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Leadership … an Introduction
A Leader is usually defined
as one who guides or shows the way. It is important
to note that a leader is not one who tells or forces
the way. Effective leadership is the ability to create,
share and engage people in a vision of the future that
is worth striving for.
Any organization needs effective leaders
if it is to survive. But what does it mean to be an
effective leader? Even those who have served in various
leadership roles may have a difficult time explaining
it to someone else – perhaps because we are always unsure
of our own abilities in those roles. It is particularly
difficult to define in terms of an all-volunteer organization
in which members are associated because of their sharing
a common hobby.
Many of us who have been in a leadership
position have wished for Star Trek’s Captain Picard’s
ability to command, "Make it so." Instead,
the leader must have a vision for the organization and
be able to articulate that vision to others in such
a way that they want to share and be a part of that
vision. That is the guiding part … the fun part. Leadership
is teamwork, not dictatorship.
Unfortunately, there is also a bit
of drudgery associated with being a leader. Certain
activities are expected; certain customs must be observed;
certain tasks must be done. A hobby is not a business,
but some skills and techniques, originally developed
for business applications, can be used to minimize your
leadership obligations’ impact on the more satisfying,
fun part.
Within these pages you will learn some
of these techniques. Perhaps you can pick up some hints
about how to develop a vision. The best way to learn
is to try it. Be willing to share what you learn with
others and encourage others to share their ideas with
you. That way, we can all benefit from stronger societies,
stronger regions and a stronger Astronomical League.
Characteristics of Effective Leaders
(Don’t worry if you don’t have all
these characteristics, few of us do!)
- Well defined sense of purpose.
- Knowledge of your own strengths and weaknesses –
and a willingness to admit both.
- Desire to learn new skills.
- Ability to establish strong human relationships.
- Willing to be guided by the needs of those you serve.
- Persistent effort to produce results.
- Ability to transform mistakes into learning situations.
- Ability to unite people into a common effort.
Do not think you have to do it alone.
Even though the president of an organization may think,
"The Buck Stops Here," remember that you usually
have a leadership team comprised, at least, of all the
officers. You can help each other and learn from each
other. Each of you will bring certain strengths to the
group. Hopefully, those strengths will help balance
the weaknesses.
Know Your Members
Just as it is difficult to lead if
you do not know where you are going, it is also difficult
to lead if you do not know whom you are leading! You
know the members are interested in astronomy by the
nature of your organization. You probably know many
of the members’ specific interests: deep-sky, astrophotography,
CCD, telescope making, etc. But you may not know why
they decided to join your club or what they expect of
you as a leader. Generally, the members break down into
four main categories.
There are those who want to "do
something." These are the activists. They may be
school politicians who held a class office and enjoyed
it and want to do more of the same. They simply may
have great enthusiasm for a current project and want
to share that enthusiasm with the group. They may have
a desire to help others and feel they can channel that
desire through their hobby. This group is often the
easiest from which to draw officers – it gives them
something to "do."
There are those who want to "learn
something." Amateur astronomy is a technical field
and many of its participants are not technically trained.
They have a basic fascination with space and objects
they observe, but seek broader information so they can
understand what they see. Association with others having
a similar interest allows them to "test" their
understanding in a non-threatening way.
There are those who want to "be
part of something." Extroverts who draw personal
energy from association with others may use their interest
in astronomy to find yet another association. Some people
are just natural "joiners." Others may see
your group having a good time and want to have one too.
There are those who are merely curious.
They may have seen your booth at Astronomy Day. A bright
comet or an eclipse of the sun or moon may have piqued
their interest. They may have bought a telescope (for
whatever reason) and want to know what to do with it.
They have joined your club to see what it is all about,
and they may or may not stay.
You need to address the needs of all
of them. Perhaps you can not address all at the same
time, but you must be mindful of their various needs
so that one group is not addressed at the expense of
another. If you can do so effectively, members will
tend to "move up" in the categories, as listed.
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