Leaders are Leaders are Leaders: No Matter Where

You Are
Inspiring Positive Change in Leadership

Problem Statement
EME 620
Janet Lee and Richard Brandt

Contents
Performance Problem......................................................................................................................2
Background......................................................................................................................................3
Organizational Environment........................................................................................................3
Evidence......................................................................................................................................3
Needs Assessment............................................................................................................................5
Phase 1 Planning.......................................................................................................................5
Phase II Collecting Data...........................................................................................................5
Phase III Final Report...............................................................................................................6
Goals Analysis.................................................................................................................................6
Aim..............................................................................................................................................6
Initial Goals.................................................................................................................................6
Refined Goals..............................................................................................................................7
Rank Goals...................................................................................................................................7
Make Final Ranking....................................................................................................................7

Performance Problem
Often, individuals are promoted into people leader positions based on
their knowledge competency while the ability to effectively lead employees
is lacking. Although a person has earned the leadership position, the
attributes of a leader have not been addressed by the company executing
the hiring.
The problem exists in organizations where there is none or an
ineffective leadership orientation plan in place. Lacking are:
Self-realization skills
The ability to observe behaviors of self and others
Responding to situations appropriately
Being a visionary
Social Literacy
Word choice-emails, day to day interactions, memos
Team mentality
Office persona/approachability
Co-collaborative
How to work on a team
Facilitating effective discussion
Designing meetings that matter
Being a global citizen.
Mentorship
Asking for help from appropriate mentors
Being a role model in the company
Focusing on what employees need not bottom line
How do employers identify these budding leaders? What is the criteria? We
will be looking to answer these questions and provide employers with the
proper tools to build a workforce of the best leaders possible.

Background
Organizational Environment
Employees are hired to fill immediate positions and the training
consists of one afternoon or an orientation with all particulars shrunk
down to a meaningless charm school, a simple lecture telling the
"leaders" how to mind their manners and what will keep them out of
HR. The missing link is imparting the importance of leadership skills
and how they equate to the success of a business. Without this
knowledge, the new leader lacks accountability for their leadership
effectiveness.

Alternatively, some individuals have exceptional ability to be

effective leaders from the moment they are hired but can easily be
overlooked and underdeveloped, if they're not as outgoing or assertive.
This results in untapped human potential and can lead to low employee
moral.

Evidence
This training will be a combination of individually paced learning
utilizing multimedia presentation (video, storyline, real time quizzes,
immediate feedback, collaboration, online communities) and face-toface interactions.
Two examples of the effectiveness of this training technique are as
follows:
Teaching - Teachers become administrators based on Masters
Degrees in subject area disciplines. These programs do not include a
leadership focus therefore, teachers default to old learning based on
prior knowledge about the field. What did my Principal do to discipline
students? How did my Principal treat the staff? People often choose
this leadership position to get out of the classroom not considering that
once they are out of the classroom, the responsibility of leading grows.
Corporate Many managers in the corporate world get to their
positions by being competent associates in their previous jobs but
didnt include working with direct reports. The lack of experience
working with direct reports can cause these new managers to
micromanage, neglect, or ineffectively lead their team. The main
reason the majority of these people applied for the management
position was for compensation purposes and not with the intention of
people development.
We will split the training in to four units containing necessary
components for success in the course.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Self-realization
Literacy
Collaboration
Global Networking

Failure in any one of these units will require the participant to

participate in additional training sessions. Each unit will include the
gradual release of responsibility method of instruction. The base
instruction with include the following type of instruction:
Modelled-Case studies, videos, scenarios, discussion points
Shared-Collaboration on knowledge
Guided-Small groups of discussion
Independent-Written or video responses shared with the community

An optional add-on of a personalized analysis of their company is also

available.
This will provide a thorough review of their company and provide
specific and detailed data.

Needs Assessment
Phase 1 Planning
Target Audiences
Potential Leaders Attendance in the training is optional and on a
request basis
New Leader Required if the employee has been promoted to the
leadership position within the past year.
Tenured Leaders Employees whove been in their current leadership
role longer than a year will be subject to an assessment by
their direct reports to determine their need to take the
training.
Strategy
The strategy for collecting the data to assess the current gap in
leadership training and job preparedness programs will be compiled via
two different industries, corporate and academic. Once the data has
been collected, it will be review to determine what information is
relevant across both industries and how unique information can be
applied across various disciplines.

Phase II Collecting Data

Sampling Size
Data will be collected from the corporate industry based on the
following requirements.
3 companies with less than 100 employees.
3 companies with 101 - 1,000 employees.
3 companies with more than 1,001 employees.
Data will be collected from the academic industry based on the
following requirements.
3* Elementary/Middle Schools
3* High Schools
3* Universities
* For each group of school data will be collected from a lower class,
middle class, and upper class socioeconomic classified school.
Collecting Data
In order to collect the data, anonymous surveys will be sent out to the
identified sources including (but not limited to) the following questions:
Are you in academia or corporate world?
Are you a current leader?

What are the current leadership preparedness programs in

place?
What is a good leader?
What difference does strong leadership make?

Participants will have 4 weeks to complete the survey. In addition to

the surveys, industry subject matter experts (SMEs) will be
interviewed. Examples of potential SMEs are a Vice President of
Organizational Effectiveness, Superintendents, leadership consultants,
etc.
In addition to the surveys and interviews, a review of company/school
data will be completed. The data will be related to the following:
Academic

Turnover Data

Dropout Rates

Students Grades

Staff Spirit, Volunteer Clubs, Behavior Management

Corporate

Positive and Negative Attrition

Exit Interviews (On file)

Employee Engagement in Community

Service Projects and/or Company Sponsored events

Phase III Final Report

Purpose
To analyze current leaders in the corporate and academic
settings. Gather data about individuals in leadership positions including
beliefs, strategies and job satisfaction. Use the data to identify gaps in
leadership training and job preparedness programs. Create training
and additional components (alternatives and or additions to training
program) to support three levels of leadership experience needs.
1. Future Leaders
2. New Leaders
3. Tenured Leaders

Goals Analysis
Aim
To develop and execute an effective training program to improve
leadership within an organization.

Initial Goals

Increasing employee moral

Decreasing negative attrition
Improve job satisfaction of leaders
Increase employee participation in engaging activities
Prepare future leaders for positions in the field
Encourage positive change in existing leaders
Increase productivity of employees
Adjust the atmosphere of the work environment
Foster a team environment
Revitalize tenured staff

Refined Goals

Increasing employee morale and productivity

Decrease negative attrition
Improve job satisfaction of leaders
Increase employee participation in engaging activities
Prepare future leaders for positions in the field
Encourage positive change in existing leaders
Foster a team environment
Revitalize tenured staff

Rank Goals
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Increasing employee morale and productivity

Decrease negative attrition
Encourage positive change in existing leaders
Improve job satisfaction of leaders
Prepare future leaders for positions in the field
Increase employee participation in engaging activities
Revitalize tenured staff
Foster a team environment

Make Final Ranking

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Increasing employee morale and productivity

Decrease negative attrition
Encourage positive change in existing leaders
Prepare future leaders for positions in the field
Revitalize tenured staff
Foster a team environment