Embodying Leadership Handout
Product Description
The Body Part Debrief--Embodying Leadership
The Body Part Debrief was one of the first activities I created at Training Wheels. It is by far our most popular debriefing tool and my personal favorite. I use it with 90% of the groups I facilitate! I had the pleasure of being one of the keynote speakers for the US Patent and Trade Office in August 2008. The theme of their conference was Embodying Leadership to Transform the Future. The conference committee did a wonderful job at breaking down the qualities of great leaders and applying them to the different parts of the body. I wanted to share with you this great variation of our Body Part Debrief activity and how you can use it with your groups.
Embodying Leadership means exhibiting behaviors that motivate and influence, such as developing others, increasing self-awareness and leading by example. Part of transforming the future involves a change in philosophy as to how leadership development has traditionally been viewed within organizations.
Leaders exist, and can be developed, at all levels in an organization. Leadership is not reserved for specific titles and roles. Organizational excellence can be achieved by embodying the characteristics and practicing the skills necessary to earn respect, sustain performance, and inspire dedication.
Here are some body part metaphors to use for Leadership using the Body Part Debrief.
The Elements of Embodying Leadership
Heart of a Leader (heart)
Building trust and respect among those we lead
Mind of a Leader (brain)
Thinking strategically, translating strategy into tactical actions; making sound decisions
Core of a Leader (spine)
Being courageous enough to stand up for what is right
Ears of a Leader (ear)
Actively listening to others and hearing what is important to them
Walk of a Leader (foot)
Being accountable for our own actions
Eyes of a Leader (eye)
Seeing the vision for the future
Voice of a Leader (lips or smiley face ball)
Leaders at all levels speak a common leadership language; leaders know when to speak up for the good of the organization
Shoulder of a Leader (full body or shoulder)
Taking on responsibility ourselves
The Body Part Debrief was one of the first activities I created at Training Wheels. It is by far our most popular debriefing tool and my personal favorite. I use it with 90% of the groups I facilitate! I had the pleasure of being one of the keynote speakers for the US Patent and Trade Office in August 2008. The theme of their conference was Embodying Leadership to Transform the Future. The conference committee did a wonderful job at breaking down the qualities of great leaders and applying them to the different parts of the body. I wanted to share with you this great variation of our Body Part Debrief activity and how you can use it with your groups.
Embodying Leadership means exhibiting behaviors that motivate and influence, such as developing others, increasing self-awareness and leading by example. Part of transforming the future involves a change in philosophy as to how leadership development has traditionally been viewed within organizations.
Leaders exist, and can be developed, at all levels in an organization. Leadership is not reserved for specific titles and roles. Organizational excellence can be achieved by embodying the characteristics and practicing the skills necessary to earn respect, sustain performance, and inspire dedication.
Here are some body part metaphors to use for Leadership using the Body Part Debrief.
The Elements of Embodying Leadership
Heart of a Leader (heart)
Building trust and respect among those we lead
Mind of a Leader (brain)
Thinking strategically, translating strategy into tactical actions; making sound decisions
Core of a Leader (spine)
Being courageous enough to stand up for what is right
Ears of a Leader (ear)
Actively listening to others and hearing what is important to them
Walk of a Leader (foot)
Being accountable for our own actions
Eyes of a Leader (eye)
Seeing the vision for the future
Voice of a Leader (lips or smiley face ball)
Leaders at all levels speak a common leadership language; leaders know when to speak up for the good of the organization
Shoulder of a Leader (full body or shoulder)
Taking on responsibility ourselves
Please use these metaphors with the teams you work with. Together we can inspire great things in your leaders.
~Michelle Cummings
Training Wheels
