Leadership “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
-Margaret Mead ”Come to the edge,” he said. They said, “We are afraid.” “Come to the edge,” he said. They came. He pushed them… and they flew.”
-Guillaume Apollinaire ”Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”
-General George S. Patton “The art or spirit of leadership involves influencing, guiding, and directing others to new heights of understanding, interacting, and commitment. Thus, the difference between a leader and a manager lies in the ability to motivate or inspire others—in other words, to give a vision.”
-Setting Hearts on Fire: A Spirituality for Leaders by Timothy Brown, SJ and Patricia Sullivan, RSM “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson “A common contemporary metaphor likens leadership to an orchestra or symphony. Think for a moment of the role and tasks of a symphony conductor and the musicians. The conductor is responsible for bringing out the artistic talents and gifts of each symphony member, while the musicians work together to blend and harmonize the music.”
-Exploring Leadership for University Students Who Want to Make a Difference by Susan R. Komives, Nance Lucas, Timothy R. McMahon “Leadership has a harder job to do than just choose sides. It must bring sides together.”
-Jesse Jackson “It’s amazing how much people can get done if they do not worry about who gets the credit”
-Sandra Swinney “Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another. Appreciate those who diligently labor among you and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction. Esteem them highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. Admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak and be patient with all. Rejoice always and pray without ceasing. Do not quench the Spirit. Examine everything carefully and hold fast to that which is good.”
-1 Thessalonians 5:11-21 James Kouzes and Barry Posner, co-authors of Encouraging the Heart, The Leadership Challenge, and Credibility, are two of the nation’s leading thinkers and consultants about leadership. After interviewing some of the most successful people in business, they found that most revered “leaders,” all exhibit the following five qualities and/or skills. Kouzes and Posner believe these are indispensable to any leader, including student leaders. They’re worth learning. Search for challenging opportunities to change, grow, innovate and improve. Experiment, take risks, and learn from the accompanying mistakes. Envision an uplifting and ennobling future. Enlist others in a common vision by appealing to their values, interests, hopes, and dreams. Foster collaboration by promoting cooperative goals and building trust. Strengthen people by giving your power away, providing choice, developing competence, assigning critical tasks, and offering visible support. Set the example by behaving in ways that are consistent with shared values. Achieve small wins that promote consistent progress and build commitment. Recognize individual contributions to the success of every project. Celebrate team accomplishment regularly. **The Leadership Practices can be found in their book, The Leadership Challenge, and their breakthrough Student Leadership Practices Inventory that measures individual performance in each area. Please visit the Office of Leadership and New Student Programs for more information. Fact No. 1: As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift draft for the bird following. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds a greater flying range than if one bird flew alone. Lesson No. 1: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they’re going quicker and more easily because they are traveling on the strength of one another. Fact No. 2: Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front. Lesson No. 2: If we have as much sense as geese, we will stay in formation and be willing to accept help when we need it and give help when it is needed. Fact No. 3: When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation, and another goose flies in the point position. Lesson No. 3: Geese instinctively share the task of leadership and do not resent the leader. Fact No. 4: The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. Lesson No. 4: We need to make sure our honking from behind is encouraging and not something else. Fact No. 5: When a goose gets sick, is wounded or is shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to earth to help and protect it. They stay with their disabled companion until it is able to fly again or dies. They then launch out on their own or with another formation or catch up with the flock. Lesson No. 5: If we have as much sense as geese, we, too, will stand by one another in difficult times and help the one who has dropped out regain his or her place in the formation. This is a story about four people
named Everybody, Somebody,
Anybody, and Nobody. There was an
important job to be done and
Everybody was sure that Somebody
would do it. Anybody could have
done it but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angry about that,
because it was Everybody’s job.
But Everybody thought Anybody
could do it, but Nobody realized
that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It
ended up that Everybody blamed
Somebody when Nobody did what
Anybody could have done. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Set realistic goals.
Ask for help when you need it.
Read a good book.
Delegate. Remember, it’s about quality, not quantity.
Accept what you cannot change, and change the things you can.
Call a friend.
Accept your “human-ness.”
Avoid perfectionism.
Pray.
Exercise.
Meditate.
Make a gratitude list each day, listing
Take a walk.
Things for which you are thankful.
Prioritize.
Smile more.
Laugh more. **Don't forget! There are many good resources on leadership available at Loyola's Leadership and New Student Programs office.** Bennis, W. and J. Goldsmith. (1994). Learning to Lead. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Brown, T. and P. Sullivan. (1997). Setting Hearts on Fire: A Spirituality for Leaders. New York: Society of Saint Paul.
Covey, S. (1989). The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Komives, S. R., N. Lucas and T. R. McMahon. (1998). Exploring Leadership For College Students Who Want To Make A Difference. San Francisco Jossey-Bass, Inc.
Kouzes, J. M. and B. Z. Posner. (1995). The Leadership Challenge. San Francisco Jossey-Bass, Inc.
National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference (NJSLC)
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