Afterword

Leadership and Cracking the Glass Ceiling by a Deaf Person

AS AN INAUGURAL SPEAKER at the first Silent Garden Lecture founded on the campus of California State University at Fresno where I was the recipient of an honorary degree from the university, I spoke about leadership opportunities and principles to follow for deaf and hard of hearing persons. The program was established by Dr. Paul Ogden, professor emeritus and author of the Silent Garden, a book written for parents of deaf and hard of hearing children.

With Paul Ogden after receiving an honorary doctorate degree from California State University at Fresno.

Principle 1. A successful leader evolves while an unsuccessful leader regresses. The process of becoming an effective leader takes you through a huge range of learning and hands-on experiences starting with a small role, gaining experience at every level on your way to the next leadership role. Leadership roles take place anywhere and anytime: school, work, nonprofit organizations, community work, and special projects.

Principle 2. Effective leadership involves listening more than speaking. “Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don’t believe is right,” according to Jane Goodall.

Principle 3. Before leaders make hard decisions, they should consult with all concerned people, giving each person an opportunity to share their thoughts.

Principle 4. When leaders are ready to change jobs, they must not “run-away” to another job opportunity. They must be secure and doing well in their current job before they search for their next position. Through the process of evolving and taking on more personally fulfilling jobs, they will be seen by others as successful leaders.

Principle 5. During the process of working their way up and assuming more and more challenges in newer and more important jobs, leaders will need more specialized interpreters. The interpreters required to work successfully with a high-ranking leader are designated interpreters with very special skills for handling complex, high-powered conversations.

Principle 6. Team building is an art of creative communication and special relationships.

Principle 7. Constantly networking with people is an investment in leadership. It gathers new leadership opportunities.

Principle 8. Bad-mouthing others stops professional development and stunts growth. In the same vein, never play a blame game.

Principle 9. Giving credit to your team for successes and taking full responsibilities for failures is the surest way of being appreciated and valued by your colleagues, bosses, and the community.

Principle 10. Confidentiality is a complicated issue good leaders struggle with. It is a major issue among professionals in our Deaf world.

I joined regional, state, national, and then international organizations, and I became a leader in some of them. Why is this important? The answer is simple: Those organizations are training grounds for leaders. They always need someone to step forward to volunteer to lead. That training then applies as leadership responsibilities open with larger organizations or at work. One of the first lessons a successful leader will learn is s/he will make mistakes, and s/he will learn from those experiences.

Wanting to become a leader shouldn’t be because you want merely to satisfy your ego. Being involved and becoming a leader means interaction with others. Being a leader provides an opportunity to help others and share experiences. Being a successful leader will also enable us to become mentors to future leaders and to motivate others to get involved.

How do you become an inclusionary leader? Make friends, get to know key people and know what they expect, and use common sense. Be flexible in your attitudes. Learn from your mistakes, and respect the intelligence and experience of everyone in your organization—no matter what position they hold. Defend your opinions if you believe in them, but offer them as suggestions, not demands. Recognize that you won’t always win, even if you are right.

A successful leader will learn that he or she cannot always please everyone. A leader who simply asks for a democratic vote about everything is merely a facilitator, not a leader. Leaders often are mistakenly assumed to know more than others, but working as a team, everyone should have a responsibility and a role to fill. The end result is often better when everyone knows what their goals and roles are. Yet working as a team takes practice. Emphasize collaboration, recognize good work, and publicly reward the team when the goal is achieved.

Without teamwork and inclusionary leadership, a business can’t be successful. The leadership style often determines the productivity outcome and the way people feel about a project. Team management often results in the best motivation and production, especially if team members have the ability to be flexible and understand the need for change.

People will complete tasks on their own if they have proper motivation and commitment. They accept responsibility and seek it. They are more apt to work well on a team with others sharing responsibilities. Communication is also a key to success. Keep an open dialogue with your peers and mentors, and stay involved. Offer ways others can get involved, so they may have that experience.

Finally, as a leader, know when it is time to step down. There comes a time to let others lead. Yes, let the younger generation have its turn. They need your guidance, so they may teach the next generation to do the same. But stop when it is time to step down.