Leadership Part 1: Defining
Your Leadership Style
UW LEAH Seminar
Laura Richardson, MD, MPH
Goals for This Talk
• Define leadership
• Discuss the difference between leadership and
management
• Reflect on individual leadership qualities
What makes someone a leader?
What are the key qualities of a
leader?
• Passion and heart
• Ability to communicate
and inspire shared vision
• Self-reflection and awareness
• Willingness to share (power, successes, failures)
• Ability to operate under uncertainty
• Focus on the big picture
Kouzes & Poser Leadership Model
Leaders:
1. Challenge the Process
2. Inspire Shared Vision
3. Enable Others to Act
4. Model the Way
5. Encourage the Heart
Where do Leaders Operate?
Beyond Imagination
That’s Impossible
That’s Difficult
Easy to
Do
**From the MCH Leadership Development Series
Leaders Operate in Many
Spheres
• Research and the creation of new knowledge
or technology
• Design of new organizational structures and
schema: challenging the status quo
• Caretakers of the well-being of others
• Teachers and nurturers of values and learning
• Enablers of action in others
Management versus Leadership
Management: Leadership
• Coping with complexity • Nurturing and
• Ensuring order and delivering of change
consistency • Setting the direction
• Planning and budgeting • Developing and sharing
• Organizing and staffing a vision
to accomplish • Aligning people
objectives • Motivating and
• Problem solving inspiring
How are Leaders Made?
History of Leadership Theories
• Great Man Theory (1840s)
– Assumed that leadership was intrinsic
– Leaders are born…not made
• Trait Leadership Theory (1930’s-1940’s)
– People are made with certain qualities that will
make them excel in leadership roles
– but which qualities and in what combination?
– Early start to behavioral theories
Leadership Theories (continued)
• Behavioral Theories (1940’s-1950’s)
– A leader’s behavior is the best predictor of his leadership
influence and success
– 3 groups of leaders: people oriented, task oriented, and
participatory oriented
– Leadership can be taught
• Contingency Theories (1960’s)
– There is no single way of
leading: leadership style should be
based on situation.
Leadership Theories (continued)
• Transactional Leadership Theories (1970’s)
– Leadership is formed through a series of mutually beneficial
exchanges: if you do this for me, I will do this for you
– Followers will choose a leader that maximizes their
pleasurable experiences and minimizes negatives
• Transformational Leadership Theories (1970’s)
– Leader’s transform their followers through their inspirational
nature and charismatic personalities such that followers
identify with the leader and its purpose
– Rules and regulations are guided by group norms
Transactional versus
Transformational Leaders
Transactional Leaders Transformational Leaders
• Focus on maintaining • Focus on change and
the status quo communicate clear vision
• Work within the • Address the needs and
existing organizational values of the
culture organization
• Relate to followers by • Address the needs and
exchanges/transactions values of followers
• Are reactive • Are proactive
Skills and Competencies of a MCH
Leader
• Challenge the Process
– Embrace and promote change
• Build and communicate shared vision
– Encourage heart and passion
– Reinforcing the “why”
• Team building and collaboration
– Nurturing the team and enabling others to act
• Political knowledge and finesse
How does one become a leader in
Maternal Child Health?
• http://www.jhsph.edu/custom/mod_staticvideo
player/_includes/cfm/popupVideo.cfm?src=Ce
ntersInstitutes/WomensChildrensHealthPolicy
Center/mch/Interviews/28learningtolead.flv
Interview with an MCH
professional - 2
• http://www.jhsph.edu/custom/mod_staticvideo
player/_includes/cfm/popupVideo.cfm?
src=CentersInstitutes/WomensChildrensHealth
PolicyCenter/mch/Interviews/1learningtolead2
.flv
Key Points
• Management and leadership have different
purposes and may require different skill sets
• Both skill sets are critical for effectiveness
leaders should also be good managers
• Leaders are focused on change
• Leaders inspire others to work toward change
• True leaders are not ego driven
Video: What it takes to start a
movement.
• http://www.bing.com/videos/search?
q=Ted+talk+how+to+start+a+movement&mid
=B66ACC4998AB66BF7FC7B66ACC4998A
B66BF7FC7&view=detail&FORM=VIRE8
Other Resources
• MCH Leadership Development Series:
http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-
institutes/womens-and-childrens-health-policy-
center/MCHLDS/
• Other TED Talk on Leadership:
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?
q=tony+robbins+ted+talk&mid=A95684DC20AB785
572DFA95684DC20AB785572DF&view=detail&FO
RM=VIRE4
