LeaderShape

Reflections on our 25th Year (Part 4)

2011-12-23T09:39:00.007-06:00

The 25th year of The LeaderShape Institute has been an exciting one at the LeaderShape office. It probably goes without saying that this milestone has prompted us to reflect on and reminisce about the past with our friends and champions. It also gave us an excuse for a party with the spring Anniversary Gala. What a special night that paid homage to our roots and to those who continue to support and challenge young people to live with integrity. To have a healthy disregard for the impossible! To live embrace their passions and make the world a better place. How lucky we are for these people.

We cannot only look to the past; we must also look to our future. What can the next 25 years bring? This is what the staff at the LeaderShape office has been considering as we move forward in our work. Because as much as the LeaderShapers in the world have done, there is still more to do! We invite you to help us to reach our vision. Join us in this admittedly immense and ultimately momentous task of directing our passions and actions towards the creation of a just, caring, thriving world! Perhaps in 25 years we’ll be celebrating this goal, with thanks to you all for making it happen.

The Enduring Importance of "Leading with Integrity"

2011-12-22T07:38:00.002-06:00

From former President of LeaderShape and immediate past Chair of the Board, Rob Sheehan:

I am fortunate to celebrate my personal 20^th Anniversary associated with LeaderShape while we celebrate the 25^th Anniversary of The LeaderShape Institute. I have been privileged to serve first as a Cluster Facilitator in 1991, then on staff as President, and now on the Board of Trustees. My reflection back on these years is on the fundamental need our global society has for ethical leaders. While this has been true for all human existence, it seems even more important today as the challenges we face escalate. We need leaders who will tell the truth, who will engage with others with respect, and who will be inclusive. Thanks, LeaderShape, for taking a stand for the importance of “leading with integrity” as we build a more just, equitable, caring society.

Reflections on our 25th Year (Part 2)

2011-12-20T11:16:00.001-06:00

From LeaderShaper, Joe Cimino:

The other day I stumbled upon an old Skype-chat conversation I had with someone from before I attended LeaderShape. I laughed to myself, wondering who it was behind my username that would have been saying those things with that kind of mindset. When I compared all of what was written from before LeaderShape, and that from after returning home, I was truly amazed. There was a profound sense of levity from a prior pessimistic manner of speaking. Just seven days and an open-mind was all it took to shake off one mold and start setting foot into a new one. That’s what Day 7 is all about right: knowing who you want to become and starting the path to get there? After seeing the noticeable difference between my Skype conversations from pre and post LeaderShape, I decided to retrace my other steps using social media as a lens.

I started the research with my twitter account. What I found was a newsfeed peppered with positivity. Between the fellow LeaderShapers and the people they recommended to follow, my day is enhanced with optimism and values-driven tweets. My own tweets have made a transformation as well. Before attending the LeaderShape Institute, I felt more compelled to express my feelings and stories in negative and more sarcastic ways, but as my outlook had changed I committed to sharing things more in line with my new mind set. My Twitter profile is a direct result of my core values, “Living my life filled with the greatest sense of optimism and inner harmony.”

On Facebook, I noticed that a handful of my recent profile pictures have been taken at either the LeaderShape Intstitute in Boston or at the 25^th Anniversary in Chicago. I can’t help but smile when I look at them. I’m reminded of the joyful people in my life and the astounding affect they’ve had on me. In one way or another, they’ve all helped me in my journey to where I am today. After returning home from LeaderShape I remember weeding out people from my “Friends” category. I decided instead to concentrate on the people who brought more value to my life. Facebook also became a portal of reconnecting with others who I wanted to spend more time with. There were people I wanted to regain a friendship with, and that’s where the “Messages” category came in handy.

Something I commonly share on both Twitter and Facebook is a link to my blog. It’s entitled “Choose Your Own Adventure” because of it’s commencement before my study abroad this semester in Paris, France. The blog is in fact my journal, posted in photograph form with brief titles and captions of my more memorable events. While attending LeaderShape I was so moved by the sharing of Tomorrow’s Headlines, and everyone’s encouraging Post-It note comments that I wanted to continue the use of handwriting within this piece of me I planned to share with the world. As I journal I think of the reflective writing we did at LeaderShape and how it was always set to what appeared to be a fitting musical soundtrack. Now I use the same device to help me remember the places and times I was writing about and include that at the bottom of each entry.

When I sent my entry to the LeaderShape email for the 25^th Anniversary YouTube video contest, I wasn’t fully aware of it’s significance. I was mostly concerned about matching the film up with the pace of my voice and not the number of people that would see it. I wanted to make it known how powerful of an experience LeaderShape had been for me, and that I feel truly connected to it. It had only been a few months since coming out to my parents and close friends by the time I entered the contest. It wasn’t until I was watching it on the big screen at the Anniversary dinner and I had taken the time to read all the comments, that I could see the ways it had touched others and the way it hit home for me. I was welcomed by an entire community of people, a sort of utopia, only comparable to attending LeaderShape itself. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more comfortable with who I am than at that moment.

Now the people I care to communicate with through social media the most are my closest friends from college, and the magnificent people I met at The LeaderShape Institute in Boston, and some from the 25^th anniversary celebration in Chicago. LeaderShape is something that I think about daily because it has enriched my life in so many ways.

Reflections on our 25th Year (Part 1)

2011-12-19T11:30:00.002-06:00

From our dear friend and former staff member and faculty, Alice Faron:

As I reflect on the 25 years of LeaderShape’s existence , I find myself in awe! Not just because this great organization has been in operation so long, or because I spent so much of my career there…..but because of the impact that LeaderShape has had on me….and this impact still continues. I know, without a doubt, that many of the values that are shared and taught at The LeaderShape Institute are now “my values”. I can’t make a decision without considering the ethical implications, I can’t relate to a friend or family member without considering emotional intelligence and how my thoughts and actions will impact others, and I can’t look ahead to the future in my retirement without painting a picture with vision or stretch goals. This is the power of LeaderShape, particularly if it is seen as more than a six-day program.

