Leadership: A Matter of Choice in Lifelong Learning

by Georgia C. Stelluto

Leadership happens at every level of life and is a process of lifelong learning, according to Erna Grasz, keynote speaker at IEEE-USA’s Annual Leadership Workshop in Tucson, Ariz., 11-13 March. “Change is the only constant in a life’s career that will have many ups and downs,” Grasz said, “and most leaders equate mistakes with growth, learning and making progress — as learning opportunities, not as failures.”

Grasz went on to explore leadership with workshop attendees, by depicting it as a choice, a sphere of influence, and a lifetime process that takes place at subordinate, public, hierarchical, process and collegial levels. She said that at any of these levels, leaders can — and do — emerge.

“If you see yourself as a leader, you will choose to learn at a deeper level than most people around you. You will take your life’s experiences and apply them in a unique way, using them as a stepping stone to self-knowledge,” Grasz said. She told attendees that identifying their own set of core values and a moral framework for making decisions would help mold their leadership style.

Search Out Leadership Opportunities

Grasz suggested that leaders become familiar with viewing all the positives and negatives in any given situation, and then become comfortable with opening doors that might not otherwise be opened to them: “Leadership is about calculated risk-taking, and it’s one of the keys to succeeding at work and in life.” She said that leaders intuitively understand the impact and the consequences of the decisions they make, before they embark on a course of action. “Be hungry, learn fast, and surround yourself with people to help you succeed,” she advised.

Confiding to the audience that, for her, leadership could sometimes be an adrenaline rush, Grasz pointed to the tradeoff between potential risks, and the thrill from the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment she feels after succeeding at something she wasn’t 100% certain she could do. “Set tangible, focused goals for yourself,” she said, “ and if right or wrong is not so obvious, leaders pray for what is wise.”

Operating on the Three “I”s

Intellect, instinct and intuition are the three most prominent characteristics that Grasz said successful leaders use in the way they go about life and business. She noted that most leaders first use intellect, incorporating training and lots of personal experience in their decision-making processes. But Grasz pointed out that good leaders couple intellect with intuition and instinct when making decisions or taking action. “Corporate culture does not typically recognize and reward qualitative, innovative, right-brain accomplishments — usually the rewards are for the quantifiable bottom line,” she said. “Prominent leaders consistently report that they rely on gut feel, intuition and conceptual skills — as much, if not more, than logic and analysis.”

Navigate the Chaos

In experiencing leadership at any level of life, Grasz advised not getting wrapped up in chaos. She encouraged attendees to make themselves a priority on their own “to do” list — spiritually, mentally, emotionally, intellectually and physically. Grasz supported leadership guru Stephen Covey’s “sharpen the saw” philosophy. In other words, take time for yourself.

Grasz also cautioned the audience not to “create bad weather for themselves,” along the leadership path. She said that successful leaders don’t get sucked into negative energy from others around them. Graph emphasized asking for help when it was needed, and focusing on long-term vision. “Keep your end destination in mind,” she said.

Believe

To sum it all up, Grasz counseled attendees that “believing in and having confidence in yourself and others creates opportunities for both.” She said that people find their ethics and values challenged every day, but that successful leaders figure out their own personal mission statements, and then keep their commitments.

“Good leaders apologize when they make a mistake,” she said, “and when they bow — they bow low.” And finally, Grasz noted that people in rewarding leadership roles earn the trust of those around them, and instinctively know that “loyalty in the absence of others creates loyalty in the presence of others.”

For everyone, and at any level, leadership is a self-study course in lifelong learning.

Georgia C. Stelluto is IEEE-USA’s Publishing Manager and Managing Editor of IEEE-USA Today’s Engineer quarterly print digest. Comments may be submitted to todaysengineer@ieee.org. Opinions expressed are the author's.