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Upcoming Leadership Events


♦ November 12, 2009, Lunch with a Leader, Gov. George Nigh
♦ December 1, 2009, LeadershipSummit at Wes Watkins Center
♦ February 11, 2010, Empowering Team Members, Mr. Steve Kreidler
♦ March 11, 2010, Character Counts: Power and Spirit, Dr. Renee’ Warning
♦ April 8, 2010, Purpose and Momentum – Finding your gift, Dr. Lon Dehnert
♦ May 13, 2010, Planning for Hope, Dr. Darian De Bolt

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Leadership Blog

Current Blogs | Categories | Search | Syndication

Leaders of the Real World

By Jillianne Tebow

“Welcome to the trip to the real world. This is your captain speaking. We are expected to have a fairly smooth flight today, however, I will keep the seatbelt sign on at all times because of unexpected bumps called life, however, feel free to move about the cabin. Our estimated time of arrival is… never. Thank you for flying with the Real World today and enjoy your flight.”

What exactly is the real world and, more importantly, when do we get there? I’m 23 years old and have been welcomed to the real world four times. When, might you ask? On four very important, life altering occasions: first, there was high school graduation when I prepared for the rest of my life and enjoyed my first taste of freedom; second, college graduation when I was cut off from my parents completely and told good luck when deciding which path in life I wanted to take; third, marriage, enough said; and finally, tackling the daunting task of a mortgage, ugh. So, I can’t help but wonder what exactly is the real world and, more importantly, when do we get there?

I guess the real question that comes to my mind is who is supposed to lead me into this real world? And I suppose the answer I am looking for is myself, and we are already there. We are all leaders in the real world, and we each possess a volcano of potential that will be life threatening once unleashed. It is up to each of us to not only realize our own potential but also to realize that of others as well.

Leaders are not born, they are made. They are the people who refuse to sit during the flight but who dare to unbuckle their seatbelts and take a stroll through the cabin; they are those who dare to dream. When the harsh realities of life come crashing down, it is leaders who pick us up and inspire us once more.

Through faith, passion, inspiration, determination and an unrelenting desire to be the best, it is leaders who fly us through life and take us safely to our destination. The funny thing is that we each have this potential, we simply must take the controls, get ready for the bumps and fly our own plane, taking others with us as we climb higher to reach our destinations.
 

posted @ Monday, November 02, 2009 8:39 AM by Jillianne Zweiacker

Ten Commandments of Leadership

Anonymous Author

1. People are illogical, unreasonable and self-centered... Love them anyway.

2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives... Do good anyway.

3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies...Succeed anyway.

4. The good you do today will be fogotten tomorrow...Do good anyway.

5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable...Be honest and frank anyway.

6. The biggest person with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest person with the smallest mind...Think big anyway.

7. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs...Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight...Build anyway.

9. People really need help, but may attack you if you do help them...Help them anyway.

10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth...Give the world the best you have anyway.
 

posted @ Monday, September 21, 2009 8:35 AM by Larry Mattox SU

Doing the Difficult Things, During Difficult Times

Accountability could be defined as a person who does the difficult things even when he or she does not feel like doing them. In other words accountability is when leaders are not blown by the storms of the moment. We face many storms in life, just like the storms of nature, and the real question is not whether we are prepared but how we will confront the storms when they occur;

·         Financial storms- “Honey, we are broke.”
·         Medical storms- “Your tests weren’t as good as we had hoped.”
·         Marital storms- “I’m not sure I can stay married to you any longer.”
·         Spiritual storms- “God, where are you?”
·         Job related storms- “We’re not pleased with your work.”
·         Emotional storms- “Sit down. I’ve got bad news about your dad/mom/child.”
 
Along with these many personal storms we face challenging times as organizations and a country. Now, more than ever we need strong, accountable leadership in doing difficult things and in all case's the right thing.
 
