A Quarterly Newsletter

 
December 2000- Volume 3:2

10 LEADERSHIP QUALITIES TO CULTIVATE

by
Maud Purcell
drkoop.com Health Columnist

Women as leaders … hardly a new concept! History is replete with women who have demonstrated unique leadership abilities: Harriet Tubman, Queen Elizabeth I of England and Joan of Arc, to name a few. Until the 20th century, however, most women were only able to demonstrate their natural leadership abilities on the home front.

Today, women are emerging as leaders in a growing range of fields. Examples include Carly Fiorina, CEO of Hewlett Packard; Christine Todd Whitman, governor of New Jersey; and Claudia Kennedy, a recently retired lieutenant general of the U.S. Army. The requisite skills for becoming an effective leader are genderless, but many of them come naturally to women. An old Iranian proverb beautifully illustrates this point: "A gentle hand may lead even an elephant by a hair."

You may think, "Me, a leader?" The good news is that leadership ability can be developed. It must be built from the inside out, however, and will require significant time, patience and elbow grease. You don't need to be a genius or an Olympic athlete to develop the following leadership attributes:

Expertise -- Cultivate a specific skill and/or knowledge base that others recognize and value. This is what will give you the credibility to lead.

Vision -- This is the ability to take an ordinary situation and from it, create something unique. To do this you must be able to step back and see the big picture. You must also be creative. Don't panic! Creativity is not some magical and elusive gift, but a skill that can be mastered.

Ability to listen -- You must learn to listen more than you speak. Hear and address the concerns of those around you, particularly those supporting your vision. This will win their loyalty. And by keeping your ears open you may learn something new and valuable from them that will further your cause.

Effective communication -- A good leader is a clear and consistent communicator. She says exactly what she means and with tact. Her enthusiasm and confidence permeate her message and inspire others to follow her.

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A thirst for knowledge -- A leader appreciates the value of learning, both from the past and the present. She continually broadens her knowledge base with the understanding that unrelated areas of study may provide unexpected insights.

Adaptability -- A leader embraces change and views it as an opportunity, not as a threat. She has already "slain the dragon." She has become stronger and wiser as a result of painful life circumstances. A leader is also a calculated risk-taker. She understands that progress cannot be made without entering uncharted territory and that potential mistakes go with that territory.

Ability to commit -- A leader doesn't embrace a cause reluctantly. She takes it on wholeheartedly, recognizing that success requires unflinching dedication. Those around her will find strength in her conviction, and in turn will commit to the effort at hand.

Ethics -- You will gain others' trust if you consistently do the right thing. A woman without moral fiber may temporarily pose as a leader. In time, however, the truth will surface, and she will invariably lose her following.

Courageousness -- Fear is human, but a true leader moves forward despite her fear. She is so committed to her cause that she is willing to face overwhelming obstacles.

Generosity -- A leader shares her expertise, and isn't afraid of handing the credit to others who have earned it. She takes pleasure in mentoring women who demonstrate enthusiasm, curiosity and courage. She also knows when it's time to turn her strength and energy inward and nurture herself.

Take a moment and review the 10 attributes listed above. Notice how many of them you already possess. Does this surprise you? Now consider the skills you must develop in order to become an effective leader. State them as goals and commit them to paper. Then develop an action plan and a timeline for completion. Congratulations! You are now on the road to becoming an effective leader.

Reprinted with the permission of Maud Purcell, psychotherapist and corporate consultant based in Stamford, Conn. She contends that problems are a normal part of living, and that most dilemmas have straightforward, commonsense solutions. Purcell lives with her husband and teen-age daughter. Her e-mail address is maudpurcell@aol.com.

WOMEN'S HEALTH SERIES

The WRC Women's Health Series will feature two lunch break seminars during the winter quarter. Ms. Janet Hall, P.T., of The Therapy Center in Bristol, will discuss beneficial strategies and techniques, for the individual, in "Oh! My Aching Back - Easy Steps to Improvement."

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During February, American Heart Month, Dr. Steven Fahrig, assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine-ETSU Heart Division, will conduct a seminar on "Palpitations: When Should I Worry?" Heart disease in women, as related to the area of irregular palpitations, will be discussed during this seminar. The dates, times, and locations of these seminars are included in the WRC Calendar of Events on page 3.

 

"ASSERTIVENESS SKILLS," conducted by Gail Cohen, will be presented during February 2001. The 60-minute video is designed to increase your self-confidence and boost your effectiveness through the utilization of 12 action steps that will aid you in creating visibility and taking charge of your life.

Assertiveness has been a hot topic for more than a decade. People who master assertiveness skills go farther - faster - in today's competitive business environment than those who react passively or aggressively to workplace and personal challenges. While other resources on assertiveness concentrate on the "why," this video focuses squarely on the "how to." By applying the 12 powerful action steps outlined, you will discover how to tap into your own abundant supply of assertiveness.

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Here's what you'll learn:

  • The 3 R's to assertive success: roles, responsibilities, and relationships
  • Why aggressive and passive behaviors damage your effectiveness
  • How to respond positively to the negative messages others send
  • Proven techniques for communicating more assertively
  • Assertive ways to deal with a variety of difficult people and tough situations

The date, time, and location of this video showing is included in the WRC Calendar of Events on page 3.

