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

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

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

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

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

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Emotional Intelligence Test - Global Leadership Foundation

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Free emotional intelligence test developed by Global Leadership Foundation

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Emotional Intelligence & Leadership Article

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Emotional Intelligence & Leadership Article

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Anyone trying to come up to speed on emotional intelligence would have a pretty easy time of it since the concept is remarkably recent, and its application to business newer still. The term was coined in 1990 in a research paper by two psychology professors, John D. Mayer of UNH and Peter Salovey of Yale. Some years later, Mayer defined it in HBR this way:

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How Emotional Intelligence Became a Key Leadership Skill

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A reading list to bring you up to speed.

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School Counselor's Leading With Self Compassion Article

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School Counselor's Leading With Self Compassion Article

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School Counselor's Leading With Self Compassion

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Mindsets and Practices of the Contemporary School Counselor : A Practical Guide

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Mindsets and Practices of the Contemporary School Counselor : A Practical Guide

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Strengths Based Practices in Education Article

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Strengths Based Practices in Education Article

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SAGE Reference - The SAGE Encyclopedia of Contemporary Early Childhood Education

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Strengths-based education and practice (SBEP) is a conceptual perspective and approach that promotes identification and appreciation of individual, group, and community interests, goals, and strengths through active, collaborative partnerships. Professionals who implement this approach assume that every individual, family, school, and community has power and resources to resolve challenges, achieve goals, learn, and thrive.

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Lubet, S. (2022, October 19). Opinion: A free-speech scandal at Berkeley Law. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://www.chronicle.com/article/a-free-speech-scandal-at-berkeley-law 

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Lubet, S. (2022, October 19). Opinion: A free-speech scandal at Berkeley Law. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved November 6, 2022, from https://www.chronicle.com/article/a-free-speech-scandal-at-berkeley-law 

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The University of California's Berkeley campus has been a hotbed of leftist politics since at least the early 1960s, so it is unsurprising that students at its prestigious law school have long embraced the cause of Palestinian rights. It was shocking, however, when the latest expression of anti-Israel sentiment veered into territory so extreme that even the law school's progressive dean, Erwin Chemerinsky, observed that it could be seen as antisemitic. Although the students had not in any sense established "Jewish-free zones," as some overheated commentaries called them, what they did was bad enough. Nine law-school affinity organizations, nominally representing a majority of the student body, adopted a bylaw providing that they will not "lend platforms to speakers" who "have professed or continue to hold" Zionist views.

Yes, you read that correctly. The bylaw does not simply prohibit pro-Israel presentations at the organizations' events. It bans speakers on any topic who happen to support the existence of Israel - a category that encompasses more than 80 percent of the world's Jews, and includes many Berkeley Law students and faculty. As Chemerinsky remarked in an email to students, "Indeed, taken literally, this would mean that I could not be invited to speak because I support the existence of Israel, though I condemn many of its policies." For the same reason, I would also be unable to speak to the student groups about my research on 19th-century abolitionist lawyers, notwithstanding my decades of support for the anti-occupation movement within Israel. (Disclosure: I am a 1973 alumnus of Berkeley Law.)

The bylaw was part of a package of policies promoted by Law Students for Justice in Palestine, in conjunction with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. It goes far beyond other academic boycotts, which claim to be aimed only at Israeli organizations, because it bars individual speakers on the basis of their beliefs, no matter how unrelated to the subject matter at hand. The American Studies Association, for example, has explained that its BDS resolution does not apply to "individual scholars, students, or cultural workers" who will still "be able to participate in the ASA conference or give public lectures at campuses," so long as they are not expressly representing the Israeli government or universities.

