Authentic LeadershipDr. Amanda Quist, July, 2019

Leadership Stylesn What are the personality traits or characteristics of a great leader?

n Harvard research team performed over 1000 studies to attempt to determine which traits proven leaders have in common.

n The results showed there is not a singular type.

n Authentic leaders show passion for purpose, practice values consistently, lead with heart as well as head.

n Interviews showed that leadership emerged from one’s life story

“We all have the capacity to inspire and empower others. But we must first be willing to devote ourselves to our personal growth and development as leaders.” –Harvard Business Review, April, 2007

Leadership stylesIndeed.com:

n Coachn Clear expectations, create a positive, motivating environment

n Visionaryn Inspiring, earn trust

n Servantn People-first mindset, skilled at building morale

n Autocratic, authoritariann Focused on results and efficiency

n Bureaucraticn Focused on fixed duties, hierarchy

n Coerciven Performance improvement plan

“To suggest that leadership is entirely inborn is to deny one of the fundamental premises of teaching, that education is a vehicle for change.”–Hilary Apfelstadt. The Choral Journal. Vol. 37, No. 8 (March 1997), pp. 23-30

Learning from your life story

n Journey to authentic leadership begins with your story

n Many successful leaders discussed positive experiences with parents, coaches, teachers, mentors; but many said motivation came from a difficult experience in their lives.

n They described the transformative effects of n the loss of a job

n personal illness

n the untimely death of a close friend or relative

n feelings of being excluded, discriminated against, and rejected by peers

Story

n Rather than seeing themselves as victims, authentic leaders:n Used their formative experiences to give meaning to their lives

n Reframed the events of their story to rise above challenges, and discover the passion to lead

n Did not hide from their experiences, but used them as a source of strength

Your personalityn Myers-Briggs

n Preferences:n Extraversion vs. Introversion

n The way you direct and receive energyn Energized by people and taking action vs. reflecting on your own ideas

n Sensing vs. Intuitionn The way you take in informationn Real and tangible information; 5 senses vs. big picture, potential, interrelationships

n Thinking vs. Feelingn The way you decide and come to conclusionsn Decisions based on logic and accuracy vs. personal and social values

n Judgement vs. Perceptionn The way you approach the outside worldn Quicker conclusions, move on, organized vs. take in information first, spontaneous,

flexible approach

It is important to know how people experience you, or how do they experience themselves with you.

What do leaders look like?

n Your mentorsn Do they share your gender identity?

n Same or different ethnicity?

n Other similarities or differences?

n How does this affect us, and our students and singers?

n Who are you leading, and what does your story do to empower those in your choir?

Traditional leaders in music

Traditional leaders in music

Traditional leaders in music

Your story- possible challenges

n Sometimes our perception of what a leader should look like prevents us from being our strongest selves on the podium or in the classroom.

n A Soprano on Her Head, Eloise Ristadn Chapter 2. The Book of Judges

n Who are your judges?

n Lessen their power- they can defeat us and stifle our spontaneity

n Visualize them, see them melting away

n We aren’t doomed to constant censorship from these commentators on our every act and thought

Authentic Leadership“Authentic leaders demonstrate a passion

for their purpose, practice their values consistently,

and lead with their hearts as well as their heads.

They establish long-term, meaningful

relationships and have the self-discipline to get results.

They know who they are.”

Discovering Your Authentic Leadership by Bill George, Peter Sims, Andrew N. McLean, and Diana Mayer. Harvard Business Review, February 2007