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New Counselors' Leadership Efforts in School Counseling

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New Counselors' Leadership Efforts in School Counseling

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https://www.jstor.org/stable/42732832

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Cultivating School Counseling Leaders Through District Leadership Cohorts

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Cultivating School Counseling Leaders Through District Leadership Cohorts

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https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/2156759X18773275

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5 Aspects of Emotional Intelligence Required for Effective Leadership

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5 Aspects of Emotional Intelligence Required for Effective Leadership

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https://www.inc.com/brent-gleeson/5-aspects-of-emotional-intelligence-required-for-effective-leadership.html

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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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https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_45.htm

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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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Daniel Goleman's Emotional Intelligence Theory: Explanation and Examples

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Daniel Goleman's Emotional Intelligence Theory: Explanation and Examples

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https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/daniel-golemans-emotional-intelligence-theory-explained/

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With regard to emotional intelligence, Daniel Goleman was not the first to articulate the concept. However, in the double role of psychologist and journalist, Goleman made the elements of emotional intelligence accessible to broad segments of society. His best-selling books - beginning with "Emotional Intelligence"(1995) - have already changed how some businesses interact with clients and some managers recruit employees. His impact has been even more profound on education.

Thanks to Goleman, educators now recognize that emotional intelligence is every bit as important to learning as intellectual prowess or IQ. As a result, tens of thousands of schools throughout the world currently incorporate "social and emotional learning" in their curricula. In some schools, courses geared toward developing emotional intelligence are mandatory.

The history of emotional intelligence

For decades, researchers have studied the reasons why a high IQ does not necessarily guarantee success in the classroom or the boardroom. By the 1980s, psychologists and biologists, among others, were focusing on the important role other skill sets - needed to process emotional information - played in promoting worldly success, leadership, personal fulfillment and happy relationships.

In 1990, psychologists John Mayer (now at the University of New Hampshire) and Peter Salovey of Yale theorized that a unitary intelligence underlay those other skill sets. They coined the term, emotional intelligence, which they broke down into four "branches":

Identifying emotions on a nonverbal level

Using emotions to guide cognitive thinking

Understanding the information emotions convey and the actions emotions generate

Regulating one's own emotions, for personal benefit and for the common good

As a science reporter for the New York Times, Goleman was exposed to Mayer's and Salovey's work and took the concept of emotional intelligence a step further. In his eponymous book from 1995, he argued that existing definitions of intelligence needed to be reworked. IQ was still important, but intellect alone was no guarantee of adeptness in identifying one's own emotions or the emotional expressions of others. It took a special kind of intelligence, Goleman said, to process emotional information and utilize it effectively - whether to facilitate good personal decisions, to resolve conflicts or to motivate oneself and others.

Goleman's five domain components of emotional intelligence

Goleman broadened Mayer's and Salovey's four-branch system to incorporate five essential elements of emotional intelligence - or EQ, the shorthand he sometimes uses:

Emotional self-awareness - knowing what one is feeling at any given time and understanding the impact those moods have on others

Self-regulation - controlling or redirecting one's emotions; anticipating consequences before acting on impulse

Motivation - utilizing emotional factors to achieve goals, enjoy the learning process and persevere in the face of obstacles

Empathy - sensing the emotions of others

Social skills - managing relationships, inspiring others and inducing desired responses from them

Applications for educators

There are very practical reasons to promote social and emotional learning in schools, from kindergarten through college. According to Goleman, bullying, disciplinary problems, violence and drug abuse are reduced in schools with a high EQ. With a solid basis in emotional intelligence, academic performance - as well as behavior - improves. There is an obvious connection to Goleman's third, motivational component: learning stimulates curiosity and promotes feelings of satisfaction, even joy, when students immerse themselves in the process of assimilating new information.

The EQ of children starts developing long before they ever enter a classroom. But EQ levels will vary widely, depending on each child's home environment. Thus teachers must be able to recognize those children whose emotional literacy needs a boost. Teachers should be ready to talk about feelings in the classroom. The message is that no emotion is "wrong," but certain ways of expressing those emotions or acting on them are indeed inappropriate.

In 2002, UNESCO launched an international campaign to promote emotional learning in the classroom. The U.N. body sent a statement of 10 basic EQ principles to education ministries throughout the world. Those principles drew heavily from Goleman's exposition of emotional intelligence.

Rating emotional intelligence

PositivePsychology.com has created a guide to help people assess their own levels of emotional intelligence. Discover exercises ranging from classifying facial expressions, emotional articulation tools, and communication tasks among other activities. These are suitable for students and adults alike.

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Daniel Goleman's Emotional Intelligence Theory: Explanation and Examples | Resilient Educator

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With regard to emotional intelligence, Daniel Goleman was not the first to articulate the concept. But in the double role of psychologist and journalist, Goleman made the elements of emotional intelligence accessible.

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What Is Participative Leadership Theory?

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What Is Participative Leadership Theory?

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https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/participative-leadership-theory

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Most people have the opportunity to lead at some point during their career, whether it's a small team project or a large department of employees. You have a number of choices when it comes to how you'll lead your team. One leadership style to consider is the participative leadership theory. In this article, we explain what the participative leadership theory is, describe the key components of the participative leadership theory, highlight the advantages of participative leadership and demonstrate how to use participative leadership well.

What is participative leadership theory?

Participative leadership theory is a leadership style that seeks input from every member of the organization. Generally, the leader asks for thoughts and ideas from their team members before making decisions or establishing new processes and procedures. In most cases, participative leadership follows this process:

1. The leader facilitates a meeting with the team.

2. The leader shares any necessary information and knowledge about the project or problem to solve.

3. Team members share their ideas and thoughts with the group.

4. The group processes all the ideas and information.

5. The group or group leader makes a decision.

6. The leader communicates the decision to other stakeholders as needed.

7. The group proceeds with the project.

Participative leadership styles

Some experts further divide the participative leadership theory into four distinct sub-types that all seek employee input, but manage the decision-making step of the participative leadership process slightly differently. They are:

Collective leadership: In the collective leadership model, the group collectively makes decisions and takes responsibility for the outcome.

Democratic leadership: In the democratic leadership model, the group provides input and may even put the decision to a vote, but the leader ultimately makes the final decision.

Autocratic leadership: In the autocratic leadership model, the group provides input, and the leader makes a decision.

Consensus leadership: In the consensus leadership model, the leader is simply a moderator. The group works together to arrive at a decision.

Democratic leadership is the most common sub-type of the participative leadership style. In fact, some people refer to "participative leadership" and "democratic leadership" interchangeably.

Key components of the participative leadership theory

All styles of the participative leadership theory feature these key components:

Participating in decision making

The primary component of participative leadership is allowing all employees to participate in the decision-making process. While the various sub-types of participative leadership, specifically democratic leadership and autocratic leadership, may result in the leader making the final decision, employees and team members are still involved in the idea generation and discussion process prior to the final choice.

Sharing information

Transparency and communication are very important for effective participative leadership. The team must have all the information and knowledge the leader has in order to make an effective, rational and well-reasoned decision. Thus, it's necessary for participative leaders to have outstanding communication skills to ensure their team members can make evidence-based solutions to the group based on the information relevant to the project.

Sustaining morale

The participative leadership model endeavors to make employees feel valued. High morale and elective employee buy-in often result in higher productivity levels and better employee performance. Ensuring morale stays high during the decision-making process is vital for continued employee success.

Building relationships

In a participative leadership model, leaders should seek to build relationships with their team members. If employees feel they're not respected by their leader or like their leader doesn't know them, they're far less likely to speak up and provide ideas and potential solutions in a participatory decision-making process. Positive, substantive relationships can help employees feel comfortable and actually take part in the process.

Supporting development

The final component of participative leadership is ensuring all employees have access to the education and training they need to do their jobs effectively. Highly developed employees are more likely to have a deeper understanding of how the company operates and how the employee's role within the company helps the organization succeed. This knowledge is vital when it comes time to create new processes or procedures or find solutions to other organizational problems.

Advantages of participative leadership

Participative leadership provides benefits to every stakeholder, from the entry-level employee to the CEO to the organization itself. Consider these primary advantages of using participative leadership:

Increases perceived employee value: Employees often feel more valued by their leader and the organization as a whole with participative leadership.

