Developing Leadership - Fri. 3:00pm
Developing leadership skills, managing time, resolving conflicts

Presenters: Hershaft, Pacheco

Alex Hershaft, Ph.D.
Founder and President, Farm Animal Rights Movement

Click here for a printable version of Alex's outline.

Effective leadership and management are the foundation of every movement. Here, we define these personal qualities and address  their development.

The Qualities of Leadership

High self-image; self-actualization level in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Displays vision and creativity
Displays commitment and persistence
Takes initiative and assumes calculated risks
Formulates clear goals and objectives
Able to plan, prioritize, and “get things done”
Earns the trust, respect, loyalty, gratitude, and likeability of his/her peers

Developing High Self-Image

Stories: personal perceptions of reality dealing with location, resources, appearance, age, genetics, intelligence, education, experience
Fears: change (if it ain’t broke), confrontation (not my problem), control (when my time comes), decision (I’ll try), failure (I can’t), rejection (he/she hates me), responsibility (not my fault), solution (won’t work), success (won’t last)
Winning formulas: behavior patterns that replace open, honest interactions

Developing Vision and Creativity

Observe and wonder about the world around you; learn how and why things are
Question assumptions; consider alternative paths/outcomes; discover/examine absurdities
Associate with creative people; encourage, and reward creativity in others
Use brainstorming techniques

Developing Commitment and Persistence

Considering your cause the most important in the world and the solution to world’s problems
Committing your life to it before all other needs on Maslow’s third and fourth levels
Developing persistence through hardships – marathons, hunger strikes

Taking Initiative and Calculated Risks

Definition: measure of probability of failure – not flapping arms from tall buildings
Ordinary people use risk aversion devices: acceptance and syndication (insurance, stock market)
Leaders take calculated risks, expand ‘comfort zone’ (Moses, Jesus, Columbus, Gandhi, King)
Essential to social change (Normandy invasion, Montgomery bus boycott, Lunar landing)
Turn failure into opportunity and learning experience

Getting Things Done

Arrange, schedule, and time your priorities
Screen new tasks (acceptance, delegation, refusal); monetize your time
Beware of Peter Principle, diminishing returns, action vs activity, effectiveness vs efficiency
Simplify your lifestyle; combine intellectual and physical activities
Deal with procrastination (too difficult, too unpleasant, missing components, not urgent, could fail)

Earning Trust, Respect, Gratitude of Peers

Carnegie techniques: think in terms of others’ interests; express sincere appreciation
When in doubt, assume the best about others and make them live up to it
Empower and invest others
Use the four magic words


Alex Pacheco
Founder, 600 Million Stray Dogs Need You

"The 4 Most Important Things a Successful Leader Needs to Do Well"

  1. Being Brave, Having Courage
    1. Learn everything about your subject: pros & cons
    2. Be prepared to defend you position
  2. Steering the Ship, Avoiding Distractions, and Taking responsibility: have your supporters 'back'.
  3. Strategy, Strategy, Strategy: Preparing and Planning.
  4. Delegating: Trust others to handle details; you can’t and shouldn’t do it all
    1. Well-trained supporters don’t want to sit back doing nothing, assign meaningful tasks
    2. Listen to your supporters and follow their lead. Successful leaders know when to follow.