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Training employees is a fundamental element of a corporations success. A company succeeds only as well as the people running it can perform. This training process can cover many skills and go into many areas of expertise. One key element that has only recently come into action is an outdoor- based experiential training program.
Commonly called 'ropes courses, ' wilderness courses or adventure learning programs have been in use in the USA since the early 1980 's, and by organizations in the UK since the early 1970 's. Outdoor programs have been most beneficial when used to promote effective work teams and used to enhance leadership and management skills in the participants. Outdoor- based training programs seem to accomplish these objectives by allowing participants to develop a high level of trust in their peers, improve their problem-solving ability, and generally improve the level of interpersonal communications between group members. Companies are looking for leaders that can launch them into a new era. Constant improvement is necessary to meet the growth of challenging competition. So who defines leadership?
What is a leader and how would you raise these skills that may be laying dormant in your subordinates? Organizations need great leaders to help them successfully survive the many difficulties of this decade. Yet, the very notion of leadership has rapidly degenerated into a clich, a buzz word. In many people's minds, leadership has become identified with an overly simplistic conception of vision and empowerment. Although these concepts do play an important role in the leadership process, they only scratch the surface of what an exceptional leader actually does on a day-to-day basis. What do leaders really do to make an organization work well?
In my research I found that great leaders exhibit nine different kinds of behaviors that enable them to bring out the best in the people around them. Some of the nine behaviors of leadership listed below involve building participatory teams, some involve using 'situational management strategies, ' while others enhance personal resources. Listed separately, the nine behaviors include: Developing people. Being able to influence others. Encouraging teamwork. Empowering people.
Using multiple options thinking. Taking intelligent risks. Being passionate about work. Having a strong, clear vision.
Stretching one's personal creativity. While many people think leaders are unique, even born to that state of excellence, I have found just the opposite. With proper experiential training, it is possible for people to learn these leadership behaviors. In other words, leaders can be developed.
By all means they should be developed at many levels in an organization because leadership in a hierarchical situation stimulates the best in their followers and thereby increases overall productivity. In experiential training, the focus in on inner development. At the beginning of one leadership training course, participants are asked for their own definitions of leadership - so they can see, hear, and explore their ideas about the real leadership qualities. Most participants do not realize that there are fundamental behaviors of exceptional leadership. Instead they tend to believe the common myths about leadership - that it is a rare skill exhibited only by those at the top, that leaders are born and always display charisma and that they are strongly authoritative 'take-charge' people Dispelling these myths is a key and briefly I will explain the nine, learn able behaviors of leaders. In order to go beyond a cognitive understanding, participants must begin to experience these behaviors as they might occur at work, hence the name experiential education.
They will begin see that leaders have a strong interest in the people working for them, for when a team works well together they all help get an excellent job done. The first four behaviors focus on building high functioning teams: developing people; being able to influence others, encouraging teamwork, and empowering others. Developing People and Influencing Others Good leaders have a strong interest in the personal and professional development of their people. They encourage their staff to push beyond their limitations and give their personal best. One of the best ways to get this notion of encouragement and support across to people is to ask participants to remember and then write down how their best boss treated them, and how they felt about it. Then, have them share their answers with the rest of the group.
Point out the common denominators in their answers so that their own experiences flesh out a composite picture of what it is like to offer people the support they need. Finally, ask them this: If their own people were to do a similar exercise, would their own names be on their people's lists? If not, why not? Where are they falling short in evoking the best from their people? Encouraging Teamwork A good leader not only develops his or her people as individuals but also knows how to get the best out of people when they work on teams. Being able to handle the subtle dynamics of whole group of people is not equivalent to dealing with the sum of its parts.
By breaking participants into small groups and giving them a simple problem to solve, you can teach them about the issues that arise for teams. For example, if they work in small, separate teams on a tower building project, they will see how working together in one team accomplishes a greater product. Or, if they each have a specific task that is necessary to get the job done - being the navigator or pilot or other crew while landing the space shuttle back on earth - they see the necessity of functioning well together. Some groups are results oriented. Some work on process, while others focus more on the relationships among the team members.
Analyzing these three aspects of teamwork helps participants think about the way they work best individually and in teams. Empowering Others Empowerment involves four dynamics: giving people important work to do; offering visibility and public recognition; encouraging autonomy; and helping them to establish networking skills. (IVAN) Exercises help participants feel the importance of each of the four dynamics. Developing, influencing, encouraging, and empowering are four ways for a leader to get honest support. The best method to accomplish all these characteristics is to be a role model of an intelligent, caring person who truly listens. Equally im...
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Research essay sample on Leaders Have A Strong Interest Leaders Have A Strong People
