Leadership Development

Author: Pierre de Bruin Du Plessis
Publisher: Pierre de Bruin Du Plessis of Leaders Circle
Publishing date: 7 October 2004
Copyrights – Du Plessis - 2004 – South Africa

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE COPIED OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY THIRD PARTY, IN ANY FORM AT ALL, WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT.  ONLY THE AUTHOR AND LOUIS ALLEN INTERNATIONAL MAY USE THIS PUBLICATION FOR COMMERCIAL TRAINING PURPOSES.

Consultants and trainers can use this course for commercial purposes if they pay a royalty fee of $49.00 per student.

Management is about efficiency - Leadership is about effectiveness

Prospectus for Leadership Development

Change your status to that of leader and pave your steps to career advancement within twelve months.

 Admission: 5 years' experience, grade 12 with 3 years' experience or a three-year tertiary qualification with 2 years' experience.

Course objectives: To make the student aware of what is required to become a good leader; to make the student aware of the important role of creativity in leadership; to enable the student to assess his or her own leadership abilities; to enable the student to identify personal leadership areas of improvement; to enable the student to evaluate the wider work environment for leadership deficiencies; to enable the student to set goals in attaining better leadership traits, personally and for the organization. To give the student insight into strategic analysis of a business unit, to enable the student to analyse the present situation in a business unit, to enable the student to do an internal analysis of a business unit, to enable the student to do an external analysis of a business unit, to enable the student to arrive at recommended strategies for change, to enable the student to convert those strategies into performance areas, to enable the student to draw up action plans and short interval control forms for monitoring performance.

Course contents:

Part 1 - Introduction:
Qualifications standards for the certificate - General Douglas Macarthur's Leadership Principles - Doing things differently - Other needed characteristics - Leadership traits – Entrepreneurial traits - The two pillars of work

Part 2 - How to move yourself out of your comfort zone:
Possibility thinking - The human brain - The thought process - The problem - The solution - The natural creative subconscious process - Possibility blind spots - The wizard (derived from the fable "the wizard of oz") - How to change - The power of imagination - Comfort zones -The self-fulfilling prophecy (Pygmalion effect) - Successful self-motivation - Continuous goal setting - Simulation through affirmations - Self-test questions - Task assignment - Solution to puzzles – Bibliography

Part 3 - How to tackle problems creatively:
Creativity - Introduction - Established ideas - Vertical thinking - Lateral thinking - Difference in creativity and lateral thinking - Principles of the lateral thinking process - Practical techniques to generate alternatives - De Bono's six thinking hats - Structure to introduce lateral thinking - Guidelines for treatment of ideas - Self-test questions - Task assignment - Kick-start your own creativity - How to mind map - Mind map laws - Mind mapping in eight easy steps - Bibliography - Some more techniques for creative thinking - Further web resources, techniques, books and software for creativity

Part 4 - How to become a dynamic Leader:
Dynamic Leadership: Begin with your own work attitude - Get your self-image in line with reality - Understanding human behaviour - Make it easier for your team - The pro's and cons of empowerment – Delegation principles - Leadership models - Self-test questions - Self-evaluation questions - Evaluation of your own organisation - Task Assignment - Bibliography - Leadership development guidelines - Self-test questions - Task assignment

Appendix
Model answers to self-test one - Model answers to self-test two - Model answers to self-test three - Model answers to self-test four - Interpretation of self-evaluation - Interpretation of evaluation of your organisation - Article: It takes a strong stomach to listen to how other people see you. - Tips for personal brainstorming

Part 5 – The Strategic Planning Process
Guidelines, Present Situation, Internal Analysis, External Analysis, Finalising the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats Analysis, Finalising Strategies and Forecasting, Roll down of strategies. Self-test questions. Task assignment 5, task assignment 6

Part 6 – Conversion of strategies into performance areas
Manifest of performance areas in relation to new strategies, Key performance areas, Critical performance areas, Specific performance areas, Performance indicators or standards, Roll down of performance areas and indicators. Self-test questions. Task assignment 7

Part 7 – Conversion of performance areas into action plans
Productivity principles, Principles of short interval control through the ranks, Merging performance areas and indicators with action plans, Self-control action plan reports, Utilisation and merging of existing infrastructures in the organisation, Reporting to Board of Directors, Feedback into the strategic planning process. Self-test question. Task assignment 8

One training manual, 8 task assignments, 7 self-test questionnaires, online examination paper of 3 hours. Optional In-house lecturing for 10 days. Course duration is twelve months for completion of eight practical task assignments. See also the course syllabus.

