Conservation District Conservation District Supervisor Supervisor

AccreditationAccreditation

Module 10:Module 10:

Effective LeadershipEffective Leadership

What you’ll learn in this module:What you’ll learn in this module:

The role of leadership in conservation districtsThe role of leadership in conservation districts Principles of effective leadershipPrinciples of effective leadership Warning signs of ineffective leadershipWarning signs of ineffective leadership How conservation districts can practice How conservation districts can practice

leadershipleadership Characteristics of a true “leader”Characteristics of a true “leader” Steps for creating a “team approach”Steps for creating a “team approach” Ways to measure your ability to leadWays to measure your ability to lead

Discussion questions:Discussion questions:

Why should conservation districts be Why should conservation districts be concerned with developing leadership?concerned with developing leadership?

What are some important principles or What are some important principles or characteristics of leadership?characteristics of leadership?

What are some signs of ineffective What are some signs of ineffective leadership?leadership?

How can a conservation district practice How can a conservation district practice leadership?leadership?

Why Conservation Districts Should Why Conservation Districts Should be Concerned with Leadershipbe Concerned with Leadership

The legal purpose and role of conservation districts has The legal purpose and role of conservation districts has always been to provide leadership in conservation always been to provide leadership in conservation practices and conservation education in their communitiespractices and conservation education in their communities

Conservation district supervisors are elected by the Conservation district supervisors are elected by the people to represent their interests and goals – to lead the people to represent their interests and goals – to lead the way.way.

In many conservation districts, there are relatively few In many conservation districts, there are relatively few opportunities to develop their most important resource – opportunities to develop their most important resource – their people – and to practice leadership skillstheir people – and to practice leadership skills

Without good leadership, a conservation district cannot be Without good leadership, a conservation district cannot be successful and effective.successful and effective.

Principles of LeadershipPrinciples of Leadership

Have a bias for action. It is preferable to Have a bias for action. It is preferable to do something – anything – rather than do something – anything – rather than delay and reconsider and postpone.delay and reconsider and postpone.

Remember who you’re working for and Remember who you’re working for and what what theirtheir needs are. needs are.

Be innovative and creative.Be innovative and creative.

Principles of LeadershipPrinciples of Leadership

Know your mission and stick to it. Don’t Know your mission and stick to it. Don’t allow yourself or your conservation district allow yourself or your conservation district to be distracted by side issues.to be distracted by side issues.

Be tolerant of new ideas and different Be tolerant of new ideas and different viewpoints. Enable others to do their best viewpoints. Enable others to do their best for the district and the community.for the district and the community.

Keep it simple. Follow the mission Keep it simple. Follow the mission statement so others can easily see the statement so others can easily see the goals and effects of what you’re doing.goals and effects of what you’re doing.

Ineffective LeadershipIneffective Leadership

Ineffective leadership (or no leadership) can be Ineffective leadership (or no leadership) can be identified in several ways:identified in several ways:

Conservation districts which do not accomplish Conservation districts which do not accomplish stated goals.stated goals.

Supervisors and staff who can’t explain what Supervisors and staff who can’t explain what their role is or why they’re doing what they’re their role is or why they’re doing what they’re doing.doing.

Meetings without results; no sense of resolving Meetings without results; no sense of resolving issues and moving on.issues and moving on.

Supervisors and staff who don’t participate Supervisors and staff who don’t participate and/or don’t seem to care.and/or don’t seem to care.

Ineffective LeadershipIneffective Leadership

Ineffective leadership (or no leadership) can Ineffective leadership (or no leadership) can be identified in several ways:be identified in several ways:

Gossip or personalities are more important Gossip or personalities are more important than getting the job done.than getting the job done.

One person (or a small group) dominate One person (or a small group) dominate the rest and don’t allow all people and the rest and don’t allow all people and viewpoints to be considered.viewpoints to be considered.

The same people are always doing the The same people are always doing the work; no one else helps. There is no “new work; no one else helps. There is no “new blood” recruited and developed. blood” recruited and developed.