There are countless ways to acquire and internalize values and convictions. Throughout life, we build on core principles and lessons. And this is what I am particularly grateful for related to LeaderShape. My life has taken twists and turns, but the lessons from LeaderShape are deep and far-reaching I know that my life is different because of being a part of the LeaderShape family…and I’m thankful for that!

Making the Case: Part IV: A 10-Year Study on the Impact of LeaderShape at Wisconsin

2011-10-17T09:47:00.009-05:00

Here at LeaderShape, we are often in conversations with individuals interested in bringing The LeaderShape Institute to their campus or organization. People are supportive. They are on board. But you need evidence and data to help make the case to your colleagues.

This is the fourth installment (of several) that showcases research conducted by third party researchers.

This post focuses on the impact The LeaderShape Institute has made with participants from the University of Wisconsin-Madison over the course of 10 years.

The following are direct quotes that highlight the results from Zogg & Mastalski's (2008) research and paper presented at the 38th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Saratoga Springs, NY:

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Abstract - To determine the outcomes, based on participant responses, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’’s campus-based LeaderShape® sessions, a comprehensive assessment and evaluation was conducted. The participants in this assessment study were LeaderShape alumni who participated in the 13 sessions hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison between 1997 and 2006. Using qualitative data analysis techniques, seven outcomes of the campus-based sessions of LeaderShape at the University of Wisconsin-Madison were extracted from participant responses. Those seven outcomes include: (a) changed goals and aspirations; (b) planned and taken; (e) changed concept of leadership; (f) self discovery; (c) application of knowledge; (d) actions increased understanding of values and convictions; and (g) celebration of diversity. Several suboutcomes emerged within each of the seven outcomes. Conclusions were reached and implications for future campus-based sessions of LeaderShape at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are discussed.

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“…the purpose of this assessment was to determine the outcomes, based on participant responses, of the UW-Madison’s campus-based LeaderShape sessions. The results, therefore, of this assessment are the seven outcomes (i.e., the seven codes that were extracted during the qualitative data analysis process) of the UW-Madison’s campus-based LeaderShape sessions. Those seven outcomes include: (a) changed goals and aspirations; (b) self discovery; (c) application of knowledge; (d) actions planned and taken; (e) changed concept of leadership; (f) increased understanding of values and convictions; and (g) celebration of diversity.” (p. S4B-15)

“Changed Goals and Aspirations

Those five suboutcomes include: (a) goal definition and articulation; (b) more outwardly focused; (c) goal achievement, attainment, and realization; (d) increased self-confidence and ability to take risks; and (e) visionary mindset.” (p. S4B-15)

“Self Discovery

Those five suboutcomes include: (a) skill set; (b) character; (c) leadership style, skills, and abilities; (d) the importance of trusting, and opening up to, others; and (e) personality.” (p. S4B-15-S4B-16)

“Application of Knowledge

Those four suboutcomes include: (a) in their careers; (b) on campus; (c) all the time; and (d) in the community.” (p. S4B-16)

“Actions Planned and Taken

Those four suboutcomes include: (a) involved, or have the desire to be involved, in associations, the community, and organizations; (b) have taken, or have the desire to take, on leadership roles; (c) created, or have the desire to create, something new; and (d) improved, or have the desire to improve, something.” (p. S4B-16)

“Changed Concept of Leadership

Those four suboutcomes include: (a) improved understanding of different styles of leadership; (b) value the importance of emotional intelligence; (c) value a visionary mindset; and (d) value communication and facilitation.” (p. S4B-17)

“Increased Understanding of Values and Convictions

Those four suboutcomes include: (a) improved emotional intelligence; (b) increased commitment to act in accord with values and convictions; (c) increased self-confidence; and (d) improved ability to prioritize.” (p. S4B-17)

“Celebration of Diversity

Those five suboutcomes include: (a) honor individual differences; (b) treat others with respect; (c) appreciate diversity and the inclusion of others; (d) communicate with others; and (e) be open minded.” (p. S4B-17)

"Participant responses focused on several suboutcomes within each of the seven outcomes. Three of those suboutcomes were found within two different outcomes. The first dual role suboutcome, a visionary mindset, was found within the changed goals and aspirations outcome and the changed concept of leadership outcome. The second dual role suboutcome, emotional intelligence, was found within the changed concept of leadership outcome and the

increased understanding of values and convictions outcome. The third dual role suboutcome, leadership style, was found within the self discovery outcome and the changed concept of leadership outcome.

Embracing and valuing a visionary mindset, the first dual role suboutcome, was discussed by participants in regards to two different outcomes (i.e., changed goals and aspirations and changed concept of leadership). This dual role suboutcome is especially important in light of the theoretical framework of The LeaderShape Institute (i.e., transformational leadership) that emphasizes the creation of a personal vision. As evident by participant responses, participants learned to adopt a visionary mindset in regards to their goals and aspirations and that effective leaders adopted a visionary mindset and strove to achieve visionary buy-in amongst their followers.

An increased understanding of the concept of, and their own capacity of, emotional intelligence, the second dual role suboutcome, was discussed by participants in regards to two different outcomes (i.e., changed concept of leadership and increased understanding of values and convictions). This dual role suboutcome is especially important in light of the theoretical framework of The LeaderShape Institute (i.e., transformational leadership) that emphasizes perceptions, attitudes, and commitments. This dual role suboutcome is also especially important in light of two of the four outcomes that The LeaderShape Institute works to help participants achieve which include “'to increase their commitment to acting consistently with core ethical values, personal values and convictions”' and “'to increase their capacity to develop and enrich relationships as well as to increase their commitment to respecting the dignity and contribution of all people”'. Participant responses touched on all four aspects of emotional intelligence which include: (a) self-awareness, (b) self management, (c) social awareness, and (d) relationship management. Being cognizant of, and understanding the use for, different styles of leadership, the third dual role suboutcome, was discussed by participants in regards to two different outcomes (i.e., self discovery and changed concept of leadership). Although this suboutcome isn’’t directly related to either The LeaderShape Institute’’s theoretical framework or stated outcomes, it is still important given the context that this is one of the primary lessons learned by participants at the UW-Madison’’s campus-based sessions of LeaderShape. Given the fact that many participants may not have been familiar with the different styles of leadership discussed at LeaderShape, it was important for participants to learn this background information before proceeding to learn more of the higher order concepts also discussed" (p. S4B-18).

