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questions such as, what changes are required by me and the organization for me
to lead authentically here? If the answer results in a manageable response, it can
be worthwhile to develop a plan to address these issues. In cases where there is
not a workable solution that allows you to lead authentically you will need to
weigh the value of staying in this environment vs identifying an environment
where you can lead authentically and fulfill your vision.
Set Your Sights on Leadership Roles
Once you've made the decision to commit yourself to leadership and you clarify
your vision, let's proceed. Decide on a specific leadership role to try your new-
found knowledge. You could be a leader who is the public face of her cause, or a
leader who excels in gathering financial support, or the one who is the systems and
organization leader. There are many facets and personas of a leader. It is essential
that you find the role that suits you best. A tool I've developed experientially over
the years to evaluate leadership opportunities is the Assess-Learn-Prepare-Proceed
model. This model takes an approach that allows you to evaluate opportunities
as they relate to your visions, learn what is entailed in the vision, leadership, and
ultimate goals of the effort, prepare yourself to engage in the leadership of these
opportunities, and, finally, understand what it takes to move forward or proceed into
the leadership opportunity. The use of this approach has increased my confidence
when I'm evaluating an opportunity and also steered me away from situations that
“sounded good” but upon detailed assessment they were not aligned with my vision.
Assess
In the initial stages of an assessment begin with determining whether or not the
opportunity is compatible with your personal vision. Once this hurdle is cleared,
assess the opportunity and the requirements of a leader that you believe would be
effective based on historical data, current circumstances, and intended outcomes. To
begin this process set aside time to do independent research via the Internet or other
written resources, talk to involved individuals (previous or current participants), and
evaluate related leadership activities. Study the cause in as many facets as reason-
able; however, do not allow yourself to become paralyzed from moving forward
through this analysis. Assess as much as possible about the cause, history, successes
and failures, strengths and weaknesses of this leadership opportunity. Likewise,
gain an understanding of where the vision for this effort has support and what the
forces against the opportunity are as this will provide a new level of insight.
To assess the opportunity and the desired leader, consider using
Table 5.4
.
Learn
Now that you have done your preliminary assessment of an opportunity it is time
to take your understanding to a deeper level by learning about the area, leadership
intentions (to the degree you can), and ultimate benefits of a successful outcome.
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