I’ve been a Copywriter at KWSM for over a year. When I got the invitation to participate in the annual KWSM Leadership Program, I was as intimidated as I was honored and excited. Of course, I was thrilled that I would be considered a good candidate for this program. But I’d never seen myself as a leader. During this 12-week program taught by our CEO, Katie Wagner, my colleagues and I developed the skills we need to be effective leaders within the agency.
This program showed me anyone can be a leader, at any level of the agency. It gave me the confidence to assume that responsibility. I am a better Copywriter, leader, and person because of the program, and I am grateful I accepted the invitation. Here is my experience.
What is the KWSM Leadership Program?
This 12-week program was an opportunity to discover new qualities about myself, and to form a better bond with the three other participants and our CEO. Each session focused on unique challenges leaders face and skills leaders need.
We started by answering the simple question: What does it mean to be a leader? And by the 12th and final week, we were identifying our own personal leadership style.
My Experience in the KWSM Leadership Program
The first assignment was writing a vision statement detailing the kind of leader we want to be and where we see ourselves in the future. This assignment was one of the most revealing tasks and became a mantra as we read it aloud daily.
Our sessions typically involved discussing key points regarding what that lesson covered, watching a video or lecture, and discussing our thoughts. The conversations we had were enlightening, and everyone had a unique point of view.
After each meeting, we had homework assignments to unpack what we learned and put it into practice. The homework usually involved listening to compelling podcasts and some written work, but it wasn’t conventional homework.
We would then meet with Katie in weekly one-on-one meetings to discuss our homework, our takeaways, and how we could apply what we learned based on our individual personalities and our specific roles within the company.
One of the highlights for me was learning about my coworkers the same way I was learning about myself. We all have unique strengths and learned to lean on each other for support as we unpacked our leadership styles.
What Are the Different Leadership Styles?
At the end of the KWSM Leadership Program, we discussed the different leadership styles and discovered which one we were predisposed to use. We learned that there are six styles of leadership, and it is possible to shift between them based on the situation:
- Autocratic Leadership: An authoritative style that keeps people on track and is ideal when you need to make decisions quickly and decisively.
- Laissez-Faire Leadership: The least intrusive style that gives employees considerable freedom and builds trust.
- Democratic Leadership: A leadership style based on team members’ feedback that promotes creativity and innovation but can slow down decision-making.
- Strategic Leadership: A commonly effective style that revolves around supporting several team members at once.
- Transformational Leadership: A leadership style that focuses on creating a vision and transforming and improving on a company’s systems and processes.
- Transactional Leadership: An incentive-based leadership style that incorporates rewards and punishments based on outcomes and performance.
- Bureaucratic Leadership: A leadership style similar to autocratic with a heavier focus on fixed duties within a hierarchy.
Still, there isn’t a ‘right’ leadership style. The ideal leadership style depends on the individual, the company, the environment, and their collective goals.
What Did I Discover About Myself and My Leadership Style?
In our final session, we took a self-assessment to discover our leadership styles. After our self-assessment, when Katie read our results and profiles, I said, “It felt like you were reading my horoscope.” Because the profile resonated with me.
I learned that my leadership style is transformational. This leadership style is defined by the leader’s desire to change or innovate on ideas. But these leaders tend to focus less on establishing strategic plans and decision-making.
Decision-making is not my strong suit, and I am always thinking of ways to innovate and improve processes. It’s easy for these leaders to let the bigger picture eclipse day-to-day tasks.
Understanding this about myself gave me an idea of areas to improve and strengths to capitalize on. Speaking of decision-making, one thing that I enjoyed about this program was the skills we developed. My favorite of these skills include:
- Exercising and honing self-governance
- Managing and adapting to change
- Time management
- Decision-making
- Understanding and improving emotional intelligence
- Being aware of body language
- Using influence
Still, the most impactful topic we covered was accountability and ownership because, in my opinion, these are the foundation for true leadership.
Taking extreme ownership is internal and involves taking responsibility for every aspect of a process even if it isn’t your “responsibility.” Leaders must hold themselves accountable to themselves, their peers, their company, and their company’s culture and goals.
Join a Marketing Agency to Help You See Your Value
This program transformed me by helping me uncover my leadership potential. I feel like a better employee and person because of what I learned. The skills we learned apply to more than just agency life; they apply to my entire life.
Ultimately, leadership is a skill you develop and hone your whole life, and we emerged from this program with the foundation to continue growing as leaders. This program gave me all the tools I need to be the best version of myself.
If you are interested in joining a company dedicated to your continued professional growth, view open roles at KWSM!
