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Education Week https://www.edweek.org/

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Education Week - K-12 education news and information

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At Education Week, we believe that all children deserve a high-quality education.

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Emotional Intelligence can simply be defined as a personal understanding and management combined with the ability to understand and effectively engage with others.
Five key elements of Emotional Intelligence:

1. Self-awareness.

2. Self-regulation.

3. Motivation.

4. Empathy.

5. Social skills.

The more that you, as a leader, manage each of these areas, the higher your emotional intelligence.
To be effective, leaders must have a solid understanding of how their emotions and actions affect the people around them. The better a leader relates to and works with others, the more successful he or she will be.

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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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Emotional Inteligence - A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

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Trait theories

Behavior theories

Contingency theories (can choose specifically Fielder's Contingency Model, Path-Goal Theory, or Leader-Member-Exchange Theory)

Charismatic leadership

Transactional leadership

Transformational leadership

Relational leadership

Authentic leadership

Servant leadership

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How does the word “leader” fit into to role of a school counselor?

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How does the word “leader” fit into to role of a school counselor?

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Recognize & Showcase Diversity

Develop School & Community Partnerships

Empower & Inspire

Organize & Lead
Support & Serve

Maximize Educational Success

Protect & Advocate

Build Strong Home-School Connections

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School counselors are uniquely equipped to bridge the gaps between administration, teachers, parents, and students. As the demands placed on everyone in a school community increase, it's vital that we view and include school counselors as part of our leadership teams. Let's make sure we recognize all they do and put their strengths to work for our students! Here are 11 ways school counselors serve as leaders in your building.

1. School counselors recognize and showcase diversity.

In many buildings, school counselors are considered the "heart" of the school. They help create an inclusive environment that is respectful, welcoming, kind, and open to all.

2. School counselors develop community partnerships.

Counseling staff work collaboratively with universities, community colleges, technical schools, local unions, military reps, and apprentice programs to provide a variety of opportunities for students. They are especially vital in ensuring underserved and first-generation students have access to and the tools to reach all possible post-high school options.

3. School counselors help during difficult situations.

Strengths such as listening, reflecting, and high emotional intelligence make school counselors valuable allies when trying to get buy-in from staff or the greater community on difficult issues. Counselors foster a culture of change via strong lines of communication and valuing input from all parties involved.

4. School counselors maintain strong home-school connections.

Counselors tend to be the liaison for parents when it comes to communicating with the school. This leadership role is especially important when assisting families who are not familiar with the school setting or have issues trusting staff.

5. School counselors maximize educational success.

School counselors can help to maximize the educational attainment of all students by providing students with mental health services (school or community-based) and developmental guidance that takes a proactive approach in helping students set and reach academic goals.

6. School counselors lead staff trainings.

Administrators who use their counseling staff (rather than outside contractors) to lead building-wide trainings can save a lot of money and gain quicker buy-in from staff. School counselors are experts on topics such as student engagement, positive discipline, suicide/self-harm, students-as-leaders, peer mentoring programs, and academic/social interventions for low-performing students.

7. School counselors protect and advocate for disadvantaged students.

Counselors identify and amend policies and practices that negatively impact disadvantaged students and advocate for equitable services for all students.

8. School counselors use expertise to bring data to life.

Like administrators, counselors are trained in data collection and analysis. They are skilled at using this information to drive decisions about placement, intervention, and overall student health and wellbeing.

9. School counselors mediate difficult situations between parents/students and staff.

Counselors are consistently looking for ways to support the relationship between school staff and parents. Acting as a mediator when one or both parties are upset about a situation is a critical way in which school counselors serve as leaders.

10. School counselors organize and lead crisis response.

Counselors are on the front lines after a tragedy has happened in a school or community. Staff, students, parents, and community members look to the counselors for guidance and support immediately following an event. Because of their training in emotional/mental, the counseling staff is critical in advocating for and teaching self-care to staff, parents, and students during a crisis.

11. School counselors empower and inspire.

School counselors inherently believe in people and work tirelessly to communicate that. By being visible and accessible at all times, their calming, caring, and encouraging presence helps support and empower staff in the building.