Leaders who seek popularity or approval ratings get into deeper trouble or difficulty when they cease doing the difficult things and only look for approval. “The tendency of the masses is towards mediocrity,” said Aldous Haxley. Doing the difficult things may require standing alone or at minimum having the courage to engage or confront the issue or issues.
 
What difficult things are your instincts, right now, telling you to do?
 
Are you willing to do them, even if it means standing alone?
 
Winston Churchill stated that “difficulties mastered are opportunities won.” Commit to confronting the difficult things in your life or organization and create opportunities for yourself and more importantly for those around you who are watching your lead on how you will handle the storm.

posted @ Monday, August 10, 2009 8:24 AM by Donna Bowman

2 Corinthians 12

By Donna Bowman

Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

Being a leader continually puts you face to face with conflict, fear and life changing decisions. This can be a weight that drags you under or it can be the vehicle God uses to bring you closer to Him, giving you greater wisdom and the ability to encourage others more sincerely.

Leadership is standing strong, with direction and determination when difficulties assault you. As leaders, whether you are the CEO with the responsibility of a multimillion dollar company or a mom with the responsibility of helpless baby or rebellious teenager, we are responsible to stand up to the task of leading, pulling or carrying those we are responsible for toward the appointed goals.

When we recognize and acknowledge that we have weaknesses and challenges we cannot overcome on our own. We avail ourselves to God for His understanding, His strength and His grace to conquer our weakness. He will give us the grace and wisdom to prevail and be strong, wise and lead.

posted @ Thursday, July 16, 2009 11:03 AM by

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Leadership Consortium

e-Newsletter

The first annual Leadership Summit will be held on December 2, 2008 at the Wes Watkins CITD building on the Oklahoma State University campus.

The Leadership Summit is a regional leadership conference encompassing leaders within the business, education, faith-based and community economical sectors. It is designed to empower leaders with the skills and tools needed to achieve their respective goals and to increase the effectiveness of their leadership abilities.

Leadership is essential to the success of any organization and is the cornerstone on which organizations often base their accomplishments. The Leadership Summit will act as a resource for leaders by empowering them with new ideas and tools that will allow them to further empower not only those who they lead, but also themselves. The Summit will serve as a place where leaders throughout the region can collaborate to share and learn new ideas and resources. It will help them to further develop their personal leadership skills to enhance the quality of life for the people of the communities in which they live. The Summit will allow participants and other individuals the opportunity to engage with one another and build lasting relationships that lead to greater opportunities in meeting both organizational and individual challenges within our society.

The Leadership Summit will also be utilized to build a common vision for leadership by emphasizing what can be done by working together within our respective organizations and communities. CREC believes this can be accomplished through increased collaborative efforts between current and future leaders.

Workshops will begin at 1 p.m.  Tenative workshops include: Developing a Philantrhopic Culture through Grant Writing; Casting Your Vision through eCommunity; Mentoring the Next Generation; Creating Leadership Programs for Future Leaders; Leadership is Infulence: Nothing More, Nothing Less; Engaging Leadership and Engaged Leadership Partnerships.

A dinner will follow two sessions of workshops. Dr. Lee Manzer, Professor of Marketing at OSU’s Spears School of Business will keynote the event.

Additional information will be posted on this Web site as details for the Summit are finalized.  Check back soon.

Leadership University

The Leadership University series for 2009-10 will be held in conjunction with the University of Central Oklahoma. The series will begin on July 23, 2009.  Online registration is coming soon. Visit the Leadership University page for more information.

Dr. Christy Vincent is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Central Oklahoma and received her Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Vincent’s program topics include Communication Competence for Leaders, Fundamentals of Personal and Professional Coaching and Doing vs. Managing: Using delegation skills to increase your effectiveness.

Mapping Your Strategy and Painting the Right Picture  July 23, 2009
Led by Dr. Christy Vincent. Lack of a vivid and well-communicated vision for the future of the organization, no matter what size, is one of the biggest issues facing organizations today. This discussion takes a different approach to strategic planning by encouraging people to build the kind of organization they want to live in, mapping their strategy and bridging the “best of what is” to “what might be” by exploring initiative and accountability. The process involves asking positive questions about organizational issues. Discover positive exceptions and examine moments when you have been at your best, envision new possibilities, design a statement of intention, and deliver the organization to its destiny through innovation and action.