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Zogg, J., & Mastalski, M. (2008, October 22-25). Outcomes of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's campus-based sessions of LeaderShape. Paper presented at the 38th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Saratoga Springs, NY.

What does The LeaderShape Institute mean to you?

2011-09-29T13:55:00.003-05:00

For many of you who read this blog, you have shared in the experience of The LeaderShape Institute. You have built a balloon castle and made vision potion! Oh the fun memories! It’s Homecoming at my alma mater this weekend and it has sparked some reflection in me about my college experience. One of my favorite experiences in college was attending The LeaderShape Institute. As the memories of my session came rushing back, I found myself reflecting on what my experience (many) years ago means to me now.

First I have to be honest, at the time I attended LeaderShape, I was clueless of what I was getting into! I thought it would be a great opportunity to take a week off work in the summer and meet some new people. I loved my week at LeaderShape but really most of my learning has come in the months and years after. For me, that week at LeaderShape planted many, many seeds.

So, what does my LeaderShape experience mean to me now 13 years later? It means….

That I am a work in progress. I don’t have “it all figured out” and I am so glad! The journey of becoming the person I am today has been filled with ups and downs, but I would not trade it for anything. I am excited for what lies ahead as I continue to grow as a person.

Standing up for my values even when my voice is not so loud! My voice is important just as the voices of my friends, family and co-workers are. It is when we can work together as our authentic selves that amazing things happen.

Taking risks and stretching myself out of my comfort zone. It can be very east to get into a routine. But LeaderShape taught me to ask questions and try new things!

Valuing the stories of others and appreciating the things that make them who they are. We all have a story to share and being able to connect with one another on an very personal level creates relationships that span the test of time and distance.

Admitting when I make mistakes….How Fascinating! With that, it is also important to forgive myself when I make those mistakes. Often times, I am own worst enemy.

Forgiving others and trying every day to see the best in them.

No matter what your involvement with LeaderShape has been, I imagine that this program has a special meaning to you too. Would you mind sharing it with our community? Come on, just post a few sentences in the blog response space below J You are amongst friends here!

Making the Case: Part III: High-Impact Educational Practices

2011-09-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is the third installment (of several) that showcases research conducted by third party researchers.

This post focuses on how LeaderShape connects with high-impact educational practices.

The following are direct quotes from Kuh's research:

“Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP) is a decade-long national initiative launched by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in 2005 to align the goals for college learning with the needs of the new global century. Extending the work of AAC&U 's Greater Expectations initiative, LEAP seeks to engage the public with core questions about what really matters in college, to give students a compass to guide their learning, and to make the aims and outcomes of a liberal education – broad knowledge, intellectual and practical skills, personal and social responsibility, and integrative learning – the expected framework for excellence at all levels of education. The LEAP initiative is especially concerned with students who, historically, have been underserved in higher education.” (p. v)

“This report on ‘high-impact educational practices’ speaks directly to what is arguably our most important national challenge in higher education: helping America's extraordinarily diverse students reap the full benefits – economic, civic, and personal – of their studies in college.” (p. 1)

“Conventionally, educational research has tended to report college student success – especially for students from underserved backgrounds – in terms of access, retention, graduation and, sometimes, grade point average.” (p. 2)

“Retention and graduation are best described as partial indicators of student success – necessary, but scarcely sufficient.” (p. 2)

“Some of the core elements in an excellent education are enduring in every era: the development of intellectual powers and capacities; ethical and civic preparation; personal growth and self-direction.” (p. 2)

“And, as Kuh's important report makes clear, the new markers of student success also need to address the question of how students spend their educational time in college. How frequently, and with what results, do students engage in educational practices – curricular, cocurricuiar, and pedagogical – that provide them with realistic opportunities to actually develop the kinds of learning they need? How does such participation related to expected learning outcomes?” (p. 2)

“As we have written elsewhere,2 these essential learning outcomes demonstrably build on the enduring aims of a liberal education: broad knowledge, strong intellectual skills, a grounded sense of ethical and civic responsibility. But the essential learning outcomes also move beyond the traditional limits of liberal or liberal arts education, especially its self-imposed ‘nonvocational’ identity and its recent insistence on learning ‘for its own sake’ rather than for its value in real-world contexts.

Informed by vigorous faculty and campus dialogue across the nation, the LEAP vision for student learning places strong emphasis on global and intercultural learning, technological sophistication, collaborative problem-solving, transferable skills, and real-world applications-both civic and job-related. In all these emphases, LEAP repositions liberal education, no longer as just an option for the fortunate few, but rather as the most practical and powerful preparation for ‘success’ in all its meanings: economic, societal, civic, and personal.” (p. 3)

“Chart B

Employer Views on Achievement of Essential Learning Outcomes:

2008 National Survey Findings” (p. 5)

Very Not Mean

Well Well Rating*

Prepared Prepared

(8-10 ratings)* (1-5 ratings)*

Global Knowledge 18% 46% 5.7

Self-direction 23% 42% 5.9

Writing 26% 37% 6.1

Critical Thinking 22% 31% 6.3

Adaptability 24% 30% 6.3

Self-knowledge 28% 26% 6.5

Oral Communication 30% 23% 6.6

Quantitative Reasoning 32% 23% 6.7

Social Responsibility 35% 21% 6.7

Intercultural Skills 38% 19% 6.9

Ethical Judgment 38% 19% 6.9

Teamwork 39% 17% 7.0

* ratings on 10-point scale: 10 = recent college graduates are extremely well prepared on each quality to succeed in entry-level positions or be promoted/advance within the company

Note: These findings are taken from a survey of employers commissioned by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and conducted by Peter A. Hart Associates in November and December 2007. For a full report on the survey and its complete findings, see www.aacu.org/leap

