Leadership Development is a programme developed by AST and is based on the work of James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner.  AST acknowledges the copyright owned by Kouzes and Posner in some of the material used in the course.

 

Research conducted by Kouzes and Posner was based on the question “How do ordinary people accomplish extraordinary things in organisation?” What they discovered, despite the differences in people’s individual stories, was that when leaders were at their best, they shared certain practices.

These practices are:

Leaders search for opportunities to change the way things are. They look for innovative ways to change what is. In so doing, they experiment and take risks. Leaders know that risk-taking involves mistakes and failures therefore they accept the inevitable disappointments as learning opportunities.

Leaders believe with passion that they can make a difference. They envision the future, creating an ideal and unique image of what the organisation can become. Through their magnetic appeal and quiet persuasion, leaders enlist others in their dreams. They breathe life into their visions and get people to see exciting possibilities for the future.

Leaders foster collaboration and build spirited teams. They actively involve others. Leaders understand that mutual respect is what sustains extraordinary efforts; they strive to create an atmosphere of trust and human dignity. They strengthen others, making each person feel capable and powerful.

Leaders establish principles concerning the way people (colleagues and clients alike) should be treated and the way goals should be pursued. They create standards of excellence and then set an example for others to follow. The prospect of complex change can overwhelm people and stifle action, so they set interim goals that people can achieve small wins as they work towards larger objectives. They create opportunities for victory

Accomplishing extraordinary things in organisations is hard work. To keep hope and determination alive, leaders recognise contributions that individuals make. In every winning team, the members need to share in the rewards of their efforts, so leaders celebrate success. They make people feel like heroes.