CFLM 2 (Character Formation 2)

Leadership, Decision Making, Management and Administration

LESSON 1

Significance of Self-Leadership
Significance of Self-Leadership
Significance of Self-Leadership
Leadership is the ability to influence people in order to get things done.

Meanwhile, self-leadership is the ability to consciously influence your own thoughts and
behavior in order to achieve your personal goals or an organization’s objectives.
Self-led people mostly take their own decisions and set personal targets. This ability is
typical of entrepreneurs, mentors, top managers, etc.

We say a person has self-leadership skills when he has foresight, makes the right
decisions and choices on his own, and exhibits dedication
towards achieving his goals.
Importance of Self-Leadership
Importance of Self-Leadership
Importance of Self-Leadership
Importance of Self-Leadership
Self-leadership is the first stage or level of leadership. For employees, whether mangers
or ordinary subordinates, self-leadership is of great importance.

As a manager, you receive very little or no supervision. This means you should be able to
plan and set your objectives on your own, as well as influence your own self to follow those
plans.
As lower level employee, you can never be sure the kind of management or leaders you
will meet in the course of your career. Despite whatever leadership you may come across –
whether laissez faire, democratic or autocratic – you should be able to exhibit self-leadership.
Employers like workers who can take great decisions on their own are able to influence
themselves to work effectively.
Self-leadership helps make the individual proactive, disciplined, and an independent
decision maker. People who have no strong sense of self-leadership tend to feel they are not in
control of themselves, often lack focus and get overwhelmed
easily.

Key Points
Key Points:
Key Points:
1. Self-leadership allows leaders or senior officers, who undergo very little or no supervision,to
prepare and set targets on their own self to execute such plans.

2. For lower-level employees or subordinates, who cannot always be sure of the kind of
governance or leaders they may face in their careers, self-management enables them to
become effective and efficient workers under any leadership they may encounter, be it laissez
faire, free-rule, democratic or autocratic.

3. Self-leadership helps make individual decision-makers proactive, focused, and autonomous.

People who do not have a strong sense of self-leadership tend to feel that they are not in
control of themselves, frequently lose concentration and easily get frustrated.

LESSON 2
LESSON 2:
Development of Self-Leadership
LESSON 2:
Development of Self-Leadership
DEVELOPMENT OF LEADERSHIP
 CLARITY OF PURPOSE
Every leadership or leader has a vision. Being your own leader, your purpose or vision
will be the foundation upon which you will build self-leadership. Without properly scripted
objectives or
purpose for your life, you will be at peril – trying to follow people’s plans or ideas for your life –
and you end up stuck in the middle of nowhere.
 Aim at success and take reasonable risks.
Risk taking is an essential aspect of life. Challenge yourself to take on daring projects.
Don’t discourage yourself with past failures of yourself or others – focus on success. However,
they should be
reasonably calculated risks that are
relevant to your purpose
 Spend time to reflect on your life
While you remain the active doer of the things you do, you may see things from your
perspective only. Take some time off to reflect on your life – compare the past to the present
and the present to future goals. Until you take a break to analyze yourself, you may never
identify certain petty shortcomings. Reflections can also mean allowing someone to make an
objective assessment of you.
 Don’t tolerate just anything
You cannot put your vision at risk. You should learn to be intolerant of any suggestion
or ideas which are not in line with your vision. This intolerance is not
towards others only but yourself too. It includes not tolerating negative aspects of your nature
such as laziness, fear, timidity etc.
 LESSON 3:
Simple Ways to Lead Yourself
LESSON 3:
Simple Ways to Lead Yourself
LESSON 3:
Simple Ways to Lead Yourself

LESSON 3:
Simple Ways to Lead Yourself
1. Invest in yourself
2. Lead by example
3. Be ready to be wrong

#1 INVEST IN YOURSELF

#1 INVEST IN YOURSELF

 Reading a book.
While there’s certainly value in
taking in new thinking and opinions, it is better to be drawn with good biographies or
autobiographies. Read about a person who’s actually done what you aspire to do or possesses
traits you admire.
 Volunteering
Try motivating people who aren’t being paid to do something. You’ll quickly find out
what works and what doesn’t when it comes to leading teams and connecting with others.
Volunteering allows you to get out of your comfort zone and hone your organizational skills, all
while doing good.
 Engaging People
 Start by finding a mentor. It’s as simple as offering an invitation to lunch. Come
prepared to learn and ask smart questions — if you find a leader who’s generous with his or her
time, don’t waste it. Be proactive.