The sweeping prohibition - enacted by the Muslim Student Association, Queer Caucus at Berkeley, Women of Berkeley Law, Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, Law Students of African Descent, and others - violates the basic values of free speech and open inquiry, which lie at the heart of law practice and legal education. Thus, a group of Berkeley Law faculty recently issued a public statement condemning "the discriminatory bylaw" for "refusing to accept speakers who have Zionist views or beliefs." The bylaw, they add, "is not only wrong but is antithetical to free speech and our community values." By prohibiting speakers who support the existence of Israel, the bylaw "would also impermissibly exclude a large majority of our faculty from participating in the work of these organizations."

Law Students for Justice in Palestine defended the prohibition. The group argues that "free speech and the exchange of ideas cannot be romanticized when the byproduct of such rhetoric causes harm to marginalized communities," evidently meaning that the background beliefs of a pro-Israel speaker, even if unexpressed, will cause unspecified "harm to Palestinians."

The discriminatory consequences of that position, not to mention its sheer ridiculousness, have led to calls for sanctions against the adopting organizations and accountability for the law school, on the ground that "discriminatory conduct, including anti-Zionist exclusions, is not protected as free speech" and may thus be prohibited under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

That is not so. Writing in The Daily Beast, Dean Chemerinsky explained that the offending student groups have exercised their own First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and association. "I find their statement offensive," he said, "but they have the right to say it. To punish these student groups, or students, for their speech would clearly violate the Constitution." Eugene Volokh, the prominent free-speech scholar at the University of California at Los Angeles, expanded on Chemerinsky's position, noting that "private groups have the First Amendment right to choose whom to invite as speakers based on the speakers' views, even views unrelated to the particular event." Although it might be theoretically possible, Volokh continued, for a university to craft a rule barring "student groups from discriminating based on a speaker's viewpoint that's unrelated to the topic the speaker is discussing," it would be virtually impossible to carry out in practice.

I agree with Chemerinsky and Volokh that the nine student organizations have the right to exclude speakers on the basis of perceived political support for Israel, but that is not the end of the discussion. First Amendment principles protect the groups and their leaders from discipline by the university, but that does not mean they are free from other consequences. At a minimum, university faculty of all persuasions should refuse to speak at events sponsored by the nine organizations, so long as their restrictive bylaw remains in effect.

Law students will soon be lawyers, and most will be seeking employment with law firms, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and state or federal judges. In most instances, students' political views, no matter how questionable or offensive, should be irrelevant to their future employment, but there is one exception.

Federal judges at every level - from the trial courts to the Supreme Court - typically hire as many as four recent law-school graduates as clerks, as do California appellate and Supreme Court justices. Serving for a year or two, judicial clerks support their judges by reviewing case records, summarizing documents, conducting research, making recommendations, and sometimes (depending on the judge) even drafting opinions. Judicial clerkships are among the most prestigious jobs a law-school graduate can get, opening many doors for future positions; the higher the court the better.

Crucially, effective clerks are expected to have many of the qualities necessary to good judging: open-mindedness, willingness to entertain unpopular or contrary viewpoints, the ability to set aside preconceptions, and respect for the free expression of others. That being so, how could a judge or justice ever rely on the assessments or judgment of someone who has been unwilling to simply listen to those with whom they disagree on political issues?

The Berkeley students who have promoted or embraced the "no Zionist speakers" rule have demonstrated utter disregard for the core values essential in a judicial clerk. Their inability to tolerate the mere presence of a speaker who holds uncomfortable beliefs should be disqualifying for a clerkship. The great majority of Berkeley students bear no responsibility for the malicious bylaw, and it would be deeply wrong for a judge to boycott the entire school, as some have foolishly announced they will do in somewhat analogous circumstances at Yale Law School.

But thoughtful judges might well refuse to hire the student leaders who foisted such a discriminatory policy on one of the nation's premier law schools. Although the banned speakers would cause no actual "harm to marginalized communities," intolerant clerks could indeed work great damage in judicial chambers.

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Opinion | A Free-Speech Scandal at Berkeley Law

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The University of California's Berkeley campus has been a hotbed of leftist politics since at least the early 1960s, so it is unsurprising that students at its prestigious law school have long embraced the cause of Palestinian rights.