“Chart C

Achieving the Goals of Liberal Education:

Connecting Essential Learning Outcomes With High-Impact Practices

Fostering Broad Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Natural World

• Common intellectual experiences (exploring ‘big questions’ in history, cultures, science, and society)

• Undergraduate research

• Learning communities (multiple courses linked to a ‘big question’)

• Diversity, civic, and global learning

• Capstone courses

Strengthening Intellectual and Practical Skills

• First-year seminars and experiences

• Writing-intensive courses (across the curriculum)

• Skill-intensive courses (quantitative reasoning, oral communication, and information literacy across the curriculum)

• Collaborative assignments and projects

• Undergraduate research

• Internships

Deepening Personal and Social Responsibility

• Common intellectual experiences (exploring ‘big questions’ in history, culture, science, and society)

• Diversity, civic, and global learning

• Ethics-intensive courses

• Collaborative assignments and projects

• Service and community-based learning

Practicing Integrative and Applied Learning

• Learning communities (multiple courses linked to a ‘big question’)

• Undergraduate research

• Service and community-based learning

• Internships

• Capstone projects and culminating experiences” (p. 6)

“As George Kuh kept reminding LEAP's leaders through the many drafts of the 2007 LEAP report, if the essential learning outcomes are goals, then our curricular, cocurricular, and pedagogical practices need to be recognized as the means to achieving these larger educational ends. We can help our students improve by making these kinds of practices the norm, rather than the exception.” (p. 7)

“Pointing to the multiple educational benefits of high-impact practices. Kuh recommends that each institution take action to ensure that all students participate in at least two of these practices.” (p. 8)

“If our goal is to help students achieve the essential learning outcomes that both educators and employers endorse, then the long-term challenge is to transparently connect these intended outcomes with students' successful engagement in a thoughtfully planned sequence of high-impact practices. Chart C shows how we can deploy selected high-impact practices to foster particular sets of essential learning outcomes. It also reminds us of the fundamental educational truism that repeated practice – at progressively higher levels of challenge and engagement – is the surest key to high levels of achievement. And, encouragingly, Chart C also reminds us that specific high-impact practices call foster multiple learning outcomes.

Institutional leaders may protest nonetheless that the practices recommended in these pages are labor-intensive and therefore costly. But concerns about cost need to be set in a larger context. We live in a demanding, increasingly competitive global environment. The quality of citizens' learning has become our most important societal resource. If students leave college without the preparation they need for this complex and volatile world, the long-term cost to them – and to our society – will be cumulative and ultimately devastating.

Conversely, if these high-impact practices support both student persistence and heightened achievement on essential learning outcomes, then wise leaders will find both the will and the wallet to make them a top priority. With so much at stake, how can we not?” (p. 8)

“The following teaching and learning practices have been widely tested and have been shown to be beneficial for college students from many backgrounds.” (p. 9)

“Common Intellectual Experiences

The older idea of a ‘core’ curriculum has evolved into a variety of modern forms, such as a set of required common courses or a vertically organized general education program that includes advanced integrative studies and/or required participation in a learning community (see below). These programs often combine broad themes – e.g., technology and society, global interdependence – with a variety of curricular and cocurricular options for students.” (p. 9)

“Learning Communities

The key goals for learning communities are to encourage integration of learning across courses and to involve students with ‘big questions’ that matter beyond the classroom. Students take two or more linked courses as a group and work closely with one another and with their professors. Many learning communities explore a common topic and/or common readings through the lenses of different disciplines. Some deliberately link ‘liberal arts’ and ‘professional courses’; others feature service learning (see p. 11 ).” (p. 10)

“Diversity/Global Learning

Many colleges and universities now emphasize courses and programs that help students explore cultures, life experiences, and worldviews different from their own. These studies – which may address U.S. diversity, world cultures, or both-often explore ‘difficult differences’ such as racial, ethnic, and gender inequality, or continuing struggles around the globe for human rights, freedom, and power. Frequently, intercultural studies are augmented by experiential learning in the community and/or by study abroad.” (p. 10)

“Capstone Courses and Projects

Whether they're called ‘senior capstones’ or some other name, these culminating experiences require students nearing the end of their college years to create a project of some sort that integrates and applies what they've learned. The project might be a research paper, a performance, a portfolio of ‘best work,’ or an exhibit of artwork. Capstones arc offered both in departmental programs and, increasingly, in general education as well.” (p. 11)

“…decades of research showed that student development is a cumulative process shaped by many events and experiences, inside and outside the classroom.” (p. 13)

“…there is growing evidence that – when done well – some programs and activities appear to engage participants at levels that elevate their performance across multiple engagement and desired-outcomes measures such as persistence.” (p. 14)

“Deep approaches to learning are important because students who use these approaches tend to earn higher grades and retain, integrate, and transfer information at higher rates.” (p. 14)

“What is it about these high-impact activities that appear to be so effective with students?

First, these practices typically demand that students devote considerable time and effort to purposeful tasks…” (p. 14)

“Second, the nature of these high-impact activities puts students in circumstances that essentially demand they interact with faculty and peers about substantive matters, typically over extended periods of time.” (p. 14)

“Third, participating in one or more of these activities increases the likelihood that students will experience diversity through contact with people who are different from themselves.” (p. 15)

“These experiences often challenge students to develop new ways of thinking about and responding immediately to novel circumstances as they work side by side with peers on intellectual and practical tasks, inside and outside the classroom, on and off campus.” (p. 15)

“Fourth, even though the structures and settings of high-impact activities differ, students typically get frequent feedback about their performance in every one.” (p. 17)

“Fifth, participation in these activities provides opportunities for students to see how what they are learning works in different settings, on and off campus. These opportunities to integrate, synthesize, and apply knowledge are essential to deep, meaningful learning experiences.” (p. 17)

“Finally, it can be life changing...” (p. 17)

