Marisa Rivera-Albert

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Exercising Leadership Ethics
National Association of State Auditors,
Controllers and Treasurers National
Conference Chicago, IL August 12, 2008

• Marisa Rivera-Albert
• President
• Mpowerment Works, LLC
• www.MpowermentWorks.com

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You are the Architect, Builder of YOUR LIFEThe
Author of Your Life Story
Dont let anyone else do it for you.
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Who is Your Leadership Role Model? What
qualities does that person have?
Describe the best leader you have ever know.
Describe why he or she is the best. 1.____________
___ 2._______________ 3._______________
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What is Leadership?Leadership is the process
of persuasion or example by which an individual
(or leadership team) induces a group to pursue
objectives held by the leader or shared by the
leader and his or her followers. John Gardner
Leadership is influence- Nothing more, nothing
else. The ability of the leader to influence
others, both their followers and those outside
their circle. John Maxwell
Leadership is about passing onto others the
knowledge of success and accepting greater pride
in knowing that you played a key part in someone
elses success. Consuelo Kickbush, LTC
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What is Servant Leadership?

• Servant Leadership
• True Leadership emerges from those whose primary
  motivation is a desire to help others
• Robert Greenleaf
• Serving others- employees, customers, and
  community- as the number one priority
• Leadership is not about YOU- Its about THEM

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Ten Characteristics of the Servant - Leadership

• 1. Listening Listen intently to others
• 2. Empathy - Understand Empathize with others
• 3. Healing Potential to heal ones self
  others
• 4. Awareness- Self-Awareness
• 5. Persuasion Ability to persuade Convince
  others
• 6. Conceptualization Dream Big!
• 7. Foresight Understands past, present future
• 8. Stewardship Trust for the greater good
• 9. Commitment to the growth of others-
• 10. Building Community-

Source Reflections on Leadership How Robert K.
Greenleafs Theory of Servant-Leadership
influenced Todays Top Management Thinkers- Larry
Soears
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5 Ways To Be An Ethical Servant Leader

• Be Authentic - (Be who you are!)
• Be Vulnerable - (Be honest with your feelings,
  confront fears, doubts and worries)
• Be Accepting - Embrace disagreements- Its
  okay to disagree
• Be Present - Having whole self available,
• Maintain self-control
• Be Useful Be Resourceful
• Source The Servant Leader by James A. Autry

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Exercising Leadership

• Leadership is worth the risk because the goals
  extend beyond material gain or personal
  advancement. By making the lives of people
  around you better, leadership provides meaning in
  life. It creates a purpose
• Exercising leadership can get you into a lot of
  trouble
• Source Leadership on the Line, Staying Alive
  through the Dangers of Leading- Ronald Heifetz
  and Marty Linsky, Harvard University

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Exercising Leadership

• Get on the Balcony
• To gain both a clear view of reality and some
  perspective on the bigger picture by distancing
  yourself from the issue.
• (You need to get off the dance floor go to the
  balcony).
• Maintain the capacity for reflection
• Self-reflection does not come naturally
• Source- Ronald Heifetz Marty Linsky-
  Leadership on the Line, Staying Alive through
  the Dangers of Leading

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Exercising Leadership

• Leadership development begins with YOU, and is a
  process that is only complete when you develop
  the leaders around you. Be a river of wisdom and
  encouragement, not a reservoir.
• John Maxwell

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Exercising Leadership

• Know who are your Allies
• (Allies are people who share many of your
  values, see your value, but can also call you to
  task.
• Find Partners - Join forces You cant do it
  alone!
• Keep the Opposition Close-
• You need to comprehend them, learn from them,
  challenge them productively, and certainly, be
  alert to attack. (Heifetz)
• Patience is a virtue-
• Maintain your poise so that you can plan the
  best next step. Holding steady in the heat of
  action is an essential skill for staying alive
  and keeping people focused on the work.
• Heifetz Linsky

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Exercising Leadership

• The Strengths Theory
• Focus on Strengths and Manage the Weaknesses
• Find Out What You Do Well and Do More of It
• Find Out What You Dont Do Well and Stop Doing It

Gallup Organization Soar With Your Strengths,
Donald Clifton Paula Nelson
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Ethics

• What is Ethics?
• Simply put, ethics involves learning what is
  right or wrong, and then doing the right thing.
• Ethics is Simply to Do Whats right
• Golden Rule of ethics- Treat others the way You
  would like to be treated. It begins with YOU

Journal of Business Ethics, Brenner, Ethics 101,
What Every Leader Needs to Know, John C. Maxwell
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Exercising Ethics
Ethics is about how we meet the challenge of
doing the right thing when that will cost more
than we want to pay The Johnson
Institute of Ethics

• You have two choices
• To win by doing whatever it takes, even if its
  unethical
• To have ethics and lose Few people set out with
  the desire to be dishonest, but nobody wants to
  lose.