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ERIC - EJ914879 - Correlational Analysis of Servant Leadership and School Climate, Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice, 2010-Jun

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The purpose of this mixed-method research study was to determine the extent that servant leadership was correlated with perceptions of school climate to identify whether there was a relationship between principals’ and teachers’ perceived practice of servant leadership and of school climate. The stu…

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Madlena, N. (2015). Leader Vs Manager. Influences and Contributions to Team Development. SEA: Practical Application of Science, III(8 (2/2015)), 269–272.

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Madlena, N. (2015). Leader Vs Manager. Influences and Contributions to Team Development. SEA: Practical Application of Science, III(8 (2/2015)), 269–272.

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Do you believe that you can adapt your style? Harvard University professor Ron Heifetz and leadership experts David Rooke and William Torbert say that you can. So let's look in more depth at Lewin's leadership styles, their strengths and risks, and how you might become more skillful in using them.

Authoritarian, Autocratic Leadership

This approach is helpful when your team needs to follow a process "to the letter," to manage a significant risk. It's also effective when you need to be hands-on with people who miss deadlines, in departments where conflict is an issue, or in teams that rely on quick decisions being made.

But you need to be aware that relying on control and punishment to maintain standards will likely drive people away. Similarly, if you always demand that your team works at top speed, you can end up exhausting everyone.

Instead, you can show respect for team members by providing the rationale for your decisions. And they will more likely comply with your expectations if you take the trouble to explain Why the Rules Are There.

You can improve your ability to "lead from the front" by Planning for a Crisis, Thinking on Your Feet, and making good decisions under pressure. But be sure to balance these skills with an awareness of their potential negative impact on creativity, ideas gathering, motivation, and trust within the team.

Being too autocratic can also mean that you'll find it hard to stand back from the detail and take a wider, more strategic view.
Tip:
Democratic, Participative Leadership

With this approach, you set goals, guide team discussions, and make the final decision. But you also acknowledge that your people can have valuable insight into a problem or process, so you actively consult them. As a result, you'll likely gain creative input and fresh ideas that you wouldn't have come up with if you were working alone.

You might wonder how to manage differing opinions in the team, once you've invited participation in this way. Your goal is to build a culture in which people can have healthy debates with one another. So:

Be aware that processes could become dangerously slow if you involve your team members in every decision. You'll need to judge carefully whether you need to adopt a more autocratic approach, even if it's only briefly.

The Delegating, "Laissez Faire" Leader

"Laissez faire" is a French phrase adopted into English that means, "Let (people) do (as they choose)." It describes a policy of leaving situations to run their own course, without interfering.

By adopting this style of leadership, you empower your team to make decisions and to organize its own processes, with little or no guidance. The danger of this approach is that situations can collapse into chaos if your people have low motivation or poor skills. It can work, however, if they are experienced, knowledgeable, confident, creative, and driven, or if deadlines are flexible and processes are simple.

Be in no doubt, though, that as the leader you will still be held accountable for the outcome! So you might want to organize team decision making processes to support your people while you take a "hands off" approach. Just be sure to delegate the right task to the right person, as a mismatch could mean that the whole team fails.

Avoid becoming too remote, even with a high-performing, highly autonomous team. Change can occur at any time in business, so your organization's requirements for your team might shift after your initial brief. If this happens, stay in touch with your people, and communicate clearly and promptly. Remember, you can offer your support without becoming a micromanager!
Further Reading:

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What's Your Leadership Style? - Learn About the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Way You Like to Lead

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Use this quiz to discover your preferred leadership style, and to develop other ways to lead people successfully in different situations.

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The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Book Reviews – The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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What this handout is about This handout will help you write a book review, a report or essay that offers a critical perspective on a text. It offers a process and suggests some strategies for writing book reviews. What is … Read more

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I've spent twenty years studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy, and I recently completed a seven-year study on brave leadership. The goal of Dare to Lead is to share everything we've learned about taking off the armor and showing up as leaders in a skills-based and actionable playbook. Here are a few of the big ideas that emerged from this research:

You can't get to courage without rumbling with vulnerability. Embrace the suck.

