As KDP launches its leadership initiative, it will post various examples of leadership programs in which KDP members are involved. The first example, about a campus-wide initiative, comes from Pam Kramer Ertel, President of Kappa Delta Pi and Dean of the College of Education at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania.
Effective Habits for Effective Leadership
By Pamela Kramer Ertel
Thanks to the leadership of my university president, East Stroudsburg is directing a campus-wide approach to help individuals develop highly effective habits that will enhance their functioning both personally and professionally.
The seven highly effective habits introduced are those identified and discussed by Stephen R. Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989), after years of researching leadership and personal development. This book is a well recognized and respected resource on leadership and personal development. To begin this whole-university launch of developing highly effective habits, the university’s administrative team watched a presentation that outlined the seven habits. They then were invited to participate in a three-day in-depth training. A brief summary of these seven habits follows.
Habit 1: Be Proactive
The first habit is based on the idea that an effective person recognizes that each individual is responsible for his or her choices, rather than being a product of his or her circumstances.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Habit 2 reminds individuals to create and live by a personal mission and set of goals that give focus on being effective.
Habit 3: Put First Things First
This habit focuses on the importance of establishing priorities, as well as managing tasks and time effectively.
Habit 4: Think Win/Win
Think Win/Win is about developing relationships that include mutual respect and benefits.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, then to Be Understood
Habit five establishes the importance of building relationships around the principles of effective listening and communication.
Habit 6: Synergize
This habit focuses on using what Covey refers to as “creative cooperation” to solve problems.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
The sharpen-the-saw habit focuses on creating balance through physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual renewal.
As academic leader for the College of Education, I believed that if I wanted buy-in to the seven habits, I needed to model my openness to learning and my commitment to the program. Therefore, along with other administrators and faculty, I completed the in-depth training, as well as the facilitators’training, with the expectation that the trained facilitators would make themselves available to help teach these habits to various sectors of the campus community, including faculty, staff, administration, and students.
The university president’s goal was to promote these habits throughout campus so that everyone would have an opportunity to become more effective in their respective roles. I was very impressed that President Dr. Robert J. Dillman was a willing learner who faithfully attended every minute of the training sessions alongside the faculty and administrators. This spoke volumes to me about his passion and commitment to this program.
After participating in the facilitator’s training, I offered training to members of my KDP chapter, Gamma Xi. To help participants apply their learning, I followed a wonderful strategy Dr. Dillman’s assistant used. Each week I sent a message to participants reminding them of the “habit of the week.” I included a review of the habit and strategies they could use to implement the habit. Sometimes I included an inspirational quote as motivation for using that habit. I had found the reminders to be extremely helpful. I hoped my trainees would as well.
Just before the semester began, the university’s facilities staff and several athletic teams were trained in the highly effective habits, and additional training for others will be available throughout the semester. I look forward to seeing the impact these habits have on my university community.
Putting these habits into place has been beneficial outside my administrative position at ESU. Some of the time management principles helped me plan KDP’s Executive Council meeting agendas, and I have applied these skills to determine goals and priorities and address problem-solving situations. Though I am still a student of these habits, I find that I am better focused on using my time and talents more effectively. As Covey would say, focusing on these habits is a win-win for everyone involved.
Reference
Covey, S. R. 1989. The 7 habits of highly effective
people. New York: Simon and Schuster. |