School counselors serve as leaders in many ways and we need to value their perspectives and strengths. They are vital to building positive learning environments in which students thrive.
Join our Facebook group Principal Life for more conversation about and insights into the challenges of school leadership.

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11 Ways Your School Counselors Serve as Leaders - WeAreTeachers

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School counselors are uniquely equipped to bridge the gaps between administration, teachers, parents, and students. As the demands placed on everyone in a school community increase, it's vital that we view and include school counselors as part of our leadership teams. Let's make sure we recognize all they do and put their strengths to work for our students!

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Overview of the Relational Leadership Model

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How does the word “leader” fit into to role of a school counselor?

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How does the word “leader” fit into to role of a school counselor?

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Recognize & Showcase Diversity

Develop School & Community Partnerships

Empower & Inspire

Organize & Lead
Support & Serve

Maximize Educational Success

Protect & Advocate

Build Strong Home-School Connections

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School counselors are uniquely equipped to bridge the gaps between administration, teachers, parents, and students. As the demands placed on everyone in a school community increase, it's vital that we view and include school counselors as part of our leadership teams. Let's make sure we recognize all they do and put their strengths to work for our students! Here are 11 ways school counselors serve as leaders in your building.

1. School counselors recognize and showcase diversity.

In many buildings, school counselors are considered the "heart" of the school. They help create an inclusive environment that is respectful, welcoming, kind, and open to all.

2. School counselors develop community partnerships.

Counseling staff work collaboratively with universities, community colleges, technical schools, local unions, military reps, and apprentice programs to provide a variety of opportunities for students. They are especially vital in ensuring underserved and first-generation students have access to and the tools to reach all possible post-high school options.

3. School counselors help during difficult situations.

Strengths such as listening, reflecting, and high emotional intelligence make school counselors valuable allies when trying to get buy-in from staff or the greater community on difficult issues. Counselors foster a culture of change via strong lines of communication and valuing input from all parties involved.

4. School counselors maintain strong home-school connections.

Counselors tend to be the liaison for parents when it comes to communicating with the school. This leadership role is especially important when assisting families who are not familiar with the school setting or have issues trusting staff.

5. School counselors maximize educational success.

School counselors can help to maximize the educational attainment of all students by providing students with mental health services (school or community-based) and developmental guidance that takes a proactive approach in helping students set and reach academic goals.

6. School counselors lead staff trainings.

Administrators who use their counseling staff (rather than outside contractors) to lead building-wide trainings can save a lot of money and gain quicker buy-in from staff. School counselors are experts on topics such as student engagement, positive discipline, suicide/self-harm, students-as-leaders, peer mentoring programs, and academic/social interventions for low-performing students.

7. School counselors protect and advocate for disadvantaged students.

Counselors identify and amend policies and practices that negatively impact disadvantaged students and advocate for equitable services for all students.

8. School counselors use expertise to bring data to life.

Like administrators, counselors are trained in data collection and analysis. They are skilled at using this information to drive decisions about placement, intervention, and overall student health and wellbeing.

9. School counselors mediate difficult situations between parents/students and staff.

Counselors are consistently looking for ways to support the relationship between school staff and parents. Acting as a mediator when one or both parties are upset about a situation is a critical way in which school counselors serve as leaders.

10. School counselors organize and lead crisis response.

Counselors are on the front lines after a tragedy has happened in a school or community. Staff, students, parents, and community members look to the counselors for guidance and support immediately following an event. Because of their training in emotional/mental, the counseling staff is critical in advocating for and teaching self-care to staff, parents, and students during a crisis.

11. School counselors empower and inspire.

School counselors inherently believe in people and work tirelessly to communicate that. By being visible and accessible at all times, their calming, caring, and encouraging presence helps support and empower staff in the building.

School counselors serve as leaders in many ways and we need to value their perspectives and strengths. They are vital to building positive learning environments in which students thrive.
Join our Facebook group Principal Life for more conversation about and insights into the challenges of school leadership.