Improves autonomy: When employees participate in the decision-making process and take an active role in establishing new processes and procedures, they need less guidance and oversight from management when implementing new ideas.

Loyalty to the company: Employees who feel respected and valued by their company are more likely to stay with the organization long term.

Diversified ideas: Seeking input from an array of employees helps diversify the ideas you gather and can improve your team's overall creativity and problem-solving abilities.

Higher morale: Employees who feel appreciated are more likely to have higher morale.

Preparation for change: When employees participate in planning and structuring organizational changes that impact their work, they're more likely to adapt quickly to the adjustments.

Encourages creativity: Participative leadership values creativity by seeking input from multiple people at different levels in the organization.

Highlights collaboration: Since the team has to work together with you to find a solution or adapt a process, the employees get better at collaborating.

How to use participative leadership effectively

If you're interested in implementing participative leadership with your team or department, follow these steps to use the process effectively:

1. Consider sub-type

Before you begin the participative leadership process as it applies to decision-making, you should think about what sub-type of participative leadership you're interested in practicing. Know before you meet with your team whether you intend to make the final decision or if you plan to work as a team to come to a unified conclusion.

2. Gather information

Make notes and create reports for the team regarding the problem the team needs to solve, the necessary information from the company about the issue and any other factors the team should know. Prepare to share this information clearly with your team.

3. Hold the meeting

Have a meeting with your team in which you present the problem the team will solve, provide the necessary information and factors to consider and explain how the decision-making process will proceed. Consider setting up a whiteboard or providing scratch paper and pens to the team to help with idea generation.

4. Seek input

Ask your team for input on how to best solve the problem. Follow whatever process you've previously established. For example, you might dedicate 30 minutes to idea generation and 30 minutes to deliberation to help your team stay focused and productive.

5. Determine decision

Make a final decision on how to solve the problem. Follow whatever procedure you initially established. The most common decision-making styles that maximize participation but minimize time delay are either taking a group vote and abiding by the outcome or leaving the final choice up to you after considering the input from the team.

6. Share the outcome

Take the outcome determined by your team to any other company stakeholders who might need the information. Allow your group to begin working on the agreed-upon solution.

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What Is Participative Leadership Theory?

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Most people have the opportunity to lead at some point during their career, whether it's a small team project or a large department of employees. You have a number of choices when it comes to how you'll lead your team. One leadership style to consider is the participative leadership theory.

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https://harappa.education/harappa-diaries/participative-leadership/

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The business environment is dynamic. The primary objective of every business is to turn and remain profitable. However, this isn't possible without a good leader who inspires their employees and aligns business activities with organizational goals. Leadership could be authoritative, autocratic, transformational, etc. One type of leadership is participative leadership . This blog will briefly introduce participative leadership theory , participative leadership characteristics, and various participative leadership style examples .

Participative Leadership Definition

Participative leadership refers to leaders who employ a democratic approach to team engagement. Participative leaders give employees a chance to express their creativity by coming up with suggestions to tackle a situation. This is in stark contrast to authoritative leadership, where all decisions depend on the leader. Under participative leadership , the leader empowers their followers and makes them a part of the decision-making process. As a result, employees feel valued and devote themselves wholeheartedly to the organization. Participative leaders can motivate their employees and extract better performances from them. This leadership style helps achieve the company's objectives efficiently and effectively.

Participative Leadership Characteristics

Participative Leadership Examples

A large number of successful leaders follow a participative style of leadership in their organizations. The following are a few examples of participative leaders:

1. Bill Gates

The founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates is a true participative leadership example . He is known to take suggestions from colleagues and teams. He understands how imperative it is to value the knowledge and skills of team members.

2. Carlos Ghosn

The Chief Executive Officer of Renault & Nissan is another example of a leader who practices participative leadership . He knows the importance of employee participation in decision-making activities. He believes that employees are experienced and can provide valuable inputs to improve operations.

Participative Leadership Style Advantages and Disadvantages

The advantages of participative leadership are many. The participative leadership style examples discussed above show that these leaders can push their employees in the right direction to attain organizational goals. This allows for a scope of collective decision-making, which enhances the skills and capabilities of the entire team. However, the participation leadership theory has a few disadvantages too. This style can be time-consuming, it may not work with unskilled employees, and improper communication could cause conflict.

Conclusion

Now that you're familiar with the meaning of participative leadership , you can agree that the conventional models of autocratic and authoritative leadership are now redundant. The advantages of participative leadership allow businesses worldwide to enjoy continued success. These are times when democratic, participative leadership styles work best. Harappa offers various effective leadership courses. Join Harappa's Leading Self program now!

Explore Harappa Diaries to learn more about topics such as Types of Management Style, Advanatges Of Delegating Leadership, Various Theories Of Leadership and How to conduct Skills Gap Analysis to fill those and advance in your career.

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The business environment is dynamic. The primary objective of every business is to turn and remain profitable. However, this isn't possible without a good leader who inspires their employees and aligns business activities with organizational goals. Leadership could be authoritative, autocratic, transformational, etc. One type of leadership is participative leadership .

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Teaching Social-Emotional Skills is Hard, Time-Consuming, and Necessary, Report Says

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Teaching Social-Emotional Skills is Hard, Time-Consuming, and Necessary, Report Says

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https://www.edweek.org/leadership/teaching-social-emotional-skills-is-hard-time-consuming-and-necessary-report-says/2021/11#:~:text=Necessary%2C%20Report%20Says-,Teaching%20Social%2DEmotional%20Skills%20is%20Hard%2C%20Time%2D,Consuming%2C%20and%20Necessary%2C%20Report%20Says&text=Helping%20students%20grow%20their%20social,mental%20health%20and%20behavioral%20issues.

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Helping students grow their social and emotional skills has become a big part of school counselors' jobs, particularly given the impact of the pandemic on student mental health and behavioral issues.

But it's also time-consuming, difficult work, and counselors need more support and resources, according to a report released this week by ACT and the American School Counselors Association, based on a survey done last year of counselors and district officials.

Nearly everyone agrees that social-emotional learning is both an important priority for schools and a part of counselors' purview. The vast majority of school counselors surveyed-85 percent-reported that they were "very interested" in incorporating SEL into their school counseling programs. Less than 3 percent said they were only "a little interested" or "not interested at all." Meanwhile, the majority of district leaders-72.5 percent-put developing students' social-emotional skills on par with building their academic knowledge.

"A common misperception is that school counselors provide really just a one-off counseling session," said Jill Cook, ASCA's executive director on a call with reporters. "While that may have been the case several decades ago, today school counselors develop and deliver comprehensive programs to address student needs, with the goal of ensuring success for all students. It is no longer the day of the guidance counselor who perhaps only worked with students who are applying to college or students who may be in disciplinary trouble."

Teaching social-emotional skills can take up a huge chunk of a counselor's day. A little more than a third of counselors surveyed last year by ACT and ASCA-39 percent-reported that teaching social and emotional learning skills consumes at least half of their time, with 12 percent saying that it takes up three-quarters or more. Roughly another quarter of counselors-27 percent-said they spend somewhere between 21 percent and 49 percent of their workday helping students develop social-emotional skills. Just 17 percent said it takes up 10 percent or less of their time.

What's more, many of the most important components of social-emotional learning are also the toughest for students to master, survey respondents said. Counselors selected three skills-demonstrating effective coping skills when faced with a problem, exhibiting self-discipline and self-control, and applying self-motivation and self-direction to learning-as among both the top five most critical pieces of SEL and the five most difficult for kids to learn.

Despite the importance placed on SEL, many school counselors aren't getting the resources they need to implement it as successfully as possible. Less than half of counselors-44 percent-said that their school district directors supported their work to develop students' SEL skills. But most school district officials surveyed-88 percent-thought they advocated a "great deal" for resources to help school counselors teach SEL.

And while nearly all counselors-98 percent-say it's either "very" or "moderately" important for parents/guardians to play a part in their child's social and emotional development, more than three-quarters of counselors believe that it's "very hard or moderately hard" to get them involved.

The vast majority of counselors-91 percent-also said they would benefit a "great deal" or at least "moderately" from additional professional development on SEL. But only a quarter reported getting a "great deal" of professional development, while 38 percent said they had gotten a moderate amount. More than a third said they had only gotten a little professional development on SEL or none at all.