“Such an undergraduate experience deepens learning and brings one's values and beliefs into awareness; it helps students develop the ability to take the measure of events and actions and put them in perspective. As a result, students better understand themselves in relation to others and the larger world, and they acquire the intellectual tools and ethical grounding to act with confidence for the betterment of the human condition.” (p. 17)

“The effects of participating in high-impact practices are positive for all types of students (see appendix B). But, historically underserved students tend to benefit more from engaging in educational purposeful activities than majority students. Sadly, as table 3 shows, some groups of historically underserved students are less likely to participate in high-impact activities…” (p. 17)

“…what one thing can we do to enhance student engagement and increase student success? I now have an answer: make it possible for every student to participate in at least two high-impact activities during his or her undergraduate program, one in the first year, and one taken later in relation to the major field.” (p. 19)

“Ideally, institutions would structure the curriculum and other learning opportunities so that one high-impact activity is available to every student every year.” (p. 20)

“…making high-impact activities more widely experienced should have a demonstrable impact in terms of student persistence and satisfaction as well as desired learning outcomes.” (p. 20)

“these opportunities – with the exception of working on campus – too often are limited to small numbers of students, especially on large campuses.

If faculty and staff made these and other effective educational activities commonly available to every student, perhaps colleges and universities could do a better job in helping students compensate for shortcomings in academic preparation and create a culture that fosters student success. But left to their own devices, many students and faculty members may not do these things. Educationally effective institutions recognize this and create incentives to induce purposeful behavior toward these ends.” (p. 20)

“While high-impact activities are appealing for the reasons just outlined, to engage students at high levels, these practices must be done well.” (p. 20)

“The last bullet is a reminder of the important role faculty members play in creating a climate conducive to engagement and learning. Other research has demonstrated the positive relationships between faculty teaching practices and student engagement, learning, and persistence.” (p. 21)

“What faculty think and value also makes a difference, especially as to whether students will participate in high-impact practices.” (p. 21)

“Of course, what faculty think and value does not necessarily impel students to take part in high-impact activities or engage in other educationally purposeful practices. Rather, when large numbers of faculty and staff at an institution endorse the worth of an activity, members of the campus community are more likely to agree to devote their own time and energy to it, as well as provide other resources to support it – all of which increases the likelihood that the activities will be available to large numbers of students and that the campus culture will encourage student participation in the activities.” (p. 22)

“…engaging in educationally purposeful activities helps level the playing field, especially for students from low-income family backgrounds and others who have been historically underserved. Moreover, engagement increases the odds that any student –educational and social background notwithstanding – will attain his or her educational and personal objectives, acquire the skills and competencies demanded by the challenges of the twenty-first century, and enjoy the intellectual and monetary gains associated with the completion of the baccalaureate degree.” (p. 22)

“Almost every college or university offers some form of every high-impact practice described here. But at too many institutions, only small numbers of students are involved. The time has come for colleges and universities to make participating in high-impact activities a reality – and a priority – for every student.” (p. 22)

“Appendix C

• Asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions

• Tutored or taught other students (paid or voluntary)

• Talked about career plans with a faculty member or advisor

• Worked harder than you thought you could to meet an instructor’s standards or expectations

• Worked with faculty members on activities other than coursework (committees, orientation, student life activities, etc.)” (p. 29)

• “Had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity than your own

• Had serious conversations with students who differ from you in terms of their religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values” (p. 30)

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Kuh, G. D. (2008). High-impact educational practices: What they are, who has access to them, and why they matter. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities.

Quiet

2011-09-15T09:54:00.002-05:00

I have recently fallen in love with quiet. With the fall approaching, I find myself outside more often enjoying the sunsets, the air, the trees, and the changes that are coming. However, this fall is different for a number of reasons, but one in particular...I am experiencing the quiet as not the absence of noise, but the welcoming of space. I have finally realized, I mean really got clear, that quiet is not "without", but quiet is "letting in." Over the past number of years, I have had a constant buzz in my head with all that comes my way during the day - family, work, personal goals, etc. The buzz was so loud that I didn't hear it. It blinded me into a false sense of security, a status quo, an acceptance of "that's just life." But, ah, I finally got it while sitting on my porch without my phone, without solving or fixing all of life's challenges in my head, without trying to run and hide from the buzz.

I let the quiet in.

With the quiet, I let in being raw, I let in being imperfect, I let in my inability to control my life or the lives of others. I let in Paul. By no means do I expect it to last, but I have tasted it. I have seen that quiet welcomes thoughts, feelings, ideas, and, yes, relaxation. Quiet is not a antidote, quiet is not the answer, quiet is a means to becoming more authentic. It is a way to be more raw, more aware, and more in touch with what I really want to do and who I really want to be.

I know I will be a better leader because of it.

A simple thought for today

2011-08-30T14:32:00.003-05:00

“Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.”

Anne Sexton

Making the Case: Part II: Stories from campus-based programs

2011-08-22T08:35:00.003-05:00

This is the second installment (of several) that showcases research conducted on LeaderShape by third party researchers.

This post focuses on three different campuses who host a session of The LeaderShape Institute from the lens of Program Coordinators.

The following are direct quotes from their experiences:

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“Every year, we receive back statements such as, ‘LeaderShape changed my life. Not only did it open my eyes as to what was possible, it introduced me to other students I never would have met if I hadn’t attended.’ Our office coordinates a variety of short leadership programs and retreats, but comments that reflect the transformational nature of a student’s leadership development come from LeaderShape participants more than any other single initiative.

The value of the LeaderShape curriculum on our campus is two-fold. First, it provides a six-day holding environment for students to struggle with the question, ‘What do I really want to do with my life?’ and, due to the way we select students, helps connect them to peers they may not have met otherwise. This broadens their perspectives to better reflect the diversity of students here at Illinois. We have coordinated a campus LeaderShape session since 1993. I feel that it has not only benefitted our campus as a whole, it has transformed countless individual participants.

