Westside Toastmasters, For Public Speaking and Leadership Education

Serving Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, and Greater Los Angeles

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  COMPETENT LEADERSHIP MANUAL OVERVIEW


Project 1. - Listening and Leadership

Summary Listening is an important leadership skill. Good listening helps you to identify and clarify issues, make decisions, resolve conflict and be creative. Listening skills also play a major role in team-building. You can learn to be a leader by following a few simple suggestions.
Objectives
  • Determine your current listening skills
  • Identify the seven steps to better listening
  • Practice listening skills in various club meeting roles

Project 2. - Critical Thinking

Summary A leader gathers information, then analyzes, interprets and understands it before acting. Critical thinkers question what they read and hear, then determine the quality of a piece of information and use logical reasoning to reach conclusions. Critical thinkers make better decisions. You can learn to think more critically by following a few suggestions.
Objectives
  • Determine your current thinking skills
  • Practice critical thinking skills in various club meeting roles

Project 3. - Giving Feedback

Summary Team members need to know that they are doing well, what they are not doing well and how they can improve. Giving performance feedback is a necessary leadership function. When done properly, feedback can relieve stress, improve interpersonal relationships and promote trust and respect for leaders and team members.
Objectives
  • Determine your current skills in giving feedback
  • Identify the steps in giving feedback effectively
  • Practice giving feedback as you serve in various club meeting roles

Project 4. - Time Management

Summary Time management helps leaders make the most of the time available to them. You can budget your time and accomplish projects and tasks efficiently by identifying long-term and short-term goals, make a daily to-do list, prioritize the list, make a schedule, delegate when possible, leave time for unexpected tasks, and manage interruptions.
Objectives
  • Determine your current time management skills
  • Identify the steps to effectively manage time
  • Practice time management skills in various club roles

Project 5. - Planning and Implementation

Summary A plan provides direction for the leader and the team. The planning process involves setting goals and objectives and preparing plans and schedules to accomplish them. The process forces leaders to look beyond their everyday activities and think about what they want to happen in the future. Involving team members in the process will encourage their committment.
Objectives
  • Determine your current planning and implementation skills
  • Identify steps in planning and implementation process
  • Practice planning and implementation skills in various club roles

Project 6. - Organizing and Delegating

Summary Leaders must ensure the team is organized and capable of accomplishing goals and objectives, and they must provide the structure in which the team will operate. Delegation also plays a major role. A leaders should accomplish functions that only he or she has the knowledge and authority to do and delegate all other tasks to team members.
Objectives
  • Determine your current skills in organizing and delegating
  • Identify steps in the organizing and delegating process
  • Practice skills in organizing and delegating during various club roles

Project 7. - Developing Your Facilitation Skills

Summary A facilitator establishes the structure of the team needs to function effectively, ensures the structure is working and removes obstacles that may be impeding progress. A facilitator also resolves conflicts which are inevitable any time two or more people are required to work together. Good facilitation skills can help the group reach a resolution.
Objectives
  • Determine your current facilitation abilities
  • Identify facilitation strategies
  • Practice facilitation skills in various meeting roles

Project 8. - Motivating People

Summary A motivated team can overcome obstacles of all types to achieve its goals. A leader creates and maintains an environment where team members are likely to become motivated. Leaders find out what motivates team members, then develops reward systems that match what team members value. They also look for ways to reward team members for doing the right things.
Objectives
  • Determine your current motivational skills
  • Identify conditions that motivate people
  • Practice motivational skills while serving in club roles

Project 9. - Mentoring

Summary A mentor recognizes an individual who has less experience and cultivates that person's potential and talents and helps him or her succeed. Leaders are also mentors. You can be a mentor by offering someone opportunities for skill development, helping the person recognize areas needing work, providing helpful advice, being a role model, and encouraging the person to think for himself or herself.
Objectives
  • Determine your current mentoring skills
  • Identify the steps in being a good mentor
  • Practice mentoring skills in various club roles

Project 10. - Team Building

Summary Teams offer great benefits. Team members have a variety of knowledge and skills, which results in more creativity and greater productivity. When a good team is in place, a leader has more time to devote to leadership issues. Team members must be carefully chosen and trained and encouraged to openly discuss issues with you and among themselves.
Objectives
  • Determine your current team-building skills
  • Identify steps in building a team
  • Practice team-building skills while serving in various club roles