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11 Ways Your School Counselors Serve as Leaders - WeAreTeachers

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School counselors are uniquely equipped to bridge the gaps between administration, teachers, parents, and students. As the demands placed on everyone in a school community increase, it's vital that we view and include school counselors as part of our leadership teams. Let's make sure we recognize all they do and put their strengths to work for our students!

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Scenario: An increasing number of your students appear to have more mental health concerns since the start of the pandemic. You want to require all students to complete a survey about any mental health problems, suicidal ideation, counseling needs, psychological problems and family mental health issues they may have. Are there any legal and ethical considerations in conducting this survey?

In 1978, Sen. Orrin Hatch sponsored the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), commonly referred to as the parental consent amendment. If a school district wants to require students to reveal personal information about themselves or their family, the school must first obtain written parental consent. PPRA expressly requires schools receiving federal funding to obtain written consent from parents/guardians and non-federally funded schools to give notice before requiring minor students to participate in any "survey, analysis or evaluation that reveals information concerning the following areas:

Political affiliations;

Mental and psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student and the student's family;

Sex behavior and attitudes;

Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating and demeaning behavior;

Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships;

Legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians and ministers;

Religious practices, affiliations or beliefs of the student or student's parent;

Income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program" (United States Department of Education, 2020).

PPRA applies to all educators, not just school counselors, and applies to instructional materials regardless of the format of the material: printed, audio-visual, electronic or digital. The exception is academic tests, which was tried in court when parents insisted on viewing state tests in advance. In Triplett v. Livingston County Board of Education, KY Court of Appeals, 1997, the court stated, "Parents do not have the right to opt out of state tests, since none of the questions of those tests would trigger the protections of the PPRA."
To reiterate, compliance differs based on funding streams. If the survey involves information from any of the eight protected categories and is from a school receiving federal funds, then written parental consent of the survey is required. If the school doesn't receive federal funds but the survey still deals with highly sensitive information, the parents must still be notified in advance and given the opportunity to opt their child out of participating.

Recently a number of school counselors who have become more aware of PPRA are asking some important questions:

Can a school counselor who has been placed on notice that a student might be suicidal ask a student about suicide under protected category #2? PPRA clearly recognizes health or safety emergencies create exceptions. If a health and safety emergency involving a specific student has come to your attention, then you may ask the student about any suicidal thoughts. The purpose of the questions must be to get the student the appropriate services and to inform the parents/guardian of the need to seek help for their child.

These conversations are limited to individual situations in which you've learned a particular student might be suicidal. Parents must be notified of any information obtained unless the parent is the reason for the suicide ideation, and then you call child protective services. This questioning is appropriate to accomplish the goal of trying to keep the student safe, giving parents a chance to exercise custody and control over their child's safety, while still complying with PPRA. When feasible, it's appropriate to obtain written permission from parents in advance of asking their child about suicidal ideation.

Can I ask students if they are a first-generation college student? I want to help them with special scholarships and other opportunities available to them. This seems appropriate and outside the intent of protected category #5: critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships. Yes, parents might take offense that their education level (or lack thereof) was identified, but this seems far afield of the intent to protect families from having information revealed about them that is "negative." Consult your district legal department or the district person appointed to approve asking these questions.

What parental permission, if any, is needed if we ask questions protected under PPRA, but the survey is anonymous? The anonymous gathering of information appears to be research, perhaps to determine needed programs and interventions, rather than identifying individual students who may need help. Research in schools carries considerable legal safety nets for students and has its own unique and extensive set of rules. For more information, refer to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

However, you should consider personally identifiable information. Even if you think the survey is anonymous if there is enough personally identifiable information gathered, the combination of which can be used to trace an individual's identity (parent name, student number, date of birth, address, telephone number), then the survey is not anonymous and carries the same PPRA rules as ones in which students reveal their name. Passive consent may be appropriate, but if the survey is actually research, follow HHS requirements.

Can the district use screening instruments that ask questions about mental health? Yes, if the screening is voluntary and not required. If the screening is required, you must obtain permission as outlined in PPRA.