How Conservation Districts Can How Conservation Districts Can Practice LeadershipPractice Leadership

Be proactive – don’t just react to Be proactive – don’t just react to problems and emergencies. Identify problems and emergencies. Identify dangers and opportunities, and act on dangers and opportunities, and act on them.them.

Be informed and prepared.Be informed and prepared. Solicit opinions and solutions from Solicit opinions and solutions from

othersothers

How Conservation Districts Can How Conservation Districts Can Practice LeadershipPractice Leadership

Develop leadership skills in others Develop leadership skills in others whenever possible – committee whenever possible – committee assignments, setting tasks for completion, assignments, setting tasks for completion, etc. etc.

Think “win/win” when dealing with others – Think “win/win” when dealing with others – negotiate; cooperate – don’t bully people negotiate; cooperate – don’t bully people and try to force them to follow you. and try to force them to follow you.

Set a good example for others. Be the kind Set a good example for others. Be the kind of person others look to for help and of person others look to for help and guidance. guidance.

True Leaders:True Leaders:

Encourage others to openly express their Encourage others to openly express their own opinions and views;own opinions and views;

Understand that conflict is an important Understand that conflict is an important part of team process and problem solving;part of team process and problem solving;

Believe that every member of the team is Believe that every member of the team is a valuable asset to getting district work a valuable asset to getting district work done and has the right to be part of the done and has the right to be part of the planning and implementation of new ideas;planning and implementation of new ideas;

True Leaders: True Leaders: (cont.)(cont.)

See every member of the team as an See every member of the team as an equal partner in the completion of the work equal partner in the completion of the work of the district;of the district;

Facilitate the completion of project Facilitate the completion of project activities without forcing or imposing their activities without forcing or imposing their own values or priorities on the team;own values or priorities on the team;

Give continuous feedback to team Give continuous feedback to team members to assure goals of the team are members to assure goals of the team are accomplished – without pushing the team accomplished – without pushing the team to make premature decisions;to make premature decisions;

True Leaders: True Leaders: (cont.)(cont.)

Are accessible to team members and are Are accessible to team members and are active, willing listeners to divergent points active, willing listeners to divergent points of viewof view

Provide a sense of vision for the team y Provide a sense of vision for the team y encouraging team members to explore all encouraging team members to explore all conceivable possibilities;conceivable possibilities;

Challenge those members of the team Challenge those members of the team who attempt to harm other members by who attempt to harm other members by assuring all members adopt and comply assuring all members adopt and comply with rules of courtesy and respect for the with rules of courtesy and respect for the team. team.

ManagerManager Versus Versus LeaderLeader

District supervisors, staff, and volunteers are District supervisors, staff, and volunteers are often overworked and don’t receive the often overworked and don’t receive the support they need. Frustrations are common support they need. Frustrations are common and it may seem easier to “manage” than to and it may seem easier to “manage” than to “lead” to get work done. Managing may get “lead” to get work done. Managing may get short term results but leadership gets long short term results but leadership gets long term goals accomplished. term goals accomplished.

A A managermanager involves people within limits. A involves people within limits. A leaderleader finds people with potential, recruits finds people with potential, recruits them, and encourages them to excel. them, and encourages them to excel.

ManagerManager Versus Versus LeaderLeader

A A managermanager sees the group process as a series sees the group process as a series of hoops to jump through towards the goal of hoops to jump through towards the goal he/she has established. A he/she has established. A leaderleader considers considers problem solving as the responsibility of the problem solving as the responsibility of the team and believes that the team process will team and believes that the team process will truly result in the best possible outcome. truly result in the best possible outcome.

A A managermanager modifies team agreements to suit modifies team agreements to suit personal convenience. A personal convenience. A leaderleader keeps the keeps the commitments of the team decision making commitments of the team decision making process and expects the same in return from process and expects the same in return from the team. the team.

Steps of LeadershipSteps of Leadership

Make sure your team has a clear Make sure your team has a clear understanding of the task(s) assigned.understanding of the task(s) assigned.

Don’t hold anything back; make sure every Don’t hold anything back; make sure every member of the team has all the information member of the team has all the information you have about your project/activity. you have about your project/activity.