 

NEW REPORT RELEASED ON TENNESSEE WOMEN

On November 15, 2000, the Tennessee Economic Council on Women held simultaneous press conferences across the state to announce the release of The Status of Women in Tennessee. The report indicated some progress in how women are doing in the state, as well as continuing problems in women's economics, health, and political participation.

Tennessee has made improvements in women's political participation, moving up four places from last in the nation to 46th. The women's poverty rate dropped from more than 16 percent to under 15 percent. Women's health care coverage moved up from 32nd to 27th in the nation and first in the East South Central region, which includes Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

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The report includes suggested ways to improve the status of women in Tennessee. A call for a higher minimum wage, action to close the wage gap between women and men, and tougher enforcement of equal opportunity laws are some improvements listed. Also, the report calls for stronger protections against domestic violence and sexual assault, plus expanded funding for domestic violence shelters and training for judges and police about the unique characteristics of these crimes.

Beyond calling for the federal and state governments to take action, the report urges women's groups in Tennessee to organize voter registration drives to improve the low participation rate of Tennessee women on Election Day. A copy of the report is available for check-out through the WRC Reference Library.

   

 

Women's Resource Center
Calendar of Events

For more information on the events listed contact the WRC at 423-439-7847.

 

EVENTS-Main Campus

DECEMBER

Book Review Group
Wednesday, December 13, Women's Resource Center, Panhellenic Hall, Basement Suite 2, noon.
 Participants will meet to discuss Ten Women Who Shook the World by Sylvia Brownrigg. New readers always welcome.

JANUARY

Book Review Group
Wednesday, January 17, Women's Resource Center, Panhellenic Hall, Basement Suite 2, noon.
 Participants will meet to discuss Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. Facilitated by Ms. Kristn Chamberlain-Long. New readers always welcome.

POSITIONING YOURSELF FOR WHERE YOU WANT TO GO - Group Coaching Session I
 Friday, January 26, Women's Resource Center, Panhellenic Hall, Basement Suite 2, noon.
Margaret Kellogg, L.C.S.W., will conduct the first of three group coaching sessions designed to assist the individual in developing strategies for career advancement or career transition, along with discovering what really motivates YOU. Sessions II & III, for this series, are scheduled for February 2 & 9. ***RESERVATIONS REQUIRED***

Women's Health Series Lunch Break Seminar
Tuesday, January 30, D. P. Culp University Center, LOCATION CHANGE: Forum, 3rd Floor, noon.
"Oh! My Aching Back - Easy Steps to Improvement" will be the topic of this women's health seminar. Janet Hall, P.T., a physical therapist with The Therapy Center, Inc., in Bristol, will discuss beneficial strategies and techniques that can be used to assist the individual in dealing with problematic back discomfort. See article.

FEBRUARY

POSITIONING YOURSELF FOR WHERE YOU WANT TO GO - Group Coaching Session II
 Friday, February 2, Women's Resource Center, Panhellenic Hall, Basement Suite 2, noon.
Margaret Kellogg, L.C.S.W., will conduct the first of three group coaching sessions designed to assist the individual in developing strategies for career advancement or career transition, along with discovering what really motivates YOU. ***RESERVATIONS REQUIRED***

"ASSERTIVENESS SKILLS" Video
Wednesday, Feburary 7, D. P. Culp University Center, Forum, 3rd Floor, noon.
Conducted by Gail Cohen, this video is designed to increase your self-confidence and boost your effectiveness through the utilization of 12 action steps that will aid you in creating visibility and taking charge of your life. See article.

POSITIONING YOURSELF FOR WHERE YOU WANT TO GO - Group Coaching Session III
 Friday, February 9, Women's Resource Center, Panhellenic Hall, Basement Suite 2, noon.
Margaret Kellogg, L.C.S.W., will conduct the first of three group coaching sessions designed to assist the individual in developing strategies for career advancement or career transition, along with discovering what really motivates YOU. ***RESERVATIONS REQUIRED***

Women's Health Series Lunch Break Seminar
Wednesday, February 14, D. P. Culp University Center, East Tennessee Room, 3rd Floor, noon.
"Palpitations: When Should I Worry?" will be the topic of this women's health seminar. Steven Fahrig, M.D., F.A.C.C., assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine-ETSU Heart Division, will discuss the area of irregular palpitations as related to heart disease in women. See article.

Book Review Group
Wednesday, February 21, Women's Resource Center, Panhellenic Hall, Basement Suite 2, noon.
Participants will meet to discuss Big Stone Gap: A Novel by Adriana Trigiani. Facilitated by Ms. Sue McKinney. New readers always welcome.

ALL OF THE ABOVE EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

 

 
NOTABLE DATES & NEWS

 

American Heart Month - February 2001

Black History Month - February 2001

National Girls & Women in Sports Day - February 9, 2001

 

February is "American Heart Month"

Join us for a WRC Women's Health Series Lunch Break Seminar in February 2001 presented by Steven Fahrig, M.D., F.A.C.C.

FMLA @ ETSU

The Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance @ ETSU invites you to come be a part of the newly formed student organization. Join FMLA members for bi-monthly meetings held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m., Women's Resource Center. Faculty and staff members welcome.

POSITIONING YOURSELF FOR WHERE YOU WANT TO GO

Group Coaching Sessions,

with Margaret Kellogg, will continue during 2001. See the WRC Calendar of Events on page 3.

 

 

East Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution and is fully in accord with the belief that educational and employment opportunities should be available to all eligible persons without regard to age, sex, color, race, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation.
TBR 220-022-00 2.5M