School counselors must also know the laws governing privacy since much of what they do is about confidentiality and privacy. Some of the more salient laws affecting school counselors' work are:

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulates the release of personally identifiable information, including parental rights regarding notification of the release of records.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 requires local educational agencies receiving assistance under the act to provide military recruiters with student directory information (specifically names, addresses and telephone listings) unless parents have opted out.

Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, as addressed above, establishes requirements related to parental notification and an opt-out option when collecting information from students that may be used for marketing purposes or when administering surveys or physical exams/screenings.

Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires Internet safety policies, such as technology to block certain access, monitoring of access and programs to educate students on appropriate online behavior.

Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) ensures that children younger than 13 don't share personal information on the Internet without their parents' express approval.

CIPA and COPPA became school counselors' concern when COVID-19 led to virtual school counseling. It's not your job, however, to make sure the platforms, technology and communication you're using are CIPA- or COPPA-compliant. Rather, you must only use the platforms and equipment approved by your district, as these have been vetted by the district to meet federal standards.

Case law has illuminated some of the concerns of PPRA. In C.N. v. Ridgewood Board of Education, District Court, 2001, the school system prevailed. The survey was voluntary and anonymous, but some parents sued under PPRA claiming they hadn't received adequate warning, despite letters from the school board to the parents stressing that the survey was voluntary and anonymous.

In Fields v. Palmdale School District, Ninth Circuit, 2005, the school system also prevailed. The school had informed parents of a voluntary and anonymous survey but failed to disclose the sexual nature of some of the questions. Some parents of elementary-age children sued under both federal and state claims because their children were asked about sexual topics such as the frequency of "thinking about having sex" and "thinking about touching other people's private parts." The court found the district actions were related to the state's purpose of educating their citizenry.

In C.N. v. Ridgewood, Third Circuit, 2005, the school system again prevailed. A parent and her three children claimed a survey was involuntary and not anonymous but could not prove the claim.

The Survey Says
In a January 2021 survey of school counselors, ASCA members who identified themselves as being in a federally funded school were asked, "In the last 10 years, have you given students the expectation or requirement to respond to a survey or needs assessment without written parental permission?"
Of the 121 respondents, 75% had given a survey without parental permission.
Conducting surveys without parental permission is not a problem in and of itself except for when the surveys ask about protected categories. Of the survey respondents:
29% violated PPRA by asking questions under protected category #2 (mental and psychological problems potentially embarrassing to the student and his/her family)
3% asked about protected category #3 (sex behavior and attitudes)
4% asked about protected category
#5 (critical appraisals of other indi-
viduals with whom respondents have close family relationships)
10% asked about protected category #4 (illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating and demeaning behavior)
Mistakes are easy to make when well-intentioned school counselors are trying to support students' mental health concerns. It is rare when a parent raises objections under PPRA, but parents are increasingly becoming educated about FERPA and PPRA. A recent case in point happened when a highly effective and well-respected school counselor was horrified to learn she had been violating federal law for a decade by gathering category #2 protected information each year while doing her classroom lessons. It is probably somewhat by chance that we haven't heard more over the years about PPRA violations.
Carolyn Stone, Ed.D., is a professor at the University of North Florida and the chair of ASCA's Ethics Committee. Send your ethical questions to ethics@schoolcounselor.org.

Obtaining Informed Parental Consent
A school must have in place clearly written procedures that comply with a state's legal requirements for requesting consent and notifying legal guardians or students of the results of screening activities. These procedures should identify specific circumstances in which the information will be shared with other service providers. Schools should consider the following factors when implementing key steps of the screening process.
The school needs to:

Explain that the tool can help identify if the student has a social or emotional challenge

Inform the parents/guardians that if such a challenge is identified, they will receive help following up on the information

Explain confidentiality

Let parents/guardians know they and their students aren't required to complete the tool or answer any question they find objectionable

Encourage parents/guardians to ask questions and express concerns about their student's social/emotional development.

