Liberate The Leader Within You.....And Great Things Will Happen

"For what we've discovered, and rediscovered, is that leadership isn't the private reserve of a few charismatic men and women. It's a process ordinary people use when they're bringing forth the best from themselves and others. Liberate the leader in everyone, and extraordinary things happen."




Kouzes & Posner

Lessons for Leaders of the Future

One of my most respected political commentators is Dave Gergen.  According to Gergen, there are seven key lessons for the leaders of the future:


"What they must have are:

1. Inner mastery
2. A central, compelling purpose rooted in moral values
3. A capacity to persuade
4. Skills in working within the system
5. A fast start
6. A strong, effective team, and
7. A passion that inspires others to keep the flame alive."

~ David Gergen, Eyewitness to Power

Indeed.

I invite you to critically think about each of the seven lessons.......reflect on how they apply to your environment and leadership.

Authentic Leadership: Our Road Map

Since opening the Authentic Leadership blog, I have been contemplating the many topics associated with authentic leadership. I do not find it difficult to decide what I should write about rather, how should I present it (what order) and how to best articulate it. 

With a newly launched blog, there are no viewers yet....sigh.  So, as I wait your arrival and visits, the classroom is empty.  I must say, it will be so cool and interesting to see when (do I say "if") you arrive and what you bring to the blog.

So let me arrange the chairs and set the the table.  Here is the beginning list of contemporary leadership topics that we will cover during the first few months of the blog:

• 
  
  Definition of what "authentic leadership" is
• 
  
  How do you know authentic leadership when you see it
• 
  
  Difference between management and leadership
• 
  
  The 21st century leadership environment (most pressing issues and challenges confronting today's authentic leader)
• 
  
  Leading from the middle
• 
  
  Leading from a behavioral science perspective
• A framework for critical reading, thinking, and decision making
• 
  
  The essentials to successful leadership: Emotional Intelligence and Authentic Leadership
• 
  
  Motivating and inspiring others
• 
  
  Power, authority, and influence
• 
  
  Effective interactions and communication
• 
  
  Caring for your mind, body, and soul to sustain Authentic Leadership
• 
  
  Appreciative Inquiry (AI) and Authentic Leadership
• 
  
  Social-Emotional Learning and Authentic Leadership
• 
  
  Authentic Leadership and "spiritual gifts"

Well, that is our starting line up.  I am sure there will be other topics as we proceed.

Enjoy!

Welcome to Authentic Leadership

Hello and welcome to the blog about authentic leadership. This blog is about using your leadership to make a noticable impact on others!

I welcome your comments and insight on the topic of authentic leadership and 21st century management practice!

In this blog, we will explore, analyze, reflect, and learn about what authentic leadership is and how it can be used to inspire and motivate others to create change and achieve goals.

My hope is this blog will stimulate new ideas and knowledge on the best practice of leadership and management in organizations and as individuals. While my interests are in the public and non-profit sectors, the lessons of authentic leadership practice will likely be drawn from research and discussions involving all sectors of organization.

Greg