“Leadership is not about a title or position, it is about influence and impact.”
Former College of College of Charleston President Leo I. Higdon is passionate about leadership. So passionate that he retired from a 40-year career as a leader, and stepped right into a College of Charleston classroom to teach the next generation.
RELATED: The College of Charleston’s student leadership center is named for Ann and Lee Higdon.
Leo I. Higdon, former College of Charleston president
Higdon’s course, “Leadership for Educators,” is a seminar that required an application, recommendations, and a panel interview just to register.
Here are six take-aways from the course.
1. Find a mentor.
Someone who is more senior than you, who has substantial experience, someone you would consider a role model, and is well respected. Your mentor can be a professor, but also consider individuals outside of college that have had an impact on you.
“Most importantly, you want a mentor who is willing to invest in the relationship, provide honest feedback, hold you accountable, and challenge you,” Higdon advises.
2. Know your dominant leadership style.
Take a test to find out your leadership style. Higdon had students take several tests, one of which was the Leuwin Leadership Style Questionnaire.
“There’s no one right leadership style and one style doesn’t fit every situation,” Higdon says. “The test makes you aware of your dominant style, but each situation also depends on context and an organization’s culture.”
3. Identify your values.
Higdon says, “values are a strong influence on how you lead.”
Determine the values that best define you. It is important to understand those values because they indicate how you see the world, how you approach others, and how you make decisions.
4. Develop your interpersonal skills.
Learn to become more conscious of others and their views in a leadership setting. Become an “active listener” so you understand others’ perspectives. Higdon says you will be a more effective leader as a result.
5. Have a leadership development plan.
Start by asking yourself questions like:
What are your strengths?
What are you good at?
What needs to be improved?
Then identify two or three areas where you can improve and create a plan to do just that. Make sure that it is a written plan with real accountability.
Higdon says, “As a leader, be feedback obsessed. If you don’t get feedback, ask for it. Learn from trial and error. I worked with every student individually, and each left my class with a development plan. If they don’t implement it, it is a shame because they all have the ability to be excellent leaders.”
6. Seek leadership opportunities.
CEOs are not the only leaders in the world. Look at group work as a leadership opportunity as well. Seek leadership positions in your church, a volunteer group, even by being captain of a sports team.
Leadership skills develop through practice and reflection.
RELATED: Find leadership opportunities through the Higdon Student Leadership Center.
About Leadership for Educators
The course is part of the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance, but students from other majors were part of the inaugural class. Higdon plans to offer the course more than once during the 2014-15 academic year, both as part of the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance, and the Honors College.
RELATED: Higdon writes “Teachers Must be Trained for Leadership.”
Higdon wants students to adopt a more comprehensive view of leadership, become more self-aware, further develop and refine their leadership style, and develop the self-confidence to take on leadership roles. He says college is a perfect leadership laboratory.