If the parent/legal guardian won't be present when the screening tool is administered, the school needs to obtain written, informed consent. Passive consent from parents/guardians may be obtained, if there is a provision for the parent/guardian and/or student to opt out of the screening. The following steps can help answer questions parents/guardians may have:

Provide information about the tool, the process and follow-up assistance

Provide a contact name for someone who can answer questions

Make a copy of the screening tool available to the legal guardians

It is recommended that organizations require active consent, which means that a student is not screened unless the legal guardian has signed a consent form and returned it to the school. However, properly executed passive consent procedures are appropriate. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has developed a question-and-answer document providing guidance on obtaining consent for screening.
Know the Law
To stay PPRA compliant, here is a list of considerations:

Avoid requiring students to respond to any surveys that include the eight protected categories because obtaining written parental permission will be problematic and time-consuming, and it's unlikely you'll get a critical mass. If you do require such a survey, then you must follow the PPRA law.

Conduct only district-developed or district-provided surveys, and even then, check to be sure they avoid questions in the eight protected categories. ​

If you need to distribute your own survey or needs assessment that infringes on any of the eight protected categories, have it vetted by the district appointee who approves such surveys, and obtain the authorization in writing. Then follow PPRA requirements for parental permission.

Be transparent with parents/guardians about any protected information that is to be collected from their child.

Be aware of relevant laws and raise concerns when you think they are being violated. If you see something going out that might be a violation, speak up.

Don't berate yourself if you were the one who violated PPRA. We learn, and we correct.

Principles Guiding Screening
The U.S. Department of Education Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMSHA) provides the following "Principles Guiding Screening for Early Identification of Mental Health Problems in Children and Adolescents."

First, do no harm.

Obtain informed consent.

Informed consent for screening a student should be obtained from parents, guardians or the entity with legal custody of the student. Informed assent from students should be obtained.Screening should be a voluntary process, except in emergency situations precluding obtaining consent prior to screening. In these circumstances, consent should be obtained as soon as possible during or after screening.

Clear, written procedures for requesting consent and notifying parents/guardians and students of the results of early identification activities should be available.

Use a scientifically sound screening process.

All screening instruments should be shown to be valid and reliable in identifying students in need of further assessment.

Screening must be developmentally, age-, gender- and racially/ethnically/culturally appropriate for the student to the greatest degree possible, and use of results should be informed by potential limits to validity as indicated.

Early identification procedures and approaches should respect and take into consideration the norms, languages and cultures of communities and families.

Any person conducting screening and involved with the screening process should be qualified and appropriately trained.

Safeguard the screening information, and ensure its appropriate use.

Screening identifies only the possibility of a problem and should never be used to make a diagnosis or to label the student.

Confidentiality must be appropriately ensured, and limits to confidentiality must be clearly shared within the scope of obtaining informed consent/assent (e.g., when immediate steps must be taken to protect life in an emergency situation).

Link to assessment and treatment services.
If problems are detected, screening must be followed by: notifying parents, students, guardians or the entity with legal custody; explaining the results; and offering referral for an appropriate, in-depth assessment conducted by trained personnel with linkages to appropriate services and supports.

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Scenario: An increasing number of your students appear to have more mental health concerns since the start of the pandemic. You want to require all students to complete a survey about any mental health problems, suicidal ideation, counseling needs, psychological problems and family mental health issues they may have.

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The Chronicle for Higher Education https://www.chronicle.com/

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1.     Where you are from, and what was your degree or program of study?

2.     What are some previous educational and career experiences have you had?

3.     Tell me about a leader who has inspired you as a mentor and impacted your career or educational pursuits. What was it about them as a leader that inspired you?

4.     What do you believe about your own ability to be a leader and change agent in education?

5.     How have you learned about leadership? What positive and negative experiences related to leadership have influenced your own perspectives and style?

