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Great leaders use a variety of tools to maximize their impact as leaders. Developing a leadership philosophy can be a helpful practice for establishing a leadership framework. Leadership philosophies often vary depending on the leader's goals and overall approach to leadership.

In this article, we explain what a leadership philosophy is, clarify why they are important, provide a list of examples and share tips for writing your own.

Related: 10 Common Leadership Styles

What is a leadership philosophy?

A leadership philosophy is a structured approach to leading others. Leaders often write philosophies as a guiding statement for reference while leading a team. Generally, leadership philosophies include the following components:

The structure of a leadership philosophy can vary greatly depending on the goals and needs of the leader. Some statements are as short as a sentence while others are a page or more in length. As they are highly personalized documents, any length or structure is fine for a leadership philosophy.

Related: 15 Leadership Qualities That Make a Great Leader

Why review leadership philosophy examples?

Leaders can benefit from reviewing leadership philosophy examples to see what elements they would like to include in their own philosophy and which elements they can do without. Additionally, reviewing examples of leaders in their industry or leaders who inspire them can help leaders adjust their philosophies to better emulate those they admire.

Related: 15 Questions to Ask Other Leaders for Career Growth

List of leadership philosophy examples

Leadership philosophies hinge on the type of leadership the writer uses. Democratic leadership, for example, yields a different framework and philosophy for the practitioner than autocratic leadership. Use these leadership philosophy examples, organized by leadership type, to help define your own leadership philosophy:

Democratic leadership philosophy

Autocratic leadership philosophy

Laissez-faire leadership philosophy

Strategic leadership philosophy

Transformational leadership philosophy

Transactional leadership philosophy

Democratic leadership philosophy

Democratic leadership depends on the whole team to make decisions. While the leader may depart from the team's input occasionally, they almost always ask for and consider the thoughts and opinions of everyone involved.

Here is an example of a democratic leadership philosophy:
I believe everyone should participate in the process. I intend to share responsibility with my team. I will respect my team, listen to their ideas and inspire them when needed. I will behave with empathy, thoughtfulness and kindness.
Autocratic leadership philosophy

Autocratic leadership situates all the decision and implementation power on the leader. The team is there to execute the leader's practices and processes, and the leader does not consult them during the decision-making process.

Here is an example of an autocratic leadership philosophy:
I believe I am best suited to make decisions and lead the team. I intend to inspire and lead through action. I will provide my team with instruction and action to meet the needs of the company. I will behave with decisiveness, authority and power.
Laissez-faire leadership philosophy

Laissez-faire leadership gives equal power to the team and the leader. In fact, the leader will often give little guidance to their team and will instead allow them to work how and when the team feels they need to. Instead, the leader focuses on high-level matters rather than managing the day-to-day operations of their team.

Here is an example of a laissez-faire leadership philosophy:
I believe my team knows what's best. I intend to trust them to make excellent decisions and meet their own needs. I will give guidance if it's asked for, but otherwise, I will focus my attention on high-level projects. I will behave with honesty and trust.
Strategic leadership philosophy

Strategic leadership divides the leader's focus between high-level operations and team oversight. Strategic leaders maintain individual responsibility for executive operations, but they still offer guidance and structure for their team.

Here is an example of a strategic leadership philosophy:
I believe everyone on the team has a specific duty. I intend to maximize the work product of everyone on the team. I will provide guidance while also managing high-level company needs. I will behave with integrity, honesty and decisiveness.
Transformational leadership philosophy

Transformational leadership focuses on constantly evolving and establishing new benchmarks and goals. Leaders devote their time to establishing goals and pathways to success for their team. The transformational leader spends their time developing new practices and processes to improve the overall work product.

Here is an example of a transformational leadership philosophy:
I believe constant change is the only pathway forward. I intend to motivate my team through goal-setting and overcoming challenges. I will provide guidance and inspiration to improve the team's performance constantly. I will behave with charisma, drive and passion.
Transactional leadership philosophy

Transactional leadership depends on a series of incentives to motivate employees to reach goals. Leaders establish pre-determined prizes or rewards if their team meets a goal and then gives them the space to complete the project.

Here is an example of a transactional leadership philosophy:
I believe my team will respond to incentives. I intend to motivate my team with a set reward and then let them work on their own. I will offer guidance if the team needs it, but I trust them to complete the work as they see fit. I will behave with trust and honesty.
Related: 10 Ways to Build Effective Leadership Behaviors

Tips for writing a leadership philosophy

Use these tips to help craft your own personal leadership philosophy:

Make it actionable. Make sure your philosophy will help guide your daily actions and decision-making. Keep the language clear and actionable.

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Leadership Philosophy Examples to Help You Write Your Own

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Great leaders use a variety of tools to maximize their impact as leaders. Developing a leadership philosophy can be a helpful practice for establishing a leadership framework. Leadership philosophies often vary depending on the leader's goals and overall approach to leadership.

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WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE A WRITTEN LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY

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CREATING YOUR PERSONAL LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY

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When you are promoted into a role where you are managing people, you don't automatically become a leader. There are important distinctions between managing and leading people. Here are nine of the most important differences that set leaders apart:
1. Leaders create a vision, managers create goals.
Leaders paint a picture of what they see as possible and inspire and engage their people in turning that vision into reality. They think beyond what individuals do. They activate people to be part of something bigger. They know that high-functioning teams can accomplish a lot more working together than individuals working autonomously. Managers focus on setting, measuring and achieving goals. They control situations to reach or exceed their objectives.
2. Leaders are change agents, managers maintain the status quo.
Leaders are proud disrupters. Innovation is their mantra. They embrace change and know that even if things are working, there could be a better way forward. And they understand and accept the fact that changes to the system often create waves. Managers stick with what works, refining systems, structures and processes to make them better.
3. Leaders are unique, managers copy.
Leaders are willing to be themselves. They are self-aware and work actively to build their unique and differentiated personal brand. They are comfortable in their own shoes and willing to stand out. They're authentic and transparent. Managers mimic the competencies and behaviors they learn from others and adopt their leadership style rather than defining it.
4. Leaders take risks, managers control risk .
Leaders are willing to try new things even if they may fail miserably. They know that failure is often a step on the path to success. Managers work to minimize risk. They seek to avoid or control problems rather than embracing them.
5. Leaders are in it for the long haul, managers think short-term.
Leaders have intentionality. They do what they say they are going to do and stay motivated toward a big, often very distant goal. They remain motivated without receiving regular rewards. Managers work on shorter-term goals, seeking more regular acknowledgment or accolades.
6. Leaders grow personally, managers rely on existing, proven skills.
Leaders know if they aren't learning something new every day, they aren't standing still, they're falling behind. They remain curious and seek to remain relevant in an ever-changing world of work. They seek out people and information that will expand their thinking. Managers often double down on what made them successful, perfecting existing skills and adopting proven behaviors.
7. Leaders build relationships, managers build systems and processes.
Leaders focus on people - all the stakeholders they need to influence in order to realize their vision. They know who their stakeholders are and spend most of their time with them. They build loyalty and trust by consistently delivering on their promise. Managers focus on the structures necessary to set and achieve goals. They focus on the analytical and ensure systems are in place to attain desired outcomes. They work with individuals and their goals and objectives.
8. Leaders coach, managers direct.
Leaders know that people who work for them have the answers or are able to find them. They see their people as competent and are optimistic about their potential. They resist the temptation to tell their people what to do and how to do it. Managers assign tasks and provide guidance on how to accomplish them.
9. Leaders create fans, managers have employees.
Leaders have people who go beyond following them; their followers become their raving fans and fervent promoters - helping them build their brand and achieve their goals. Their fans help them increase their visibility and credibility. Managers have staff who follow directions and seek to please the boss.