Daring leadership is a collection of four skill sets that are 100% teachable, observable, and measurable. The foundational skill set of courage-building is "rumbling with vulnerability." Once we have built these rumbling skills, we can move on to the other three skill sets: Living into Our Values, Braving Trust, and Learning to Rise. Our ability to be daring leaders will never be greater than our capacity for vulnerability.

Self-awareness and self-love matter. Who we are is how we lead.

The greatest barrier to courageous leadership is not fear-it's how we respond to our fear. Our armor-the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that we use to protect ourselves when we aren't willing and able to rumble with vulnerability-move us out of alignment with our values, corrode trust with our colleagues and teams, and prevent us from being our most courageous selves.

To scale daring leadership and build courage in teams and organizations, we have to cultivate a culture in which brave work, tough conversations, and whole hearts are the expectation, and armor is not necessary or rewarded. We have to be vigilant about creating a culture in which people feel safe, seen, heard, and respected.

The skill sets that make up courage are not new; they've been aspirational leadership skills for as long as there have been leaders. We just haven't had the courage for real talk about courage. But it's time. And if you want to call these "soft skills" after you've tried putting them into practice-go for it. I dare you. Until then, find a home for your armor, and I'll see you in the arena.

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Daring leadership requires brave work, tough conversations, and showing up with our whole hearts.

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Benson, D. (2015). Creating Your Personal Leadership Philosophy. Physician Leadership Journal, 2(6), 64–66.

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Benson, D. (2015). Creating Your Personal Leadership Philosophy. Physician Leadership Journal, 2(6), 64–66.

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Garner, H. C. (2012). Developing an Effective Command Philosophy. Military Review, 92(5), 75–81.

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Garner, H. C. (2012). Developing an Effective Command Philosophy. Military Review, 92(5), 75–81.

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Deierlein, T. (2015). Why You Should Have a Written Leadership Philosophy. Leader to Leader, 2015(77), 13–18. https://doi-org.easydb.angelo.edu/10.1002/ltl.20186

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Deierlein, T. (2015). Why You Should Have a Written Leadership Philosophy. Leader to Leader, 2015(77), 13–18. https://doi-org.easydb.angelo.edu/10.1002/ltl.20186

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Education Week Current Leadership Articles

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Education Week Current Leadership Articles

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Education news, analysis, and opinion about effective school and district leadership.

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Magazines - American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 | VOLUME 60 | NUMBER 2

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Wingfield, R., Reese, R., & West-Olatunji, C. (2010). Counselors as Leaders in Schools. Florida Journal of Educational Administration & Policy, 4(1), 114–130. 

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Wingfield, R., Reese, R., & West-Olatunji, C. (2010). Counselors as Leaders in Schools. Florida Journal of Educational Administration & Policy, 4(1), 114–130. 

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Top 8 Leadership Books by Forbes Magazine

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Top 8 Leadership Books by Forbes Magazine

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This story was written in collaboration with Forbes Finds. Forbes Finds covers products we think you'll love. Featured products are independently selected and linked to for your convenience. If you buy something using a link on this page, Forbes may receive a small share of that sale. Learning to Lead: The Journey to Leading Yourself, Leading Others, and Leading an Organization by Ron Williams with Karl Weber Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 and Leadershift, both by John C. Maxwell
Leadership is the most evergreen of business topics, yet it remains fiendishly difficult to master. Year after year, an array of authors do their part to keep the subject fresh, bring their varied perspectives to the task. Their treatments range from the musings of theorists, to painstakingly researched volumes from students of Churchill and Lincoln, to memoirs from captains of industry who recount their own journeys and the lessons learned along the way.
Humble Leadership: The Power of Relationships, Openness, and Trust by Edgar H. Schein and Peter A. Schein Disrupt-It-Yourself: Eight Ways to Hack a Better Business-Before the Competition Does by Excellence Wins: A No-Nonsense Guide to Becoming the Best in a World of Compromise by Horst Schulze with Dean Merrill Simone Bhan Ahuja
My eight selections below include some of the latest leadership bestsellers as well as volumes that have stood the test of time; between them, they represent a broad look at how to thrive as a leader of a company, a division, or a team.

