might make some of the best leaders because they realize where they are weak and are constantly working to become better.
DeleteIt's all in the mindset, for sure. What did you think about the section on "The Praised Generation Hits the Workforce"? It is interesting to ponder on how many rewards we give kids nowadays. And this isn't happening just at school. Are the future leaders going to be able to learn to give their employees power to share in the company, or will they be more fixed minded assuming that they are the ones who deserve power as a reward for reaching the top?
DeleteI agree about the fact that they need to be willing to grow, those who have a fixed mindset will not move forward. Not only will that hinder themselves but their company or classroom in our case.
DeleteHolly, that section was interesting to me too. I believe the best thing we can do for our kids is to foster independence and problem solving. One of my pet peeves is when students want me to solve their problems or do something for them they could do themselves.
DeleteHolly, "The Praised Generation Hits the Workforce" made me think of conversations I've had with friends. One was saying that he is looking forward to retirement because he doesn't have the patience for the young people he works with. He said they aren't interested in starting at the bottom and working their way up, that they feel they should "have it all right now." He said they are lacking when it comes to work ethic. Another friend, who's a manager at Disneyland, was telling me about how they are pretty much having to cater to young workers to keep the park staffed. One thing he said was that these kids will call in sick one day, then just not show up for three more days. Having worked there for 9 years myself, I know Disneyland has always had high standards for their employees. Today, however, they are having to compromise some of those standards to accommodate workers with lax attitudes. McDonald's must be experiencing similar problems. I saw a recruitment poster that said "Today my job let me do my thing."
Delete1)I think in order to be a leader you have to put in effort. I don't think people are just born leaders. I do believe it is easier for others to be a leader but, they still have to work and study to get a position. Nothing in life is just handed to us. Some people who struggle in life can still excel it just takes more effort. They have to do more studying and research.
ReplyDelete2) It states that many managers do not believe in personal change. They have a fixed mindset. I believe these above skills can be learned. You have to set your mind to it and work towards your goal. I believe in order to become a better leader you have to open your mind to change. If you are set in your ways this will not work for you. Being a leader requires a growth mindset.
Effort is definitely key and I agree that nothing in life is handed to us. You have to work hard for what you want. The quickest way to become sedentary in life is to stop growing, learning and developing yourself as a person
DeleteI agree that people have to be open to change in order to become better leaders. We have to be willing to recognize our shortcomings in order to improve in the areas in which we are weak.
DeleteI agree that some people are born to be leaders as well, or more like born with more confidence. However, I do feel like if we try hard enough and learn what we need to then we can become leasers as well.
DeleteI knew this guy who was born to be wild.
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ReplyDelete1. I think that some people naturally possess leadership skills, but I also believe that people who are not born with these skills can work to develop them and become better leaders. This is similar to what was written in previous chapters - there are people who are naturally talented but do not excel because they don't put in the work, but there are other people who challenge themselves and become successful because of their hard work and determination.
ReplyDelete2. I definitely think these leadership skills are learnable. Therefore, becoming a better leader takes dedication. There are some people who are going to be better at being a leader than others, but I think anyone who is in a leadership position can become a better leader by applying themselves and seeking out ways to develop their weaker skills.
I agree with you about dedication. You have to be dedicated to be better. Work hard to achieve your goals.
DeleteYour comments about natural leadership skills and those who have to work at development made me think of those of us who are shy and don't like to talk. They just have to work on changing a natural trait to accomplish what they need.
Delete1. I think that some people are born leaders. Personality types play an important role in "natural or born" leadership abilities. However, that does not mean the people that are not born leaders cannot become great leaders. Hard work, determination, goals and drive can all be contribute to a person becoming a successful leader.
ReplyDelete2. Motivating, goal setting, team cohesiveness, team building, data collector, adapting to change, and plan implementation are important skills for both business and educational leaders. The leaders in an educational setting include district administration, building administration, and classroom (teacher). We all set goals and develop plans for the betterment of our district. The leadership abilities can be learned and improved upon by effort and the ability to change and grow.
Adaptation nowadays is a huge priority for leaders to strive to succeed in this ever-changing world. Reading about Xerox was a great surprise. Not only was it great to read about a woman who changed the future of a suffering business, but to read about a business where numerous people held onto their company during the time needed to recover. We, as teachers, are lucky to see some students who are sometimes stuck in a rut, only to see them work themselves (with help) out of it.
DeleteI heard Xerox mostly copied other people
Delete1. I don't believe anyone is a born leader. Even with all of the resources at someone's fingertips, they still have to choose to have help to be a good leader. People value those who they work with more than those they simply work for.
ReplyDelete2. Knowledge of the organization isn't always knowing everything about the company. The best way to know how something works is to know what each part is responsible for. Taking the time to work with the individual parts will make the whole more efficient. Management and negotiation skills go hand in hand. Managing others fairly and being able to negotiate the company needs and the individual needs are learned skills that can always be improved. People are different and have varied needs and opinions, therefore will respond separately to management and negotiation styles. Employees/coworkers will value their positions much more if they are also involved in helping plan their future with their organization. All of these leadership roles are things that can be learned by those with a growth mindset. Leaders who chose to learn, work and improve with their counterparts will provide a more positive environment, which would assumably make a more productive organization.
Good insight about knowledge of the organization. I think a good boss at a Pizza place could also be a good boss at an Old Navy, etc. The traits are transferable.
DeleteI like what you said about choosing to be a good leader. I think sometimes people don't realize the leadership roles they possess because its not running some big organization, it may be being a big sister.
Delete1 I feel like leaders are made rather than born. I feel like you have to work towards your goals and become an expert in the field you are leading. That being said some people have more confidence to step up and take control of every situation handed to them. Not everyone has this ability.
