Put yourself out there and show people who you are, even if you're allittle weird * Remember, itis mpossible to be too collaborative..it , simply can't be done Bea problem solver, not a problem starter Don't be afraid to challenge the status quo and take some calculated risks ‘The more amenable you are to change, the better cot Authenticity: put yourself out there and show people who you are, even if you're a little weird. "Ispent over six years working for acompany where | didn't feel as though I could truly be and act like myself. The culture was one of stress and turmoil, but my natural personality can be described as funny, weird, and friendly. I remember feeling like I had to transform into a totally different person before reporting to work every morning. It was an awful feeling and made it nearly impossible to be an effective leader because I wasn't being authentic to myself or my followers. I have learned that being an authentic leader is absolutely required to built trust with the team members. People can spot a fake easily" Take some chances: don't be afraid to challenge the status quo and take some calculated risks; without risk there can beno gain. "One of the leaders that I worked for taught me alesson that is just as true today as it was all those years ago. That lesson is to take some risks, especially in the breakneck pace in which our world continues to evolve. He went on to say how good leaders need to challenge how things are currently being done because there is probably already a better way to do it. It's a lesson that stuck with me and, in retrospect, most of my professional growth occurred after I took some chances, not before.” Professionalism: always remain cool, calm, and collected. "I once worked for a man in a senior leadership position that wore ties to work sporting Donald Duck and other cartoon characters. His shirts were always untucked and sloppy looking. He swore alot in meetings and was quick to lose his temper when his ideas were questioned. As uncomfortable as it was, Isoaked up this inappropriate behavior on display by this so-called leader and Iused it as a model of what not to do, It is amazing just how quickly a leader can lose the support and respect of their entire team when they act in an unprofessional manner.” Optimistic problem solving: be a problem solver, not a problem starter. "Being in the field of educational technology, it drives me up the wall when problem after problem is pointed out by faculty, staff, or other administrators, but they don't follow it up with a possible solution. One of the fundamental rules that [challenge my staff to follow before they come to me with a technology problem is to first think about what some possible solutions would be to resolve the issue. I have found this rule to be a great brainstorming catalyst and it also promotes collaboration among the members of my team." Collaborative leadership: remember. it is impossible to be too collaborative...it_simpl can'the done, "This quality is another that a great former supervisor taught me about teamwork and collaboration. He believed that it is literally impossible to collaborate too much with other departments and individuals when leading teams or working projects involving many departments. I distinctly remember shadowing my former supervisor to every single meeting he attended for over a year and observing how important each meeting was in forming strong cross-functional team relationships, which ultimately led to a healthy, collaborative, and productive workplace. It was a learning experience that I have never forgotten and carry with me to this day. Adaptability: the more amenable you are to change, the better. "In all of the years have been involved in online program development in higher education, the schools and their leaders that are the most amenable to change are the schools that stay ahead of the curve and have the greatest chance for sustained success. Itis very easy to implementa solid group of online programs loaded with technology that is effective at that particular time, then sit back and run things on auto-pilot. The problem is that many of your competitors are still working hard and advancing their online presence, quickly leaving you in the dust. This was the case when I took over the distance education programs at my current employer. We were using outdated technology, an outdated learning management system, and outdated processes. We were starting to lose students to other schools offeringsimilar online programs, but have remainedon the cutting edge with the technology that was being used in their curriculum. It has been along slow grind, but [believe we are turning the corner and starting to catch up with the ever competitive online learning space." On a Personal Note. There are literally hundreds of qualities that you could use to describe leadership. One of the greatest benefits of working for or with somany different types of leaders over my 22 year professional career is that it allows you to identify the leadership qualities in each of these people. From this, you can start to develop your own “ultimate leader” profile by categorizing the most effective, and just as important, the not so effective leadership qualities from each of these individuals. When you boil everything down, the six qualities listed above are the ones I feel are the most important to successful leadership. Findingleaders who possess all of these qualitiesis rare, butif you are lucky you will get the opportunity to learn from someone who embodies most of these qualities. Iwas fortunate enough to work fora man, now friend and mentor, by the name of Dr. Jason Slone who, in my eyes, is the personification of leadership. Jason was my first supervisor in higher education and he possessed all six of my essential leadership qualities in spades. ‘The professional growth that I experienced over the three year span that I worked for him was simply phenomenal. Jason made every single day of work an enjoyable and enlightening experience, not just for me, but for the entire team. Ittool some time to cultivate this type of work environment, but the res likes of which has not been duplicate; thank him enough for the wisdom and guidance that he stil provides me to this day. It was a highly productive tight knit group of people, the 1ce Jason's departure. Dr. Slone's leadership style is my prototype for success and I cannot Dr. Jason Slone, my "Ultimate Leader’