Mickie Rops Consulting

Here is how we are starting the day, with a Keynote from Dr. Les Wallace.  He begins with his work on identifying the challenges of 21st century leadership.  Here's the thought: leaders don't have to do everything--they are the driving engine to empower people around them to lead.  This sets the context. The day will include panel presentations and workshop discussions.

Competencies and commitments for leadership include:  help others be successful; ability to develop other people; help people to anticipate the future of their work; help orgnaizations to remain vibrant; help others adapt to transformation of their organizations.

Les is on the mark with these competencies of leadership for certification and credentialing organizations.  Traits of leadership have a huge impact on the shape of governance and the shape of the future of the organization.

Risks we face in leadership are taking old solutions and applying them  to new problems.   Themes through the day will require different thinking about the "value promise" we offer to our constituents.

Key question for certification boards is: How to recruit leadership and groom the type of leader that can lead, and can make an impact on the organization that continues to inspire leadership?  What are the strategies for develping a volunteer governing body that can lead?  What are the traits of the leaders that certification bodies need, and how do you identify them?

Questions you may ask, per Dr. Wallace include:

Who am I / Who are we?

What's leadership?

How well am I / Are we leading?

What is your leadership succession plan?

Note: Leadership is not technical competency, yet's that's what most certification bodies depend on technical competence.  Why is this?  According to Dr. Wallace, current governance models may not serve the needs of certification organizations in the future (or of associations, in general).  The job of leadership is transformation, not rescue.  So, where does the CEO of a certification board and the volunteer leadership fit into this, and how do they begin to tranform themselves?

What are your thoughts and experiences? 

This message is from Christine Niero, Professional Testing, Inc.