6.     How do you define leadership?  Are there certain leadership styles that you have learned about?

7.     What guides how you interact with a team or other individuals?

8.     When and how do you share your vision?

9.     What values influence your leadership style?

10.   How do you make decisions?

11.   What is your professional leadership perspective as a school counselor?

12.   What values do you believe are important to utilize as a leader in your educational field?

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Good to Great (Jim Collins)

Changing on the Job: Developing Leaders for a Complex World (Berger)

Creating Multicultural Change on Campus (Pope, Reynolds, Mueller)

Do Good Well: Your Guide to Leadership, Action, and Social Innovation (Vasan & Przybylo)

Emotionally Intelligent Leadership: A Guide for Students (Shankman, Allen & Haber-Curran)

Enhancing Campus Capacity for Leadership: An Examination of Grassroots Leaders in Higher Education (Kezar & Lester)

Exploring Leadership: For College Students Who Want to Make A Difference (Komives, Lucas, McMahon)

How Colleges Work (Birnbaum)

How Remarkable Women Lead (Joanna Barsh)

Identity & Leadership (Chavez & Santo)

Leaders Make the Future (Bob Johansen)

Leadership on the Line (Linsky & Heifetz)

Leading in a Culture of Change (Michael Fullan)

Making Change Happen in Student Affairs (Barr, McClellan, Sandeen)

On Becoming a Servant Leader (Greenleaf)

Reframing Academic Leadership (Bolman & Gallos)

Reframing the Path to School Leadership (Bolman & Deal)

Shackleton's Way (Morrell & Capparell)

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (Lencioni)

The Leadership Challenge (Kouzes & Posner)

The Wizard & The Warrior (Bolman & Deal)

With God on All Sides:  Leadership in a Devout and Diverse America (Hicks)

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Summary

Within the content of The Leadership Challenge one will find an array of personal-best leadership experiences of some of the most influential professionals and businesses of today’s world (Kouzes & Posner, 2017).  . The content clearly shows that anyone/everyone is capable of becoming a great leader. Throughout the text, individuals, teams, and organizations have taken small, but dynamic steps to identify and determine what leadership practices are most impactful. Kouzes and Posner define such practices as the foundation of exemplary leadership. The exemplary leadership theme is concluded into five evidence-based practices: model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encourage the heart (Kouzes & Posner, 2017).

The authors also provide 10 dynamic commitments, two for each practice, to guide individuals as they purposely carry out the exemplary practices (Kouzes & Posner, 2017).  .  Modeling the way means a leader is committed to presenting strong values and personal voice through one’s own example. Leaders who inspire a shared vision, enlists others through creativity and innovation. Leaders who challenge the process are committed to taking risks and seizing opportunities for the greater good. As exemplary leaders enable others, they are dedicated to collaboration designed for building trust and facilitating meaningful relationships. The final commitment of recognizing contributions and celebrating accomplishments is designed for the final practice of encouraging the heart.

In addition to the five leadership practices, this book contains a number of meaningful leadership perspectives. Among the most influential are: anyone can be a leader, change is almost always a key ingredient to success, and empathy is essential within any winning team (Kouzes & Posner, 2017).  . Each of these perspectives motivates anyone willing to step-up and accepts the challenges becoming a distinguished leader.

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Leaders are made, not born. At The Leadership Challenge®, we believe that leadership is a measurable, learnable, and teachable set of behaviors. We aim to inspire, encourage, and develop the next generation of leaders by liberating the leader in everyone

The Leadership Challenge® framework grew out of rigorous research that authors James M. Kouzes and Barry Posner first began conducting in 1982. From their results emerged The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership®, five easy-to-grasp concepts that leaders can follow every day to become extraordinary: Model The Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge The Process, Enable Others to Act, and Encourage The Heart.

The LPI®: Leadership Practices Inventory® assessment not only measures the frequency you engage in exemplary leadership behaviors leadership skills, but it also inspires the breakthrough insights needed to build positive relationships and achieve the extraordinary. This 360-degree assessment helps organizations create change towards a more motivated and productive workforce by building a culture of leadership.

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Leaders are made, not born. At The Leadership Challenge® , we believe that leadership is a measurable, learnable, and teachable set of behaviors. We aim to inspire, encourage, and develop the next generation of leaders by liberating the leader in everyone The Leadership Challenge® framework grew out of rigorous research that authors James M.