Are you a manager or a leader?

Join me! I'm delivering a special Forbes Webinar with Kimberly Horner: The New Rules for Personal Branding. We'll share everything you need to know so you can build your brand for the digital age. It's on September 12 th at noon EDT. Register here.
William Arruda is the cofounder of CareerBlast and co-creator of The LinkedIn Profile Type Indicator (LPTI) which measures your LinkedIn profile likability and credibility.

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9 Differences Between Being A Leader And A Manager

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When you are promoted into a role where you are managing people, you don't automatically become a leader. There are important distinctions between managing and leading people. Here are nine of the most important differences that set leaders apart: 1. Leaders create a vision, managers create goals.

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Difference Between Trait and Behavioral Theories of Leadership

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Difference Between Trait and Behavioral Theories of Leadership

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Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

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The key difference between trait and behavioral theories of leadership is that trait theory states that leaders have inborn traits, whereas behavioral theory rejects inborn virtues of leaders and states that leaders can be trained.

Theories of leadership are schools of thought that explain how certain individuals become leaders. Trait and behavioral theories are two such popular theories of leadership.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Trait Theory
3. What is Behavioral Theory
4. Relationship Between Trait and Behavioral Theories of Leadership
5. Side by Side Comparison - Trait vs Behavioral Theories of Leadership in Tabular Form
6. Summary

What is Trait theory?

Trait theory is also known as the virtue theory of leadership. The foundation of this theory is the characteristics of different leaders - both successful and unsuccessful ones. The trait theory emphasizes that leaders have inborn traits; these are "born leaders", who cannot help but take control and guide situations. Basically, a leader is born with specific virtues according to trait theory.

Trait theory is based on the characteristics of leaders and helps to determine and forecast the effectiveness of their leadership. The theory identifies core virtues that decide whether a leader will be successful or not. The core traits identified in this theory include emotional maturity, cognitive ability, self-confidence, business knowledge, honesty and integrity, leadership motivation, and drive for achievement. However, these are not solely responsible for determining leadership effectiveness. There can be other factors that will recognize leadership potentials.

Strengths of Trait Theory

It is a naturally pleasing theory.

It has been validated with lots of research.

Moreover, it serves as an index against which the leadership characteristics of an individual are assessed.

Besides, it gives detailed knowledge and understanding of the leader element in the leadership process.

Limitations of Trait Theory

Existence of subjective judgment in determining who is a 'good' or 'successful' leader

The list of possible traits tends to be very long.

The most important trait for an effective leader is not identified.

Also, the model attempts to relate physiological traits such as height and weight to effective leadership. Most of these factors relate to situational factors that can vary tasks-wise. For instance, minimum weight and height required in the military leadership position do not suit for a manager in a business organization.

Above all, this theory is very complex.

Implications of Trait Theory

The trait theory provides constructive information about leadership. It is possible to apply this to people at all levels in all types of business organizations. Managers can use information from this theory to evaluate their position in the organization and to assess how they can make their position stronger in the organization. They can also get an in-depth understanding of their identity and the way they will affect others in the organization. Overall, this theory makes a manager aware of his or her strengths and weaknesses while teaching him or her to develop leadership qualities.

What is Behavioral Theory?

Behavioral theory explains that it is possible to train and develop a leader. It rejects that leaders are born or that certain people have their inborn potential to become leaders. According to this theory, anyone can be a leader, but there must be a good atmosphere and training for leadership qualities to develop. Also, it mainly focuses on specific behavior and actions of leaders, instead of their characteristics.

Moreover, as per this theory, best leaders are those that have the flexibility to change their behavioral style and choose the right style suitable for different situations.

Strengths of Behavioral theory

Promotes the value of leadership styles with an emphasis on concern for people an collaboration.

Helps to evaluate and understand how their behavioral styles affect the relationship within the team.

Also, helps managers to find the right balance between different styles of leadership and helps them to decide how to behave as a leader.

What is the Relationship Between Trait and Behavioral Theories of Leadership?

Both models often emphasize that there are recognizable actions that any leader must be capable of performing in any given condition. Behaviourism is a "trait" theory, in the sense, it too holds that leaders must show certain common personality markers or habits of mind. However, it claims that it is possible to prompt these from anyone at any time and that no one person has more potential than another.

What is the Difference Between Trait and Behavioral Theories of Leadership?

According to behavioral theory, becoming a leader is just a matter of proper training, while trait theory emphasizes that a leader must have certain inherent, inborn qualities. So, this is the key difference between trait and behavioral theories of leadership.

Basically, trait theories believe that a leader is "born." They often describe leaders in terms of their personal characteristics, such as charismatic and driven. Behaviorists, on the other hand, believe leadership can be taught, or fostered, by providing the necessary training and skills to an individual. Therefore, this explains the difference between trait and behavioral theories of leadership.

Summary - Trait vs Behavioral Theories of Leadership

The key difference between trait and behavioral theories of leadership is that trait theory states that leaders have inborn traits, whereas behavioral theory rejects inborn virtues of leaders and states that leaders can be trained.

Reference:

1. "Behavioral Theories of Leadership." Technofunc, Available here.
2. "Trait Theory." Changing Minds, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. "1623888" (CC0) via Pixabay

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Difference Between Trait and Behavioral Theories of Leadership | Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

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The key difference between trait and behavioral theories of leadership is that trait theory states that leaders have inborn traits, whereas behavioral theory rejects inborn virtues of leaders and states that leaders can be trained. Theories of leadership are schools of thought that explain how certain individuals become leaders.

