1.     Many times we find ourselves setting goals for ourselves, but from the book we learned how to set goals that are compelling. What is a professional goal you have set for yourself? What are you doing currently to work towards that goal, and what is something you could adapt to make it compelling?

2.     Reflect on the expectations you set for yourself and you set for your staff. How do you keep yourself accountable, as well as how do you keep your staff accountable for expectations of excellence?

3.     Tell about a time that you were allowed the opportunity to build upon your skills to meet a high bar of excellence. How did it increase your skill sets or improve the work you do? (Perhaps it was a mentor opportunity, a training, clear role modeling, etc.)

4.     What was the biggest take-away you took from Part III, and how do you plan to integrate it into your workplace?

1. When leading, what are situations that put you on alert that something could go wrong either with your project, program, etc. or around your project, program, etc.? What previous experiences led you to develop that awareness?

2. What are your blind spots when leading and what actions have you taken to reduce your blind spots?

3. Reflect back on times you received feedback that you needed to improve from either a supervisee or supervisor...

•  What was an example of useful feedback you received that made a positive impact on you?
•  What was an example of feedback you received that was a negative experience and essentially did no good for you as a leader?

4. In your current role, how do you ensure proper follow-up with staff members? 

Please use this thread to post a question, thought, idea, etc. that comes up as you are reading!

1.     Part IV is all about leading leaders. Think back on all of your professional experiences. Who is the best leader that you’ve ever worked with? What made them so great? How did they inspire people to want to follow them?

2.     Mentoring can be a large piece of working in higher education. What are some ways that you’ve felt you have been an excellent mentor, and what are 1-2 ways you would like to improve your mentorship?

3.     When you are stressed or overwhelmed by your leadership roles, what are some ways that you recharge yourself?

4.     What is the best piece of advice, or words or wisdom that someone has shared with you about being a leader? How has it helped you in your current or past leadership roles?

As you craft your response and engage in discussion with others, consider the items below:

1. Reflect on your supervisory/managerial experience and think of a time when you dealt with a difficult direct report (can be a student staff or professional staff member). Share this experience (if you are comfortable), how you managed it, and the end result.

2. Alan Willett says, “Choose not just the call to leadership; choose the call to exceptional leadership” (pg, 4). What are your thoughts on this and how can professionals in our field take strides towards being exceptional leaders, outside of what Alan Willett says?

3. Complete the reflection activity on page 49 of the text and share your self-rating to the exceptional mindset keys below (if you are comfortable). Any initial thoughts on your self-rating?

1. Appreciate the diversity of every leaf.

2. Start with the belief that everyone has good intentions.

3. Accept reality but do not let reality define me.

4. Set the high bar for excellence that people desire.

5. Understand the power of gelled teams.

6. Treat trouble as information-rich data

7. Own your leadership power.

Hello!

Please introduce yourself so we are aware of who is a part of our 2018 GLACUHO Book Club and will be engaging in discussions around our book, Leading the Unleadable: How to Manage Mavericks, Cynics, Divas, and Other Difficult People by Alan Willett. 

Include...

Name

Pronouns

Institution

Position

(2) Fun Facts

How many years have you served in a supervisor/manager role?

What are you hoping to gain from being a part of this book club?