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Golden Rule Begins with YOU

• Treat others the way you want to be treated
• I Want to Be Valued
• I Want to Be Appreciated
• I Want to Be Trusted
• I Want to Be Respected
• When dealing with others, seek first to
  understand, then to be understood.

Ethics 101, What Every Leader Needs to know, John
Maxwell
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How do You Rate Yourself when it comes to ethics?

• 1. I am always ethical?
• 2. I am mostly ethical.
• 3. I am somewhat ethical.
• 4. I am seldom ethical
• 5. I am never ethical.

Which one best applies to you? How would you
characterize yourself?- Pause to reflect
Source Ethics 101, John Maxwell
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What people think about having Complete
Confidence in leaders

• Percent Who
• Type of Leader Hold The Publics Complete
  Confidence
• Executives of Large Corporations 3
• Elected Government Officials 3
• Film TV Producers, Directors Writers 3
• News Reporters Journalists 5
• Small Business Owners 8
• Ministers, Priests Clergy 11
• Teachers 14

Source Pollster George Barna
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Why most people compromise their ethics?

• 1. Pressure (Pressure of competition from
  management, , Enron,love)
• 2. Pleasure (If it feels good, do it.
  bankruptcy, drug additions, divorce, diets)
• 3. Power (Abusing power, sense of entitlement)
• 4. Pride (Having an exaggerated sense of
  self-worth can be highly destructive,
  thinking you are above the rest.
• 5. Priorities Not knowing what your priorities
  are.
• Source Ethics 101, what every leader needs to
  know, John Maxwell

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Warren Buffets Rule 1 2

• His company, Berkshire Hathaway, owns 63
  companies. He writes only one letter each year to
  the CEOs of these companies, giving them goals
  for the year. He never holds meetings or calls
  them on a regular basis. He has given his CEOs
  only two rules.
• Rule number 1 Do not lose any of your
  shareholders money.
• Rule number 2 Do not forget rule number 1.
• --------------------------------------------------
  -------------------------
• Money doesnt create man, but it is the man who
  created money.
• Dont waste your money on unnecessary things.
  Spend on those who really are in need.

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Bill Gates Creative Capitalism

• The notion that profit and social responsibility
  are not mutually exclusive
• Doing Well by Doing Good
• There are two great forces of human nature
  Self-interest and caring for others.
• (One billion people live on less than a dollar a
  day. They dont have enough food, water or
  electricity.)
• Special report- TIME Magazine 8/11/08

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Nancy Pelosi- House SpeakerFollow the Cs

• Uphold the Constitution
• Represent your Constituents
• Votes can be a matter of Conscience

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Be Proud of Who You areNo one can make you feel
inferior without your consent.
Learn from your mistakes and learn from the
mistakes of others. You cant live long enough
to make them all yourself.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Yesterday is History Tomorrow is a mystery Today
is a GIFT
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Leadership is about how you react to LIFE

• Be Impeccable with your word
• Dont take anything personally
• Dont make assumptions
• Always do your best

Don Miguel Ruiz
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Remember

• Holding a Leadership position is a privilege
  position that carries responsibilities to serve
  others for the greater good.
• To live an ethical life, you must hold to your
  principles as you make tough decisions.
• Remember the Golden Rule
• When Dealing with others, seek first to
  understand, then to be understood

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Key to Success

• Persistence
• (Learn not to take no for an answer)
• Performance
• (Have high work ethics and do excellent work)
• Y Mucho Corazon
• (Be passionate about what you do)
• P.S. Perspiration is also a given in leadership

Marisa Rivera-Albert
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Your are the Architect, Builder of YOUR
LIFEThe Author of Your Life Story
Remember
Dont let anyone else do it for you.
Keep Believing in Yourself and your special
dreams!
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Remember September 11, 2001 Our Country-Go
Exercise YOUR Leadership
Ethics Leadership Competence Winning
equation!
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Thank You!!
Mpowerment Works, LLC WWW.MpowermentWorks.com