“Never doubt the capacity of the people you lead to accomplish whatever you dream for them” Benjamin Zander

Felicia Logan, ICMA Director of Leadership Development, led a three hour session on discovering our signature leadership style.  Each of us brings a combination of strengths, knowledge, values and experience that results in a leadership style that is unique to us.  Authentic leadership requires understanding what our unique style of leadership is, being able to articulate that style, and use it to transform organizations in bold and innovative ways. 

Logan started the engaging conversation by talking about the two most important components of leadership…vision and values.   Participants spent time building community by recognized we all have dreams and aspirations, beyond our title and signature.    We looked at our brain preferences: analytical, conceptual, structural, social or a combination.  Recognizing our personal preferences is important to understand the lense we view things and the importance of balancing the people we need to balance around us.    

Beyond our preferences, a video about Benjamin Zander, acclaimed Conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, encouraged participants to think about how a leader’s job is to speak possibility.  A transformation shift is needed to think beyond the downward spiral to the upward spiral.  Instead of thinking of the negative, the what’s wrong conversation, think about what we want to happen. As Zandar stated a conductor of an orchestra doesn’t make a sound… his power is created by his ability to make other people powerful.  It’s critical to enroll every voice in the vision, look for shining eyes and remove the voice in the head that says “I can’t do it”.  Great leaders see new pathways…rethink what we do…lead from wherever they stand…and most importantly never take themselves too seriously.