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The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

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The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

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Powerful lessons in personal change

Stephen R. Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®, continues to be a best seller for the simple reason that it ignores trends and pop psychology and focuses on timeless principles of fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity.

One of the most compelling books ever written, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®, have empowered and inspired readers for over 25 years and played a part in the transformation of millions of lives, across all age groups and professions.

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Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Stephen R. Covey's book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, continues to be a bestseller for the simple reason that it ignores trends and pop psychology and focuses on timeless principles of fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity.

One of the most compelling books ever written, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, has empowered and inspired readers for over 30 years. It's also played a part in the transformation of millions of lives across all age groups and professions.

No matter how competent a person is, they will not have sustained and lasting success unless they can effectively lead themselves, influence, engage and collaborate with others and continuously improve and renew their capabilities. These elements are at the heart of personal, team, and organizational effectiveness.

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Increasing the Social-Emotional Intelligence of Your Workforce

Learn how the powerful lessons of personal change from The 7 Habits can help transform the behaviors of your workforce.

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Individual Effectiveness

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is the proven individual effectiveness operating system. Participants develop increased maturity, greater productivity, and the ability to manage themselves. They will come away with the ability to execute critical priorities with laser-like focus and careful planning.

Team Effectiveness

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is the proven team effectiveness operating system. Participants increase team engagement, morale, and collaboration. Teams come away with improved skills in communication and relationship building.

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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People explores the principles of effective self-leadership, influence, collaboration, and improvement.

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What did the great leaders of history — Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, Catherine the Great — all have in common? They were guided by their values, single-mindedly driven to do the right thing — in a word, fearless. Any aspiring leader probably aims to embody that same fearlessness.

Fortunately, if they can reclaim their inner power fearlessly, chances are the rest of us can too. In this Scribd Coach course, Fearless Leadership: How to Embody the Strength and Confidence of Great Leaders, executive coach and one of Cablefax’s most powerful women in cable Kim Martin explains how we can all acquire the fearlessness of unforgettable leaders. Drawing from her experience as a successful business leader, Martin explains how you can identify and live your values, have confidence in yourself and your abilities, manage your emotions to make good decisions, build accountability with your team, and much more. She also shares written exercises to put what you’ve learned into practice.

If you’re looking to level up your leadership skills, look no further — Fearless Leadership is your one-stop destination for powerful, effective leadership

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Fearless Leadership: How to Embody the Strength and Confidence of Great Leaders

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What did the great leaders of history - Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, Catherine the Great - all have in common? They were guided by their values, single-mindedly driven to do the right thing - in a word, fearless. Any aspiring leader probably aims to embody that same fearlessness.

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What is a Personal Leadership Philosophy?

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What is a Personal Leadership Philosophy?

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Typically, good and effective leaders with consistent actions tend to have clearly-defined personal leadership philosophies. Doing so not only promotes success in their own careers, but also inspires a more productive working environment for everyone. In this article, we define what a personal leadership philosophy is, why it's important and how to develop your own.

Related: 10 Common Leadership Styles (With Examples)

What is a personal leadership philosophy?

A personal leadership philosophy refers to an individual's beliefs, principles and sentiments that they use to lead a company or organization. Your own personal leadership philosophy is determined by your character and beliefs. It helps keep you on course and guides the way in which you evaluate information and react during various circumstances and to various people.

The four key components of your personal leadership philosophy are defined as follows:

1. Theory: This refers to how you define leadership.

2. Attitude: This refers to your feelings about approaching leadership.

3. Guiding principles: Your guiding principles refer to your personal beliefs and values you consider when leading others.

4. Behavior: Your behavior refers to the way you conduct yourself to ultimately reach a favorable outcome.

Ultimately, your personal leadership philosophy determines what type of leader you want to be.

Related: Leadership Skills: Definitions and Examples

Why is a personal leadership philosophy important?

A personal leadership philosophy is important for a number of reasons, regardless of your company size. Here are the three benefits of having a personal leadership philosophy:

1. Defines your character: Having a personal leadership philosophy will help you understand your character. This is important because your character affects how you interact with others and in various situations.

