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Deliberate

Respect - Approachable

Listen - Learn - Empower

Communicate - Flexible - Honest - Collaborate

Looking back at my Pyramid with the knowledge that I have now, I can see what I was trying to get across. That first pyramid is a reactionary one, based on my own bad experiences with leadership. It is what I wanted in the leader I needed at that point in time.

Now, at the end of this course, my thoughts on what a leader needs have changed a fair bit. I understand that communication and a collaborative environment won't work without putting in the effort to show respect to your team and making yourself an approachable figure.

I realize now that these lacking "leaders" from my past were not really leaders, they were simply people in a position to tell me what to do. A leader is much more than a title, it's how you present yourself to those around you, how you treat others, and how you approach problems and difficult situations. I understand that leadership is a lifelong journey, and that there are many different ways to be a leader. My idea of what a leader is has been greatly challenged by this course, in the best way possible. I understand that it's about your integrity more than your presence that makes a leader, which is important for someone who brings quiet leadership to the table.

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Characteristics I see in myself:
Intelligent
Cooperative
Fair Minded

Characteristics I want to see in a Leader:
Caring
Competent
Purposeful
Respectful
Honest
Forward Thinking

I found this exercise very interesting, specifically because none of the characteristics I want to see in a leader lined up with any that I chose to describe myself.

While part of me understands this comes from a time when I did not have leaders I admired in my life, I feel that it has set a very high standard for me to try and live up to. I intend to look at this in an inspirational way, rather than as a failing on my part. These are going up on my bulletin board at work as something to work towards.

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One thing I discovered going through this term of the course is that I have been trying to change the organizational culture of my library without realizing it. When I started, I realized that there was a lot of hostility between the different levels of the organization, the staff, the Board, the Township, and the Council. In my head, I was working to change the vibe, getting all of these groups to listen and work together for the benefit of the library. Now I understand that I was trying to change the culture of the library, and for the most part, I think I have been fairly successful. While it took a lot of work, some staffing changes, and, quite frankly, some luck, I am well on my way to creating an organizational culture that is the one that I have always wanted to work in.

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"The ageless essence of Leadership is to create an alignment of strengths in ways that make a system weakness irrelevant." Peter Drucker

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Lean Out: A Meditation on the Madess of Modern Life - Tara Henley

Playing Big - Tara Mohr

#girlboss - Sophia Amoussa

The Four Tendencies - Gretchen Rubin

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2 Minute Essy on What I Bring to the Table in Terms of Leadership

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2 Minute Essy on What I Bring to the Table in Terms of Leadership

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I want to be the type of leader that always has their door open for people to come and talk to. Because of this I make a point of encouraging my staff to voice their ideas and concerns at all times. I want them to know that while I may not use their suggestion, I am always available to hear what they have to say.

I also feel like I bring a quiet leadership to the table. I am an introvert and I do not like to be the center of attention, which is why I prefer to guide my staff when we are discussing a new course of action. I tell them what what the goal is, and let them brainstorm on ways for us to get there. Creating a collaborative working environment is very important to me.

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Deliberate

Collaborative - Communicate

Listen - Empower - Flexible

Respect - Honest - Learn - Approachable

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Completed at the beginning of the APLL Course. I am going to be very interested to see the changes between this and the one I assume we will be doing at the end of the course.