Five Questions to Improve your Leadership Skills

The OTC has a proven track record when it comes to the delivery of high-quality accredited management courses. Modules such as Key Management Skills: Teamwork, Leadership & Communications equip students with practical skills as well as the necessary theoretical knowledge.
Unit 2 of this module enables the student to be an effective and dynamic team leader. In Unit 3, students are asked to reflect on how they can motivate themselves more as well as those around them. Upon completion of this module, students will have greatly enhanced their capability and performance.

In this short blog and linked to the unit material above, we provide you with five powerful questions to get you thinking about your own leadership approach….

1. Are you willing to take full responsibility for the choices that you make?

It is not only about accepting accolades when things go well but it’s also about being willing to accept personal responsibility when things do not go according to plan. Humility, honesty and self- awareness are attractive propositions that followers will respect leaders for even more when displayed.

2. Do you challenge others and allow others to challenge you?

Leadership is not about maintaining absolute consensus. Rather, it is about respectfully challenging one another and in doing so developing an organisational culture where only the very best ideas survive! Ideas need to be questioned, tested and built upon so that they can drive individual and collective performance.

3. Are you capable of seeing the opportunity in every situation both good and bad?

That approach that didn’t work out? Good. That is a powerful learning opportunity so that the next time you will succeed. That task that was successfully completed? Good. This too is an opportunity to consolidate your learning so that the next time you and your team can achieve an even better outcome.

4. Do you recognise that leadership is a collaborative process and not simply an individual endeavour?

No one leader has all of the necessary skills, knowledge and experience. Yes, that means even you! Build a diverse team around you and develop systems and structures that promote collaboration and unity.

5. Are you capable of adjusting your focus?

Too narrow a focus and leaders miss opportunities. Too broadly focused and there is a lack of attention to detail. Changing your focus changes what is possible!

Yes indeed, changing your focus changes what is possible! Studying with The Open Training College equips students with all kinds of new and exciting possibilities at an individual, team and organisational level.

Joe McDonald has thirty years' experience working in various leadership positions at a local, regional and national level.

He is an Associate Tutor with the OTC and is passionate about enhancing the quality of lives of those that use supports and in developing vibrant, innovative human service organisations.'