Leadership and Influence

Exclusively for members of Leaders Excellence at Harvard Square, Leadership and Influence is the topic and lecture series in October.

Follow our blog on this month's topic at www.LeadersExcellence.com/blog.

Preface

They say that leaders are born, not made. While it is true that some people are born leaders, some leaders are born in the midst of adversity. Often, people who have never had a leadership role will stand up and take the lead when a situation they care about requires it. A simple example is parenting. When a child arrives, many parents discover leadership abilities they never knew existed in order to guide and protect their offspring. 

Once you learn the techniques of true Leadership and Influence, you will be able to build the confidence it takes to take the lead. The more experience you have acting as a genuine leader, the easier it will be for you. It is never easy to take the lead, as you will need to make decisions and face challenges, but it can become natural and rewarding.

Influence is subtle, yet incredibly powerful. You can order someone to do a task, but you cannot order them to do their best. It simply does not work and usually has the opposite effect. You can influence people to do their best by providing a strong, motivating example in addition to positive reinforcement. Leadership addresses tasks, while influence addresses attitudes and awareness. Influence is the soul of leadership.

The Evolution of Leadership

As long as there have been leaders, there have been those who tried to determine how and why they were successful. Leadership itself has not evolved, but our understanding of it has. It is important to understand why very different leadership styles can be effective, why the same leadership techniques will not work in every situation, and which leadership style fits your personality best. Everyone has leadership potential within them, but understanding these concepts will help you maximize your leadership ability.

This Month's Topic Includes:

? The Evolution of Leadership

? Situational Leadership

? A Personal Inventory

? Modeling the Way

? Inspiring a Shared Vision

? Challenging the Process

? Enabling Others to Act

? Encouraging the Heart

? Basic Influencing Skills

? Setting Goals

If you are not a member of Leaders Excellence, you can apply for membership at www.LeadersExcellence.com.