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Effective leadership is one of the most attractive qualities in an employee. There are dozens of theories that argue which leadership style is best suited for improving team productivity and maintaining employee morale. The contingency theory of leadership focuses on how specific situations affect a leader's effectiveness and how a leader's ability to adapt can be their most important tool in the workplace. In this article, we define the contingency theory of leadership and examine three specific models for how it can be applied in a work environment.

What is the contingency theory of leadership?

The contingency theory of leadership supposes that a leader's effectiveness is contingent on whether or not their leadership style suits a particular situation. According to this theory, an individual can be an effective leader in one circumstance and an ineffective leader in another one. To maximize your likelihood of being a productive leader, this theory posits that you should be able to examine each situation and decide if your leadership style is going to be effective or not. In most cases, this requires you to be self-aware, objective and adaptable.
Read more: 15 Leadership Qualities That Make a Great Leader
Contingency theory of leadership in the workplace

In the workplace, there are dozens of factors that can affect a leader's effectiveness. These include things like the size of the team, the scope of a project and the expected delivery date for a result. Different leaders, each with unique leadership styles, will respond to these variables in different ways. Contingency theorists would say that no matter how successful a leader is, there will always be a particular situation that will challenge them. Therefore, leaders must be willing to acknowledge the fact that their success depends partially on their circumstances in addition to their personal skills.

To lead their team well, managers and supervisors may need to either adapt their leadership style to the current situation or delegate some of their leadership responsibilities to a coworker.

For example: Consider a project manager named Doug. Doug finds it much easier to communicate in writing rather than in person, so he usually encourages his team by sending them thoughtful emails at the end of every week. However, there is a new employee in the office who is not very receptive to written communication. To connect with this employee, Doug will need to either make an effort to change his method and encourage this employee in person or he will have to assign this task to the assistant manager.

In this example, Doug is not a chronically-ineffective leader. He is a good leader who is facing an unexpected challenge. If Doug accepts the fact that he will need to adapt to his situation instead of trying to force his usual methods, he can still be a highly-productive leader who encourages his team effectively.

The contingency theory of leadership is impacted by a range of specific factors in the average workplace, including:

Fiedler model

To understand this theory, we will look at three different models for contingency leadership. The first is Fiedler's model. This model states that three important factors contribute to "situational favorableness". To be productive, leaders must consider these factors. However, this theory also considers leadership styles to be fixed and unchangeable. Therefore, if a leader's style is not a good fit for a particular situation, they will need to be replaced by a different leader. To apply Fiedler's theory, you have to determine your leadership style and your situation's favorableness using Fiedler's model.

Leadership style

The first step is to use a scale called the Preferred Coworker scale. To use this scale, you must think of a team member you did not or do not enjoy working with. This can be anyone from a former classmate to your current supervisor. Then, you must rate the person on the following scale:

Add the numbers together to determine your Preferred Coworker score. If your score is low, you are a Low Preferred Coworker leader and are likely to have a more task-oriented leadership style. Task-oriented leaders are more concerned with meeting goals than with maintaining relationships. Task-oriented leaders are organized and excel at completing projects.

Alternatively, a high score would make you a Highly Preferred Coworker leader. HPC leaders are relationship-oriented and focus their energy on building and maintaining healthy and productive relationships in the workplace. They are skilled in conflict management and take multiple variables into account when making decisions.

Situational favorableness

The second part of Fiedler's model is determining situational favorableness. To do this, you will evaluate three distinct factors:

Leader-Member Relations

This factor involves the amount of trust and confidence that your team members have in you. If you are trusted and well-liked by your entire team, your influence will increase and your workplace will become a more favorable situation.

Task Structure

This factor relates to whether the tasks your team completes are clear and structured or vague and unstructured. Unstructured tasks do not have a well-specified plan of action and would be considered unfavorable.

Leader's Position Power

This is the amount of power a leader has over their team and involves whether or not they have the authority to give out rewards or punishment. Typically, the more power you have, the more favorable your situation.

Applying the model
Read more: How to Demonstrate Leadership Skills at Work
According to Fiedler, more favorable situations require LPC leaders, while less favorable ones require HPC leaders. If a situation includes a good leader/team relationship and well-structured tasks, leaders who are task-oriented will likely be more productive. Whereas if a situation involves a distant leader/team relationship and unstructured tasks, a relationship-oriented leader will be more effective. While this theory is widely taught and studied, some believe this model does not allow enough flexibility because it does not believe that leaders are capable of changing their leadership styles.

Situational leadership model

Contrary to the Fiedler model, the situational leadership model suggests that the best option for leaders is to adapt their leadership styles to fit their team members and their individual abilities. This model believes that leaders should first consider the variables that affect their workplace and then decide the best tactic for how to proceed.

Situational leadership also called the "Hersey-Blanchard model," is primarily concerned with the maturity level of a team's members. High maturity team members are experienced and able to make decisions independently. Moderate maturity employees are capable, but lack confidence, or have confidence but are not willing to complete the tasks they are assigned. Low maturity employees are enthusiastic and willing but do not have the skills or experience to complete tasks.

The situational leadership model identifies four leadership styles, each of which suits different levels of employee maturity. These styles include:

Delegating style

This style allows other team members to be responsible for certain tasks or to lead subgroups. This style best suits a team of high maturity employees because it requires team members to be both confident and capable.

Participating style

This style focuses on sharing ideas and decisions. Leaders who use the participating style might apply it to moderately mature team members who are capable but lack confidence and need one-on-one mentoring.

Selling style

This term refers to a style that involves the leader attempting to sell his ideas to the group by persuasively giving task instructions. This also suits moderate team members, but unlike the previous style, it is best used with employees who are confident but unwilling to complete tasks.

Telling style

This style is used by leaders who frequently give explicit directions and who supervise all tasks closely. This style best suits low maturity followers who are willing but unable to act independently.

Path-Goal model

The Path-Goal model is primarily concerned with identifying processes (paths) that will allow each team member to meet their individual objectives (goals). Leaders who implement this model adjust their behaviors and expectations to positively affect their team's productivity. This goal requires the leader to be extremely flexible in their leadership style. They will have to find a way to meet each team member's specific needs to assist them in reaching their daily or weekly goals.

Leadership styles

The Path-Goal model focuses on improving employee motivation, autonomy and satisfaction to increase their productivity within an organization. To accomplish this, the model identifies four different leadership styles. These include:

1. The Directive Clarifying Leader

This style is used in situations where the leader tells employees what is expected of them and instructs them on how to perform certain tasks. The theory states that this style is the most effective when the employees' role and task are unstructured or ambiguous.

