Working Together Cooperatively Towards A Common Purpose Principles

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Working Together Cooperatively Towards A Common
Purpose Principles Best Practices for Regional
and Chapter Leaders
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Working Together Principals Best Practices

• Implementing a vision and bringing about
  successful change is a sign of strong leadership.
  However, even good change is often accompanied by
  conflict and tension
• Consequently, a true leader also has to take
  responsibility for effectively resolving conflict
  in order to implement that vision

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Working Together Principals Best Practices
The 20 principles and best practices that follow
are suggestions we should all consider to help us
modify our approach to leadership, while still
maintaining our vision

• Recognize that the organization doesnt belong to
  you. You joined it and became a member not vice
  versa. So, while we need to take ownership of
  our own actions, we must be careful not to try to
  take ownership of the organization itself.
• Be supportive of the interests of others and they
  will more likely support yours.
• Give credit broadly for accomplishments. Its
  hard for people to work collaboratively when
  someone wants to hog the credit.

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Working Together Principals Best Practices

• Always be open to suggestions and even criticism.
  Others will respect you for it.
• Dont try to be the only face of your
  organization. Doing so will actually minimize
  your organizations overall influence and
  effectiveness.
• Find a strength in every member and help them to
  highlight that strength rather than focusing on
  their weaknesses.
• Always expect the best from every single member.
  
• Recognize that you cant do it all. Seek to
  empower and strengthen your organization overall
  by looking for opportunities for others to lead.

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Working Together Principals Best Practices

• Know your own strengths and weaknesses.
• Dont let your attitude and ego cause you to be
  an isolated leader.
• Know that you dont have all of the answers but
  rather that you can learn something from
  everybody. Believing that you do will make it
  hard for you to ask the right questions.
• Balance advocacy of your vision with inquiry.
• Seek to address concerns and negotiate
  collaborative agreements when necessary.
• Be conscious of how you speak to others. As you
  speak, try to picture the others persons
  perspectives on what you are saying.

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Working Together Principals Best Practices

• Always be direct and transparent.
• Be accountable to your organization.
• Focus on building trust not always on moving
  forward your agenda.
• Consider whether your leadership style fits the
  needs of your organization. Perhaps its your
  approach and communication style that needs to
  change rather than those around you. At any
  rate, you are the only person that you can
  change.
• Seek to inspire those around you not just to lead
  them.

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Working TogetherPrincipals Best Practices
Remember, true LEADERSHIP isnt evidenced just by
holding a position. Its evidenced by the
actions you take with the clear result being that
others are willing to follow you with their eyes
wide open.
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Working Together Principals Best Practices