To help, district leaders should make SEL a part of their comprehensive plans, use evidence to teach social-emotional skills, make sure school counselors have a leadership role on SEL at the school level, and use federal and state funding to support SEL development, the report recommends.

The most important of those recommendations, according to Janet Godwin, the CEO of ACT? Putting SEL into district plans. Godwin, who served on a local school board, said there's a lot of clamoring for board members' attention: transportation, academics, food, extracurriculars.

"If SEL is not intentionally, thoughtfully incorporated into comprehensive plans for the school alongside curriculum and academic achievement goals, it is not going to get done," she said.

The survey, which was conducted in February through April of 2020, included 263 school counselors, 26 school counselor educators, 68 pre-service school counselors in training, and 41 district directors with authority over staffing and support of school counselors.

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Teaching Social-Emotional Skills is Hard, Time-Consuming, and Necessary, Report Says

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Helping students grow their social and emotional skills has become a big part of school counselors' jobs, particularly given the impact of the pandemic on student mental health and behavioral issues.

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The 5 Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Core Competencies

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The 5 Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Core Competencies

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https://www.positiveaction.net/blog/sel-competencies

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The primary goal of social and emotional learning is to improve student's capacity to establish and maintain healthy relationships through establishing a safe, positive, and mutually beneficial environment.

In terms of teaching SEL to both children and adults, this is centered around improving your ability to access and use 5 essential core competencies. Although the competencies are all linked, they can be worked on in a variety of ways, with socio-emotional learning curricula providing the tools with which to hone these competencies.

What are Social Emotional Learning Competencies?

The five core competencies of social-emotional learning are designed to provide a clear framework from which to teach skills that will benefit students throughout their lives in situations ranging from school and work to families and other communities.

These competencies were selected for their ability to accurately pinpoint the skills required to succeed in multiple areas of life, ranging from achieving academic goals to feeling more confident in social interactions.

Nurturing these core competencies within individual students through social and emotional learning is a healthy and rewarding process that can subsequently have a positive effect on the groups of people that these students belong to.

The 5 core SEL competencies

1. Self-Awareness

2. Self-Management

3. Responsible Decision Making

4. Social Awareness

5. Relationship Skills

These competencies each focus on abilities vital to the social-emotional learning (SEL), and can be worked on through a variety of methods.

1. Self-Awareness

Self awareness is the ability to consider and understand your own emotions, thoughts, values, and experiences, and how these can influence your actions. Improving your self-awareness can allow you to more effectively identify your individual strengths and weaknesses in a range of areas, and therefore potentially improve your decision making and self management (two other core competencies).

Recognizing how your thoughts and feelings impact your behavior can encourage you to make positive changes in your life, and take the perspective that will provide new insight into your own decisions, interests and actions. Within the five core competencies, self awareness is essential as it not only fosters optimism and responsible decision-making, but it also provides a foundation to establish and maintain healthy relationships with others.

Self-Awareness Lesson: Be Honest With Yourself

Positive Action teaches self-awareness through an underlying philosophy that runs through seven units as the basis of all materials. The philosophy, which is taught in Unit 1, is that you feel good about yourself when you do positive actions.

This is brought to a conscious and practical level through a Thoughts-Actions-Feelings about Self- Circle which depicts how thoughts lead to actions and actions to feelings about yourself and then back to thoughts.

The Self-Awareness competency is instructed specifically in Unit 5, where students learn by being honest with themselves, they can accurately assess one's strengths and limitations.

2. Self-Management

The self-management core competency focuses on an individual's ability to regulate and control their emotions, thoughts and behaviors. For example, this can mean improving areas like stress management, organizational skills, goal-setting abilities, impulse control, and self-discipline.

As well as leading to more responsible decision-making and a greater awareness of safety concerns, improving your self-management can enhance your academic performance, work productivity, and relationships.

Utilizing a positive self-management strategy within an SEL teaching framework can take many forms, and is usually about self-reflection and undertaking a realistic evaluation of yourself so you can then take further actions (including those outlined in other competencies) constructively and positively.

Self-Management Lesson: Develop Impulse Control

The seven units that form the Positive Action SEL curricula all teach self-management. There are also specific units that apply directly to the self-management:

Unit 1 - Intrinsic motivation is taught through the philosophy and the Thoughts-Actions-Feelings Circle: you feel good about yourself when you do positive actions which assumes correctly that you want to feel good about yourself.

Unit 3 - Is specifically termed "Self-Management" and teaches that there are personal resources we all have to manage to feel good about ourselves, including our thoughts, actions, feelings (anger, fear, worry, jealousy, loneliness, anxiety and others).

This helps students address impulse control. Improvement in self-management and impulse control is a key link to positive academic and social-emotional success for students, and a highly functioning classroom environment.

Students are also taught that by managing other resources like their time, energy, money, possessions and talents, they will feel good about themselves and feel like they have more control over what happens to them in school and life.

Unit 6 - Lessons teach setting short- and long-term goals for your intellectual (academic) and personal goals for physical, social-emotional selves. The unit also teaches that you reach your goals by believing in your potential, having courage to try, turning problems into opportunities, and persisting (grit).

Grit, goals, perseverance, and a growth mindset help turn student dreams and wants into reality. All seven units are about managing yourself by using positive actions for your whole self and are taught through multiple methodologies to illustrate and reinforce self-management concepts.

3. Responsible Decision Making

Responsible decision-making is the ability required to make positive and constructive choices based on individual and social factors like personal and academic goals, ethical standards, safety concerns, and social norms. It requires you to consider the consequences of different potential actions, understand your strengths and limitations, and know when to ask for more help when needed in making certain important decisions.

As people navigate day-to-day life, they are required to make decisions both large and small in a broad variety of different situations, that all need attention and consideration for a positive outcome.

This may relate to how you choose to pursue your own personal goals, for example achieving certain school grades based on your strengths and limitations or improving your overall attitude, or it may pertain to social situations like choosing to take the perspective of another person or actively putting more time and energy into maintaining healthy relationships.

Responsible Decision-Making Lesson: Make Positive Decisions

Responsible decision-making is both explicitly taught in Unit 2 and implicitly emphasized across all seven units. This includes learning how to distinguish between positive and negative choices and recognizing them in various aspects of oneself, such as the physical, intellectual, social, and emotional domains. In Unit 2 students in select grade levels are also taught how to use "The Problem-Solving, Decision-Making Checklist".

4. Social Awareness

The social awareness competency is about improving skills like your ability to empathize with others, your ability to take the perspective of those in different situations to you, your awareness of other diverse individuals and groups, and your ability to make sure you are treating others fairly.

This can help you to establish and maintain healthy relationships and social interactions, and therefore have a positive impact on your family, school, and community, especially when undertaking social-emotional learning within these groups.

With regards to equity and diversity, greater social awareness can assist your ability to understand the perspective of and empathize with other individuals, particularly surrounding characteristics like gender, race, religion, age, culture, class, and financial circumstances, and will ensure that your ability to make decisions in social settings like school takes diversity into account.

Social Awareness Lesson: Relating to Others

Unit 4 teaches students the ability to take perspective and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Positive interactions are based on competencies that are promoted by SEL, like empathy, respect, kindness, listening actively, cooperation, and fairness.

In this unit, Positive Action SEL also teaches understanding social and ethical norms for behavior by teaching the Golden Rule, an established norm for behavior, which is to treat others the way you would like to be treated.

In Unit 1, students are taught through SEL to be aware of who influences and supports them in school, family, and community and to turn to them when they are in need. Beyond just social awareness in individual interactions, students learn to develop a social web of connections.

5. Relationship Skills

The relationship skills competency concerns your ability to make positive connections with others, as well as your ability to take their emotions into account in different situations and social interactions, in order to establish and maintain healthy, mutually rewarding relationships.

This encompasses a range of skills, such as active listening, clear and effective communication, discerning appropriate and inappropriate social conduct, willingness to compromise, capacity to acknowledge and respect the emotions, thoughts, and values of others, as well as the ability to view situations from another person's perspective and empathize with them.

As well as in personal situations with family and friends, relationship skills are important at school with peers and teachers, and in professional areas with colleagues and bosses. If you have the ability to make positive relationships with those you learn and work with, you are contributing to a more positive school or work environment.