2. The Achievement-Oriented Leader

This behavior occurs in situations where the leader sets lofty goals for employees, expects them to perform at a high level and shows complete confidence in their capabilities. This style is productive in environments that attract high-achievers, such as hospitals, scientific laboratories and law firms.

3. The Participative Leader

Leaders who use this style consult with their employees and ask for their input before making decisions. This behavior would be well-received in a workplace where the employees are personally invested in the outcome and results of their work.
Read more: 10 Common Leadership Styles (With Examples)
4. The Supportive Leader

This style focuses on the satisfaction of employees' needs and considers their personal preferences. A supportive leader is as concerned with their employees' mental health and well-being as they are with their productivity. This style is suitable for work environments that can be stressful or mentally challenging.

Decision-Making model

Also called "the Vroom-Yetton contingency model," this particular theory believes decision making is a crucial element of leadership and determines the relationship between the leader and their team members. Building and maintaining this relationship directly affects the leader's success.

Leadership styles

This theory distinguishes five types of leadership styles. These include:

1. Autocratic (A1)

Leaders with this style believe that whatever information they have is enough to make the decision and they require no additional input from their team.

2. Autocratic (A2)

This style is not as extreme as A1. This type of leader consults with their team as a group to gather information and then makes the final decision alone.

3. Consultative (C1)

This leader consults with their team members individually to consider everyone's unique opinions. They will take suggestions seriously but will make the final decision alone.

4. Consultative (C2)

This type of leader consults at a wider level. They might organize a team-wide meeting to discuss a situation at length. They will gather suggestions but will eventually make a decision themselves.

5. Collaborative (G2)

This style focuses on reaching a consensus. These leaders organize a meeting to discuss the situation and then facilitate the discussion and ask every team member for input. The decision is then made together based on a vote.

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Understanding the Contingency Theory of Leadership

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Effective leadership is one of the most attractive qualities in an employee. There are dozens of theories that argue which leadership style is best suited for improving team productivity and maintaining employee morale. The contingency theory of leadership focuses on how specific situations affect a leader's effectiveness and how a leader's ability to adapt can be their most important tool in the workplace.

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What is the purpose of a leader? Should a leader set direction, decide strategy, and tell others what to do, or should a leader be a facilitator, helping the group to achieve shared goals?

Most of us think of a leader as the person in charge - the decision maker, the authority, the person who tells us when to jump and how high. Yet, another approach is to view the leader as performing a service for the group or team - a servant leader.

Servant leadership is actually a very old concept, with historical roots in Confucian philosophy. The modern version of servant leadership was conceptualized by Robert Greenleaf, who worked for 40 years at AT&T. Greenleaf argues that a leader is obliged to make followers' welfare and well-being a priority and serve followers by providing for their needs and responding to their concerns. The end result will be a high-functioning team.

According to one model of servant leadership (Liden et al., 2008), there are 7 critical behaviors that servant leaders perform:

1. Conceptualizing. This involves the leader utilizing his or her experience and the resources provided by the organization to help solve problems.

2. Emotional Healing. The servant leader is supportive of followers and sensitive to their feelings and ideas. The goal is to be available and listen to followers and their concerns.

3. Putting Followers First. This is the core of servant leadership. It's not about the leader.

4. Helping Followers Grow and Succeed. As in all theories of exemplary leadership, servant leaders grow the leadership capacity of followers - leaving them better off and better able to lead in the future.

5. Behaving Ethically. Caring about others first, and doing the right thing are critical to servant leadership.

6. Empowering. It is through the process of empowering followers that the servant leader builds followers' leadership capacity.

7. Creating Value for the Community. Rather than focusing on the outcomes for the leader and the followers, the servant leader is concerned about having a positive impact on the larger community - the organization, the sector, the nation.

As you can see, servant leadership is quite different than traditional approaches to leadership. It seems particularly appropriate, however, for government leaders (they should serve the people who elected them), religious leaders, and leaders of nonprofit organizations. Many for-profit organizations have also adopted servant leadership as a model for their managers and executives.

Does it work?

A growing body of research suggests that servant leadership has a positive effect on followers - followers become more engaged and motivated - and, as a result, there is a positive impact on performance.

Follow me on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/ronriggio

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What Is Servant Leadership and Why Does It Matter?

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What is the purpose of a leader? Should a leader set direction, decide strategy, and tell others what to do, or should a leader be a facilitator, helping the group to achieve shared goals? Most of us think of a leader as the person in charge - the decision maker, the authority, the person who tells us when to jump and how high.

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'How Bad Could It Get?' State and District Leaders Work to Combat Teacher Shortages

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'How Bad Could It Get?' State and District Leaders Work to Combat Teacher Shortages

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The Hallsville, Mo., school district has been trying to hire a speech language pathologist and a specialist to teach English-language learners for months now, but administrators haven't received a single qualified application.

It's part of a troubling trend for a school district that's just 10 miles away from the state's flagship university: Hallsville can't seem to hire enough teachers. Even open positions for elementary teachers in the district are receiving fewer applications these days, despite the fact that elementary education is typically the most popular major for aspiring teachers.

"We have a strong reputation as a district as a great place for teachers to work and students to learn, and yet we've still seen an increased challenge in filling the vacancies," said Superintendent John Downs. "It's concerning to see the number of applications declining. ... How bad could it get down the road?"

Teacher shortages-particularly in certain subject areas, like special education or high school math- have been a challenge for years. But school district leaders say the pandemic has exacerbated the problem, and many districts started the school year with a higher-than-normal number of teacher vacancies. A national EdWeek Research Center survey, conducted in the fall, found that nearly half of district leaders and principals said they had struggled to hire a sufficient number of full-time teachers this school year.

At the same time, teachers already in the classroom are saying in survey after survey that they want to quit, although it remains to be seen whether most actually will. Even so, experts say that district leaders should be conscious of the rising levels of teacher burnout.

Also, enrollment in teacher-preparation programs has been declining steadily over the past decade, raising some concern about the strength of the pipeline into the profession. While a recent survey by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education found that most teacher-preparation programs said the pandemic has had either no or minimal impact on enrollment, a fifth of institutions did see a decline in new undergraduate enrollment of 11 percent or more.

"If we aren't seeing the big, huge shortage increase right now, I think we will definitely be seeing it over the next couple years-if there [are] not the right interventions," said Megan Boren, a program manager at the Southern Regional Education Board who leads the organization's work on educator human capital strategies.

Increasing teacher compensation is one such intervention, she said, and some state legislatures are working to pass teacher pay raises. (For example, the Mississippi legislature is negotiating two different plans that would provide teachers at least a $4,000 annual raise.) But pay can't be the only consideration for district leaders and policymakers, Boren said. Supportive working conditions are critical, too.