#2 LEAD BY EXAMPLE
#2 LEAD BY EXAMPLE
#2 LEAD BY EXAMPLE

 Lead from the front

Set an example for how you want those around you to lead. Be the type of leader you
want to see on your management team.
 Make sure to “walk the walk”
As a leader, part of your job is to inspire the people around you to push themselves –
and, in turn, the company – to greatness. To do this, you must show them the way by doing it
yourself.
 Make sure to “walk the walk”
Leaders have many responsibilities, but it is important to work alongside your team. This
is a great way to build trust and continue to develop your own knowledge and skills.
 Make sure to “walk the walk”

Watch what you say. Actions do speak

louder than words, but words can have a
direct impact on morale. For better or for
worse. Be mindful of what you say, to
whom, and who is listening. Always show
support for all team members. If
someone needs extra guidance, provide
it behind closed doors
 Respect the chain of command
One of the fastest ways to cause structural deterioration, foster confusion, and damage
morale is to go around your direct reports. All team members need to respect the leadership at
every level.
 Listen to the Team
As leaders, sometimes we are so consumed with providing directive, giving orders, and,
well, talking that we forget to stop and listen. If the recruitment and training engine is
functioning well, you should have a whole team of experts to turn to for advice.
 Take Responsibility
Great leaders know when to accept that mistakes have been made and take it upon
themselves to fix them. It doesn’t matter if one of your team members messed up or you did. If
you are the leader, you need to take responsibility.
 Let the team do their thing.
 Stop micromanaging. Communicate the mission, vision, values, and goals. Then step
back and let the team innovate. Setting this example for the team will encourage your other
managers to do the same.
 Take care of yourself.
Wellness and fitness are essential for good leadership. The more you take care of
yourself, the more energy you will have and the better work you will do. The only way to build a
fitness oriented culture is to lead by example. Get in shape and lead
from the front.
#3 BE READY TO BE WRONG
A strong leader will be open to changing his or her mind if it’s for the greater good.
Good leaders know when to lead, follow or get out of the way — and let the team they hired do
what it does best.
LESSON 4:
Concept of Leadership

LESSON 4:
Concept of Leadership
Good leaders are made, not born. If you have the desire and willpower, you can become
an effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never ending process of self-study,
education, training, and experience (Jago, 1982). This guide will help you through the journey.
Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership knowledge and skills. This is
called Process Leadership (Jago, 1982). However, we know that we have traits that can
influence our actions. This is called Trait Leadership (Jago, 1982), in that it was once common to
believe that leaders were born rather than made.
FOUR PRIMARY FACTORS OF LEADERSHIP

FOUR PRIMARY FACTORS OF LEADERSHIP

1. Leader
2. Followers
3. Communication
4. Situation
 Leader
You must have an honest understanding of who you are, what you know, and what you
can do. Also, note that it is the followers, not the leader or someone else who determines if the
leader is successful. If they do not trust or lack confidence in their leader, then they will be
uninspired.
 Followers
Different people require different styles of leadership.
For example, a new hire requires more supervision than an experienced employee does. A
person who lacks motivation requires a different approach than one with a high degree of
motivation. You must know your people!
 Communication
You lead through two-way communication. Much of it is nonverbal. For instance, when
you “set the example,” that communicates to your people that you would not ask them to
perform anything that you would not be willing to do. What and how you communicate either
builds or harms the relationship between you and your followers.
 Situations
All situations are different. What you do in one situation will not always work in
another. You must use your judgment to decide the best course of action and the leadership
style needed for each situation. For example, you may need to confront an employee for
inappropriate behavior, but if the confrontation is too late or too early, too harsh or too weak,
then the results may prove ineffective.

LESSON 5. Most Important Keys to Effective Leadership

EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP
 Effective leadership is the ability to help people grow in their own abilities.
 Successful leaders are those who drive others to achieve their own success.

TRAITS OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADER

TRAITS OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADER
TRAITS OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADER
Listens
Evaluates
Assists
Discusses
Empathizes
Responds
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADER

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADER

1. Has VISION
2. Has COURAGE
3. Has INTEGRITY
4. Has HUMILITY
 An effective leader has Vision
They can see into the future; they know where they are going and what they are trying
to accomplish. This quality separates them from managers. They are able to transform an
organization’s future. While managers are great to get the job done, great leaders tap into the
emotions of others.
 An effective leader has Courage
They are willing to take risks to achieve goals with no assurance of success.
Because there is no certainty in life, every commitment you make and every action you
take involves a risk of some kind.
 An effective leader has Integrity
This is complete honesty in everything you do, both with your members and with the
community.
The core of integrity is truthfulness. Integrity requires that you always tell the truth to
all people in every situation.

 An effective leader has Humility

Effective leaders are those who are strong and decisive but also humble. This doesn’t
mean that you are weak or unsure of yourself.
Humility means that you have the self-confidence and self-awareness to recognize the
value of others without feeling threatened.
It means you are willing to admit that you
could be wrong.
PERSONALITIES OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADER
  Be strong but not rude
  Be kind but not weak
  Be bold but not bully
  Be proud but not arrogant

IMPERATIVES OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADER

Every situation can be systematically resolved by a leader who applies four
imperatives:
 Build trust
 Clarify purpose
 Align priorities
 Unleash talent

Build Trust
 The first step to help others grow in their abilities is for them to trust you.
 Understand what drives people’s desires, fears, needs, wants and why they react the way
they do.
 Show that you care and understand other’s perspectives.
Clarify the Purpose
 Anything can be achieved if there is clear purpose.
 A good leader is one that constantly reminds others of the common purpose.
 The purpose must be clear enough for everyone involved to understand.
Align Priorities
 There should be no conflict between the measurement of progress and what is
important.
 What is important is that the team is working towards a clearly defined purpose and not
whether you are succeeding or failing.
Unleash Talent
 Empower people by utilizing their capacity.
 Understand you can only succeed by relying on the talents of the people around you.
 Allow people take ownership, give them a chance and help them grow in confidence and
abilities.