Al Cobos has been invited to speak at the Annual Leadership Academy sponsored by the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (CJPIA). He will be speaking to city managers and department heads responsible for providing essential services to the public. The training sessions being offered as as follows:
Creating Cultural Change Through Conversations
The vision and mission of an organization should shape an organization’s culture. The message is usually communicated by its leaders and stakeholders. However, an organization’s culture will determine how the message is embraced. Consider that organizational culture will have a more impactful presence on its members than that of a leader’s vision or an organization’s mission statement. Additionally, culture is formed and reinforced by the organization’s daily practices. Through the use of motivational conversation, a leader can move culture in an intended direction. The result is better performance; more cohesiveness; and a commitment to the communicated mission and vision.
Socratic Leadership
There are many skills needed for successfully leading an organization. It is commonplace for leaders to “tell” their employees their vision and expectations. The Socratic Leader is one that uses questions to move their organization in an intended direction. This “ask” approach is not conducted from a position of weakness, but from a position of developing inquiry with our employees. Getting employees to think about our vision and expectations places them in a position to learn about them too. It is the Socratic Leader that creates conversations to build relationships, communicate expectations, and build influence. And influence is the basis of relational leadership which is incredibly important with today’s employee.