The Hallsville district, for instance, will pivot to a four-day school week in the fall, a decision that was primarily made with the goal of recruiting and retaining more teachers. Downs said teachers can use the noninstructional day to meet with their professional learning community, plan, collaborate, and take care of their own needs: "We're looking to maximize the flexibility of those days," he said.

The rural, 1,400-student district has to find creative ways to hire and keep its teachers because it's a challenge to compete with more-affluent neighboring districts on salaries and benefits, Downs said. The district has also received grant funds to support tuition reimbursement for teachers and pay them stipends for taking on extra duties. And administrators are coordinating with local colleges and universities and neighboring districts to provide a pathway toward certification for paraprofessionals.

"At the end of the day, we're talking about trying to provide a benefit for students," Downs said. " The research is very clear: Quality teachers are the No. 1 [in-school] indicator of student success."

States are using federal relief money to build pipelines

Armed with an influx of federal COVID-19 relief money, state policymakers are working to address the school staffing crisis by strengthening the teacher pipelines and removing barriers to entry.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education, for instance, has designated $12.7 million of its federal money to pay a stipend to 1,300 student-teachers each year for the next three years. Student-teachers will receive $3,250, half of which will be paid up front and the remainder after they complete student teaching and sign a contract to teach in an Oklahoma public school.

State officials say that many prospective teachers do not complete their teacher-preparation programs because of the time commitment of student teaching-time that could have been spent working another paid job.

New Mexico's education department earmarked $37 million of its federal relief money to hire 500 educational assistants and support them as they study to become a teacher, counselor, or school nurse. Interested school districts will receive grants that cover an educational assistant's full salary plus benefits, a $4,000 stipend to support each fellow's postsecondary education, and money to cover all licensure fees.

And Tennessee recently became the first state to be approved by the U.S. Department of Labor to establish a permanent "grow your own" model that will allow people to become a teacher for free. The first registered apprenticeship program is a partnership between the Clarksville-Montgomery County school system and Austin Peay State University that allows school employees to get on-the-job experience-and a paycheck-while training to become a teacher. Tuition, fees, books, and required exams are all covered.

Tennessee officials say the approach will help address shortages while also investing in high-quality candidates who may have otherwise faced barriers into the profession.

"This isn't just, 'Anybody should become a teacher just to get more bodies in classrooms,'" said Penny Schwinn, Tennessee's education commissioner. "If we can get great people in the classroom, we can get them in debt-free, [and] we can make sure that a first-year teacher has three years of experience, ... we're thrilled about what this means."

Tennessee is using $20 million of its federal relief funding to support 65 "grow your own" programs across the state, including the one in Clarksville-Montgomery. Now, the state plans to register the 64 other programs with the U.S. Department of Labor, as long as they meet the minimum requirements, so they have a permanent source of funding.

Many of the state's programs are either targeted toward school employees like paraprofessionals or creating a pathway for high school students who are interested in teaching. So far, Schwinn said, the programs are preparing 650 future educators-enough to fill about two-thirds of the state's unfilled classroom vacancies.

Districts work to retain teachers

Meanwhile, district leaders are taking steps to keep the teachers they already have.

A national EdWeek Research Center, conducted in late January and early February, found that 43 percent of district leaders say they've given teachers a one-time pay bonus since the start of the pandemic. District leaders have told Education Week that the bonuses, which can fall between $1,000 and $5,000, are meant to show gratitude for hard work during a challenging school year and to help entice teachers to stick around.

Many districts are also putting more of an emphasis on employee wellness, especially at a time when so many teachers say they're burned out and experience a great deal of job-related stress.

"We don't just want to get staff through the semester, we want to make sure we're taking the opportunity to really listen and hear," said Alex Moseman, the director of talent acquisition for the Indianapolis school district. "What are the challenges? What are additional supports [teachers need from school leaders]? What are the ways we can rethink the way the teaching role looks that makes the job more sustainable?"

Fostering a supportive work environment that celebrates success is an important component of retaining teachers, Moseman said. He's also focused on recruiting teachers for the next school year-a competitive process, especially given declining enrollment trends in the state's teacher-preparation programs.

"COVID is a new variable in the equation, but the problem we're trying to solve for is not new," he said.

Among other initiatives, the Indianapolis district has partnered with a local charter network to launch a free, one-year apprenticeship program for current district support staff, recent college graduates who didn't earn an education degree, and career-changers. Aspiring teachers receive a salary and are partnered with a mentor teacher as they work in classrooms and prepare for the state licensing exam.

Moseman said the district's approach to talent recruitment is all about removing barriers and making it as easy as possible to bring high-quality people into classrooms. "It's an incredibly competitive landscape, and we want to make sure we're not missing out on folks," he said.

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'How Bad Could It Get?' State and District Leaders Work to Combat Teacher Shortages

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The Hallsville, Mo., school district has been trying to hire a speech language pathologist and a specialist to teach English-language learners for months now, but administrators haven't received a single qualified application. It's part of a troubling trend for a school district that's just 10 miles away from the state's flagship university: Hallsville can't seem to hire enough teachers.

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School districts focus on staff retention amid national teacher shortage,

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School districts focus on staff retention amid national teacher shortage,

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At our Presidential Leadership Scholars weekend in College Station, Texas, John Sununu, former governor of New Hampshire and George H.W. Bush's chief of staff, recounted President Bush's first meeting with French president Francois Mitterrand upon assuming office in 1989. U.S. relations with France were strained, and while there was no immediate need for joint U.S. and French action at the time, President Bush knew that sometime he would need America's old ally and wanted to repair relations with its leader.

As recorded in Sununu's The Quiet Man, President Bush invited Mitterrand to his home in Kennebunkport, and over two days he began to win over the veteran statesman, developing a lasting friendship and professional partnership. This relationship, authentically cultivated, paid extraordinary dividends when President Bush was able to use his partnership with Mitterrand to negotiate financial assistance to Poland and Hungary in 1989 and the eventual reunification of East and West Germany.

This "relational" approach to leadership was core to President Bush's values and personality. And in the broader world, relational leadership-the longstanding and almost instinctive cultivation of close personal and professional relationships as an entre to building alliances and partnerships-is common. It's prevalent in politics, where relationships among legislators and community members often lead to compromise, and in business, where trust is such an essential component of partnership.

So, how is relational leadership cultivated?

It starts with a genuine interest in others. President Bush's Deputy Chief of Staff and Transportation Secretary Andy Card said of the President, "President George H.W. Bush created personal relationships with everyone he could. That personal connection could become a strategic partnership when it needed to be. It was universal but sincere." I've seen the same in my career. When I was a new business analyst at McKinsey, for example, a senior director in the office took an interest in me and counseled me, even though I would never be useful to him. And most of us have benefited from peers or mentors who have befriended us and then aided us in the cultivation of our careers. These friendships aren't purely instrumental but authentic, sincere and driven by a genuine interest in others.