Ron Williams grew up as a child in segregated Chicago and went on to become a top health care executive, including serving as the CEO of Aetna.Williams points out from the outset that Learning to Lead isn't written for fellow executives wanting to climb even higher; it's for readers starting their careers who are struggling to get on the right path to leadership. The lessons shared by Williams range from broad and philosophical ("Don't let other people define who you are, what you can become, or what you can accomplish") to specific and practical ("Seek out jobs in sectors that are growing"); he illustrates this latter message with a look at his own ride in healthcare, a field that nearly doubled as a share of the economy during his tenure.

A pioneer in the field of leadership, Maxwell has published one new and one newish book on leadership this year: an all-new volume, Leadershift and a largely rewritten "2.0" version of his classic, Developing the Leader Within You. Maxwell's completely new book, Leadershift, concerns itself with how leaders can prepare themselves to implement what he calls "leadershifts," with Maxwell defining a leadershift as a "leadership change that will positively enhance educational and personal growth," which he illustrates via the example of the 11 shifts that Maxwell himself made in the course of his career.

Maxwell's other release this year, Developing the Leader Within You 2.0, is an update of his classic book from 1992, a title which has sold some two million copies and has had a major influence in the field.The new edition brings the book's language and examples up to date but retains the central principles of the original, such as the maxim that "leadership is influence" and Maxwell's five levels of leadership (from the lowest level, "People follow [you] because they have to" to the highest, "People follow [you] because of who you are and what you represent."

Edgar H. Schein has long been a foremost expert on company culture. In this new book, Humble Leadership, Schein pairs up with his son and consulting partner, Peter, to explore what the senior Schein has long proclaimed is the other side of the culture coin: leadership. Based on this premise, the Scheins counsel the reader to "reframe the personal challenge of improving your leadership skills into a collective challenge of helping to improve how your groups perform." They refer to this type of leadership as "Level 2" and see it as distinct from the traditional model of leadership, which they critique as being hierarchic and dependent on the heroic performance of the individual.

Fear of disruption runs rampant in boardrooms today. Innovation expert Ahuja proposes an antidote to this paralysis-inducing posture: innovate within your organization before the competition disrupts you out of business. She then lays out eight ways to do exactly this, presenting an unusually broad set of examples to make her point that this is the best way an organization can survive and thrive over time.

Horst Schulze is a noted hotelier whose approach to leadership has been widely influential. Much of his new volume focuses on empowering employees to provide leadership themselves. The former Ritz-Carlton president is a passionate proponent of some pro-employee ideas, including that employees deserve control over the design of their own work; that frontline associates often know, better than their managers, what needs to be done; and that an employee, if fully empowered, can provide customer service and hospitality at a very high level.

Note: I recently conducted an interview with Schulze in which he explores the content of his new book.

Michael Lewis' The Fifth Risk is one of the most important and timely nonfiction books published in the past year, and it has unique value when considered from a leadership perspective.It's a surprisingly hopeful treatise on how the dedication of long-tenured, middle-level employees in a large organization (in this case, the federal government) can manage to keep things going for their constituents/customers, in spite of absentee leadership-and how much better they could be doing with just a smidgeon of support from above. For any student of leadership or of organizational culture, The Fifth Risk affords an opportunity to see these issues explored in Lewis' masterful style.

