MENTAL HEALTH MOMENT
MENTAL HEALTH MOMENT
September 1, 2000
*********************************************************
"Good judgment comes from experience, and experience
comes from bad judgment." - Barry LePatner
* * * * *
Patient Education Materials
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/practitioners/patinfo.cfm
This site provides downloadable information on mental
disorders and social problems for practitioners and
their patients. The materials cover anxiety disorders,
learning disabilities, depression, violence, autism
andschizophrenia, among other topics. All materials are
free and can be copied and distributed without
permission.
* * * * *
November 2-5: The 19th annual scientific meeting,
American Pain Society, Atlanta, GA. Contact:
Web site: http://www.ampainsoc.org/meeting/east00/index.htm
* * * * *
Behavioral Journals Online
http://www.envmed.rochester.edu/wwwrap/behavior/
Visit this site for online versions of the Journal of
the Experimental Analysis of Behavior and the Journal
of Applied Behavior Analysis, published by the Society
for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. The site,
supported by the University of Rochester's Environmental
Health Sciences Center, the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences and the Department of
Environmental Medicine, provides full-text articles.
*********************************************************
LEADERSHIP
What is leadership?
Leadership involves a number of things:
1. It is a way of inspiring and assisting people to
work toward a goal.
2. It is setting an example for others to follow by what
one says or does.
3. It is helping to settle or resolve differences and
disagreements. This is done by encouraging a cooperative
or "team spirit".
4. It is the introduction of new ideas which can help to
solve problems.
Effective leadership results in people working together to
achieve a stated goal or objective.
Not everyone is a born leader. However, every one can develop
leadership skills and learn how to put those skills to effective
use.
Some leaders are appointed to a leadership position. Others are
elected. Still others are informal leaders who seem to naturally
lead in certain situations.
By helping to focus people's energy on the task at hand, a leader
with good leadership skills contributes to the achievement of the
group's goals.
Because leadership skills can be applied in any line of work,
they help the leader grow professionally. Knowing that you are
making a difference in the world around you can help you grow
personally. It also gives one a feeling of satisfaction.
EFFECTIVE LEADERS ARE GOOD COMMUNICATORS
Good communication is essential to good leadership. In any
situation when you work with people, success is dependent on
your ability to communicate effectively.
Communication is the art of getting a message across to others.
There are many forms of communication. Primary ones include
written, verbal, and the unwritten-unspoken (usually involving
things like tone of voice, body language, mannerisms, etc.).
Becoming a good communicator can be accomplished by paying
special attention to our behaviors. In person-to-person
communication, some skills to actively monitor and develop
include:
1. Develop your speaking skills. Speaking is a skill that
improves with practice.
2. Timeliness - Present only information that is current
and relevant.
3. Scheduling - Make it a point to be on time and stick to
the schedule.
4. Practice good listening habits - Develop active listening
skills. Be courteous and pay attention to what is being
said. Take notes, check out your understanding by asking
questions if you are confused or uncertain.
5. Maintain a positive attitude - Do not allow your emotions
to interfere with clear thinking, even if you disagree
with what is being said. Summarize and clarify without
injecting your opinions.
Effective written communication requires certain skills as well.
These include:
1. Keep it brief - Stick to the subject at hand. Try to
avoid confusing your reader with extra, non-essential
information.
2. Be accurate - Check your facts before putting them on
paper.
3. Keep things simple - Avoid the use of confusing
terminology. Don't use unnecessarily complicated
explanations.
In summary, communication is the key to the development and use
of all of the other leadership skills. People cannot work
together without communicating.
TEAM SPIRIT
Developing a team that works together is a challenge for any
leader. Enthusiasm and a sense of belonging among team members
contribute to team spirit. A good leader encourages this by
showing:
1. Friendliness - People are more willing to share ideas if
you demonstrate an interest in them as individuals.
2. Understanding - We all make mistakes. Constructive
criticism and suggestions are more easily accepted than
negativisms. Tolerance and tactfulness go a long way.
3. Fairness - Treat people fairly and it leads to good
efforts by team members. Everyone appreciates equal
treatment and equal opportunity.
4. Good will - Team members will take their tasks more
seriously if they see that you are more interested in
the group goals than in personal gain.
GOALS
Team goals are important. When team members work together and
share ideas and responsibilities, they can accomplish much more
than a group of individuals each working alone.
Keeping everyone working toward the team goals may require close
attention and occasional re-direction in order to maintain the
team's focus. It may be necessary to occasionally remind members
of the team's purpose. It is easy to get sidetracked and lose
sight of the goals.
A good leader provides encouragement and motivation by showing
appreciation for good ideas and extra effort. Mediating
differences and disagreements between team members by stressing
compromise and cooperation helps keep people on track and goal-
oriented. Involving team members in discussions and decisions
allows everyone the opportunity for input. However, there are times,
as the team leader, when you must make the decisions by yourself.
GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE
People have different abilities, needs, desires or wants, and
purposes in life. In order to get results and get along with
others, you must find out what makes them tick. There are a
number of ways to accomplish this. They all involve meeting and
getting to know others.
Interact with other team members as often as possible. Usually
the best way to get to know others is through direct personal
contact. Take note of each person's unique qualities and
characteristics.
Treat others as individuals. Use your knowledge and understanding
of each team member.
Be aware of expectations. Each team member deserves individual
treatment. Everyone expects something different. Some expect
recognition. Others expect an opportunity to learn, a chance to
work with others, etc.
Provide reinforcement or rewards for performance. A pat on the
back is always a source of personal satisfaction and is positive
reinforcement for a job well done.
Delegate responsibilities. Team members should share in the work
to be done. That way, everyone can also share the pride in the
accomplishments of the team. In this regard, it is also very
important that each team member know what is expected of him/her,
what resources are available, what deadlines need to be met, etc.
It is important that delegated team members accept responsibility
for getting things done. This is an aspect of leadership in which
everyone can and should excel.
As a leader, you should become actively involved. You are not
able to do the job all alone. However, you can help get the job
done better and faster by:
1. Taking the initiative. Do not stand around and wait for
someone else to get things started. Roll up your sleeves
and dig in.
2. Seek help and information. If you need advice, don't
hesitate to ask for it. This encourages group involvement
and helps accomplish group goals.
3. Offer information and help. It may be that your
particular skills and knowledge are exactly what are
needed.
4. Know when and how to say NO. When your time and/or
resources are already committed, it is OK to turn down
extra tasks. However, it is important to do this
tactfully and politely.
5. Make things happen. Be decisive, energetic and
enthusiastic. By doing so, you increase the probability
of getting things accomplished.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Solving problems and using an effective method
to do so is an
important skill of leadership. Whether you are faced with a
decision that needs to be made or a conflict that needs to be
resolved, following a logical approach will help. Use a step-
by-step approach to help solve problems.
1. State the problem as simply and as clearly as possible.
2. Gather and organize all relevant information and
available resources.
3. Brainstorm and list as many ideas or solutions that you
can think of. Suspend criticisms or judgements of
efficacy during this phase.
4. Evaluate each idea or solution and choose the best one.
5. Design a plan using your idea or solution. Include a
timetable for completion, assign roles, and specify the
resources to be used.
6. Evaluate the outcome of your plan following
implementation. Do not forget to follow up on your
plan by asking why your idea or solution did or did
not work.
SELF ANALYSIS
Finally, take the time to analyze yourself to look for what works
and what needs change or improvement. Learn to understand
yourself and identify areas for improvement.
The first step in understanding others is understanding yourself. Before you can successfully interact with others,
it is important that you ask yourself some questions:
1. Who am I?
* Am I a leader who helps solve problems?
* Am I a leader who helps people get along?
* Am I a take charge leader?
* Am I a leader who leads by example or one who is able
to combine different styles of leadership?
* How do others see me as a leader?
2. What am I doing here?
* What are my goals, purposes and expectations in working
with this particular group or organization?
* What are the purposes of the group, as a whole?
To help identify some areas for improvement, take a few moments
to answer the following questions. Use them to determine your
strengths and weaknesses:
YES NO
* Do I try to be aware of how others think
and feel? ___ ___
* Do I try to help others perform to the
best of their abilities? ___ ___
* Am I willing to accept responsibility? ___ ___ ___
* Am I willing to try new ideas and new ways
of doing things? ___ ___
* Am I able to communicate with others
effectively? ___ ___
* Am I a good problem solver? ___ ___
* Do I make it a point to offer or seek help
whenever necessary? ___ ___
There are obviously various degrees or levels at which each of
the above occur. However, any no answers might indicate areas
in which improvement is needed. Remember, this is your personal
self analysis.
PERSONAL PLAN FOR SELF-IMPROVEMENT
Now is the time to develop your personal plan for self
improvement. You have spent some time analyzing your strengths
and weaknesses. Now it's time to take action:
Devise a strategy for upgrading your skills. Some examples might
include improving your:
* Communication skills - Take a speech or writing class.
Observe others. Practice your new skills as often as
possible.
* Willingness to accept responsibility and new ideas - Make
an effort to take on bigger more creative challenges.
* Understanding of groups and individuals - Make a special
effort to get to know the people around you.
There may be other appropriate examples you may identify. Take
charge of your future.
FINAL COMMENTS
Begin working on your leadership skills today!
* Read about leadership techniques.
* Practice them whenever you can.
* Watch and learn from other effective leaders wherever
you find them.
* Get involved by making your group's goals and purposes
your own.
*********************************************************
For further information, start searching on the url
below using the following descriptors: leaders,
leadership, communication techniques, management, etc.
https://www.angelfire.com/biz/odochartaigh/searchbooks.html
*********************************************************
*********************************************************
Contact your local Mental Health Center or
check the yellow pages for counselors, psychologists,
therapists, and other Mental health Professionals in
your area for further information.
*********************************************************