Diane Foster and Associates' Skill Kit for Leaders is an answer to the question, "Where do I start in this Leadership Skill Development process?" The material has been successfully used to support leadership coaching at such companies as Genentech, Space Systems Loral, and California State Auto Association, and recently in support of leadership in the public sector at the US Department of Labor and the City of Oakland. Developed by certified Master Coach, Diane Foster, we use it as a resource for any coaching work on leadership skill-building. The Coach may draw material from it to provide development activities on 42 different roles and skills critical to leadership success. Click here to download a free sample of this material.

Because it is in a Microsoft Word document, you are welcome to tailor it to you own needs. We simply ask that you acknowledge us as the source with the copyright in the material. We frequently use it when we coach behind our tailorable 360 degree process. It is based on normative data from Harvard's leadership studies, and provides an experiential, activity-based approach for support of leadership.

You have the option of buying SKL in any of the following ways:

1. Order the whole "Skill Kit for Leaders" to Use on Your Company's Intranet! To purchase and arrange support from DFA in implementing this resource. Click here to contact Diane Foster and Associates
   
   
2. Buy the "Skill Kit for Leaders" (SKL) CD with its templates and 300 pages of resources in Microsoft Word documents that you can customize for your own client work. Click here to purchase this product for $375.00

More about the Skill Kit for Leaders...

1. Strategist: Envisions the most effective paths for problem solving.
   
   
2. Business Planner: Identifies and initiates activities required to meet annual and short to medium-range plans and objectives 
   
   
3. Managing for Results: Clarifies cross-functional roles and responsibilities. Supports negotiation and clarification of responsibilities where they are not clear. Removes roadblocks to successful goal achievement
   
   
4. Team Developer: Develops team capability to act collectively.
   
   
5. Communicator: Is skilled at sharing meaning with anyone s/he relates to on any subject. Knows how to hear what others have to say and to encourage others to be candid. Speaks and writes clearly.
   
   
6. Staff/Individual Developer: Encourages individual growth by setting up systems to facilitate motivation and improved performance. Applies the skills of coach and mentor.
   
   
7. Leader: Depending upon the team members' independence, competence, and initiative, is able to balance leader involvement in tasks with leader concern with people and the work relationships. Chooses the appropriate leadership style depending upon the task characteristics, team member abilities and skills, and the importance of team member autonomous action. Shows flexibility in using ideas, people, tasks, processes, and materials to achieve objectives in less time and/or with improved quality.
   
   
8. Emotional Intelligence: Sorts out strengths and weaknesses of self fairly accurately. Aware of own feelings. Willing to admit ignorance. Willing to be challenged, to listen to ideas and values of others, even though different from own. "Emotional Intelligence" includes:
   
   
   • Self-awareness: Knowing one's internal states, preferences, resources, and intuitions
   • Self-Regulation: Managing one's internal states, impulses, and resources
   • Motivation: Emotional tendencies that guide or facilitate reaching goals
   • Empathy: Awareness of others' feelings, needs, and concerns
   • Social Skills: Adeptness at inducing desirable responses in others

1. Systems Thinking
2. Scanning the Environment
3. Aligning Vision/Mission
4. Contingency Planning
5. Being Decisive
6. Project Managing
7. Time Managing
8. Monitoring and Controlling
9. Delegating
10. Implementing
11. Managing Change/Chaos
12. Thinking Creatively/Risk-Taker
13. Influencing
14. Collaborating
15. Rewarding and Recognizing
16. Performance Managing
17. Coaching

18. Staffing/Hiring
19. Engendering Enthusiasm
20. Setting Priorities
21. Managing Conflict
22. Building Relationships
23. Managing Boundaries
24. Listening
25. Providing Feedback
26. Presenting/Meeting Facilitating
27. Speaking
28. Writing
29. Establishing Trust
30. Accepting Responsibility
31. Initiating
32. Following Through
33. Continuous Learning
34. Self Awareness/Self-Regulating