We regularly ask students what they want to major in or what they want to do when they graduate. However, seldom is the follow-up ‘Why did you choose that?’ asked. All LeaderShape participants – regardless of the site – are faced with this question. Because the program lasts for six long days, it is unavoidable; students can neither dodge the question, nor can they go through the motions of answering. Since the foundation of leading with integrity involves knowing and practicing one’s values, one of the central benefits of the LeaderShape experience is the way that the curriculum and facilitators help students to develop complex, critical thinking in this manner.” (p. 10)

“There can be no doubt about the transformational nature of The LeaderShape Institute experience here at Illinois. Students without a strong social network leave with new lifelong friends, students unhappy with their major or goals find meaning and purpose for their lives, and leaders from a variety of backgrounds learn the skills necessary to collaborate and expand their horizons.” (p. 11)

“Integrity. Personal Growth. Reflection. Social Change. Experience. These are a small sample of the tenants that cause The LeaderShape Institute to stand apart from other leadership programs and immersion experiences.” (p. 11)

“The transformation that occurs in and with the students who attend LeaderShape is remarkable, and it does not end after the six days are over. One participant from a 2006 session of The LeaderShape Institute noted that, ‘I hold myself to a higher standard because of LeaderShape.’” (p. 11)

“Mutual Respect and Cilivity

The work done in the safe space of Family Clusters provides an atmosphere of support, courage and openness, inspiring a trust and care for one another that is extraordinary. This atmosphere continues into the general Learning Community, where participants form their own community values to guide their time at the Institute and diligently uphold these throughout, illustrating a commitment to treat each other and the environment with mutual respect, tolerance, and civility.” (p. 11)

“Breaking Down Barriers

At LeaderShape, a Learning Community is created that allows for the barriers that oftentimes divide our campus, to crumble. Long last connections are formed that are collaborative and transformational.” (p. 11)

“Transformative Learning

The experiential learning methods employed at LeaderShape allow for hands-on work, but also incorporate ample time for reflection. Through both interactive and introspective assignments, students are encouraged to practice a healthy disregard for the impossible. Being invited to think and act that way leaves a lasting impression on students.” (p. 11-12)

“Community & Service

When students leave LeaderShape with a Vision and accompanying Breakthrough Blueprint, they have been provided a safe space to discover and define their passions in ways that are both idealistic and tangible, focusing on service to society both locally and globally.” (p. 12)

“Values & Integrity

At LeaderShape, students are asked to not only think about their core values, but to wear them for everyone to see. Practicing decision-making based on values empowers students to be individuals of character, not only in their co-curricular endeavors, but far beyond.” (p. 12)

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Rosch, D. M., Edwards, S., & Pariano, N. (2011). Program spotlight: LeaderShape on campus: Stories from campus-based programs. Concepts & Connections, 17(2), 10-12.

The courage it takes to slow down.....

2011-08-08T14:53:00.002-05:00

Do you ever feel like being busy is like wearing a badge of honor? The busier you are the better, right? This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a retreat hosted by The Center for Courage and Renewal. The focus of the retreat was to reconnect who you are with what you do. While it was a wonderful opportunity for me personally, I kept thinking about how the concepts of being discussed of courage, renewal, community, authenticity and integrity apply to the LeaderShape Community. My thoughts went all over the place because I know that all of those concepts really resonate with LeaderShape.

The one thing that kept coming into my mind was that it takes courage to slow down and truly listen to yourself. I believe our society places a badge of honor on how full our calendars can be that it is often hard to turn down a meeting or dinner with a friend without feeling guilty. At the core of what LeaderShape is about is connecting people to their passions. The LeaderShape community is so spread out across the globe that it can be easy for individuals to get lost in every day life. From meetings to classes to caring for loved ones we can all quickly forget our passions, dreams and deep desires of our heart.

As you start your week, I want to encourage you to find some time for your own personal renewal. Be courageous and do this for yourself. Maybe it is listening to music, allowing yourself to get lost in a book, sitting in nature or going for a run. Whatever will renew your soul, do it! While you do this I hope that you allow your mind to wander, your heart to dream and remember what is important to you. Give yourself the opportunity to truly be heard and renewed, it's worth it!

“Sometimes the most urgent thing you can do is take a complete rest.” Ashleigh Brillant

Palmer Award Recipients

2011-07-26T13:45:00.004-05:00

Color us impressed!

First of all, we received a record number of applications for the Palmer Award. Secondly, and most importantly, the quality of the applications was truly outstanding. Graduates of The LeaderShape Institute are really working to make an impact on the world. Some of the areas that these folks are working on include ridding the world of hunger, equal representation for the LGBT community, safety from abuse for children, exposing communities to local history, providing musical instruction to youth, and improving the quality of life for senior citizens through the use of animal assisted therapy. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Our three recipients are also making their mark by working diligently towards their visions and a just, caring, thriving world. Here is a little bit about each of them.

Justine Falcone, Rollins College

What she's working towards: improving medical care for underprivileged people here and abroad.

Actions she has taken: monthly visits to a nursing home where the elderly with minimal financial income can stay when they are no longer able to care for themselves, medical equipment drives that provide for people below the poverty line, and volunteering at a hospital in Ghana, Africa.

From her application: "Volunteering in Africa opened my eyes to a world I never knew existed, and my time at the hospital further sparked my passion and desire for a life of medicine."

Irma Fernandez, St. Edward's University

What she's working towards: provide clothing, in the form of t-shirts, to people in need around the country and world.

Actions she has taken: created the organization "Operation T", collected and donated thousands of t-shirts to those in need, including an orphanage in Bangladore, India.

From her application: "Operation T's intention is to give others something to call their own, even if it is something as simple as a t-shirt. But the biggest intention is to inspire people to volunteer on their own in whatever way they can."

Ryan Kirlin, Johns Hopkins University

What he's working towards: sound bodies and minds through a balanced diet

Actions he has taken: held educational workshops in local schools addressing heart health, diabetes, exercise, nutritional basics, and meal planning for both students and parents independently, partnered with Johns Hopkins "Campus Kitchen" club to provide healthy snack alternatives to students, and worked with the Center for Social Concern to obtain additional funding.

