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  • 1.  Is Grit a key element for good leaders?

    Posted 08-07-2022 02:07 PM


    A few weeks ago, I was reading the SmartBrief on Leadership and found a link to an article on "Grit in Leadership". I was intrigued and clicked the link which directed me to an article by Kevin Kehoe entitled, 5 Inspirational 'Grit in Leadership' Skills for Overcoming Adversity. It was a short but compelling piece. Kehoe posits that grit is essential for inspirational leaders; he lists five characteristics that are often seen in these individuals, resilience, courage, conscientiousness, perseverance, and excellence.  I think the leaders who I respect and admire and who inspire me to work to become a better leader possess many of these traits.

    What are your thoughts on Grit in Leadership? Do you think grit is important for success in leadership? If you are a leader, are these skills you aspire to in your leadership role?

    You may be interested Kehoe's new book, One Hit Wonder. If you want to see the book or learn more about it and the author, go to https://onehitwonder.site/kevin-r-kehoe/

    (For those of you who are not familiar with SmartBrief Newsletters, they publish on more than 200 topics including leadership, health care leaders, and higher education. If you are interested in learning more about them, check out https://corp.smartbrief.com/subscribe?utm_source=brief )

    Enjoy the rest of the summer!  Janet



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    Janet Koehnke
    Montclair NJ
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  • 2.  RE: Is Grit a key element for good leaders?

    Posted 08-08-2022 12:16 PM
    Hi  Janet,
    Thank you for the recommendation for the SmartBriefs. I have been reading several of them for the past 12 years or so and find them very helpful.
    I do think grit is an important element of leadership. It helps to get through the rough seas that I have encountered in my leadership journey. It is something that I continue to develop with every new leadership role I take on.

    --
    Melissa Jakubowitz, M.A., CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow
    Board Certified Specialist-Child Language (BCS-CL)
    eLiveNow (www.elivenow.com)



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  • 3.  RE: Is Grit a key element for good leaders?

    Posted 08-08-2022 01:11 PM

    Thank you for these resources Janet! I agree with Kehoe on his 5 characteristics of grit in leadership, and I would add compassion and curiosity to his list. For my own journey as a leader and those I've worked with over the years, I find that we are most successful when we approach challenges with first seeking to understand (intent, goals, objectives, etc) and being open to multiple view points. Without curiosity and compassion, I find that leaders are less relatable and thus less effective. 

    No sources for these, just my own observations. (Though I'm sure I've internalized other's thoughts from leadership reading and presentations over the years. No plagiarism intended!)

    thanks for getting me thinking today!
    Kathy 



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    Katheryn Boada, PhD, CCC-SLP
    Director, Speech-Language Pathology& Assistive Technology
    boada@kennedykrieger.org
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  • 4.  RE: Is Grit a key element for good leaders?

    Posted 08-11-2022 06:55 PM
    I was pleased to see Kathy Boada included compassion as a leadership characteristic.  I agree wholeheartedly. There are instances in which a leader's compassionate attitude may save the day for someone who is suffering (for whatever reason). A leader's compassionate response to someone's challenge to their idea or vision can make a big difference.  The adage that someone may not remember what you said, but they will surely remember how you made them feel is often about whether compassion was part of the equation.

    Dr. Elise Davis-McFarland, CCC-SLP
    ASHA Fellow
    EDMConsulting, LLC
    Member - IALP Education Committee



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