Leadership Summit Workshops

Casting your vision through e-Community

The role technology plays within society has become increasingly important. It is becoming more important for communities to establish a presence on the Internet. Dr. Subhash Kak, a professor and head of the computer science department at Oklahoma State University, will lead a workshop about the vision on e-Community, and the role community portals, social networking and the Internet can play in your community.

Developing a Philanthropic Culture through Grant Writing

The greatest gift one can give is their service to someone else. This workshop will focus on creating a culture of philanthropy within the community. How to create a 501(c)3 and how to utilize the Central Rural Electric Cooperative Foundation Partner Program to leverage resources will be discussed. Dr. Don Udell, president of Udell Consulting Inc. in Oklahoma City, Okla., will help leaders gain a clear understanding of how they can partner with others to acquire resources needed for the betterment of their communities.

 >> Register for the Leadership Summit <<

Leadership Summit Workshops

Developing Partnerships for Results

Jim Johnson will lead the Engaged Leadership workshops.  Jim graduated in 1995 from Ozark Christian College with a Bachelor of Theology degree with a New Testament major, and was Class Orator. In May 1998, he received both the Master of Divinity and Master of Arts degrees from Lincoln Christian Seminary, Lincoln, Illinois. Engaged Leadership will challenge the faith community to consider non-traditional approaches to reaching out and impacting lives.  Engaged Leadership will expand your perspective and open your mind to possibility thinking. 

Critical Partnerships - Meeting Critical Challenges

Today more than ever we are seeing the need for key partnerships that allow individuals and organizations to meet the complex challenges of our time.  This workshop will outline a new innovative approach to meeting the energy challenges that people are facing.  Faith based organizations and non-profits have been meeting these challenges for a long time in a very traditional approach of benevolence. What if we could help individuals lower their utility bills versus paying utility bills?  Attend this workshop and see how your organization can become a partner in this effort.  See how a local utility is partnering with faith based and non-profit organizations to meet rising energy cost.

 >> Register for the Leadership Summit <<

Attend the Leadership Summit

Youth Leadership Oklahoma

Founded in 2000, Youth Leadership Oklahoma was created with a mission to develop young leaders who feel hope, pride and a responsibility to Oklahoma’s future. Lee Anne Stone, Youth Leadership Oklahoma Coordinator, will not only discuss the program in more detail, but also offer young leaders a cause for leadership. The need for leadership among our youth is great, and this workshop will reemphasize that need and teach young leaders the value of Oklahoma and how young leaders can help.

Leadership Foundations

The word leadership is often used without a true understanding of its meaning. Before young leaders can begin to lead others, they must understand the concept of leadership. Dr. Cindy Blackwell, assistant professor of Agricultural Communications and Leadership, will guide this workshop that will explore what leadership really is and consider what it really takes to build an authentic leadership foundation in education.

 >> Register for the Leadership Summit <<

Attend the Leadership Summit

Crisis as Leadership Opportunity

Dr. Susan UrbachThe issue always facing leadership is answering the question, "What should we do?" When reading the day's headlines of unsettling economic woes, it seems that crisis only means bad news. But crisis can also be at the very same time an opportunity for exciting changes that you never would have thought about much less dared. New leaders and deepened leadership happen when people rise up to challenges. We will explore ways of looking at crisis as opportunity for leadership of your small business.

Leadership is “Influence, Nothing More Nothing Less”

While there are several definitions of leadership, influence is one word that truly defines the essence of leadership. To lead others, you must be able to influence them. There are several ways to increase your ability to influence others. This workshop will give leaders several practical tools to use in day to day life to improve their ability to influence others.

 >> Register for the Leadership Summit <<

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