Developing better leaders and your effectiveness as a leader.
Pro Tip: A leader’s effectiveness in accomplishing the goals of his/her organization starts with a better understanding of the people who make up the organization.
I really struggled early on in my teaching career with this idea. Mostly because I believed that some kids were just “naturally born leaders” and other we not. When the truth is that some students had be equipped with a higher set of leadership awareness and skills and others had not. So I’ve worked on a few things with my percussion kids the last 4-5 years and have found a few excellent resources that have really helped me be more effective in my position and helped equip the students with information and tools to lead the organization forward.
The following process has helped me greatly better know my students and my students better know me and their peers:
I have my students take this personality survey. Http://16personalities.com Tell each other the results of our survey and then discuss the possible strengths and weakness the website provides and how that relates to what we do. It’s been extremely helpful in giving the students perspective on their personality type and how much “who they are” means to our organization. Also knowing the types of the others involved helps the leaders utilize their personalities for the good of the organization. Going into the season you can also identify your potential alliances within the group and also potential conflicts.
Throughout the season, each core group of kids always brings up these conversations we had in the preseason. (Without prompt) Now seeing these personalities in action, it makes for some great teaching points.
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