A lovely and influential volume on leading through (rather than in opposition to) your troops, particularly in the creative world. The author is the former CEO of Herman Miller Inc., a longtime leader in the world of home and office furnishings, whose products include the Eames Lounge Chair, the Noguchi Table, and the ubiquitous Aeron Chair. Author DePree recounts the decisions that Miller made that have led to its sustained business success, including to hire creative geniuses (including industrial designers Charles and Ray Eames) and give them free rein. DePree convincingly makes the point that "the indispensable knack for building and nurturing relationships" is at the heart of what leadership requires.

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Best Leadership Books: 8 Essential Reads You Need In Your Library

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This story was written in collaboration with Forbes Finds . Forbes Finds covers products we think you'll love. Featured products are independently selected and linked to for your convenience. If you buy something using a link on this page, Forbes may receive a small share of that sale.

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When Kathleen Yosko, now CEO of Northwestern Medicine's Marianjoy Rehabilitation Center, began her first job as a hospital president, there was no onboarding process planned, and no one to welcome her. Thinking it was a mistake, Yosko called her headquarters for advice. They told her, "Just do whatever a president does."

Fortunately, Yosko was a seasoned leader and she intuited where to start. But for many others, our first forays into leadership felt much like Yosko's first day: knowing how to start was not obvious. In many companies, individuals are promoted because of their technical skill - they are gifted engineers, accountants, or marketers - but that does not mean they are prepared for leadership. Leadership is a skill that can be learned, but it takes intentionality.

In the past half century, the study of leadership has grown, offering many new theories and frameworks for exploring what it means to be a leader, and how to do leadership well. In this article, we outline five current leadership theories, and offer resources and suggestions for integrating the theories into your own leadership practice. We will explore:

1. Transformational Leadership

2. Leader-Member Exchange Theory

3. Adaptive Leadership

4. Strengths-Based Leadership

5. Servant Leadership

But First, A Quick Review of Leadership History

Before we begin, we need to put leadership theory and practice in the context of history, to understand how the field of study has evolved. The earliest theories of leadership were the Great Man Theories, which emerged in the late 1800s. (Perhaps you can see one primary fault with these theories, just from their name: they assumed only half the world's population could even be considered for leadership.) The Great Man concept evolved into trait-based theories of leadership, which defined leadership by a leader's characteristics, most of which were considered innate. You were either lucky enough to be born with them, or you weren't. (Starting, first, with a Y chromosome.) For many of us, our first understanding of leadership may have aligned with these theories: leaders were often men with dominant personalities. We still see this theory at play unconsciously today, when someone is overlooked for a leadership role because of a quiet personality.

In the middle of the last century, the study of leadership shifted from the study of traits to the study of behaviors: not who the leader is but what the leader does. This allowed for an understanding that leadership could be developed in others. The most prominent leadership theories today build on this understanding, and begin to integrate the perspective of followers and the contextual circumstances in which leaders and followers interact. As business, and our understanding of human nature, grows more complex, leadership theories and frameworks should evolve to accommodate the new contexts and understandings.

Defining Leadership

Before we unpack contemporary theories of leadership, we need to define the term itself. Leadership theory scholar Dr. Peter Northouse defines leadership as "a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal." This definition makes clear that leadership is not a trait or behavior, and it is not a position. You are not made a leader by your job title, you are made a leader by your influence.

Finally, contemporary theories of leadership wrestle with the motivations of leaders: can you be a leader if your goal is selfish or even malicious? The classic question is, "Was Adolf Hitler a leader?" Theories of leadership must wrestle with the moral implications of a leader's motivations. As you'll see in several of the theories below, many theories would answer the question of Hitler with a firm no: Hitler was a dictator, but not a leader. He had positional authority, but did not show true leadership.

To begin our exploration of leadership theories, let's start with one of the most researched and referenced today, transformational leadership.

Transformational Leadership

The concepts of transformational leadership were brought to prominence by political sociologist James MacGregor Burns, in the late 1970s. Burns identified two types of leadership,

Transactional: where a leader influences others by what they offer in exchange, the transaction;

Transformational: where a leader connects with followers in such a way that it raises the level of motivation and morality.

