GET LEADERSHIP LONG AFTER WRLC!

Sadly DECA’s WRLC 2011 is now behind us, but we must not forget we came to this conference for fun, but also to learn skills in fields like marketing, sports, and in my case leadership! On Saturday I was very fortunate to attend the PM DECA U sessions with a Major in Leadership. The first of three sessions was led by Bill Cordes.  So in case you weren’t able to attend the leadership DECA U major, needed a refresher on what we talked about, or weren’t able to attend WRLC 2011 at all. You will find the great tips he gave us here and also the Video of the attendees doing the Leadership Coaster!

Bill Cordes was the speaker at the beginning of WRLC and being able to have him speak directly to us in a semi small group was an amazing experience. In Bill’s workshop he really focused on Leadership and how we as leaders have to think and act in certain situations. In the session Mr. Cordes explained that trying to do something really just means you’re not going to do it. “To try is not to do” He encouraged us as leaders to not try but act. Bill brought up the expression “If at first you succeed, try try again.” But that statement is completely untrue. “If you have to try and try again, you’re doing something wrong!” “If at first you don’t succeed, STOP! ADJUST! And go for it again. Improvement is meant for everyone, nobody is perfect especially not leaders. So instead of trying the same thing over and over again hoping that it works. STOP! What you’re doing and ADJUST! How you’re doing it. Evaluate your situation and realize that when you change your strategy towards something that isn’t working, the outcome will come out different and maybe better than you would have ever expected.

The next strategy is the 10-80-10 rule. Basically this means that when you are in a leadership role and you speak in front of a crowd 10% of the people are not going to agree with you from the start,10% are already going to know you and agree with everything you say, and 80% are undecided on whether they agree with you or not. Leaders are supposed to focus on the 80 because you can’t change the mind of that 10% and if you try you will be wasting your time, while also losing the 80% who are undecided about you. So focus on the 80 not the ones who love you already or the ones who will never agree with what your ideas. This strategy I felt was completely true because there are people in this world who aren’t going to like you and people who already do. Why not try to sway the people who don’t know yet 90% is way better than 10%.

The last thing Bill went over is what I call the Leadership Coaster which is basically skills you need to be a good leader but when the group preformed them it look as if we were on a roller coaster! It goes like this; Lean to the Left, Lean to the right, Stand up sit down! FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! At first we just thought we were doing a cool cheer type thing about leadership which was true but there was defiantly a deeper meaning behind it. Lean to the Right, Lean to the left, is the section that represents being flexible and open minded as a leader. This part of the cheer shows that the leader can hear all points of a situation without judging or cutting off other ideas. STAND UP means in addition to be open minded you as a leader can stand up for what you believe in. SIT DOWN represented a leaders ability to relax in some situations when your help in necessarily needed. FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT lastly stood for leaders always fighting the good fight! Check out the video of the group doing the leadership coaster below.

Leadership Coaster

I hope everyone had an amazing time at WRLC. And I hope this blog will give you at least three new strategies to implement into your leadership roles present and future, not just DECA but in all aspects of life. These conferences like Claire Coker said are a tool for you to use, whether you do is your choice.

If you want to learn more about Bill Cordes or Have him attend YOUR school!

Go to His Website – billcordes.com

or

Follow Him on Twitter – @billcordes

 

Meet the Author: Tyler Dyer

My name is Tyler Dyer I'm a member of WA DECA and the current VP of my DECA chapter. I am really excited to network with everyone at the conference and post about WRLC!


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