Hello everyone, my name is Emily Rangel and I am a student at California State University Monterey Bay CSUMB. I am currently going into my senior year and working as an NPC intern through my field training program in Collaborative Human and Health Services.
Today’s topic of leadership (once again) – I have spoken on leadership in the past; however, I will continue to do so since many great articles offer sound advice for development as a leader. Anyone who works in the human services world knows what a good leader is, and ever so often, we step up and lead. This article, “Questions of Leadership” by Steve Keating, was easy to read, short, and direct. Read the Full Article HERE. Some of the questions asked throughout the article truly make one self-evaluate their role as a leader and where they could improve.
A key point made in the article involves trust. The article explains that a good leader will develop confidence with those they lead. I couldn’t agree more that trust is crucial for a leader. Trust should go both ways, as well. The leader needs to have trust within their team to execute their duties; by this, I mean the leader guides and helps rather than commands and tells the team what to do. Trust being projected by both parties allows the team to feel confident in themselves and to trust their leader.
An additional point made throughout the article is the difference between leadership positions and authentic leaders. Someone who has the title of a leader at times takes a commanding approach and doesn’t request any feedback from their team. Compared that to an authentic leader who will ask their team how they can be better supported and even ask for criticism to make improvements.
For those in leadership roles, I urge you to read the article and take some time to reflect on your Leadership skills. Take time to ask your team how you are doing as a leader and how you could better support them. Ask yourself if your team trusts you, and do you trust your team?