From his application: "I hope for children to understand the far-reaching effects of a proper diet and appreciate the empowering nature of a balanced meal. I look forward to lifestyles in which healthy eating is the norm (not associated with misconceptions, stigmas, and taboos) and I also dream that locally grown food will one day be accessible to all."

Please join me in congratulating our recipients and in encouraging them, as well as all of our LeaderShape community members, to keep up the good work. The world needs you!

Making the Case: Part I: Longitudinal Research

2011-07-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

“In many ways, experiential education validates what we as educators are trying to do for our students. We claim we are teaching leadership. But until we get longitudinal data spanning the careers of leadership students, what measure do we have of our success?” (p. 81) - Swatez, M. J. (1995). Preparing leadership students to lead. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 2(2), 73-82.

This is the first installment (of several) that showcases research conducted on LeaderShape by third party researchers.

First up, Dr. Dan Stoker successfully defended his dissertation on the long-term effects of The LeaderShape Institute by studying the impact of LeaderShape - five years or later - on 207 national session graduates responses.

The following are direct quotes from his research and dissertation:

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“The quantitative questions resulted in strong responses, with 17 of the 21 scaled questions with over 90% positive results. The data show that LeaderShape continues to be a meaningful experience for the respondents and they continue to identify abilities and behaviors consistent with the LeaderShape outcomes. The qualitative results demonstrated strong social connections facilitated by the environment and atmosphere, personal effects regarding values and leadership style, and continuing memory of specific curricular components most often due to emotional or personal affect.

Based upon the data, LeaderShape could be characterized as an emotionally charged, positive growth experience that develops a lasting effect on program graduates by developing strong connections, enhancing personal values, and developing a commitment for leaders to influence positive change. The research demonstrates that program graduates identify, apply, and retain curricular components that enhance their personal development years after attendance with an adequate amount of time for discussion, reflection, and social interaction at the experience.” (p. iii-iv)

"Over 95% of respondents stated that LeaderShape was one of the meaningful experiences identified, with 4.8% responding that it was not one of the experiences. While this research was not specifically designed to statistically examine this proportion of students who indicated that LeaderShape was one of their most meaningful experiences, it should be noted that this is a remarkable proportion of students who believe that their experiences at LeaderShape was of such great importance to them." (p. 52)

"Participants were asked to rate the significance of LeaderShape on their personal or professional lives...92.4% of respondents answering Very Significant, Significant, or Somewhat Significant...representing that respondents strongly identify LeaderShape as having a significant effect on their lives..." (p. 53)

"...respondents highly rate LeaderShape for having a significant effect on their personal development." (p. 54)

"...rate their LeaderShape experience in shaping or effecting their leadership styles...88.6% of respondents selecting Very Significant, Significant, or Somewhat Significant...respondents identify LeaderShape as significantly shaping their leadership styles..." (p. 54)

"...lean towards addressing conflict rather than avoiding it, which is a behavior that is expected from individuals with advanced leadership training." (p. 54)

"...have a deep self-awareness of who they are and how others see them...89.2%, either Strongly Agreed or Agreed with the statement." (p. 55)

"...respondents view the role of a leader to include developing inclusive relationships." (p. 55)

"...participants sought out relationships, either personally or professionally, with people different from them...81.7% of respondents chose either Strongly Agree or Agree..." (p. 56)

"...if they act consistently with their core ethical and personal values...98.6% of respondents selected either Strongly Agree or Agree, with no responses on the negative end of the scale." (p. 56)

"...if the participants recognize when their behavior is not in congruence with their values...96.7% of respondents selected either Strongly Agree or Agree with the statement, with only one individual selecting a negative response." (p. 56)

"Results indicate that respondents identify a strong confidence in their current abilities to identify with and act upon the seven LeaderShape outcomes." (p. 57)

"88% of respondents either Strongly Agreed or Agreed with the statement, 'I am committed to identifying my core ethical and personal values and then to act on them.' ...The results indicate that respondents continue to be committed to the LeaderShape outcome of identifying and acting on their values." (p. 57)

"99% of respondents either Strongly Agreed, Agreed, or Somewhat Agreed that they could identify when their behavior was not in congruence with their core ethical and personal values...indicating that respondents report an ability to identify when their behaviors are incongruent with their values." (p. 57)

"'develop relationships where the dignity and contributions of all people are acknowledged and respected.' ...47.6% of respondents selected Strongly Agree and an additional 41.8% selected Agree...indicating that respondents report developing relationships based on respect and dignity." (p. 57)

"'able to create a vision for the greater good of a community, which includes a 'healthy disregard for the impossible' ' ...74.5% of respondents still Strongly Agreed or Agreed with the statement...The results indicate that respondents report an ability to create a vision as described at LeaderShape..." (p. 57-58)

"...rate their current ability to develop skills to successfully work in groups to accomplish a collective vision...99% identified that they Strongly Agreed, Agreed, or Somewhat Agreed...indicating that respondents continue to identify an ability to work in groups to achieve goals." (p. 58)

"...able to articulate action steps to implement a vision...99.5% of respondents Strongly Agreed, Agreed, or Somewhat Agreed that they could articulate the action steps for a vision...The results indicate that respondents identify an ability to break down the steps for a vision to be implemented." (p. 58)

"...rate their current ability to increase their capability to produce extraordinary results...94.7% of respondents selected Strongly Agree, Agree, or Somewhat Agree as their answer...The results indicate that respondents identify an ability to achieve results." (p. 58)

"...which word best described them as a leader, with 73.2% of respondents selecting 'Interdependent,' 25.8% selecting 'Independent,' and 1.0% selecting 'Dependent.' ... which word set best described the participants‘ views of leadership, resulting in 63.5% of respondents selecting 'Relationship motivated (concerned with leader-member relations),' 34.6% selecting 'Task oriented (focused on achieving a goal),' and 1.9% selecting 'Position power (based on title or authority).'" (p. 58-59)

