05 Apr 2011
by Lavernein entrepreneurship, Lead by Example, Uncategorized Tags: Courage, credibility, dreams, Harriet Tubman, Leadership, leadership qualities, notable women in history, successful escape, woman leader
Image by Paul Lowry via Flickr
Leaders, how determined are you to accomplish the goals that you ask others to embrace? Are you willing to go it alone, just you and your dream until you are able to lead others down the same path?
Often leaders start out alone, a leader of no one aside from herself. The leader lives and breathes the singular kernel of an ideal, a belief, or a necessity that must be accomplished, no matter the odds. The odds might be life or death, as was the case with Harriet Tubman, a fine example of a historical woman leader. Only her escape to freedom would bring her an opportunity to fulfill her dreams.
In 1849 … the slaves were to be sold, though previously set free by an old will. Harriet resolved not to be sold, and so, with no knowledge of the North … she walked away one night alone (Sanborn, 1863).
The odds for you as a leader may not be life or death, but it could mean your livelihood, or even our credibility. How do you ensure success of your venture or goal? More
20 Feb 2011
by Lavernein Harriet Tubman Tags: Harriet Tubman, Leadership, leadership lessons, leading a team, self respect
Image via Wikipedia
One of the many leadership lessons that Harriet Tubman exemplified was enabling self-respect within the slaves she helped free. She realized that it was not sufficient to simply free slaves. This would have left them no better off, and perhaps worse off than they were before they were freed.
This leadership lesson was best demonstrated after she helped free slaves while on a mission along the Combahee River as the leader of a Union Army expedition to:
“… take up the torpedoes placed by the rebels in the river, to destroy railroads and bridges, and to cut off supplies from the rebel troops.”
The expedition included Colonel Montgomery, who was an auxilliary leader of the mission, though officially appointed to lead the mission and several hundred black soldiers.
The Commonwealth, a Boston newspaper, noted this in 1863 about Harriet Tubman’s leadership during the raid:
“It is significant as the only military engagement in American history wherein a woman black or white, “led the raid and under whose inspiration it was originated and conducted”. Keep reading
08 Feb 2011
by Lavernein Coaching, Courage, Harriet Tubman Tags: Courage, courageous leader, Harriet Tubman, inspiration, notable women in history, timeless lessons, women in history
Could you imagine asking a new employee to write a computer program even though he has never even seen a computer? Would you think that verbally abusing the employee will motivate the employee to write the expected program?
That’s essentially what happened to Harriet Tubman over one hundred eighty years ago as a young child. Of course, she wasn’t asked to write a computer program, but Harriet was ordered by a woman to Keep reading
25 Jul 2010
by Lavernein Harriet Tubman, Lead by Example Tags: abolition, effective speech, Harriet Tubman, heroine, Servant Leadership, underground railroad
How difficult is it for you to take the podium or even to speak up in a crowded room? Do you focus on one of these possible risks?
- Making a mistake
- Forgetting your point
- Boring your audience
- Taking an unpopular position
- Promoting yourself at the expense of others
The above risks are definitely possible but with any risk, focusing on ...
11 Jul 2010
by Lavernein Harriet Tubman, Leadership, Madam C. J. Walker Tags: Authentic Leadership, great women leaders, Harriet Tubman, Leadership, leadership qualities, notable women in history
I recently listened to a podcast in which Jeffrey Pfeffer, author and Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business professor, was interviewed for Harvard Business Review’s IdeaCast. The podcast is called, Telling the Truth About Power. It accompanied an article he wrote in the July issue of HBR. In the podcast, Mr. Pfeffer acknowledges what I’ve long suspected – and perhaps you have too. More
21 May 2010
by Lavernein Authentic Leadership, Collaboration, Courage, Dedication to Family, Harriet Tubman, Leadership Tags: Authentic Leadership, favorable circumstances, geographic proximity, Harriet Tubman, leadership qualities, personal circumstances
So what are you passionate about as a leader and in other roles you have in life? Have you thought about the circumstances that influenced or compelled yout make those choices?
Here’s a leadership-oriented axiom that describes the opportunity every leader has within their reach. “The most effective leaders use favorable circumstances to their advantage.”
For example, circumstances favored More
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