Leaders you Admire
To seek leadership characteristics through personal experience
How the author has used this exercise: I have found stories to be a powerful way for participants to connect to the workshop subject matter. Generally people like to tell and hear stories.
Activity Description: Divide the group into small groups. Ask participants to share a story about the best or most influential leader that they have encountered. After each story, identify leadership characteristics by asking the question: “What was it that made this person such an effective leader?” Then as a group, identify the traits that all the leaders seemed to share. All groups then write the shared traits on a white board.
You can use this traits list as a springboard to explore more about what makes a good leader.
Options: You can ask the groups to share stories about the worst leaders they have encountered. You will get some dandy stories.
Added thoughts or considerations: I like to insert an activity like this into a workshop when participants are starting to run a little low on energy. A good story swap frequently revives energy. Be sure not to drag this activity out too long. Encourage the participants to include details in their leadership examples.