We can all be leaders

By Sheila Allen
Published: April 6, 2012

I’ve always been drawn to the concepts of motivating others, leading, dealing with change, time management, etc.- The people side of business.

In 2004 I decided to go back to school to attain my MBA focusing on Leadership and Change Management. It was a tough year, but I loved every minute of it.

 I really enjoy learning new things, and I guess that’s why I enjoy (teaching) facilitating the learning of others so much. It’s really a joy to be able to present materials in a fun and creative way so that others are able to enjoy ‘aha’ moments that help them make shifts in their lives that they desire.

I really think education is a life-long event and that learning is done through layering experience upon education upon experience. Whether we actually absorb and use the concepts we learn is a choice.

As we all know we often chose to make poor choices over and over even though we know it will not get us to where we want to go. I’ve always been fascinated by that, personal will vs the fear of change.

The Leadership course I am facilitating deals with the concept of Organizational Leadership and Management. Notably one does not have to be a Manager to show Leadership, and Leadership in organizations is closely linked with self Leadership – so I truly believe it’s a course that everyone can benefit from. The key to learning however, is being open.

My Definitions:

Management is the ability to direct and co-ordinate resources using processes and procedures to complete tasks toward the achievement of organizational goals or objectives.

Leadership is the ability to inspire others to be ‘at choice’ while acting in a productive and meaningful way toward the achievement of a goal or an outcome.

The 6 session Leadership workshops series is packed with information inspired by books, articles, videos and more.

The first workshop is really an orientation session in which we explore the traditional models of management over the eras and how they have changed as technology has evolved, our population has shifted, and the global economy has opened up.

We also discuss the concept of Leadership vs Management and explore the ideas of difference and interconnectivity.

The second workshop deals with the importance of self understanding, effective communication, employee development, team building, participative decision making, and conflict management.

Of course each one of these topics could be a workshop on its own, and that’s why this series of workshops is foundation building – an orientation the study of Leadership.

Some of the other topics explored during the 6 sessions include critical thinking, managing projects, managing across functions, visioning, working productively, managing time and stress, negotiation, and presenting ideas.

For more details regarding the class on my website www.sheilaallen.ca.