Relational leadership is further predicated on empathy-understanding others and meeting them where they are. When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, President Bush was criticized for his subdued response. Some wanted the president to celebrate more visibly. But President Bush knew how tense a political moment the event was for Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, and sensitive to his relationship with Gorbachev and the fragility of the moment, the American president avoided the kind of gloating that may have made the situation more challenging for the general secretary to manage. This was an important gesture and one for which President Bush was misunderstood and criticized. But, as Sununu notes in The Quiet Man, it displayed empathy for Gorbachev and strengthened their partnership. Similarly, we're experiencing a heightened cultural appreciation now for former television host Fred Rogers based at least partially on his remarkable empathy. Mr. Rogers is the subject of a new documentary and a forthcoming feature film -and much of what makes him so unique and so compelling is the deep empathy he so regularly displayed for everyone he met, particularly children and the vulnerable. This empathy and kindness left even casual acquaintances transformed by their interactions with him and was a critical foundation of his leadership. It's similarly essential for each of us.

Further, this authentic and empathetic relational leadership is nurtured by small and large gestures of friendship. As I've written elsewhere, I once worked with a woman at a DC-area organization who was exceptional about spending time with even the most junior members of her organization and making them feel special. She took me to lunch and subsequently mailed me a book about which we'd spoken and a handwritten note-a kindness I appreciate to this day. Similarly, President Bush frequently wrote handwritten notes to friends and partners around the world. And while his subdued reaction to the fall of the Berlin wall was a grand gesture, he also made small gestures to reinforce relationships. Genuine interest in and excitement for others manifests in gestures and signals that you value and understand them.

Finally, while relational leadership is personal by nature, it can be powerfully embedded in the culture of an organization or team. Speaking of the Bush White House, Governor Sununu said, "President George H.W. Bush's commitment to collegiality was contagious. We all worked hard to maintain that." A culture that prioritizes authentic relationships starts at the top and cascades through an organization. In my time as a management consultant, I worked for several partners who prioritized collegiality among their teams-hosting kick-off dinners for us to get to know each other, planning team events to encourage bonding and insisting on respectful treatment of all colleagues-and that top-down leadership transformed the groups with which they worked.

Relational leadership can be incredibly successful, particularly when it is authentic, empathetic, reinforced through gestures of friendship and embedded in the culture of a team. It's not the only style of leadership, but can be powerful and personally fulfilling.
This article is part of a six-part series on leadership lessons from presidents that includes "Searching For The Right Leadership Style," "The Power Of Relational Leadership," "The Simple Power Of Connected Communication," "How A President Makes A Decision That Matters," "The Johnson Treatment: Pushing and Persuading Like LBJ" and "Life Is Worth Living In Three Dimensions."

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At our Presidential Leadership Scholars weekend in College Station, Texas, John Sununu, former governor of New Hampshire and George H.W. Bush's chief of staff, recounted President Bush's first meeting with French president Francois Mitterrand upon assuming office in 1989. U.S. relations with France were strained, and while there was no immediate need for joint U.S.

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Have you ever been in a group where someone took control of the situation by conveying a clear vision of the group's goals, a marked passion for the work, and an ability to make the rest of the group feel recharged and energized? This person just might be what is called a transformational leader.

Transformational leadership is a leadership style that can inspire positive changes in those who follow. Transformational leaders are generally energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate. Not only are these leaders concerned and involved in the process; they are also focused on helping every member of the group succeed as well.

Quick Background

The concept of transformational leadership was initially introduced by leadership expert and presidential biographer James MacGregor Burns. According to Burns, transformational leadership can be seen when "leaders and followers make each other to advance to a higher level of moral and motivation."﻿﻿

Later, researcher Bernard M. Bass expanded upon Burns's original ideas to develop what is today referred to as Bass's Transformational Leadership Theory. According to Bass, transformational leadership can be defined based on the impact that it has on followers. Transformational leaders, Bass suggested, garner trust, respect, and admiration from their followers.﻿﻿

Mental Health in the Workplace Webinar

Components

Bass also suggested that there were four different components of transformational leadership.

1. Intellectual Stimulation: Transformational leaders not only challenge the status quo; they also encourage creativity among followers. The leader encourages followers to explore new ways of doing things and new opportunities to learn.

2. Individualized Consideration: Transformational leadership also involves offering support and encouragement to individual followers. In order to foster supportive relationships, transformational leaders keep lines of communication open so that followers feel free to share ideas and so that leaders can offer direct recognition of the unique contributions of each follower.

3. Inspirational Motivation: Transformational leaders have a clear vision that they are able to articulate to followers. These leaders are also able to help followers experience the same passion and motivation to fulfill these goals.

4. Idealized Influence: The transformational leader serve as a role model for followers. Because followers trust and respect the leader, they emulate this individual and internalize his or her ideals.

So what are some typical signs of a transformational leader? Groups led by this type of leader tend to be both successful and loyal. They give a lot to the team and care deeply about the group's ability to accomplish its goals. Turnover tends to be quite low as transformational leaders are able to inspire a great deal of commitment in their followers.

In their classic text, Transformational Leadership, authors Bass and Riggio explained:

"Transformational leaders...are those who stimulate and inspire followers to both achieve extraordinary outcomes and, in the process, develop their own leadership capacity. Transformational leaders help followers grow and develop into leaders by responding to individual followers' needs by empowering them and by aligning the objectives and goals of the individual followers, the leader, the group, and the larger organization."

"Research evidence clearly shows that groups led by transformational leaders have higher levels of performance and satisfaction than groups led by other types of leaders," explained psychologist and leadership expert Ronald E. Riggio in an article for Psychology Today.

The reason, he suggests, is that transformational leaders believe that their followers can do their best, leading members of the group to feel inspired and empowered.

What can you do to become a more transformational leader? Leadership experts suggest that having a strong, positive vision of the future plays a critical role. Not only is it important to believe in this vision yourself; you've also got to inspire others to buy into your vision as well.

Link to Well-Being

According to the results of one study, this style of leadership can also have a positive influence on employee well-being.﻿﻿

The study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine involved surveying workers at several different German information and communication technology companies. Researchers asked participants to answers questions about their employer's leadership style.

A score for transformational leadership was then determined based on qualities such as providing intellectual stimulation, giving positive feedback for good performance, leading by example, and helping employees feel like they were making a contribution toward the goals of the group.

