Developing the Leader in You - Transforming Your STEM Career Through Leadership and Innovation - page 121

wisely we invest. How much you give is directly proportional to how much you
get back. In essence, there are four things to remember:

You have to invest time: Time is a very scarce commodity and everyone has
very little to spare. But if you are aspiring to become a leader it is important to
find the time to do so. This may mean reprioritizing or making judgment about
areas where you're spending time that's not conducive to your vision. In these
situations, this is time you can recoup to invest toward the vision. Invest your
time judiciously, efficiently, and you will become a beacon for the others to
follow.

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Invest your time wisely : Let us carry forward the metaphor of short- and long-
term investments. You may be saving up for a new car (short term) and also be
saving for your retirement (long term). So you will have to look at the short-
and long-term investments for your time. A short-term time investment is one
where you will get immediate recognition for some specific work where you
took on the leadership role. A long-term investment is one where you devote
time to building up your leadership skills and working your way up the orga-
nization. Both are important. The first gets you recognition and the second
allows you to build on it.

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The other factor you have to invest in is effort. Being a leader does not mean
that you can just sit back and tell others what to do. You lead with effort,
energy, and by example.

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Lastly, take good care of yourself. It is easy to get overwhelmed and try to do
everything at once. Accomplish these tasks in manageable doses, prioritize,
and focus on one or two things at a time. Leaders sometimes neglect them-
selves for the good of others and the organization. While sacrifice is required,
continually neglecting yourself will not benefit you as a leader. Take care of
your whole person: Mind, Body, and Spirit.

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CHAPTER RESOURCES

1. Vision Statement Development Plan
2. Mission Statement Development Plan
3. Career Development Template
4. Leadership Assessment Survey
5. Assessment of Adversity Approaches

REFERENCES

[1] Van Velsor E, McCauley CD, Ruderman MN. The Center for Creative Leadership Handbook.
Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass; 2010.
[2] Cherry K. Leadership Theories - 8 Major Leadership Theories. About.com Guide: http://psy-
chology.about.com/od/leadership/p/leadtheories.htm (accessed July 5, 2012).