Relationship Skills Lesson: Treating Others How You'd Like to Be Treated

The same principles that are taught in Unit 4 for social awareness are at work in building relationship skills. Teaching students to treat others the way they like to be treated is fundamental to building positive relationships. The focus is on the other person, instead of yourself, and how to treat them positively, and when that happens, relationships will work better.

Positive Action has a Conflict Resolution Plan, that supports SEL, integrated into Unit 4 that teaches students how to resolve conflicts by looking at some main ways they like to be treated and asking them if they are treating the others involved in the conflict that way i.e., are you being respectful to others, empathetic, kind, cooperative, fair and listening actively? If they find they are not, they try to correct it.

Conclusion

The five SEL competencies (self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills), are vital to the teaching and understanding of social and emotional learning at school. All these competencies are integrated into the Positive Action program to ensure students are equipped with the necessary skills to lead happy, fulfilling, and positive lives.

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The 5 Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Core Competencies

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Discover what are the 5 core SEL competencies, how they influence learning and how they can be expanded using evidence-based lessons.

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Leader vs. Manager: What's the Difference?

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Leader vs. Manager: What's the Difference?

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https://www.wgu.edu/blog/leader-vs-manager-difference2005.html

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You've likely had a manager or two in your career that you weren't very fond of. And on the flip side, you've probably worked with or for someone who you looked up to and admired a lot. Managers and leaders. Not every manager is good at leadership, and not every great leader is good at management. There are arguments about if these two terms are actually the same or different. What most research has come to find is that a manager is more about your position, and leadership is more about who you are. You can be a manager and a leader, or you can be one or the other. If you're a current or aspiring manager, it's really important to focus on good leadership. There are some differences between these two titles, but it can be a huge asset to understand these differences and how you can work to develop the characteristics of both.

Managers are generally responsible for the day-to-day operations of an operation. They have people who report to them, they oversee their work, and help make all of the projects run smoothly. They manage systems confidently and help their workers feel understood and meaningful to the organization.

Leadership is all about building a vision for people to follow. They inspire and direct with authority and intelligence. They help people feel confident and excited to follow their lead.

Leadership and management may seem to be different, but in reality they share many qualities. If a manager is a good leader, their workers will be willing to follow their lead, they will trust them, and they will have a more positive work experience.

Discover the different characteristics of leaders and managers, and how you can work to harness both and successfully direct teams in your organization.

Leaders and managers share some important characteristics, but they also have some very different elements that make them unique. There are different leadership theories and management styles that can directly impact how a manager or leader behaves.
Leadership characteristics. Management characteristics. Shared characteristics.

In many instances, not all leaders do management work in their job. And some managers aren't effective at leadership. It's important to understand the specific distinctions in the roles, actions, and responsibilities of leaders and managers. If you're studying management, it's extremely valuable to be able to implement characteristics and abilities of leaders into your work. If you're in a leadership position in an organization, it's vital to understand what managers are in charge of and how you can help support their work. These two job titles can and should work together cohesively to give employees the best work environment.

Mission vs. vision. Management spends a good deal of their time focusing on the specific mission of their organization and their team. They need to know the detailed goals for project success, and help the team come up with a way to reach their goals. A manager's focus on mission helps the team members understand what is expected of them. Vision is a leadership element that involves looking at a larger picture. Leaders help the team understand the greater part they can play in helping the organization. They motivate the people they work with to help them catch that vision. They help teams see their contributions in a bigger light, as part of an overall vision for success. They focus on some of the bigger picture outcomes and help everyone get on board. Managers can have this leadership quality by helping the team catch the vision of the organization and project before diving into the smaller details of their specific mission. It's their responsibility to focus on the details, but it can also be key to inspire them to want to focus on those details.

Innovation vs. organization. Managers need to be organized in order to help their workers be successful. Organization in projects, meetings, strategy, and teams are all key for managers to help their workers feel secure. Managers need to spend time focusing on specific ways to be organized in daily tasks as well as larger projects. Whatever great idea is coming, managers find a way to break it into smaller tasks and projects that are manageable for the team. Leadership spends time focusing on innovation and coming up with new, exciting plans. Creativity is key for effective innovation in leaders. They are always looking for new things that they could try to help the company. Managers can harness both of these actions by looking for innovative ideas that are exciting for their team, and helping organize ways to make those innovations come to light.

Self awareness, trust, and control. Management and leadership alike need to have self-awareness, trust, and control in their employees. Employees and workers need to see that their managers and leaders trust them. This is crucial to them feeling confident in their work. Managers and leaders also need to be self-aware so they understand how they impact the people around them. Being able to see themselves objectively helps them to be better connected to their employees. This is an important part of emotional intelligence which management and leadership can greatly benefit from. Control is another important element for effective leaders and managers alike. Management need to find control so their employees view them with respect and authority. Leaders also need control to make sure that the people who follow them believe that they have something important to show them.

Two-way learning. Two way learning is the belief that insight and advice can come from anywhere. Managers and leaders alike need this to be able to accept ideas and insights from lower employees. Being willing and excited about listening to employees is crucial to being successful both as a manager and as a leader. It's vital to understand that you can learn from anyone in the organization, no matter their title.

While leadership and management are a little different, you can play to the strengths of both of these and be a manager who leads employees successfully. Small business owners and entrepreneurs often have to walk the line of being both a leader and a manager, and management should work hard to try and also have great leadership for the people who work under them. Combining the qualities of both of these roles helps managers and leaders be more impactful. If you're hoping to become a manager, it's important to start with attending school so you have all of the skills you need, and then can work to get the characteristics of leadership and management.

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Leader vs Manager: What's the Difference?

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Not all managers are leaders, and not all leaders are managers. There's an important difference between these two titles, and it's crucial for business professionals to be able to be both. Learn more about the difference between leaders and managers with this guide.

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Teachers' Views On School Principals' Servant Leadership Behaviors: A Mixed Method Study 

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Teachers' Views On School Principals' Servant Leadership Behaviors: A Mixed Method Study 

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https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1282574.pdf

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What is Transformational Leadership? Understanding the Impact of Inspirational Guidance 

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What is Transformational Leadership? Understanding the Impact of Inspirational Guidance 

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https://www.umassglobal.edu/news-and-events/blog/what-is-transformational-leadership

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The Emotional Ecology of School Improvement Culture: Charged Meanings and Common Moral Purpose

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The Emotional Ecology of School Improvement Culture: Charged Meanings and Common Moral Purpose

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https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JEA-01-2018-0014/full/html

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The emotional ecology of school improvement culture: Charged meanings and common moral purpose | Emerald Insight

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The emotional ecology of school improvement culture: Charged meanings and common moral purpose - Author: Peter Demerath

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https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ911435.pdf

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Leadership Traits Every Counselor Should Have

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Leadership Traits Every Counselor Should Have

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https://counseling.online.wfu.edu/blog/leadership-traits-every-counselor-should-have/

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Far from simply setting up student schedules and administering placement and academic evaluation tests, school counselors are leaders who can have a huge impact on the acceleration and the enhancement of learning. They must possess the ability to negotiate, persuade others their ideas are worthwhile, and collaborate with principals and other school officials.

School counselors have many responsibilities, including counseling students, working with teachers and parents, referring students to outside agencies, participating in student welfare and learning support communities, and evaluating and improving their own school counseling program.

Listening

First and foremost, a school counselor needs to be a good listener. Often, they have several students they work with and may get very few chances to converse with them in a one on one setting. "The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood," said Ralph G. Nichols. "The best way to understand people is to listen to them."

To listen effectively, counselors must be fully in the moment, not thinking of their "to do" list but rather giving their full attention to the issue at hand. Reflecting back to the person, your perception of what they said helps show understanding, and lets them make corrections. The counselor must also keep an open mind, being careful not to make any judgments until they have heard the entire story. ¹

Being Empathetic

Often a part of listening, putting themselves in the shoes of the person speaking, whether that is a student or another school official, helps counselors truly understand the underlying issues.