2. Provides consistency: When you have a personal leadership philosophy, you're more apt to be consistent with your actions and behaviors.

3. Fosters collaboration: This type of philosophy also helps foster meaningful collaboration. Once your employees understand why you act the way you do, they'll be more apt to collaborate with you because they're aware and comfortable with your leadership style.

Following up with increased collaboration, your personal leadership philosophy allows your employees to know what you value and how you'll respond during certain circumstances. Once your employees know this, they'll know what to expect which will help ease any workplace tension. This will lead to more overall productivity for your company.

Knowing your personal leadership philosophy will also keep you focused on your tasks and true to the values you hold dear. This again adds to the productivity of your company.

If you're new to a leadership role, having a personal leadership philosophy will provide you with a foundation for how you'll lead your company in the future.

Related: 15 Leadership Qualities That Make a Great Leader

How to develop a personal leadership philosophy

If you're wanting to create a personal leadership philosophy, consider the following steps:

1. Consider what you value.

2. Determine your goals.

3. Start writing your personal leadership philosophy.

4. Reflect on your leadership philosophy.

1. Consider what you value

Before you begin writing your personal leadership philosophy, it's important to consider what values you hold dear and what values you think make a good leader. These are the values you'll highlight in your philosophy. It's also important to determine your strengths and values when it comes to your behavior and what you value. Focus on the specific values that you believe will make you a good leader and influence your decisions.

If it helps, make a list of your past achievements and failures. This will help you define both your values and your priorities.

2. Determine your goals

When writing your personal leadership philosophy, it's also important to consider what you hope to achieve and what outcomes you want to see come to fruition as a leader. Identify these goals, determine how you'll achieve them, what achieving them will accomplish and find out how long it will take you to reach these goals. Consider how the values you selected in the previous step will help you reach or impact these goals.

3. Start writing your personal leadership philosophy

Next, begin writing your personal leadership philosophy. If you write your philosophy, it will help you gather your thoughts and ensure you state all you want to. Doing so will also keep you accountable. Use the four components of a personal leadership philosophy mentioned previously as you write. This includes theory, attitude, principles and behavior.

4. Reflect on your leadership philosophy

Once you've written your personal leadership philosophy, evaluate how you've held true to it over time. If you don't feel as though you've been behaving or acting upon what you planned in your philosophy, let it guide you back to being the leader you strive to be. Consider what actions you've taken that have strayed you from your leadership philosophy as well as which you've stayed committed to. Ultimately, reflecting back on your leadership philosophy will help you understand the areas where you can improve or the parts of your philosophy that are no longer within reach.

Here are some examples of a personal leadership philosophy:
Leadership is about inspiring and encouraging others every step of the way. It's about building a positive environment where employees can thrive and use the skills to the best of their ability. My support for others will foster healthy communications and innovative ideas. Leadership is about motivating others and providing them with the confidence they need to see their full potential. As a leader, it's important to be considerate of others' feelings and use everyone's passion for good. I value the opinion of others, respect their beliefs and listen to their concerns with an open mind. I care about leading with heart and using my leadership platform to cultivate a positive place for growth. Ultimately, leadership is about being a strong leader that others can depend on. I believe being an effective leader relies on their passion for commitment and innovation. In order to build a strong company, a leader should be focused on reaching goals and creating advanced strategies that could propel the company forward. Leadership involves being determined to see everything through to completion and having the creativity to inspire new ways of thinking. I care about making an impact by doing what's needed for the company as a whole. I value dedication and persistence and listen to the needs of others along the path toward goal completion. I strive to be a leader that inspires others to do the same.

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What is a Personal Leadership Philosophy? Definition, Benefits and How to Develop Yours

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Typically, good and effective leaders with consistent actions tend to have clearly-defined personal leadership philosophies. Doing so not only promotes success in their own careers, but also inspires a more productive working environment for everyone. In this article, we define what a personal leadership philosophy is, why it's important and how to develop your own.