Saturday, October 4, 2014

Leadership tips from a famous historian

This week I took the time to attend Educause. It’s a lot of time out of the office, so it’s important to get as much as possible out of it. This year, I enjoyed networking with my colleagues, meeting with vendors, hosting a poster session, being engaged with the Women in IT Constituency Group, and, of course, the sessions. But I probably got the most from the keynote by Doris Kearns Goodwin. I’ve seen her speak before. As an historian, she has studied several presidents, including Lincoln, LBJ, Teddy Roosevelt and FDR. She presents leadership tips from these presidents. This year, she came up with 10.

1. Motivate yourself in the face of frustration. Lincoln had failed at numerous things before he became President. Learn from failures and don’t give up.

2. Recognize the challenges that exist in the time and circumstance that you’re in and deal with them. Lincoln and FDR had to lead the country through wars. On the other hand, Teddy Roosevelt didn’t have that particular challenge, but he recognized that in his time, industry and conservation were the challenges that needed to be addressed. He recognized that and used his leadership in those areas.

3. Surround yourself with smart people who have different perspectives to yourself. Read Goodwin’s book “Team of Rivals” to see how Lincoln filled his cabinet with his rivals.

4. Take criticism with grace. Teddy Roosevelt listened to the criticisms leveled against him by the media of his day. He never took it personally; and still made time for even his harshest critics in the press.

5. Learn from your mistakes, and reflect on them.

6. Learn to laugh at yourself. Lincoln, in particular, had a great sense of humor.

7. Stay connected to the constituencies you represent. Don’t end up in an ivory tower. Make time for everybody, and above all, be accessible.

8. Timing. Know when to hold back and when to act.

9. Know how to relax. During the war, FDR had a cocktail party every night where discussions of the war were strictly prohibited.

10. Speak plainly. Communication is a critical skill for leaders, and communicating in a way that all people can understand and relate to. Storytelling is a great skill for leaders.

So there you have it. Good tips.