ReplyDelete2. I do feel like each section is a learnable trait and we will can succeed at all of this skills or even just a few parts of them. If we put our mind to something and we have faith that we can learn different new things then we can learn anything we want to. Personally, I feel like if you can step forward especially in the classroom showing students that if you try hard enough you can learn anything, that is the first step to being a leader. In the book it talks about being a guide and not a judge, I feel like this a great mindset to use in the classroom.
I like that you mentioned showing students we still work hard and keep learning even if we are in a leadership/teacher role. There is no age limit to learning!
DeleteI agree with being a guide and not a judge especially in the classroom setting. If we judge then we are inevitably fostering a fixed mindset while if we guide then we nurture a growth mindset.
DeleteI agree. Often it is difficult for us as the grownup in the room to not become the judge, jury, and discipliner all in less than a minute. Sometimes we need for the kids to see where there actions have led them to and help them to decide for themselves how they can fix a problem and to try to avoid it in the future.
Delete1. I feel like leaders are made, not born into that position. Everyone has to work hard to get there and it might be easier for some to be leaders than others, but I don't feel like anyone in particular is born into it.
ReplyDelete2. I feel like the different sections are learnable traits. Everyone can succeed in some of the ares if they put forth effort and work hard, but they may not be the best leader. The best leaders work hard and are willing to learn from their past and mistakes made by them and others. Leaders have to be willing to grow and learn for the good of everyone around them. If a leader has a fixed mindset, they are likely to not be as successful in their position as those who are willing to grow and change to better themselves.
I love when you said you have to learn from your mistakes. Some people once they make a mistake give up. Giving up is not an option in leadership. Keep pushing forward and believe in yourself.
DeleteYes, a leader should be willing to learn from their mistakes. He/she should also acknowledge that the people being led have valuable ideas and input. A leader can be made stronger by listening to that input.
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ReplyDelete1. Well the book is obviously pointing us toward the idea that leaders are made. I agree, with one caveat: two people with the exact same amount of effort and the exact same amount of training will not both necessarily end up being in the same role. What I mean is that we can't all be the boss. Now, I guess we are all leaders, but we can't all be in charge. All things being equal, some people make great bosses, and other, hard working growth-minded people need to be leaders in a different way. So, I guess my point is, yes, leaders are made, but leader doesn't always equal boss or supervisor.
ReplyDelete2. everything can be learned, for sure. I think all of the mentioned traits can be attained on some level by everyone. Since I believe that to be true, then all of us could be quality leaders with enough hard work. This also tells me that in striving to be a better leader, I should closely define what kind of leader I want to be and set goals that match.
I couldn't agree more! It does seem that the book is focusing on business leadership, but we are all leaders in various places. My husband doesn't run a business, nor has he been to college, but he has a passion for helping others and he does that through his role as union steward at his work. Even if a person doesn't actively seek out a leadership role, it doesn't mean they aren't leading someone in some way.
Delete1. Leaders are made by the willingness of a person to look at a problem and seek the solution. Good leaders step up to be sure the goals are met. The books gives examples of both good and poor leaders, the big difference was why they were a leader. Either seeking personal credit (bad) or working to accomplish a goal.
ReplyDelete2.I believe these traits are learnable. If you have a passion about something you will want to learn more, improve and be the best you can be. Skills should always be evolving. A willingness to change and grow is essential.Seeking feedback and information from others help to improve leadership in both the business and educational fields.
I agree with you Karen. I think it takes willingness to be a leader. I know some very persuasive individuals who would be amazing leaders however they choose not to have the self-control skills that are important when you are leading others. You can have a leader with weaknesses, but not a leader who lacks principles.
DeleteWhether a person runs a huge corporation or is in charge of a local charity drive, both take leadership skills. I sometimes think of leaders in terms of business, but there are many different types of leaders. What separates a good leader from a mediocre leader is the growth mindset; openness, passion, willingness to learn, and humility makes for great leaders. These are not skills, they are attitudes that anyone can adopt. Granted, for some people learning this mindset is more difficult due to family upbringing, but anyone can learn the growth mindset.
ReplyDeleteAs far as leadership skills like time management, negotiation skills, team building, organization, the ability to delegate responsibilities, and many other skills that go along with leading people, these can be learned. But even if someone has these skills if they do not have the right attitude, if you will, their leadership skills will be ineffective.
1. I think leaders are made, however some people are born or at least develop in early childhood the characteristics that leaders utilize on a daily basis. However, I believe that anyone has the opportunity to become a leader. Even if you are shy or quiet, you can still become a strong leader if you develop your communication skills. Even if you are unorganized and scatterbrained, you can learn to focus on a priority you want to achieve and learn to become organized towards that purpose and usually once you do that you will begin to see how to organize over areas of your life.
ReplyDelete2. I think all parts of business and educational leadership are learned traits. No one is “born” with the knowledge of an organization. Infants do not understand management skills and how to organize people into groups by personalities or talents. Negotiation skills are definitely learned because some children watch their older siblings or adults to see how to manipulate others into getting what they want. Planning for the future is something you only learn once you have experienced life and have a broader less-selfish knowledge about life outside of your own being. I think all of these traits are learned therefore anyone with the drive to practice and put into practice these skills is able to achieve some level of success in a leadership role.
1. I think that leaders are made, not born. Leaders have to develop skills, including how to work with people of various backgrounds, to get the best work from their employees. I like the distinction the author made between a "leader" and a "boss". Just having a title doesn't make a person a great leader.
ReplyDelete2. Yes, these traits can be developed. This tells me that hard work and a growth mindset can help a person increase his/her leadership abilities.