Syllabus for the Certificate in Leadership Development

1. Course Information:

1.1 Course Title: Certificate course in Leadership Development

1.2 Course full-time theoretical duration, either in the form of a seminar or in-house training: 10 days for lecturing, with 3 hours examination on last day

1.3 Course full-time theoretical duration as a correspondence course or distance training: own pace, with online examination date to be advised, within 12 months

1.4 Course practical duration: 12 months for completion of 8 practical task assignments

1.5 Admission: 5 years' experience, grade 12 with 3 years' experience or a three-year tertiary qualification with 2 years' experience

2. Instructor Information:

2.1 Instructor name: Pierre du Plessis

2.2 Location of office: 199 Outspan Drive, Bendor Park, 0699, Polokwane, Limpopo Province, South Africa

2.3 Postal address for task assignments: P.O. Box 12037, Bendor Park, 0699, Limpopo Province, South Africa

2.4 Office tel.: 27152960614 (during normal office hours)

2.5 Cell: +27844264496 (during normal office hours)

2.6 Email: lepfin@telkomsa.net

3. Text, Readings, Materials:

3.1 Required text reading: The only required reading material will be our training manual, which is included in the cost for the course.

3.2 Supplementary readings: Recommended supplementary readings are quoted in the training manual for students, who want more information.

3.3 Course description: The detailed description can be located in the course prospectus.

3.4 Course objectives:

• To make the student aware of what is required to become a good leader

• To make the student aware of the important role of creativity in leadership

• To enable the student to assess his/her own leadership abilities

• To enable the student to identify personal leadership areas of improvement

• To enable the student to evaluate the wider work environment for leadership deficiencies

• To enable the student to set goals in attaining better leadership traits, personally and for the organization

• To give the student insight into strategic analysis of a business unit

• To enable the student to analyse the present situation in a business unit

• To enable the student to do an internal analysis of a business unit

• To enable the student to do an external analysis of a business unit

• To enable the student to arrive at recommended strategies for change

• To enable the student to convert those strategies into performance areas

• To enable the student to draw up action plans and short interval control forms for monitoring performance

4. Qualification standards:

For the full-time certificate:

Candidates must attend all classes during the ten full days of lecturing.

Candidates must complete all self-test exercises during these ten days.

Candidates must pass the examination at the end of the ten days session. (60%)

Candidates must complete the eight practical task assignments as follows: (60%)

• Task Assignment 1: Within 30 days from the last day of lecturing

• Task Assignment 2: Within 60 days from the last day of lecturing

• Task Assignment 3: Within 90 days from the last day of lecturing

• Task Assignment 4: Within 120 days from the last day of lecturing

• Task Assignment 5: Within 150 days from the last day of lecturing

• Task Assignment 6: Within 210 days from the last day of lecturing

• Task Assignment 7: Within 270 days from the last day of lecturing

• Task Assignment 8: Within 330 days from the last day of lecturing

For the correspondence certificate:

Candidates must complete the eight practical task assignments as follows: (60%)

• Task Assignment 1: Within 30 days from registration date

• Task Assignment 2: Within 60 days from registration date

• Task Assignment 3: Within 90 days from registration date

• Task Assignment 4: Within 120 days from registration date

• Task Assignment 5: Within 150 days from the last day of lecturing

• Task Assignment 6: Within 210 days from the last day of lecturing

• Task Assignment 7: Within 270 days from the last day of lecturing

• Task Assignment 8: Within 330 days from the last day of lecturing

Candidates must pass the examination within 360 days from registration date by attending one of the available examination sessions to be published. (60%)

Examination questions will normally be taken from the self-test questionnaires inside the training manual.

The proportional weighting factor for the final outcome will be 20% for the examination and 80% for the task assignments.

5. Course Policies:

5.1 Attendance, lateness: It will be expected of students to arrive on time as agreed on first day.

5.2 Class participation: It will be expected of students to actively participate in discussions.

5.3 Missed exams or assignments: It will be expected of students to inform us at the latest one day before the due date of difficulties in meeting due dates, so that alternatives can be arranged.

6. Credits earned: The successful completion of this course will earn you the following credits: (Will differ from country to country)

7. Guidelines for evaluation of task assignments:

7.1 Logic framework (25): Headings, sequence of headings and problem-solving approach. (Identification of problem, data gathering, analysis and evaluation of data, development of alternatives and planning, implementation of selected alternatives, evaluation of success).

7.2 Theory (10): Comprehension of theory as disclosed by your written report.

7.3 Feasibility (15): The practical feasibility of your solutions to problems.

7.4 Direction (10): The degree to which you have stayed on track according to the specific assignment.

7.5 Completeness (15): The degree to which you have covered all the points as prescribed by the assignment.

7.6 Thoroughness (25): The degree to which you have maintained balance between headings (neglect of some points in favour of others).

Here is an extract of chapter 2 of the manual:

2. General Douglas MacArthur‘s Leadership Principles:

 General
Douglas MacArthur

MacArthur developed a list of questions to guide him in his leadership duties. These principles can be applied to any leadership situation.

• Do I heckle my subordinates or strengthen and encourage them?

• Do I use moral courage in getting rid of subordinates who have proven themselves beyond doubt to be unfit?

• Have I done all in my power by encouragement, incentive and spur to salvage the weak and erring?

• Do I know by NAME and CHARACTER a maximum number of subordinates for whom I am responsible? Do I know them intimately?

• Am I thoroughly familiar with the technique, necessities, objectives and administration of my job?

• Do I lose my temper at individuals?

• Do I act in such a way as to make my subordinates WANT to follow me?

