Diane Boettcher -- Keynote Speaker
Leading and inspiring your team to be
more authentic, more engaged, more resilient
Leading and inspiring your team to be
more authentic, more engaged, more resilient
An expert in military operations, IT, change management and leadership, Diane is known for constantly raising the bar of performance and consistently adapting to meet current and future needs. From leading on the front lines to corporate leadership at Microsoft, Diane brings a breadth of knowledge and dynamic experiences to presentations and coaching programs.
Learn why Diane is a sought-after mentor, coach and presenter and read about her exciting programs, keynotes and workshops here!
Learn why Diane is a sought-after mentor, coach and presenter and read about her exciting programs, keynotes and workshops here!
Her audience has spoken:
"Amazing presentation!" "Great session" "Inspiring" "Great advice" "Amazing talk on authentic leadership" "...turned my whole perception of [how] women can interact at work, thank you!" -- Grace Hopper Celebration 2017, Participant tweets
"Her message was focused, witty, and exceedingly well-received. She challenged us to grow and we did. ...Diane’s work has made us a more productive, efficient, and happier group." -- Russ Smith, Fleet Numerical
"Diane’s presentation was engaging, clear, and she masterfully tied everything together in a way people understood. ... encouraged thoughtful questions and discussion, which amplified the overall learning." -- Allison Bergquist, Naval Information Reserve Forces
"Amazing presentation!" "Great session" "Inspiring" "Great advice" "Amazing talk on authentic leadership" "...turned my whole perception of [how] women can interact at work, thank you!" -- Grace Hopper Celebration 2017, Participant tweets
"Her message was focused, witty, and exceedingly well-received. She challenged us to grow and we did. ...Diane’s work has made us a more productive, efficient, and happier group." -- Russ Smith, Fleet Numerical
"Diane’s presentation was engaging, clear, and she masterfully tied everything together in a way people understood. ... encouraged thoughtful questions and discussion, which amplified the overall learning." -- Allison Bergquist, Naval Information Reserve Forces
Recent blog post:
Leadership: Defined
Rating leaders is always a dangerous business. When we ask, who’s the best leader? We have to first define what we mean when we say, “leader” and what “best” means. And yet, even without doing these things, most people who study leadership can agree that General Dwight Eisenhower, later President Eisenhower, was among our best.
And his definition of leadership remains one of the best definitions and merits further study.
Eisenhower wrote, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”
Piece by Piece
Leadership is first and foremost an art. Not a science. Not a habit. An art. And just as art schools teach various techniques of brushwork, color, composition, so can schools teach various techniques of leadership. We also get better with practice. Deliberate practice, of the kind Malcom Gladwell describes in Outliers.
We are Not Alone
Leadership is about “getting someone else….” Leaders do not act alone. While lone geniuses might exist, what they are doing cannot be described as leading. If no one is following you, you’re not leading. You’re going for a walk. Leaders are made and leadership is practiced in a group setting. One must have followers.
Hands follow the Hearts and Minds
Leaders get others to “do something”. We must be moving others to action if we are leading. Inspiration proceeds action and is not sufficient unto itself. When all is done though, the group must act. The hands of the followers must be moved as well.
Where are we going?
Leaders have the vision of what should be done. And it’s necessary to pause here. While the leader sets the vision and determines where the group is going, the want and desire must be in service of something greater than the leader. If someone is inspiring selfish action alone, we call that manipulation. Leadership is fundamentally not about the leader. The path that leaders blaze is for the greater good of the group or even of society at large. As soon as the leader strives for personal glory, they stop leading. A true leader nearly disappears from view, and the larger, greater vision predominates.
Motivation comes from Within
Leaders show their teams why they should “want to do it.” Each person on the team will share the vision of the leader and make that vision their own. They will want to do the action requested of them by the leader. They will eagerly take up the mantle, take up their share of the task, and charge forward with tenacity and spirit. Implicit in this aspect of leadership is that the leader must know the team, understand who they are and what drives them forward. Aligning individual motivations with the great task is a personal business, and can only be done with those we know well.
Look to your Team
If you want to know if you’re a leader, look to your team. What actions do they take in your absence? What are they doing? What do they want to do?
General Eisenhower knew that to lead the forces in Europe, he needed to set the vision and align motivations to the task. What great vision are you leading towards?
Leadership: Defined
Rating leaders is always a dangerous business. When we ask, who’s the best leader? We have to first define what we mean when we say, “leader” and what “best” means. And yet, even without doing these things, most people who study leadership can agree that General Dwight Eisenhower, later President Eisenhower, was among our best.
And his definition of leadership remains one of the best definitions and merits further study.
Eisenhower wrote, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”
Piece by Piece
Leadership is first and foremost an art. Not a science. Not a habit. An art. And just as art schools teach various techniques of brushwork, color, composition, so can schools teach various techniques of leadership. We also get better with practice. Deliberate practice, of the kind Malcom Gladwell describes in Outliers.
We are Not Alone
Leadership is about “getting someone else….” Leaders do not act alone. While lone geniuses might exist, what they are doing cannot be described as leading. If no one is following you, you’re not leading. You’re going for a walk. Leaders are made and leadership is practiced in a group setting. One must have followers.
Hands follow the Hearts and Minds
Leaders get others to “do something”. We must be moving others to action if we are leading. Inspiration proceeds action and is not sufficient unto itself. When all is done though, the group must act. The hands of the followers must be moved as well.
Where are we going?
Leaders have the vision of what should be done. And it’s necessary to pause here. While the leader sets the vision and determines where the group is going, the want and desire must be in service of something greater than the leader. If someone is inspiring selfish action alone, we call that manipulation. Leadership is fundamentally not about the leader. The path that leaders blaze is for the greater good of the group or even of society at large. As soon as the leader strives for personal glory, they stop leading. A true leader nearly disappears from view, and the larger, greater vision predominates.
Motivation comes from Within
Leaders show their teams why they should “want to do it.” Each person on the team will share the vision of the leader and make that vision their own. They will want to do the action requested of them by the leader. They will eagerly take up the mantle, take up their share of the task, and charge forward with tenacity and spirit. Implicit in this aspect of leadership is that the leader must know the team, understand who they are and what drives them forward. Aligning individual motivations with the great task is a personal business, and can only be done with those we know well.
Look to your Team
If you want to know if you’re a leader, look to your team. What actions do they take in your absence? What are they doing? What do they want to do?
General Eisenhower knew that to lead the forces in Europe, he needed to set the vision and align motivations to the task. What great vision are you leading towards?
Contact Diane directly at diane@leadingwithkindness.com
Visit me at LinkedIn or at my blog at www.dianeboettcher.com.
Visit me at LinkedIn or at my blog at www.dianeboettcher.com.