Emerging Leaders Blog: Discovering Your Leadership Style

by Aimee Jewell- ELP Guest Blogger

Knowing about one’s leadership style is essential for success in the workplace, which is why Session Two of the Emerging Leaders Program focused on our Predictive Index (P.I.) results, discussing “Strengths Based Leadership” and analyzing our StrengthsQuest findings, as well as examining some essential keywords of ledership.

 Put on by The Oliver Group, based out of our own beloved city, Louisville, Kentucky, the P.I. test helps measure what particular kind of leadership style one may possess. After taking the five-minute examination prior to our second meeting, Scott Kiefer, the Vice President of The Oliver Group, prepped us for our results. Most of the room sat in sheer anticipation (and a little bit of terror), as Mr. Kiefer explained why some leaders don’t take the P.I. until later in their leadership careers and therefore, are unable to take full advantage of their results. Most of the room, including myself, was unsure of how such a small assessment could correctly gauge our personality traits and leadership styles.

“We learned that as leaders,it is our responsibility to be honest with ourselves in what we can and cannot accomplish.”

Minutes later, however, when we were given our evaluation results, I was pleasantly find that my outcomes were ridiculously accurate. We learned that as leaders, it is our responsibility to be honest with ourselves in what we can and cannot accomplish. I was excited to get back my P.I. results, but am extremely interested in finding out how to use those strengths to benefit the organizations I belong to.

 After we talked about the P.I., we split into teams to discuss what keywords defined “leadership.” We were assigned to cohorts based off our 90-day-goals and given multiple assignments to complete before next class, including reading “Well Being: The Five Essential Elements,” by Tom Rath and Jim Harter, and completing our “Lifetime of Leadership” and “Values” worksheets. These worksheets will help us measure our 90-day-goals and allow us to uncover what facets of leadership we need to improve on. By utilizing Chris Schulz and the other professionals within the program, I plan on fulfilling my 90-day-goal and am looking forward to the leadership issue that we will report on in the upcoming classes.

About Aimee Jewell

Aimee is graduate student at Bellarmine University and a participant/guest blogger for the Fall 2013 Emerging Leaders Program. She will be blogging about her experience with the ELP throughout the fall.