Thoughts on Leadership

"Thoughts on Leadership" grew out of a leadership training program the author developed while serving as Director for the Pioneer Youth Corps of Oregon (PYCO). PYCO was an alternative school designed to help failing students in Middle and High School develop the academic and social skills needed to become successful and productive adults. Leadership training was a major part of the PYCO program for the students as well as the staff. The purpose of this training program was to provide practical leadership information that both students and staff could apply to their work within the school. As the program developed to serve a broader range of students the leadership training aspect also developed into a more focused part of the goal of the school. The leadership training became center of other parts of the schools mission. The foundation of the school's training included learning responsibility, accountability, and positive decision making. These all became from the leadership training program. After retiring from PYCO the leadership training program was adapted and taught to staff in other fields. The current book was written based on the development of this training program and its application as a foundation for emerging leaders and those persons finding themselves faced with responsibilities that called for effective leadership skills. Leadership is highly misunderstood as a set of skills. Some people seems to have a natural affinity for leading but that does not necessarily make them productive or effective leaders. The purpose of this book is to call attention to the knowledge and skills need to make one an effective and productive leader regardless of their natural ability or experiences.