The researchers discovered that employees who identified a higher level of transformational leadership in their employers also had higher reported levels of well-being. The effect stayed significant even after researchers controlled for factors that are linked to well-being such as job strain, education, and age.

"The results of this study suggest that a transformational leadership style, which both conveys a sense of trust and meaningfulness and individually challenges and develops employees, also has a positive effect on employee well-being," the authors summarized.

Real-World Applications

So what impact could such results have for managers and workers?

The study's authors suggest that the results are important and can help companies develop leadership training programs that can be used to teach transformational leadership skills. Acquiring communication skills such as resolving conflicts in the workplace and recognizing the needs of employees are an important part of transformational leadership.

"Such training programs can be seen as another essential component of workplace health promotion and prevention efforts and therefore should receive wide support," explained the study's authors.

A Word From Verywell

The transformational style of leadership can be highly effective when used appropriately, but it might not necessarily be the best choice for every situation. In some cases, groups may require a more managerial or autocratic style that involves closer control and greater direction, particularly in situations where group member are unskilled and need a lot of oversight.

One way to improve your own leadership skills is to assess your own current leadership style and think about ways in which your strengths can benefit the group you are leading. By evaluating your own skills, you will be better able to play to your strengths and work on improving your areas of weakness.

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How Do Transformational Leaders Inspire and Motivate Followers?

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Have you ever been in a group where someone took control of the situation by conveying a clear vision of the group's goals, a marked passion for the work, and an ability to make the rest of the group feel recharged and energized? This person just might be what is called a transformational leader.

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Solution Focused Tools to Help School Counselors in a Pandemic

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Solution Focused Tools to Help School Counselors in a Pandemic

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Solution-focused tools to help school counselors in a pandemic - Counseling Today

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School counselors: Need practical, efficient tools for group and individual counseling that adapt well to the virtual school climate? Check out these solution focused options.

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Decreasing Elementary School Children’s Disruptive Behaviors: A Review of FourEvidence-Based Programs for School Counselors

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Decreasing Elementary School Children’s Disruptive Behaviors: A Review of FourEvidence-Based Programs for School Counselors

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Joining the Conversation about Educating Our Poorest Children- Emerging Leadership Roles for School Counselors in High-Poverty Schools

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The six dimensions of collective leadership that advance sustainability objectives: rethinking what it means to be an academic leader

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Emotional Intelligence Is Key to Outstanding Leadership

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Emotional Intelligence Is Key to Outstanding Leadership

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​If you're a leader, you probably already have the time-honored "business smarts" for the job, namely the intellectual capability and technical skill.

Those are important. But they're only the base line. Numerous studies have shown that what distinguishes outstanding leaders from average ones are emotional self-awareness and self-control.

"Effective leaders tend to be smart in the traditional way, but there's also this emotional component that's probably equally important, if not more so," says Cary Cherniss, professor emeritus of organizational psychology and co-chair of the Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations at Rutgers University.

​Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand your own and others' emotions and how they drive behavior, and then using that knowledge to motivate others.

"Most people make mistakes around emotional intelligence because they don't understand what's going on with other people," says Travis Bradberry, president of TalentSmart in San Diego, which provides emotional intelligence tests and training. "They don't even necessarily understand what's going on with themselves."

In assessments of more than 2 million workers, TalentSmart researchers found that "just 36 percent of people are able to accurately identify their emotions as they happen," says Bradberry, author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 (TalentSmart, 2009).

A lack of emotional intelligence among the senior team can be devastating to the rest of the workforce.

"Leaders prime the emotional state of the organization," Bradberry says. "So when they're ineffective, when they set poor examples of how they treat other people, that trickles down throughout the company." The result could be low employee engagement or high turnover because of the toxic interactions between people.

"It's very hard on morale, and you start to lose that discretionary effort that you get from people who love their jobs and work in motivating, comfortable environments," he says.

One telltale sign of leaders who need to work on managing their emotions is that they frequently have challenging interactions with others.

"They find people very difficult, and they don't tend to understand that they are part of the equation," Bradberry says.

On the other hand, leaders with high emotional intelligence "tend to be uplifted by their interactions with people and think it's great to have a team," he says.

The good news is you can improve your emotional intelligence, if you're willing to work at it.

"It's really critical for somebody who wants to excel as a manager and leader that they look at developing these skills. And by the way, they can be learned," says Annie McKee, a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's graduate school of education who teaches leadership and emotional intelligence and is co-author of Becoming a Resonant Leader (Harvard Business Review Press, 2008).

McKee and fellow researchers have identified the following four key elements of emotional intelligence:

Self-Awareness

Frequently, leaders don't see a need to control their emotions because they've reached their lofty position without doing so-and their teams are afraid to clue them in.

A 360-degree feedback process can help pinpoint problem areas. The assessment, which uses input from supervisors, colleagues and subordinates, is often eye-opening.

A more low-profile approach is to simply ask trusted colleagues.

"It's good for all leaders to get some honest feedback," says Cherniss, noting that some companies are requiring executives to focus on emotional intelligence as part of their leadership development programs.

Social Awareness

People without this skill don't understand that, in social interactions, they need to focus more on the other person than themselves. They miss important cues because they're always thinking about what they will say next.

Those prompts can be particularly subtle with subordinates, who often defer to authority and may be reluctant to share what's on their mind directly. Learning to read nonverbal signals can provide clues about what they're feeling, Bradberry advises.

Ask team members from time to time how they're feeling about a particular project, suggests Joshua Freedman, the San Francisco-based CEO of 6 Seconds, a global nonprofit researching and sharing best practices for emotional intelligence. Just the act of acknowledging their stress can help them feel better, he says.

{SHRM members-only toolkit: Developing Organizational Leaders]

Self-Management

​Once you've determined which areas to work on, focus on achieving one or two goals.

"Self-management is getting your emotions to produce the behavior you want," Bradberry says. "Sometimes that's keeping yourself from doing something. Other times it's magnifying a productive behavior."

Here are some tips from the experts:

Set narrow, measurable goals. It could be as simple as giving your undivided attention to someone who walks into your office or as difficult as eliminating habitual angry outbursts.

Keep a journal. Stop several times a day and jot down what you're feeling and why, McKee advises. "Am I angry because that person just snapped at me and I feel my job is on the line? Maybe it's not because he hates you. It could be he's having a bad day," she says.

Quiz yourself. In larger companies, executives may have the opportunity to work with a coach who can help them to recognize the emotions they are feeling and to use them in more-productive ways.

"Sadness, anger and fear are signals to help us inform our actions," says Shawn Kent Hayashi, an executive coach, a consultant and CEO of The Professional Development Group in Center Valley, Pa.

'That 20-second pause that engages your thinking brain instead of your out-of-control emotional brain is all it takes to be more effective.'

