Leadership Training
Many professional development seminars for educators feature leadership workshops. Activities designed to improve leadership skills include role play, problem solving, and group collaboration. Teamwork is an indispensable element of effective leadership since professionals often need to work with one another in order to improve communications and achieve desirable outcomes in an educational setting.
Simulating situations that require demonstrated leadership helps educators prepare for likely scenarios that they will encounter on the job. Dealing with uncooperative students is a common situation that all teachers will face one day so it is worth reconstructing in a workshop setting. Ask volunteers to pose as troublesome students who will not follow instructions. Ask another volunteer to handle the situation. The group should then critique the role play and then perform it again after suggestions for improvement have been discussed.
Sometimes effective leadership involves the ability to think on one's feet and solve problems as they arise without losing focus on priorities. A good workshop activity would be to brainstorm the worst possible scenario during a very bad day at work. Have group members identify priorities and then outline plans of action that would solve the myriad of problems that might arise.
Networking and communication are essential skills for any professional in the workplace no matter how independent they perceive their job to be. Shared experience between colleagues can be an invaluable reference source when difficult circumstances that require quick decision making skills are needed. An effective leader recognizes the strength of establishing and developing contacts in his field. Activities that explore how to build and maintain a reliable network are recommended.
Strong interpersonal skills are an indispensable quality of effective leadership. Workshop activities should focus on human communication areas such as active listening, body language and speech. Nonverbal gestures play an important part in determining how subordinates react to a leader's directives and learning how to interpret feedback and adjust a message's delivery will go a long way in strengthening how a leader is positively perceived.
Modern management theories advocate empowering subordinates by providing ways for them to feel actively involved in any decision making process. While sound in theory, implementing this strategy can be problematic at times, especially in an educational environment. A valuable activity would be to analyze a particular situation and brainstorm methods that would empower followers without undermining a leader's authority. |
