At the beginning of this month, we spent two days
with LeaderShape Institute Program Coordinators. We have this meeting each year
with these valuable people who partner with LeaderShape to provide the
Institute experience to a particular campus, organization, or consortium. The
Program Coordinator, or PC as we refer to them, manages the program logistics,
recruits participants, facilitators, and guests, and is a top advocate for the
program. It’s an exceptionally important role that helps LeaderShape to provide
the Institute experience to students all across the country and
internationally.
We interact with the PCs on an on-going basis and want the
rest of the LeaderShape community to learn more about this remarkable group and
their work with us. We hope you enjoy getting a look at their
connection to and work with LeaderShape through their responses to some
questions that we posed.
Q: What was your
first experience with LeaderShape
Livy K: Student participant, summer 2003
Sonja A: Cluster Facilitator at a national session in 2008
Ashleigh B: Cluster Facilitator at Boise State’s inaugural
session of The LeaderShape Institute in 2009
Nadia C: In 2011 a student shared her experience after
returning from a session
Waylon H: Attending Program Coordinator Training as the PC
for Texas A&M University
Dawn M: Cluster Facilitator
Q: What do you like
most about serving as a Program Coordinator?
Katie B: Leading a team of staff and students across South
Florida that care deeply about their students and about making a lasting
difference in their lives. Also, promoting a curriculum that I trust
wholeheartedly is one of my favorite parts of this role.
Livy K: I get to set up the amazing transformational
experience for new people to enter the LeaderShape family.
Sonja A: I value
being able to provide students with an opportunity to have an experience that
will give them intentional time to reflect on themselves and their life's path.
I also value opening the LeaderShape community to my colleagues who serve as
faculty for the Institute.
Ashleigh B: The role allows me to connect with my strengths
with an experience that is powerful for students. I also love the opportunity
to learn from other practitioners through PC Training and the Co-Leads during
the week.
Q: What are people
most surprised about when they participate in The LeaderShape Institute?
Dawn M: Our participants always describe how surprised they
were that they were able to connect so deeply to their family cluster. Personal
sharing is modeled as a part of the process, and a safe yet challenging
environment is created to do so productively.
Waylon H: I think people are most surprised by how deep
conversations can get and how close to home some of the activities hit
students.
Katie B: Participants and faculty seem to be the most
surprised that no matter how many other leadership training opportunities they
have had, they leave LeaderShape more “rocked”, changed, moved, and seemingly
energized to follow through on their vision.
Ashleigh B: That’s it is not all “kumbayah” around the camp
fire. They are challenged in ways they never expected and make meaningful
connections to other students who seem very different from them.
Sonja A: The community and relationships that are built in
such a short time frame.
Livy K: The Cluster Facilitators always think that they are
just donating their time for students to grow, but they personally benefit from
the personal reflection and professional development provided by their staff
role.
Q: What would you say
to someone to encourage them to attend The LeaderShape Institute?
Nadia C: The LeaderShape experience gives you direction. If
you haven’t put much thought towards how you’d make your mark on the world,
LeaderShape encourages and challenges you to do so. You also learn how to
become a more effective leader in your own right. From personal feedback to
group discussions on hot topic issues, LeaderShape covers it all.
Dawn M: The LeaderShape curriculum will challenge you to
think critically about the things you are most passionate about, while
empowering and preparing you to take action – even if it seems like the impact
will be small, it’s all about the ripple effect!
Livy K: This is an invaluable opportunity to step back and
reflect on where you come from, strengths that you have to offer, what you want
to devote your time to, how to find partners for positive change, and how each
individual can impact the world in amazing ways. Take the plunge and enter a
close-knit community of motivated people looking to improve the world, one day
at a time.
Ashleigh B: Just do it. If you don’t think you are a leader,
do it. If you think you ARE a leader, do it. If you are afraid to do it, do it.
If you are unsure, do it. Just do it.
Q: What is your hope
for participants when they attend The LeaderShape Institute?
Sonja A: I hope they learn something new about themselves,
form a relationship with someone who they would not have in the past, and learn
a process of visioning and goal setting that they can apply to multiple facets
of their life.
Waylon H: My highest hope for participants is that they
learn something new about themselves. Through critical thought and reflection I
hope participants really think about the world they want and why they want it.
I hope they invest in the experience, engage in discussion, and listen
intently.
Nadia C: That they leave changed for the better; encouraged
and motivated. And that they realize that they don’t have to be Oprah or Gandhi
to make their mark on the world.
Katie B: That they leave on fire for the vision of
LeaderShape, specifically, an understanding and passion for leading with a
healthy disregard for the impossible. A belief in possibility.
