Leadership training or development might be spelled out, just come to us in a flash, or be delivered by postal pigeon. Nonetheless, helpful insight comes to us around almost every corner. That is, if we take the time to really notice. How do we see what’s right in front of us?

Here are a few ways we can open our eyes to that clues:

• Reflect about past experiences and awareness to glean
• Pay attention to real-time challenges and  spin them into learning opportunities
• Be aware of situations you resist in order to receive a better understanding
• Ponder how every situation is a lesson to master or repeat if you don’t get the message the first time
• Respond to events around even if you think the message is for someone else

While we don’t have to look under rocks to develop our leadership skills, we can act swiftly after every turn if we just tap into the boundless reservoir of leadership development opportunities right now!  

-Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success

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The 90th anniversary of women’s right to vote reminds me of Mary Church Terrell a civil rights pioneer who advocated for suffrage. In fact, she was an active member of the National American Woman Suffrage Association and joined arms with other women picketing against injustice. Even after she served as a Washington, DC school board member, she became an active orator and writer.

It seems poignant that fearless women leaders do not see victorious endpoints as a reason to celebrate. On the contrary, they find ways to persevere and press on even when others perceive a celebration is in order.
In cities around the country, there are gathering of fearless women and others who support them.

Rather then celebrating the presence of women in key roles throughout the White House Administration, U.S. Senate, U.S House of Representatives and state legislatures many are re-doubling their efforts to do more. It’s grand that Speaker Nancy Pelosi is third in line to the presidency. It’s wonderful that we have women presidents of universities and corporations and that women own small businesses. Yet, there is still so much work to be done.

Join me today and find ways to acknowledge the accomplishments of amazing and tireless women along with the necessary action still much needed. If you’re interested in finding a fearless women celebration, check out this link. http://www.fearlesswomenmag.com/fearless-women-day.html

-Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success

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What makes her legacy so meaningful is that she was a trailblazing athlete who became the first African American to win championships including Wimbledon, the French Open, the US Open, and the Australian Doubles in the 1950s.

Born on August 25, 1927 in Silver, South Carolina, Althea grew up in New York City with little chance of access to resources or even the game of tennis. With helpful mentors and instructors she won more than 50 singles and doubles titles throughout her career. And this was all before she gained national and international accolades for outstanding athletic ability.

What her legacy means is that each trailblazer does not get where they are alone. Her role competing and persevering means that she overcame adversity during a time when few African Americans were able to compete on a national much less international stage.

Gibson’s autobiography, I Always Wanted to Be Somebody, came out in 1958. What I find curious is that she was restless during her formative years and wanted to find a way to leave behind a legacy. Just by being committed to her craft and focusing on her game she did that and more.

In turn, she paved the way for other African American tennis stars including Arthur Ashe, Venus Williams, and Serena Williams. Thank goodness for Althea, a trailblazer in worldwide tennis, who to the lead without even knowing.

Here are some of her noted reflections:

• I always wanted to be somebody. If I made it, it’s half because I was game enough to take a lot of punishment along the way and half because there were a lot of people who cared enough to help me.

• I don’t want to be put on a pedestal. I just want to be reasonably successful and live a normal life with all the conveniences to make it so. I think I’ve already got the main thing I’ve always wanted, which is to be somebody, to have identity. I’m Althea Gibson, the tennis champion. I hope it makes me happy.

• No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you.

• Most of us who aspire to be tops in our fields don’t really consider the amount of work required to stay tops.

If you’re interested to learn more about Althea’s leadership, then please read more about her at http://www.answers.com/topic/althea-gibson and in her autobiography, I Always Wanted to Be Somebody.

-Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success

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Things fall apart when leaders shy from opportunities to show their AQ, accountability quotient. Quite simply, this means having the foresight to step up to the plate during favorable times and similarly during crisis situations.

But what happens when leaders continue to just point fingers at each other?

They are avoiding the obligation to be accountable for their actions by not asking tough but necessary questions: Who is responsible for handling this situation? How can these issues been addressed? How will there be checkpoints to resolve the matter?

Just look at the delay time to respond to unthinkable national tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill. How many jurisdictions trip over paperwork before taking action? Why do some of our leaders perpetuate philosophical differences even during crisis situations? An aversion to accountability just slows down progress.

How can our nation’s leaders step up and flex their AQ and not their IQ? They can be proactive in several ways. First, leaders must be there at “ground zero” to assess the circumstance firsthand. They should not send a messenger.

Next, leaders must assemble key advisors to collectively identify the problems and solutions. Also, it will be prudent for leaders to clearly identify the implications for each proposed action. It seems like a “no-brainer” but like you I continue to be surprised by how the simple accountability measures seem to get lost in the fray.

Bestselling author Bill George says in his book 7 Lessons for Leading in a Crisis that leaders should align themselves with their internal compass, values and beliefs to guide next steps.

“Leaders aligned with their True North are prepared to guide their organizations through severe situations because they know who they are. They have the self-awareness, self-confidence, and resilience to take responsibility for their failings and lead others through the rapidly unfolding — and often unpredictable —sequence of events. They rise to the occasion, find leadership abilities they never knew they had, and come through with shining colors.”

At the end of the day, our leaders must stop shirking from responsibility, getting defensive, or going on the attack. We need leaders with high AQ ready to take on “duties as assigned” better late than never.

-Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success

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My new protégé wanted to know so many things all at once: How did I start to write a book? Where did I start with setting up a business? Who helped me? What mistakes did I make and overcome? What did I do to chart a strategic plan?

Serving as a mentor is a phenomenal role. A mentor is someone who has more life experience than you who wants to share and be a resource. Throughout my personal life and professional career, I’ve had numerous mentors who guided me in my journey.

But, the mentor and protégé should be clear about expectations and parameters. It should be stated up front about the purpose of the support is, timeframe, and availability. That way it can be a long-term and mutually beneficial learning experience.

Most people don’t readily consider how easy it is to become a mentor. First, you can be a role model to inspire masses or one person at a time. Or, you might also be a teacher, someone who takes time to offer instruction, alternatives, and guidance. Finally, you might serve as an advisor where and a protégé runs ideas by you for input. This is an important aspect of being a good leader that I discuss in my book Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success.

Regardless, check out some concrete ways protégés seeking mentors can find viable mentors from this article featured in Inc. Magazine. http://www.inc.com/guides/how-to-find-a-business-mentor.html

-Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success

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