"Without the ability to understand what the student is experiencing, a counselor cannot truly do an effective job," says Helen A. Hatridge, past president of the Missouri School Counselor Association. "Empathy leads to good listening and a better ability to help the client come up with solutions. It also helps the student feel more comfortable and willing to open up to a counselor." ²

To be more empathetic, it is essential for a counselor to put aside their viewpoint. At the same time, they need to validate the student's viewpoint, which does not always mean agreement. Instead it means acknowledging their right to have an opinion, and that they have valid reasons for it. Asking how that person thinks a situation should be handled or what they would do opens up an even deeper understanding. ³

Building Relationship

It takes time for a counselor to build a relationship with any student or even their peers. However, through listening and being empathetic, that process can be accelerated.

To feel free to talk to a counselor, a student must often "break the ice," and needs to feel trust, comfort, and acceptance. Students need to accept that the counselor is a professional caregiver, and someone they can turn to without fear of judgement.

A counselor who develops this trusting relationship with students can get a lot more done, An understanding of the kid culture and what they care about can go a long way toward providing that environment of trust and understanding.

Performing Assessments

Assessment skills are essential for any school counselor in a number of areas. From academic and skills assessment to personality testing and career advisement, the ability to discern the intersection of talent and desire is essential to offering good counsel.

Assessment also includes determining if a student has special needs and interpreting test and non-test data to decide where the student should be placed, and what programs will most benefit them.

Regardless of the reason for assessment, the steps often include, but are not limited to the following:

Choosing what tests should be administered and when.

Scheduling, preparing, and administering tests.

Scoring tests or sending them out to be scored.

Advising students, teachers, parents, and other staff on test score interpretation.

Evaluating the testing process, results, and subsequent recommendations.⁴

Assessments involve some testing but must also be combined with listening, empathy, and the relationship that has been built to determine how testing outcomes relate to personality, desires, and the goals of the student.

Coordinating Efforts and Activities

Efforts and activities can fall into a couple of different categories. A counselor will have to coordinate Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for students, and other student specific plans as well. Along with coordinating individual student plans and interacting with teachers and other school officials, the school counselor often coordinates other activities and projects as well.

In many cases, the school counselor is in charge of parent newsletters, school announcements, managing social media accounts, and other community outreach and event planning efforts.

The ability to coordinate and manage these efforts and activities requires strong leadership and organizational skills. Teaching these skills to students by allowing them to take responsibility for their own educational goals and other efforts enables a counselor to show leadership by example.

Exercising Authority

In order to be able to implement programs, direct student activities and coordinate tasks, a counselor must exercise a certain amount of authority.

This means first of all that the counselor must be granted the authority to handle certain tasks by other school officials such as principals and administrators. The more their authority is validated by their actions, the more the counselor will be perceived as a leader by parents and students alike.

Secondly, the school counselor must be willing to wield the authority they have been granted, taking charge of tasks and situations, setting expectations, and holding those responsible to deadlines.

The counselor must also know in any given situation when to cross the line from friend to professional. If a student is being abusive or abused, a more professional response is ethically and legally mandated. It is the counselor's obligation to take charge and follow through, ensuring that student safety comes first.

Being Flexible

If one thing is certain in the field of education, it is that things will change. Interruptions, schedule changes, new programs, and new responsibilities all interrupt a counselor's daily routine.

Student needs and the needs of the school overall often take priority over scheduled meetings. Parent phone calls, staff concerns, talks in classrooms, and unexpected counseling needs can all be disruptive.

A successful counselor should:

Leave gaps in their day for unscheduled needs.

Use good time management techniques.

Set reasonable boundaries. Know what is worthy of an interruption, and what can wait.

Communicate clearly. Inform students, parents, and faculty of schedules and boundaries.

By remaining flexible, a counselor can better manage the stress inherent in the job and be more responsive when needs arise unexpectedly.

Having a Sense of Humor

Being able to see things from the side of humor has a number of advantages. It lets students see that the counselor is human and can not only laugh at situations but laugh at themselves as well.

This is frequently one of the biggest assets in building student trust and developing a relationship with them. It is often how those students relate to adults, whether through jokes or humorous anecdotes that illustrate a point the counselor is trying to get across.

Humor is also a stress reliever. Being able to see the humorous side of interruptions and other daily situations allows a counselor to relax and keep anxiety from taking over many scenarios.

It takes a combination of many leadership traits to make a school counselor effective. They must use listening skills and offer empathy in order to build relationships. A counselor must also perform assessments and coordinate activities and educational efforts. These duties mean they must remain flexible and exercise authority when appropriate.

Not one of these traits alone is enough, and no one is equally adept in all of them. They are taught and can be learned in a Master of Arts in Counseling with an emphasis in school counseling like the one offered by Wake Forest University. This graduate degree will prepare you for a career as a school counselor in almost any setting.
Sources: 1 2 3 ⁴ American Counseling Association, Assessment Skills for School Counselors Mind Tools, Empathy at Work Education World, School Counselors Reflective On What Makes Them Effective Fast Company, 5 Ways To Improve Your Listening Skills

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Leadership Traits Every Counselor Should Have

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Far from simply setting up student schedules and administering placement and academic evaluation tests, school counselors are leaders who can have a huge impact on the acceleration and the enhancement of learning. They must possess the ability to negotiate, persuade others their ideas are worthwhile, and collaborate with principals and other school officials.

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https://www.nu.edu/resources/management-101-understanding-organizational-leadership/

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Vision. Strategy. Empathy. These are just a few of the characteristics you might find in a good leader - and leadership is a skill in high demand in today's business world.

According to a 2016 poll published by leadership development platform Elucidat, 77% of companies are experiencing a leadership gap. Deloitte's 2016 Human Capital Trends report found that 56% of the companies surveyed were not ready to meet their leadership needs. And a 2017 report from The Brandon Hall Group revealed that 83% of organizations say it's essential to develop leaders at all levels.

With companies of all types and sizes focus on leadership throughout their organizations - not just at the top - degrees in organizational leadership are growing in popularity.

What's the Difference Between Leadership vs. Management?

The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) defines leadership as:
The process by which an individual determines direction, influences a group, and directs the group toward a specific goal or mission.
Further, SHRM explains leadership is not a position, but instead, a behavior. This is often what distinguishes managers from leaders. A manager might be at the top of an organizational chart; leaders are found all across, up, and down that same chart. Managers oversee people and processes, whereas leaders might inspire and coach colleagues at the same or other levels as them.

A leader can be a manager, but not all managers are leaders. A 2016 Gallup poll discovered only 18% of managers "demonstrate a high level of talent for managing others." That same poll estimated that the lack of leadership costs U.S. companies more than $550 billion per year.

Is there a difference between leadership and organizational leadership, though? Kind of. Organizational leadership refers to the overarching field of a person (the leader) strategically guiding and managing a group of people (the organization) to meet a common goal. Organizational leaders focus on the company AND its individuals. They are business savvy, innovative, and they are also strong communicators associated with "softer" skills and characteristics such as vision, emotional intelligence, and ethics.

Traits of Leaders: Can Leadership Be Learned?

Some people are indeed born leaders, but SHRM stresses that "people can learn leadership behaviors." That's why degrees in organizational leadership are so valuable; these programs can help shape ambitious people into the leaders they wish to be.

According to SHRM, the ideal leader is:
flexible, proactive, analytical, strategic, culturally competent, and adept at competitive positioning.
SHRM also references a study by consultants Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman, in which the pair interviewed more than 300,000 business leaders. In this research, they found the following were the most important leadership traits:

Inspires and motivates others.

Displays high integrity and honesty.

Solves problems and analyzes issues.

Drives for results.

Communicates powerfully and prolifically.

Builds relationships.

Displays technical or professional expertise.

Displays a strategic perspective.

Develops others.

Innovates.

As you can see, many of these traits are personal, whereas we'd likely see more process-oriented items on a top management skills list. While some of the softer leadership skills may come naturally to people, other aspects, such as analytics, research, and cultural competency, can indeed be learned or improved upon in a leadership degree program.

What Will I Learn in an Organizational Leadership Degree Program?

In a bachelor-level organizational leadership degree program, you'll fulfill general education requirements, learn general business and management principles, and then dive into more specific organizational leadership classes.

Some of the primer courses and topics you might take include legal aspects of business, principles of management, human resources and organizational development, public relations, and persuasion. When you get into your major coursework, specific organizational leadership courses at National University include:

Leading diverse groups and teams.

