Natalie Schneider Leadership

Archive for September, 2011

Leadership Skills

Leadership Skills are an oxymoron.

Managers have skills, Leaders have Qualities.

Managers utilise skills to use people to follow their directive. The skill of management is using people effectively. The skills of management allow people to be used effectively.

Managers do, Leaders just are.

People who follow the example of what I am doing are trainees. Those who follow the example of who I am Being are disciples. A trainer leads by example, which makes them a trainer, not a leader.

The qualities of leadership are ‘modeled’ and coached. The skills of management are trained, instructed and taught.

The only skills that leaders appear to have are the skills to manipulate and to assert their authority over others, which is how they manage and use their followers effectively.

Leadership Qualities

Leadership Qualities attract followers. The quality of leadership determines the magnitude of the attraction and the size of the following. Without followers, there are no leaders.

Leadership Qualities are states of Being not skills. The quality of my emotional state of Being determines the quality of my leadership potential.

The quality of my personal emotional state of being determines my Leadership ability.

Personal Qualities determine my Attraction.

My Personal Attraction determines my Quality of Leadership.

Leadership Qualities attract followers who are attracted to the personal qualities of the leader.

Personal qualities are the product of my personal attributes and attainments.

It is the quality of my personal attributes that I have attained that defines my Personal Qualities and my Leadership Potential.

My quality of Human Beingness is determined by the quality of the emotional state that I am being and I attribute to my Self.

Who I am being, as a human, is determined by my emotional attributes and attainments.

The quality of my Beingness is personal to my Self.

It is a measure of the quality of Life that I have attained and attribute to myself.

My Quality of Life is relative to the Personal Qualities that I express.

My Personal Qualities determine my Self-esteem, the true value of my life and my ability to live life with confidence.

The Quality of Leadership

The Quality of Leadership is a measure of individual self-esteem.

The higher my esteem, the greater is the quality of my leadership.

My quality of leadership is determined by my quota of self-confidence combined with my quanta of self-worth.

It is about how much I confide in my Self and how much I value my Self.

Followers follow leaders whom they hold in high esteem.

People with high self-esteem do not need to follow other people.

People with low self-esteem need an example of high self-esteem to follow.

With high self-esteem, I follow my own path in life and I lead my own life.

I have no need of followers to endorse my quality of leadership.

Leaders have a vision to follow and a vision that leads them.

High self-esteem is essential to the realisation of my vision for life.

Realising my vision and fulfilling my purpose builds self-esteem and attracts the esteem of others.

People follow people who have a vision and follow people who have a purpose.

Without a clear vision, a clear direction and a clear purpose, there are no followers and the leadership has no quality.

Esteem is the product of my confidence and worth.

Disciples follow the example of leaders who are confident in their value to those who follow their lead.

The Prime Attributes of Leadership

The Prime Attributes of Leadership are the prime states of being that are attributable to all Leaders:

Transparency
Transparency is a prime attribute of Leadership.

Leaders who are being transparent communicate a clear vision and a clear intention.

With transparency, followers have the clarity to see where everyone is going.

There is no hidden agenda and no one gets confused.

Accountability
Accountability is a prime attribute of Leadership.

Leaders who are accountable clarify their direction and their purpose.

With accountability, followers know where they are going and where the leader is coming from.

There is no deception and no one gets lost.

Wisdom
Wisdom is a prime attribute of Leadership.

Leaders who are wise make beneficial choices.

With wisdom their presence is recognisable and followers know why they are being led this way.

There is no frustration, no anger and no intolerance, only unity.

Eldership
Eldership is True Leadership.

The True Leaders of a Society are its Elders.

True Leaders have the wisdom to follow their own path and to allow all others to follow their own path.

It is not age that qualifies me to be a Leader but wisdom.

A leader needs followers, Elders do not.

An Elder has overcome the duality of leaders and followers.

Elders lead their own life and follow their own path.