Facilitate open communication among the Facilitate open communication among the team members. Assure all have a fair team members. Assure all have a fair chance to give their position on a topic. chance to give their position on a topic.

Steps of LeadershipSteps of Leadership

Set team goals and action plans to get the Set team goals and action plans to get the task completed and agree to support the task completed and agree to support the shared goals.shared goals.

Delegate leadership tasks to team Delegate leadership tasks to team members; a true leader works themselves members; a true leader works themselves out of a job and into bigger jobs. out of a job and into bigger jobs.

Give feedback and rewards – and give Give feedback and rewards – and give them promptly. them promptly.

Measuring your Leadership Measuring your Leadership PerformancePerformance

Listen for “we” versus “I” or “you”. Effective Listen for “we” versus “I” or “you”. Effective leaders hear team members talking in leaders hear team members talking in terms of “we”.terms of “we”.

If team efforts are actively and consistently If team efforts are actively and consistently moving toward identified goals, your moving toward identified goals, your leadership style is making a difference. leadership style is making a difference.

Measuring your Leadership Measuring your Leadership PerformancePerformance

Is there an absence of sabotage among Is there an absence of sabotage among team members? Things are working if team team members? Things are working if team members are actively and consistently members are actively and consistently supporting the decisions of the team.supporting the decisions of the team.

Are new leaders emerging among team Are new leaders emerging among team members? Effectiveness is measured by members? Effectiveness is measured by counting the number of people encouraged counting the number of people encouraged and supported toward active leadership. and supported toward active leadership.

SummarySummary

A conservation district is A conservation district is placed into a leadership placed into a leadership position by law. position by law. Developing leadership Developing leadership skills within the community skills within the community helps the district achieve helps the district achieve its conservation objectivesits conservation objectives

SummarySummary Leaders are people who have a bias for Leaders are people who have a bias for

action; who are well informed and prepared; action; who are well informed and prepared; people who include others in the decision-people who include others in the decision-making process; people who encourage making process; people who encourage others to develop and exhibit leadership skills others to develop and exhibit leadership skills to help fulfill the mission of the organization. to help fulfill the mission of the organization.

Leaders know what the job is and don’t let Leaders know what the job is and don’t let themselves be distracted by “side issues”themselves be distracted by “side issues”

SummarySummary Conservation districts can practice Conservation districts can practice

leadership by being proactive instead of leadership by being proactive instead of reacting to crises or ideas and agendas reacting to crises or ideas and agendas set by others. set by others.

Do a good job for the district and be Do a good job for the district and be professional in doing it. professional in doing it.

Leaders in conservation districts set a Leaders in conservation districts set a good example by displaying leadership good example by displaying leadership characteristics – doing things which characteristics – doing things which encourage others to look to them for encourage others to look to them for guidance and support. guidance and support.

SummarySummary True leaders shape the outcomes of group True leaders shape the outcomes of group

planning, projects, and activities through a planning, projects, and activities through a strong commitment to a strong commitment to a teamteam effort. True effort. True leaders leaders facilitatefacilitate completion of team completion of team centered goals rather than centered goals rather than managingmanaging a a group of people towards the “bosses” goal.group of people towards the “bosses” goal.

Leaders: encourage others to openly Leaders: encourage others to openly express their views, know that conflict may express their views, know that conflict may happen, and recognize that every member happen, and recognize that every member is an equal partner to complete district work. is an equal partner to complete district work.

SummarySummary Managers set limits and impose their own Managers set limits and impose their own

ideas on others. Leaders encourage people ideas on others. Leaders encourage people to excel and include other perspectives to to excel and include other perspectives to improve the quality of the final product. improve the quality of the final product.

Managers think short-term; leaders see the Managers think short-term; leaders see the “big picture”. “big picture”.

Managers say “I”: leaders say “we”.Managers say “I”: leaders say “we”. Leaders give up “control” to other team Leaders give up “control” to other team

members, share all information, encourage members, share all information, encourage communication and facilitate agreed-upon communication and facilitate agreed-upon decisions. decisions.