She teaches clients questions to ask themselves to analyze their feelings. For example, a leader prone to lashing out might ask questions such as: "What crossed my boundaries? Who do I need to talk to to clean up this situation? Am I the one who didn't meet my own standards?"

Dig beneath the surface because sometimes hidden emotions are driving our behavior, Freedman says.

Pause and reflect. Before reacting, take a deep breath and think about what's really going on with both you and the other person. "That 20-second pause that engages your thinking brain instead of your out-of-control emotional brain is all it takes to be more effective," McKee says.

Find an outlet. When you feel like exploding, let off steam with a trusted friend instead. "It's venting with a purpose, venting with the intention of learning something," McKee explains.

Psych yourself up. "Other people pick up on the leader's mood, so having a positive outlook and communicating with people can really pull a team along in doing outstanding work," says Geri Grossman, president of My Executive Coach in Buffalo, N.Y.

Practice. Replacing destructive habits with productive ones takes a lot of time and effort. Realize that it won't happen overnight.

Relationship Management

Use your new insights to inspire your workforce. Researchers have found that "outstanding leaders almost continuously monitor the emotional climate in any setting where they are," Cherniss says.

They can walk into a room and lift people up. "They're very good in the way they interact with people, in the way they express their own feelings and getting other people to feel good even if the situation is a difficult one," he says. "They give them a sense of hope and commitment to the goal."

That's true genius.

Dori Meinert is senior writer/editor of HR Magazine.

Was this article useful? SHRM offers thousands of tools, templates and other exclusive member benefits, including compliance updates, sample policies, HR expert advice, education discounts, a growing online member community and much more. Join/Renew Now and let SHRM help you work smarter.

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Emotional Intelligence Is Key to Outstanding Leadership

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​If you're a leader, you probably already have the time-honored "business smarts" for the job, namely the intellectual capability and technical skill. Those are important. But they're only the base line. Numerous studies have shown that what distinguishes outstanding leaders from average ones are emotional self-awareness and self-control.

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Emotional Intelligence in Leadership: Learning How to Be More Aware

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Emotional Intelligence in Leadership: Learning How to Be More Aware

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The more that you, as a leader, manage each of these areas, the higher your emotional intelligence. So, let's look at each element in more detail and examine how you can grow as a leader.

Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

1. Self-awareness

If you're self-aware, you always know how you feel, and you know how your emotions and your actions can affect the people around you. Being self-aware when you're in a leadership position also means having a clear picture of your strengths and weaknesses, and it means behaving with humility.

So, what can you do to improve your self-awareness?

Keep a journal. Journals help you improve your self-awareness. If you spend just a few minutes each day writing down your thoughts, this can move you to a higher degree of self-awareness.

2. Self-regulation

Leaders who regulate themselves effectively rarely verbally attack others, make rushed or emotional decisions, stereotype people, or compromise their values. Self-regulation is all about staying in control.

This element of emotional intelligence, according to Goleman, also covers a leader's flexibility and commitment to personal accountability.

So, how can you improve your ability to self-regulate?

Hold yourself accountable. If you tend to blame others when something goes wrong, stop. Make a commitment to admit to your mistakes and to face the consequences, whatever they are. You'll probably sleep better at night, and you'll quickly earn the respect of those around you.

Practice being calm. The next time you're in a challenging situation, be very aware of how you act. Do you relieve your stress by shouting at someone else? Practice deep-breathing exercises to calm yourself. Also, try to write down all of the negative things you want to say, and then rip it up and throw it away. Expressing these emotions on paper (and not showing them to anyone!) is better than speaking them aloud to your team. What's more, this helps you challenge your reactions to ensure that they're fair!

3. Motivation

Self-motivated leaders work consistently toward their goals, and they have extremely high standards for the quality of their work.

How can you improve your motivation?

Re-examine why you're doing your job. It's easy to forget what you really love about your career. So, take some time to remember why you wanted this job. If you're unhappy in your role and you're struggling to remember why you wanted it, try the Five Whys technique to find the root of the problem. Starting at the root often helps you look at your situation in a new way. And make sure that your goal statements are fresh and energizing. For more on this, see our article on Goal Setting.

4. Empathy

For leaders, having empathy is critical to managing a successful team or organization. Leaders with empathy have the ability to put themselves in someone else's situation. They help develop the people on their team, challenge others who are acting unfairly, give constructive feedback, and listen to those who need it.

If you want to earn the respect and loyalty of your team, then show them you care by being empathic.

How can you improve your empathy?

Respond to feelings. You ask your assistant to work late - again. And although he agrees, you can hear the disappointment in his voice. So, respond by addressing his feelings. Tell him you appreciate how willing he is to work extra hours, and that you're just as frustrated about working late. If possible, figure out a way for future late nights to be less of an issue (for example, give him Monday mornings off).

5. Social Skills

Leaders who do well in the social skills element of emotional intelligence are great communicators. They're just as open to hearing bad news as good news, and they're experts at getting their team to support them and be excited about a new mission or project.

Leaders who have good social skills are also good at managing change and resolving conflicts diplomatically. They're rarely satisfied with leaving things as they are, but they don't sit back and make everyone else do the work: they set an example with their own behavior.

So, how can you build social skills?

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Emotional Intelligence in Leadership - Learning How to Be More Aware

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Relating to others is vital in today's workplace. Learn how to build your emotional intelligence (EI) with this article.

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The Global Emotional Intelligence Test uses 40 questions which are derived from, the Global instrument, which contains 158 items. These are based on Goleman's four quadrant Emotional Intelligence Competency Model (2002). Click EI Capability Assessment here for more details. Short EI quizzes such as this are meant to be fun, and to give you a guide to which EI areas you are doing well in and those which perhaps you need to focus on for development.

This Test, is a forced-choice psychological test which requires you to choose Instructions for the FREE EI Test one statement in each pair of statements that describes you best. For each pair of statements, select the statement that best applies to you. Do not over-analyse the questions, or try to think of "exceptions to the rule." Be spontaneous and choose the statement that comes closest to the way you are.

Occasionally there will be questions that ask you to make a close call between two choices. This is because the Test is trying to distinguish between specific areas. If a question is very close and you can't decide which statement applies to you best, you can come back to it after you have completed the other questions.

The Test usually takes about 10 minutes to complete. At the end of the test, click on the Score Test button, and wait for the computer to generate an EI profile of your scores. If you have answered honestly and accurately, your scores will reflect your capability level within each of the EI quadrants.

We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the results of this Test - only that it can help you begin your journey of self-development!

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Emotional Intelligence Test - Global Leadership Foundation

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Free emotional intelligence test developed by Global Leadership Foundation