Adaptive leadership and change.

Conflict/negotiation for leaders.

Ethics and decision making.

Classic studies of leadership.

Research for leaders.

As in most degree programs, you'll also complete a final senior project which allows you to bring together everything you've learned.

In an online degree program like National's, you will explore leadership strategies, decision-making approaches, negotiating techniques, ethical implications of leadership choices, and individual and group dynamics. At its core, though, an organizational leadership bachelor's degree program will help you define your own leadership style.

Uncovering the Leader in You: Types of Leadership Styles

You've probably heard people talk about the difference between a leader and a manager, but you might not yet be aware of how many styles of leadership there are. One of the most fulfilling parts of attending an organizational leadership bachelor's or master's program is to discover who you are, or who you want to be, as a leader.

Depending on who you ask or what list you reference, you might discover anywhere from six to 13 types of leaders. Here are just a few:

Transactional Leader

As its name implies, transactional leadership involves rewards and punishments in exchange for completing (or not completing) a task. A sales position - with a tiered commission structure - might come to mind when thinking about a transactional leadership environment. A rewards-based system can be motivating, and many workers might thrive in an environment with clear expectations and a set structure. However, this rigid style is not right for everyone, especially workers who would like to contribute ideas to their company.

Transformative Leader

Transformative leaders are known for inspiring innovation within their teams and, in general, for empowering and encouraging employees. In this environment, leaders trust their workers and give them plenty of autonomy. However, not all corporate environments embrace this type of leadership.

Servant Leadership

Servant leaders put others first. They're called to lead organizations because they sincerely want to help employees or a company reach their goals. In servant leadership, it's more important to the leader to develop employees rather than focus on elevating themselves. Morale is often high in these environments, but putting themselves last is not something that comes easily to all leaders.

Democratic Leadership

Democratic leadership is also called participative leadership because these leaders involve everyone's voice. Teams led by democratic leaders often discuss ideas and equally contribute to decisions and tasks. Democratic leaders often make their team members feel valued; however, one of the cons of this style is that achieving consensus can sometimes be inefficient.

Autocratic Leadership

This style is the opposite of democratic leadership. Autocratic leaders make decisions on behalf of their teams. As authoritarians, these leaders tell their employees what to do and how to do it; they ask for little-to-no input. More rigid than other styles, autocratic leadership has the benefit of quicker decision-making and a clear chain of command. However, more creative employees may feel uninspired in this environment.

Bureaucratic Leadership

This leadership style could be defined as being "by the book." The power in these types of positions come more with the formal job title rather than personal traits. For example, a bureaucratic leader usually comes into their position due to seniority. Companies that have this type of leadership style generally also have clear management processes in place. The stability of such a systematic approach is one of the positive aspects of bureaucratic leadership; however, this style also leaves little flexibility or creativity.

Charismatic Leadership

Charismatic leaders are visionaries, and they're known for their inspirational approach to getting a team excited about reaching a shared goal. Charismatic leaders are also often transformative leaders. These leaders have big personalities and a contagious spirit, and that's a plus for many organizations. Because a charismatic leader often becomes the face of the company, turnover not only impacts internal morale, but it can impact the public image.

Laissez-Faire Leadership

The laissez-faire leadership style is considered "hands-off." This type of leader will give their teams what they need to succeed but then will trust their employees to get things done. While they put much of the day-to-day in the hands of their employees, they still take full responsibility for their team. Many employees thrive in this independent environment, but it might not be the best leadership style for workers who aren't self-starters. Laissez-faire leaders also run the risk of becoming too passive.

When you read through this list of leadership types, do you recognize yourself in one or more of these? If you're looking to hone your leadership skills or if your goal is to find a more effective leadership style, an organizational leadership degree can help.

Careers in Organizational Leadership

An organizational leadership degree isn't reserved for people who want to become CEOs, directors, and top-level managers. Remember, according to SHRM, leadership is a behavior, not a position. Anyone in any workplace could become a leader, no matter their job title. Also, some people might not have an interest in moving into a management role per se, but still wish to contribute to an organization at a higher level or in a more strategic way. That's why an organizational leadership degree is helpful for anyone at any stage in their career.

It's also important to point out that companies and organizations of all kinds - and all of the departments and divisions within them - need leaders. No matter what your career interests or passions are, you could seek a leadership position. Still, we'll look at a few common positions people might pursue after earning a bachelor's degree in organizational leadership:

Training and development managers.

Training and development specialists/corporate trainer.

Project manager.

Human resource managers.

Human resources specialists.

Sales managers.

Marketing manager.

Management analysts.

Management consultant.

Military officer.

Recruiter.

Remember: you don't need to have "manager" or "leader" in your title to lead and motivate others. Earning a degree in organizational leadership can expand your career potential and help you excel in any position. Looking at degrees in organizational leadership might also be an excellent exercise for budding entrepreneurs.

Veteran Opportunities: Your Next Career Move

When people think of famous leaders, some of our nation's notable military figures might come to mind. In fact, the strategic thinking used in business, and even sports, today is derived from concepts created in the armed services.

Founded by veterans, National University has a strong veteran and active-duty military student population, and organizational behavior is a popular program among this group. G.I. Jobs listed a few leadership-related positions on its "2018 Hot Jobs for Veterans" list, including:

Operations manager.

First-line supervisor - mechanics.

First-line supervisor - office or administrative jobs.

First-line supervisor - transportation/logistics.

Sales representative.

Financial sales.

Human resources manager.

If you are a veteran, opportunities in leadership could be awaiting you! Consider exploring an online degree in organizational leadership and how National University helps veterans reach their next challenge in this blog post.

Advancing Your Education in Organizational Leadership

If you already have your bachelor's degree or if you plan to continue to graduate school, a master's in organizational leadership can help advance your knowledge, skills, and career. A graduate degree in this field dives even deeper into leadership theory and includes more advanced classes such as conflict and power dynamics, consulting and assessments, and developing groups and teams.

There's a difference between managing and leading. If leading a company or team of any size appeals to you, National University's Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership might be a good fit for you. Learn more about this online degree program here.

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Management 101: Understanding Organizational Leadership - National University

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Vision. Strategy. Empathy. These are just a few of the characteristics you might find in a good leader - and leadership is a skill in high demand in today's business world. According to a 2016 poll published by leadership development platform Elucidat, 77% of companies are experiencing a leadership gap.

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https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/organizational-leadership-skills

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Many think of leadership in terms of the outward qualities that enable someone to command a room. In business, a lot more is required of leaders than just extroversion and the ability to influence others.

Organizational leadership requires a well-rounded skill set and foundational knowledge of business, strategy formulation and execution, and interpersonal skills. For aspiring executives-as well as entrepreneurs and others who want to lead large teams-a commitment to developing those skills is paramount.

Here's what organizational leadership means in business, four skills needed to lead an organization successfully, and who can benefit from developing those skills.

Free E-Book: How to Become a More Effective Leader

Access your free e-book today.

What Is Organizational Leadership?

Traditionally, leadership is thought of as a set of outward-facing capabilities that allow you to bring out the best in colleagues, along with an inward self-awareness to appreciate your impact on others.

Organizational leadership is slightly more nuanced than team leadership, as it refers to the skills and qualities needed to run an entire division, department, or company. While the broader understanding of leadership focuses more on interpersonal skills needed to organize team members around a common goal, successful organizational leadership requires a certain level of business acumen. In other words, those aspiring to organizational leadership roles must deliver traditional leadership skills at scale.

6 Leadership Skills You Need for Business Success

Who Needs Organizational Leadership Skills?

All professionals-no matter their position-need leadership skills to succeed in their careers. Yet, organizational leadership skills are particularly important for the following:

Aspiring executives: Successfully running a division, department, or entire organization requires specific leadership skills. As an aspiring executive, you need to know how to execute the strategy guiding your organization.

Experienced team leaders: If you already have experience leading a team, developing your organizational leadership skills is the next step toward applying your knowledge at scale.

Entrepreneurs: As an entrepreneur, your leadership skills are an integral component of your business's success. You need a strong foundation in organizational leadership to build your business from the ground up and adapt to change as the company grows and faces new challenges.

Organizational Leadership Skills and Qualities

1. An Understanding of Your Business

To lead your organization to success, you need a clear understanding of its inner workings, as well as the context in which it operates. This includes external forces, such as industry trends and changes in consumer behavior and preferences.