• Do I delegate tasks that should be mine?

• Do I arrogate everything to myself and delegate nothing?

• Do I develop my subordinates by placing on each one as much responsibility as he can stand?

• Am I interested in the personal welfare of each of my subordinates, as if he were a member of my family?

• Have I the calmness of voice and manner to inspire confidence, or am I inclined to irascibility and excitability?

• Am I a constant example to my subordinates in character, dress, deportment and courtesy?

• Am I inclined to be nice to my superiors and mean to my subordinates?

• Is my door open to my subordinates?

• Do I think more of POSITION than JOB?

• Do I correct a subordinate in front of others?

Source: The West Point Way of Leadership by Col. Larry R. Donnithorne

3. Doing things differently:

Anyone can become a leader. All the characteristics and traits of leadership can be acquired through learning and practice.

Leadership is not synonymous with assertiveness, despotic behaviour or managerial position.

Assertiveness is a good quality only if it can be backed up by respect. Respect stems from various sources as outlined lower down on this page.

Management is about doing things efficiently. Leadership is about doing things differently, in new ways, in better ways. Leadership is about lateral thinking, being innovative and creative.

Leadership is not limited to the top echelon in an organisation. Any person in an organisation, who can differentiate him or her self by being inventive, can be a leader. If you display inventiveness, others will follow your direction naturally out of respect.

Leadership does not follow lines of authority. More often than not, creativity stems from the floor level nearest to the processes and problems. Leadership is therefore by no means limited to the formal structure of supervisory and managerial positions.

The role of leadership can be earned in many ways, small or big. For instance, you can display leadership and earn respect from others in the following ways:

• Expert or superior knowledge about a subject or something

• Excellence in execution of tasks

• Positive attitude, high morale

• High ethical values and codes of conduct

• Good human relations

• Streamlining paper work, production, methods, your use of time

• Being innovative or creative

Innovativeness usually results in bigger leaps with more benefits and profits. It can therefore be most profitable for an employer to cultivate, encourage and support the development of creativity and risk taking in all employees.

Therefore, the most important quality to develop and the fastest way in order to become a leader, is through creativity.

4. Other needed characteristics:

4.1 Leadership traits:

You will also have to foster the following traits to retain respect:

1. Loyalty
2. Willingness to stand out, differentiate yourself, risk being rejected by being different.
3. Determination and perseverance to push through your own ideas.
4. Improvement drive - desire to find better ways of doing things, curiosity.
5. Questioning mind - not accepting authority, willingness to challenge the status quo.
6. Self-belief - believing that you can think for yourself and devise a better way.
7. Thick skin - being able to withstand criticism and recover from setbacks.
8. Learning from mistakes - being prepared to try things to find what works.
9. Trustworthiness - keeping your word, being honest.
10. Delivering on promises - like being trustworthy, you deliver what you promise.
11. Treating people with respect and fairness.
12. Not deliberately harming others.
13. Dedication to improving the lot of those you represent.
14. Management skills - the ability to get things done efficiently.
15. Strong influence skills
16. The ability to convey a compelling vision of the future.

These characteristics can be either classified under ethics or managerial skills.

How do these characteristics compare with entrepreneurial traits?

The psychological traits of entrepreneurs:

1. Desire to perform
2. Drive, determination and energy
3. Goal orientation
4. Time conscious
5. Self-motivated
6. Self-control
7. Can make decisions in situations of lack of information or uncertainty
8. Take calculated risks
9. Positive self-image
10. Creative and innovative capabilities (imaginative and real)
11. High ethical standards about integrity and trustworthiness
12. Intelligence
13. Individualistic
14. More task than human oriented
15. Flourish on feedback
16. Take initiative and responsibility for their actions
17. Objective and optimistic
18. Profit is a measure of success

The rest of volume one of this course will be devoted to positive thinking, creativity, how to become a dynamic leader and strategic goal achievement.

In volume two we look at ethics and in volume three at strategic issues.

4.2 The two pillars of work:

4.2.1. All job positions involve tasks, which stem from the two pillars of work, namely vocational technical work and management work, as illustrated in the table below:

It is necessary to focus on management work, as it is most often not consciously being thought of as part of work. A complete job description must also include tasks relating to management work.

4.2.2. The four broad groupings of management work can further be analysed and broadly defined into main tasks as in the table below:

4.2.3. The broad tasks can be further analysed by means of a meaningful description or definition:

4.2.4. The hierarchical differentiation of management work, so that the tiers do not end up doing the same work, can be illustrated as follows:

In order to be a good leader, you must concentrate your efforts on the relevant focus areas of your hierarchical position.

4.3 Bibliography:

I am indebted to Louis Allen International, who graciously granted me the rights to use some of their intellectual property, from The Allen Managers Guide, fifth edition, 1983.

 Their particulars are as follows:

Louis Allen International
Foster City, CA, United States of America
(Headquarters)
1065 E. Hillsdale Boulevard
Suite 200
Foster City, CA 94404

Tel: (650) 356-1620
Fax: (650) 356-1635
E-mail: info@laii.com
Web site: http://www.laii.com

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