Those two words - motivation and morality - are important, as it demands that transformational leaders be committed to a collective good. This may be a societal good, such as starting a community center or improving air quality, or a more personalized good, such as helping direct reports reach their own potential.

Activating transformational leadership:

If Kathleen Yosko, the hospital CEO who was thrown into leadership with little direction, wanted to employ transformational leadership strategies in her work, she might start with four factors researchers find present in transformational leaders. Northouse (2016) outlines these factors, which can serve as a starting place for test driving transformational leadership:

1. Idealized influence, or charisma: Transformational leaders have an uncanny ability to make you want to follow the vision they establish.

2. Inspirational motivation: Communication is a vehicle of inspiration for transformational leaders; they use words to encourage others and inspire action.

3. Intellectual stimulation: Transformational leaders stretch others to think more deeply, challenge assumptions, and innovate.

4. Individualized concern: Finally, while focused on the common good, transformational leaders show care and concern for individuals.

Leader-Member Exchange Theory

The concept of individualized concern has some carry-over to our second theory, Leader-Member Exchange Theory (LMX). To understand this theory, you only need to think back to junior high: almost every student could be divided into two categories, popular or unpopular.

LMX theory explains that in any group or organization, there are in-group members and out-group members. In-group members work well with the leader, have a personality that fits with the leader's, and are often willing to take on extra tasks or responsibilities. Out-group members are less compatible with the leader; they may hold dissenting opinions, have clashing personalities, or be less willing to take on extra assignments. Not surprisingly, in-group members are more likely to earn promotions; out-group members are more likely to leave.

Activating LMX theory:

For followers, applying the concepts of LMX theory is easy: align yourself with the leader, take on extra tasks, and expect positive results. For leaders, LMX offers a greater challenge, because making your team as productive as possible will mean finding ways to turn out-group members into in-group members. Individualized concern, the final factor of transformational leadership, may offer one path to converting out-group members.

Additionally, LMX theory has important implications for improving diversity and inclusion. If minorities, women, or people with disabilities routinely identify as out-group members, the leader should ask the question, "What is required to be an in-group member here, and are we creating unintentional barriers for others?"

More on Leadership Theory

Continue learning about leadership theory in the next article in this series, where we'll discuss Adaptive Leadership, Strengths Based Leadership, and Servant Leadership, along with the usefulness of leadership theories. >> Read more in part 2 of this series.

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Amber Johnson is the Center's Chief Communications Officer and Senior Research Associate; she is also a doctoral student in the Center's Ph.D./D.B.A. Program in Values-Driven Leadership.

Want more on Leadership Theory? Find an interview on why leadership theory matters, at this link.

Reference:

Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice (7 th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishers, Inc.

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5 Leadership Theories & How to Apply Them

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When Kathleen Yosko, now CEO of Northwestern Medicine's Marianjoy Rehabilitation Center, began her first job as a hospital president, there was no onboarding process planned, and no one to welcome her. Thinking it was a mistake, Yosko called her headquarters for advice. They told her, "Just do whatever a president does."

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Why Do Some People Become Great Leaders?

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Why do certain people become great leaders? Leadership theories seek to answer this question and usually fit into one of eight basic types.

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With the help of teacher leaders, schools have a better chance of thriving. Here are 15 ways educators can speak up.

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Organizational Leadership- What is it and why is it important?  Article 

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Organizational Leadership- What is it and why is it important?  Article 

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Organizational leadership, while nuanced, is exactly what it sounds like. It entails directing and coordinating individuals within an organization to achieve its goals or mission. Whether you're seeking to achieve higher levels of management or leadership, or you've reached a ceiling at your workplace and are looking for the next step, organizational leadership might be the right next step for you.

Definition of Organizational Leadership

More specifically, organizational leadership is a multi-faceted job requiring experience with planning, time management, and an understanding of company values and goals. Ironically, most companies don't usually use the title "organizational leader" as you'll see.