It's also important to look inward to understand your organization's structure and dynamics. If a misalignment exists between the internal and external forces shaping the business, it can be detrimental to its success.

Using your analysis of those internal and external forces, you need to develop a vision for your division, unit, or company and inspire those around you to execute on it. This requires communication with every level of your organization and leading through other managers. This is particularly challenging in contexts with dispersed teams and multi-site operations-especially in an age defined by remote work.

2. Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential to organizational leadership.

Other interpersonal skills, like emotional intelligence, active listening, and delegation, are also necessary to organize your team around common goals. You must be able to shape your organization's architecture to execute on your vision, which requires aligning its people, culture, and systems to deliver on tasks that create value and help your company grow.

3. Change Management and Innovation

To be a successful organizational leader, you need to manage change effectively.

One of your main goals should be to execute your vision and strategy and lead your organization to success. To do so, changes throughout your company will likely need to be made.

Unsurprisingly, communication plays an important role in change management. There are, however, many other components that come into play. For example, organization and a keen eye for detail are essential to keeping your strategy on track. Additionally, you need to identify opportunities for positive change, define a strategy to implement that change, and garner colleagues' support.

How to Communicate Organizational Change

4. Self-Awareness and Personal Development

Finally, becoming a strong organizational leader requires self-awareness and a commitment to continuous personal development.

If you want to become a better leader, conducting a self-assessment of your strengths and weaknesses is a great starting point. To do so, pay attention to your leadership style, and don't be afraid to ask for feedback from colleagues. After you've identified your strengths and weaknesses, you can devise a plan to hone your skills.

By committing to personal development and understanding there will always be room for improvement, you can rise to the expanded responsibilities of your role and navigate challenges as they come.

How to Create a Leadership Development Plan

Developing Your Organizational Leadership Skills

The first step to succeeding in your future role is developing your organizational leadership skills so you can drive change at scale.

No matter your current position, pursuing a leadership training program is a worthwhile approach to honing your organizational leadership skills-whether you're an aspiring executive, entrepreneur, or just looking to expand your knowledge.
3 Benefits of Leadership Training for Professionals
Taking an online course, such as Organizational Leadership, provides opportunities to assess your current skill set, identify improvement goals, and apply your learning. The course equips learners with the skills necessary to deliver on organizational responsibilities and personally develop to effectively lead divisions, units, and organizations. Participants in the course learn how to assess the context in which their organization operates and craft an effective statement of direction using vision, purpose, strategy, and identity.
Do you want to enhance your leadership skills? Explore Organizational Leadership and our other online leadership and management courses to discover how you can become a more effective leader and unleash the potential in yourself and others.

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4 Organizational Leadership Skills for Aspiring Executives

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Many think of leadership in terms of the outward qualities that enable someone to command a room. In business, a lot more is required of leaders than just extroversion and the ability to influence others. Organizational leadership requires a well-rounded skill set and foundational knowledge of business, strategy formulation and execution, and interpersonal skills.

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How to Determine Your Personal Leadership Philosophy

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How to Determine Your Personal Leadership Philosophy

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https://www.physicianleaders.org/news/how-determine-your-personal-leadership-philosophy

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Take the needed time to thoughtfully answer some pertinent questions and begin to design the kind of leader you would like to be. One ship sails east and another sails west,
With the selfsame winds that blow;
'Tis the set of the sails and not the gales
That tells them where to go. Like the winds of the sea are the winds of time,
As we journey along through life;
'Tis the set of the soul that determines the goal,
And not the calm or the strife.
If our sails are set correctly, our personal leadership philosophy - not the gales we encounter every day - will tell us where to go.

To develop an effective leadership philosophy, we first need to look at what we mean by the term, "transformational leader." No matter whether our title is leader or manager, we need to be transformational. A transformational leader is one who is capable of leading the organization from one paradigm to the next.

A paradigm is the way we think. The way we do things. The way we approach things. In health care today we need a new model. We need to think differently. We need to do things differently. We need a new paradigm. The paradigm of the past will not work in the future. Our leaders need to be able to lead us from the paradigm of the past to the paradigm of the future. Transformational leaders lead to the next paradigm.

For a transformational leader to be successful, three things are necessary:

1. The transformational leader must choose the correct next paradigm. It is clear to the transformational leader that something must change. The organization needs a new paradigm to thrive in the future. But what should that paradigm be?

In the 1980s, IBM was a mainframe computer company. IBM was also in trouble because, as urban commentator David Stein has pointed out, the "past was gone, and the present was full of confusion." The leaders of IBM made the decision that the company needed to change paradigms, and needed to do it quickly. IBM decided to make laptops, and the Think Pad was born. It was a very successful move from the paradigm of the past to an effective paradigm for the future.

As leaders and managers, you must be alert to the symptoms of instability while the organization is between paradigms. Watch out for the little things. Stay focused on what you must do and take care of each other.

2. The transformational leader must motivate the organization to make the paradigm leap along with him or her. We all prefer things the way we are used to. Changing to a new paradigm is scary. Every organization will resist change. A transformational leader is able to motivate the organization to take a deep breath and make the big leap, believing that the new paradigm, chosen by its leaders, is the right thing to do and, in fact, is the only thing to do.

3. A transformational leader must inspire the organization to hold together while in the very dangerous transition phase between paradigms. We have left the security of doing things the way we did in the past. We have not yet settled into the new way to respond to the future. People get uncomfortable. Things can blow up. Life in the organization is not stable. People get emotional and tense. Actions or comments are easily misinterpreted. Flare-ups occur. Little things become big.

As leaders and managers, you must be alert to the symptoms of instability while the organization is between paradigms. Watch out for the little things. Stay focused on what you must do and take care of each other.

If you are unsuccessful in making the transition between paradigms, it will be because you did not take care of each other. Leaders, managers and supervisors all play a key role in the transformation. Leaders cannot do it alone. Managers and supervisors make it happen.
Philosophical Moment
One of the most important things you can do to become effective leaders and managers is to think about, define and then articulate your own personal leadership philosophy. Here are three reasons why it can become the key to your effectiveness.

1. Your personal leadership philosophy gives you consistency. Without a leadership philosophy, your actions and your reactions will reflect the tensions of the moment. "We never know how he might respond or what she might say." The reason is that the leader does not know what his or her leadership philosophy is. With a leadership philosophy that you know and understand, your actions and responses are filtered through your philosophy. They are in context. They are predictable. There is less fear of the unknown in the organization. Your philosophy gives you consistency.

2. Your leadership philosophy becomes your true north. Everything you do, everything you say, every action, every decision, every plan is filtered through your philosophy. Your philosophy becomes your rudder. It helps you to maintain the right direction. It keeps you from straying. It is your compass. It keeps you from losing effectiveness.

3. Your leadership philosophy will connect you to your work. Your philosophy is all about your own personal mission and who you are as a leader or manager. If you are not clear on your personal mission, your role as a leader will not be clear. If you are not clear yourself on who you are, the people you lead will not be clear on what you are about. Your personal leadership philosophy must incorporate your own personal mission. It must also incorporate who you are as a human being.

But then, if your own personal mission is in sync with your organization's mission, and who you are as a person is in sync with your organization's values, your leadership philosophy will connect you to your work. And very few things are more fulfilling in life than being connected.

It is important to understand that your leadership philosophy will be a work in progress. It will evolve as you mature as a leader. It will change as you study and think about leadership. You need to be thinking about your personal philosophy, you need to grapple with it, chew on it. If you cannot articulate your leadership philosophy, your goal should be to get started creating one.

First, you need to spend some time (months, not minutes) thinking about who you are and what you believe. Think about your relationship with those you lead. Think about how you get things done.

More accurately, for each of these, think not about who you are now or how you do things now, but rather who you want to be and what you want your relationship with your employees to be, and how you want to go about getting things done.

When you are creating your personal philosophy, it is not necessarily a description of who and what you are now, but rather an opportunity to design who and what you want to be as a leader. Then you can start moving in that direction.

Your leadership philosophy should be encompassing enough that it can be applied to every aspect of your daily activity as a leader. You should be able to filter every action, every decision, every response through your philosophy. You should be able to apply your philosophy to every issue, every problem and every opportunity.

