Parks’ Leadership Can be Taught

Presented by Patrick Donovan

Part 1

Parks believes that leadership can be taught and that not all leaders were born being predisposed to leadership roles.

Additionally, she believes that the best method of teaching leadership is one of Case-in point teaching.

That is; she believes that structured, but on hand personal experience teaches students to apply their knowledge to actual real-life problems.

Key points in this method include drawing four major distinctions.

Distinction 1: Authority v. Leadership

A successful organization has both formal and informal leaders.

For administrative and functional purposes; some members are given authority to make important leadership decisions.

However, these authority figures alone can not promise the success of a group.

Authority does not make one a good leader.

One must exhibit the qualities of leadership to be an effective leader.

Distinction 2: Technical Problems v.

Adaptive Changes Technical problems can be easily

solved with solutions and processes that are already known and are in place to resolve predictable technical challenges.

Adaptive challenges are new and unpredicted. They require new training and problem solving; making them much harder to resolve.

Adaptive changes involve more than simple routine solutions; they require old and established institutions and habits to adapt to them.

Distinction 3: Power v. Progress

Power is not a requisite for leadership and effectiveness.

The need to show personal power often times stands in the way of making true progress.

The priority needs to be placed on making progress and power identification needs to be what is placed on the back-burner.

Distinction 4: Personality v.

Presence To be an effective leader it

is not necessary to have a magnetic personality or a certain charisma.

Instead, it is much more important for a leader to be fully present and comprehending problems completely in order for them to make informed progress making decisions.

My Implementation.

1. I must not assume that my authority makes me a good and effective leader.

2. I must be able to break bad habits and learn new ways to solve new issues when they arise.

3. I must work for progress and not to retain authority.

4. I must concentrate on my duties rather than my likeability.

Part II: I Agree

Leadership is very complex and sometimes it is better to be creative than inspiring. Park’s whole thesis is on whether leadership can be learned and I believe that it can with the proper instruction and practice. Effective leadership is an art and must be practiced until one can create a master piece.

Leading Legends When you think of leaders…

A Shift Away From Heroes

In today’s world, the role of leader has become less epic.

The command- and-control form of leadership has become inadequate in today’s information sharing, post-industrial modern world.

The CEOs and presidents of today need to have more of a creative approach to their leadership styles.

The Art of Leadership

Leadership is now more of a creative process.

This makes leaders more like artists than epic heroes.

The Creative Process

1. Conscious Conflict: Identify and flush out the conflict so as to fully understand it.

2. Pause: Step back and allow yourself the time to think through the conflict carefully.

3. Image or Insight: That Eureka moment which came from a productive pause and reflection.

4. Re-patterning: Reorganizing your resources and systems to implement your newly realized resolution.

5. Interpretation/Testimony & Testing: The new system is tried and tested.

The Kiln The new resolution will either be effective

or fail just like pottery in the kiln.

If it is a success you have completed your work of leadership art; if not you will re-enter the process until your solution is effective.

OR