What Do Organizational Leaders Do?

Organizational leadership jobs are impacted by the company one works for and the actual position. Despite being an important skill, "organizational leader" is not the actual title most often given. Organizational leaders are initially termed "high potential" employees (HiPos). As they move up the ranks in a company, business, or nonprofit, they then enter organizational leadership roles with managerial and director-level titles such as dean, provost, general counsel, chief financial officer (CFO), etc.

The actual day-to-day tasks and responsibilities of an organizational leader include managing and motivating a team, utilizing a problem-solving mindset to address any problems that may arise, setting team goals and coordinating with other departments as broader organizational goals are being pursued.

The importance of organizational leaders is bolstering teamwork, promoting cooperation, and setting reasonable goals by making the most of the unique skill set found in their team.
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Get started on your career next steps
Pursue your purpose at PLNU.
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Examples of Organizational Leadership in the Real World

As mentioned above, applications of organizational leadership aren't usually found within a job labeled "organizational leader" but in other titles. Specifically, these types of jobs can be found in education, human resources departments, private companies, health care, nonprofits, and government agencies.

A possible example of organizational leadership is managing a team project researching how a company can improve its website search engine optimization (SEO). In this scenario, the leader figure will help coordinate individuals and their strengths, encourage inclusivity, and ensure a plan is set with each person taking on the responsibilities to see it through.

Some important traits for organizational leaders include:

Problem solving and decision making

Clear communication and good listening

Inclusivity and fostering safe environment for employees

Goal oriented

Respect and courtesy

Creative in utilizing team's strengths

Organizational Leadership Education and Degrees

The type of organization you want to work for usually determines the right degree to pursue. Within larger companies, employers typically look for candidates with a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (MAOL). Other times, you can start out with your bachelor's degree and pursue further education based on how you want to move up the ranks. In addition to education, many professionals also pursue a certification or executive program to fill in any gaps as they move into leadership roles.

Some potential career pathways include:

Earn your bachelor's degree

Typically, a business or management degree is ideal for someone pursuing a career in organizational leadership. The skills and knowledge gained from these degrees can set you up for success in the next step. During undergrad, students can reach out for informational interviews with professionals working in an organizational leadership positions.

Continue your education with a master's degree

MAOL programs typically take about a year to a year and a half, though sometimes people will pursue an MBA over an MAOL. Deciding which track to take can be tricky, check out this article that compares these two pathways. Ultimately, these programs build upon your bachelor's knowledge and demonstrate the ways in which you can apply them in real-life scenarios

Determine which size or specialty organization you're interested in.

This step is crucial as it will determine whether you continue your education or hop right into the career world (though sometimes you can complete online courses while working). Either way, from here you can continue to a doctorate degree in a field such as law with a juris doctor degree (J.D.) or begin working up the ranks within human resources.

Take opportunities for professional development

While working within an entry-level position, there are additional ways to manifest organizational leadership skills. Some examples include volunteering to work on certain committees or teams within the organization, taking the lead for new initiatives, and seeking out a mentor currently working in an organizational leadership position. All these small steps can add up to a resume chock full of experience and knowledge about what it means to take the lead and coordinate a team.

Earn Your MAOL in San Diego!

PLNU offers an M.A. in Organizational Leadership (MAOL) that will prepare you for stepping boldly into leadership at any level and organization. This program is catered for busy working individuals and offers two delivery options: online or in person. With your MAOL you'll be set on the path to achieving your career goals.

Learn more about how you can get your MAOL through Point Loma Nazarene University. You can also contact a PLNU counselor for more information.

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What Is Organizational Leadership and Why Is It Important?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Organizational leadership, while nuanced, is exactly what it sounds like. It entails directing and coordinating individuals within an organization to achieve its goals or mission. Whether you're seeking to achieve higher levels of management or leadership, or you've reached a ceiling at your workplace and are looking for the next step, organizational leadership might be the right next step for you.