For your philosophy to meet these criteria, it needs to consist of three essential components:

1. A philosophy is defined as a system of principles for guidance in practical affairs. This first and overarching component consists of a description of the basic principles that guide you in your practical affairs of leadership, principles upon which your actions, decisions and responses are based.

Principles are a guiding sense of the requirements and obligations of right conduct. They provide a personal and specific basis for conduct and/or management. These principles derive from your values, from whom you want to be as a person, a leader and a mentor. These principles could be called your mental model.

You must have thought through and be able to clearly articulate the principles upon which your philosophy is based. Always be asking yourself the question, "Is this particular decision, this particular action, firmly rooted in my principles of leadership?

2. Your leadership philosophy also should address the desired results or outcomes you are striving for as a leader. Here we are not talking about your annual objectives or particular projects or even the level in the organizational hierarchy that you hope to achieve. Rather, at a higher and more encompassing level, what do you, as a leader, hope to accomplish throughout your career as a result of your leadership. What drives your leadership activities? What is your personal mission for your career? The question then becomes, "Will this decision or action move my organization in the direction of my desired results?"

3. The third component is a description of what you envision your leadership style, your method of operation (M.O.) to be. Not necessarily what it is right now. It is a description of the process and approach that you would like to be using consistently, based upon your principles, to achieve the desired outcomes described in component two. Ask the question, "Will this process or approach move my people in the direction of my desired results?"
The Bottom Line
The bottom line regarding your personal leadership philosophy is: Will it enable you to consistently make the right decisions (principle-based), the right responses and the right actions for every issue, problem or opportunity that you encounter as a leader? If so, does it have transformative potential? Your leadership philosophy should be clear, concise and principle-based. It should have transformational potential.

Here are the kinds of questions you should be asking yourself as you think through your leadership philosophy:

Can you define your critical principles and beliefs that impact your ability as a leader?

What do you stand for that becomes important as a leader?

How do you define your role in your organization?

What are your goals? Not programmatic, but personal, as a leader.

What is your personal leadership vision?

As a leader, how can you contribute to transforming your organization?

Other questions to think about deal with your relationship to those you lead:

How do you motivate your people?

How do your people know how well they have done when they go home at night?

How do you encourage your people?

How do you affirm your people?

How much autonomy do you give your people?

Do you demonstrate respect and compassion toward your people every day?

The final questions have to do with your leadership style. How you do things:

How do you approach problem solving?

How do you approach conflict?

How do you respond to employee mistakes?

How do you prioritize your activities?

How do you teach your people?

Take some time and begin to write out your real-world responses to each of these categories. Your responses need to be something that can get traction, not some pie-in-the-sky generality. You can begin to design the kind of leader you would like to be.

We began with Ella Wilcox's poem, which asserts that it is the set of the soul that decides the goal, and not the calm nor the strife. I am suggesting that for each of us as leaders and managers, it is the internal set of our own personal leadership philosophy that decides the goal, and not the day-to-day events that confront us.

I encourage you to take the development of your leadership philosophy very seriously. It is an important key to your personal effectiveness.

Dale Benson, MD, CPE, FAAPL, is the former vice president of innovation, quality and practice management, and director of the leadership development institute at AltaMed Health Services in Los Angeles, California. He was the founder, and for 30 years, the CEO of HealthNet, a community health center network in Indianapolis, Indiana.
REFERENCE
Ella Wheeler Wilcox. In the Best Loved Poems of the American People. New York, NY: Knoph Doubleday Publishing Group, 1936

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How to Determine Your Personal Leadership Philosophy

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Take the needed time to thoughtfully answer some pertinent questions and begin to design the kind of leader you would like to be. One ship sails east and another sails west, With the selfsame winds that blow;'Tis the set of the sails and not the galesThat tells them where to go.

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6 Questions for Determining Your Leadership Philosophy 

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6 Questions for Determining Your Leadership Philosophy 

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https://productcoalition.com/6-questions-for-determining-your-leadership-philosophy-fabdfacec5b3

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I've had multiple occasions recently to reflect on my own leadership philosophy. Not only have I been asked about it explicitly, but in several conversations with friends and others, the topic of leadership has come up with both positive and negative examples. This got me examining my leadership style and the principles that make up my overall philosophy.

Reflecting on your philosophy can be a surprisingly useful exercise, because we don't often examine many of the underlying tenets that govern our actions. But as we do reflect on it, we can begin to uncover not only our own beliefs and principles, but also the principles we value in our own leaders and managers.

When I think of a philosophy in general, it is the set of principles and beliefs that govern our actions and direction. It is made up of many different pieces that are all intertwined, guiding us through various situations.

So a leadership philosophy is made up of the core principles that govern the actions of a leader. Not only what they do, but the vision that they set and the policies they put in place to guide others.

I often see "philosophy" confused for "style". While style will be influenced by philosophy, they are not the same. Style may be the implementation of philosophy, but it is not equivalent. Additionally, style can be much more determined by situation while the underlying philosophy, though subject to reflection and revision, should not be changing situationally. It should be much more resilient and all-purpose.

Everyone has a philosophy, even if they don't determine explicitly what it is. All of our thoughts and actions, especially when it comes to leadership, govern our direction. So even without determining or reflecting on a leadership philosophy, you have one. You just may not know exactly what it is or how it drives your decisions.

By taking time to reflect (and write out) your philosophy, you can begin to have a much better understanding of the forces driving your decisions and leadership.

Additionally, you can start to measure where your philosophy and implementation may not be aligned. Are there practices you currently have as a leader that don't measure up to where you'd like to be? Determining your philosophy and reflecting on it gives you the perfect opportunity to ensure they are aligned. Or what you may need to do if they aren't aligned.

But what if you aren't currently in a leadership or management role? For product managers reading this, hopefully you already recognize that even without managerial authority, you are in a critical leadership role. For others, I'd likely argue that you too are in positions of leadership, even if it's not readily apparent.

Regardless, most of us likely have managers and leaders in some capacity. By understanding our own leadership philosophy, we can better recognize the underlying principles guiding our managers. This is important for working with managers and fulfilling our responsibilities. But it is also critical in determining where we will work best. If your leaders and managers don't have principles that align with your own, how can you expect to do your best work long-term? Ensuring that we determine our own philosophy and then find leaders who also align with our principles is crucial to our individual success and happiness.

As I was thinking about this topic and fleshing out my own philosophy, I asked myself a series of questions that helped me begin to articulate my own philosophy. Here are some of the topics I used to help me determine my philosophy:

1. How do I currently lead on my team and in my organization? It's helpful to take stock of what you currently do in order to understand why you do it.

2. How would I like to be perceived as a leader? This helps uncover additional principles that you may find important to your philosophy.

3. What gaps are there between what I do and what I would like to do? Are there gaps? If so, why?

4. What leaders do I admire and why? Understanding the philosophy of others and why you admire it will help you uncover your own philosophy. This can be famous leaders, or leaders you know personally.

5. What leaders do I dislike and why? This can also be famous leaders or leaders within your organization. I often find that the best examples for me are the ones that help me understand what not to do.

6. What are my personal principles? Your personal principles should align with your leadership principles and philosophy. This is, of course, your philosophy, so it needs to align with your values.

As I've had the opportunity to reflect on the principles of leadership that I value, I've been able to articulate my overarching philosophy and the underlying principles. I go more in-depth on my own philosophy in my post My Leadership Philosophy & Principles, but I'll summarize it here as well:
Get the right people working on the right thing in the right way - and get everything else out of their way.
The key underlying principles for my philosophy are:

1. Get the right people

2. Establish principles and live them

3. Set the vision

4. Define the framework

5. Give continuous feedback and recognition

6. Get everything else out of the way

Not only is this the way I try and lead, but it is how I want to be led as well. Understanding that and articulating it are critical as I continue to lead various teams and take on more leadership roles, but also in understanding the kinds of leaders I want to work with.

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6 Questions for Determining Your Leadership Philosophy

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I've had multiple occasions recently to reflect on my own leadership philosophy. Not only have I been asked about it explicitly, but in several conversations with friends and others, the topic of leadership has come up with both positive and negative examples. This got me examining my leadership style and the principles that make up my overall philosophy.