1. Accepting the Challenge to Lead
Perspectives for the Professional Community Manager
Presentation for the
Community Associations Institute
Regional Conference – November 9, 2006
Presented by:
Thomas L. Willis, CMCA, PCAM, Vice President,
Zalco Realty, Inc.
&
Raymond B. Via, Jr., Esq.,
Linowes and Blocher, LLP

2. Leadership

3. Leadership

4. Leadership

5. Leadership

6. Leadership

7. Leadership

8. Leadership

9. Leadership

10. Leadership

11. Leadership

12. Leadership

13. Leadership

14. Leadership

15. Leadership

16. Leadership

17. Leadership

18. Leadership

19. Your face here?
The Big Buy-in

20. Leadership
 How did we get here and where are we
going???
 Challenges & opportunities
 It’s PERSONAL

21. Basics
Dispelling myths

22. Basics
Dispelling myths
Leadership is a rare skill

23. Basics
Dispelling myths
Leadership is a rare skill
Leaders are born, not made

24. Basics
Dispelling myths
Leadership is a rare skill
Leaders are born, not made
Organizations must have only one leader

25. Basics
Dispelling myths
Leadership is a rare skill
Leaders are born, not made
Organizations must have only one leader
All leaders are charismatic

26. Basics
Dispelling myths
Leadership is a rare skill
Leaders are born, not made
Organizations must have only one leader
All leaders are charismatic
Leaders control people

27. Basics
Three foundation blocks
Ambition
Competence
Integrity

28. Basics
The Leader as “Social Architect” – Creating an
atmosphere for growth, learning, cohesion
 Structures
 Acknowledgment
 Creativity

29. Basics
The “Servant Leader”
Fail to honor people,
They fail to honor you.
But of a good leader, who talks little,
When his work is done, his aim fulfilled
They will all say, “We did this ourselves”
- Lao-tzu

30. Applications
Manager vs. Leader –
contrasting perspectives

31. Applications
Jim Collins – “Level 5 Hierarchy”

32. Applications
Community Manager as Social Architect
 Structure – Communication of vision - “why”
 Acknowledgement – Association cheerleader
 Creativity – Setting the table & sublimating ego

33. Applications
Community Manager as Servant Leader
Leaders by definition

34. Self Examination/Self Awareness
How do others relate to you?
Are they inspired and creative?

35. Self Examination/Self Awareness
How to others relate to you?
Do they feel free to make an occasional mistake?

36. Self Examination/Self Awareness
How do others relate to you?
Are they hesitant to take a stand?

37. Self Examination/Self Awareness
How do others relate to you?
Are they inclined to speak up
when you are wrong?
(are you EVER wrong?)

38. Self Examination/Self Awareness
How do others relate to you?
Do they feel a part of the process or
removed from it?

39. Self Examination/Self Awareness
How do others relate to you?
Do they feel significant and that they are
making a meaningful contribution?

40. Self Examination/Self Awareness
How do others relate to you?
Do you get a sense that they feel pride
in the community?

41. Self Evaluation/Self Awareness
Characteristics of successful leaders (note
paradoxes and balances)
SELF TEST

42. Self Evaluation/Self Awareness
SELF TEST RESULTS – “360” EXERCISE
Challenge yourselves & your group members
“My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me” –
Henry Ford
(marginally controlled creative chaos happens here)

43. Positive Self Regard
Know your strengths and weaknesses
Set goals for yourself
“Fire the yes men”
See how your & others’ strengths fit into
the organization
Don’t reinvent the wheel – find mentors,
acknowledge sources of learning

44. “Four Lessons of Self
Knowledge”
from Warren Bennis
 You are your own best teacher
 Accept responsibility, blame no one
 You can learn anything you want
 True understanding comes from reflecting on your
own experience

45. The Vision Thing

46. The Vision Thing
The
Social Architect

47. The Vision Thing
Vision can take
many forms

48. The Vision Thing
For a vision to be successful,
it must be meaningful to the
STAKEHOLDERS

49. The Vision Thing
There is no one right way
to develop vision

50. The Vision Thing
A “pragmatic dreamer”
makes persons feel
significant

51. The Vision Thing
“Get the horses out
of the barn first”

52. The Vision Thing
Once goals of the community are
articulated AND there is
general agreement, the vision is
really speaking to people,
THEN the process begins to
take care of itself

53. The Vision Thing
Vision
communicates
MEANING

54. Concluding Thoughts
Effective Leader = Full Integrated Person
Manage yourself – lead others
“A person really doesn’t become whole
until he becomes a part
of something bigger than himself”
-Jim Valvano

55. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen

56. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen

57. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen
SIMPLE, CLEAR PLAN

58. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen
NOBLE, PURPOSEFUL
GOAL

59. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen
ENGAGE
COMMUNICATE

60. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen
PICK GOOD PEOPLE

61. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen
LEAD BY “LOVE”

62. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen
VIGOR!

63. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen
MASTERY OF SKILLS

64. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen
WORKAHOLIC

65. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen
LEAD BY EXAMPLE

66. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen
AVOID FEAR OF
FAILURE

67. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen
BE LUCKY

68. Admiral Horatio Nelson’s Dozen
TRUST YOUR GUT –
SEIZE THE MOMENT