Eldership is determined by my state of Being, not by my actions.

A person’s preference to lead or to follow is determined by their individual emotional needs.

Elders are recognised by the influence of their Presence and their Beingness.

A leader requires the authority of their followers.

Elders have the authority of their own confident choice.

A leader decides what to do and how to do it.

Elders decide who to be in relationship to what is occurring.

A Gathering of Elders has no leader and requires no followers.

While the economic development efforts of tribes are quickly growing, Native Americans have long had annual events where industry professionals gather. There are events for Native American physicians, lawyers, financial officers, etc. There is even an annual event and association for Native American administrative assistants. Presented are three of the largest Native American professional gatherings and a couple may even be the oldest.

The National Indian Educators Association (NIEA) has an annual event that is the largest annual conference in Indian Country. This conference brings Native educators from across the nation together for networking, workshops, recognition, and general discussion. The conference attendees range from preschool staffers to tenured university professors. The conference often has an accompanying powwow and activities for students. The site location is decided many years in advance and is not limited to Indian Country. One of the highest attended NIEA conference was held in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The National Congress of the American Indian (NCAI) has a large annual conference where elected tribal officials meet. There are general assemblies, workshops, tradeshow, committee meetings, and discussions that are completed at the annual conference. This is an important conference as tribal officials try to gather consensus on hot topics in Indian Country and Washington, DC. The NCAI has a number of smaller events throughout the year at different locations. It also has a significant midyear conference that is similar to the annual conference.

The Reservation Economic Summit (better known as RES) is an annual business conference that has grown significantly since calling Las Vegas home. Las Vegas has hosted the conference for many years now. This conference is where Native entrepreneurs and tribal economic development personnel gather to network and learn. Corporate diversity departments and government agencies also attend, but typically for the tradeshow. This gives the entrepreneurs an opportunity to make quality contacts for their business.

There are many other professional gatherings, such as American Indian Science & Engineering Society (AISES) conference, that can be quite large and growing. But these three conferences have a long history, make a significant impact, and are simply the largest Native conferences.

On my recent visit to Kenya, my main task was to teach at Pastors and Leaders Seminars and Conferences in Nairobi, Kisumu and Bungoma. It was my fourth visit to Africa in five years, which gives me a little insight into what exactly is going on particularly in the Church of Jesus Christ.

During the Seminar and Conference in central Nairobi, I was based in the East African School of Theology Campus. What a bonus to be able to speak with these young men each evening. These were young men of God preparing for front line ministry. They were so keen, eager, and full of relevant practical questions. Yes, this was a bonus indeed.

At the Pastors and Leaders Seminar in Nairobi, in the slum area of Dandora, I gave my testimony to let these men know where I was coming from, in Christ. That is so important. I then gave an “Overview of The Christian Faith” from three main heading, Jesus Christ, the Bible and The Church – these three being unique.

I took time to teach from from Psalms 120 through to 134. They are called the Songs of Ascent, and as we made our way through I sought to apply Principles of Leadership and spiritual reality.

It being mid-November I turned to teach from Luke Chapters 1 and 2 and Matthew Chapters 1 and 2 dealing with the factual reality of the birth of Jesus Christ – and then from Acts Chapter 2 on how the Risen and Living Jesus birthed and launched the Church.

At our final session in Nairobi, I was given a pile of written questions which I sought to answer. When I came to the second last question I asked – “Where am I going for my answers?” to which they replied in unison – “The Bible”! When you go to the Bible for your answers you are giving those asking the questions a firm reliable sound solid foundation.

I heard on the BBC News World Service that the M.P.’s in Nairobi had voted NOT to have their expenses taxed! Many are absolutely fed up with corrupt politicians. I wrote a letter to the national newspaper “The Standard” and it was published the next day.

Africa is in turmoil.

One BBC Economics Commentator said that the present financial crisis will hit Africa in around three months time! Wow! How bad can it become?

Sandy Shaw.