"'In general, the LeaderShape Institute was a valuable experience in developing my capacity to lead.' ...84.4% of respondents either Strongly Agreed or Agreed that LeaderShape was a valuable leadership development experience, with very few individuals disagreeing...indicating that respondents continue to identify LeaderShape as a valuable experience." (p. 59)

"...felt confident and capable to lead with integrity as a result of their LeaderShape experiences...93.7% of respondents selected Strongly Agree, Agree, or Somewhat Agree that they feel more confident in their abilities to lead as a result of attending LeaderShape...indicating that respondents continue to relate at least some of their confidence and leadership abilities to their LeaderShape experiences." (p. 59)

"The data provide insight into the strong affiliation that program graduates have for LeaderShape. Respondents identified LeaderShape as an influence in their leadership styles or practices, evident by the positive responses in the data. LeaderShape remains a meaningful experience for the respondents and rates highly in comparison to other personal or professional experiences attended. Five survey questions, each with over 91% responses of Strongly Agree, Agree, or Somewhat Agree, describe the significant effect LeaderShape has had on participants‘ personal or professional lives. Based upon the data, respondents continue to have opinions or practices that are consistent with the leadership principles and intended outcomes of the program. Twelve questions were analyzed to determine the degree of consistency to the outcomes, with all questions rating over 74.5% Strongly Agree or Agree in self-confidence or ability. In addition to identifying leadership principles consistent with LeaderShape, the respondents strongly indicated congruent behavior between their values and their behaviors with three questions each over 96% Strongly Agree, Agree, or Somewhat Agree. With very few outliers, the data remain consistent in the positive responses in support of the LeaderShape experience and the program‘s principles and intended outcomes through the years after attendance." (p. 59-60)

"Based upon the data, LeaderShape could be characterized as an emotionally charged, positive growth experience that develops a lasting effect on program graduates by developing strong connections, enhancing personal values, and developing a commitment for leaders to influence positive change." (p. 78)

"The data present evidence that memories of the LeaderShape experience last for years after attendance for program graduates. Specifically, the relationships that were developed at the Institute strengthened the memory retention for participants because of the quality of interactions during the one-week sessions and for the lasting friendships that continue to exist post-attendance. During the Institute, both the physical environment and the atmosphere of trust allowed participants to open-up, share, and explore some personal and emotional information—each contributing to developing a strong emotional experience.

Somewhat surprisingly, respondents mentioned specific elements of the LeaderShape curriculum in their recollection of memories, demonstrating strong lasting effects on the program participants." (p. 78-79)

"...Due to the time since participation for the survey respondents, the specific naming of curriculum elements was unexpected. A general description of the exercise or the outcomes was anticipated, but the specific identification of the exercise, recalling how it was played and the emotions experienced, was not anticipated. The inclusion of these descriptions speaks to the powerful experience of the exercise to remain in participants‘ memories over the years.

Overall the memories that were recalled demonstrate the greatest influence on program graduates‘ self-awareness and personal approaches to life or work. Although the experience was labeled as fun and powerful, the data suggest a significant amount of values exploration and development occurred at LeaderShape that continues to influence current approaches to interacting with others and personal identity. Respondents demonstrated a commitment to leading with integrity through personal behavior as well as interactions with others. The leadership-related components of the program, such as vision and creating change, were mentioned, however, the values clarification element of LeaderShape seems to have the strongest lasting effect on program graduates." (p. 79)

"A strong majority of respondents, 95.2%, identified LeaderShape as a personally meaningful experience with very strong responses identifying LeaderShape as having an effect on their lives, on their personal development, and shaping their leadership styles. In addition the data indicate a very strong indication that LeaderShape was a valuable experience in developing leadership capacity and building confidence." (p. 80)

"Solely based upon the data though, program graduates strongly identify LeaderShape as an influence on their leadership styles and current practices." (p. 80)

"Overall respondents continued to identify either confidence or the ability to act with the intended program outcomes." (p. 80)

"Respondents indicated that they had utilized aspects of LeaderShape from doing so immediately following the experience at their undergraduate institutions to providing more recent examples of applications, with specific elements of the program identified. The strongest responses mentioned the vision element and values or integrity development components in both the qualitative and quantitative results. The importance of relationships and working with others who are different were also identified as outcomes that respondents continue to relate to; however the quantitative results are less strong, yet still remain over 80% on the positive end of Strongly Agree or Agree. This differentiation in the results may demonstrate a difference in being committed to the idea of diversity and the act of developing or seeking diverse relationships." (p. 80-81)

"Based upon the data, LeaderShape graduates are consistent in their opinions and practices with the stated outcomes of the program, although with greater differentiation in results depending on the outcome in question. Outcomes of a personal nature had strong results over 90% on the positive end, as opposed to questions of action of a specific nature that LeaderShape instructed, yielding results in the 74-88% range of positive-end response. Although considered strong, in comparison to the other data, these results stand out." (p. 81)

"The data present an understanding and definition of leadership that is consistent with LeaderShape‘s. The responses demonstrate that leadership is interactive, evidenced by most respondents identifying interdependent and relationship-motivated as descriptors which they personally identify with, which is consistent with LeaderShape‘s statement that 'effective leadership takes place in the context of a supportive community' and that 'leadership is not positional and does not require formal authority or personal charisma' (LeaderShape, 2002, General Information Section, p.1).

Each of the key words in LeaderShape‘s definition appeared as either main themes or sub-themes in the respondents‘ definitions of leadership, with the exception of action and possibility. The data demonstrate a strong emphasis on relationships, continuity with personal values, and leading or living with integrity in the definitions. Respondents also identified the need for a common purpose, most notably a vision focused on a greater good and change that was beneficial for the greater good. Although action is not specifically identified as a common theme in the data, one could extrapolate that movement toward a vision or common purpose is stated, so action is implied as opposed to inaction or idle behavior.

Most respondents defined leadership as an ability, which supports statements in the LeaderShape materials that state, 'Every person in the world has the capacity to effectively lead with integrity; and this capacity can be developed in all people who are committed to doing so' (LeaderShape, 2002, General Information Section, p.1). With ability, a person has the potential to develop the skills to become more effective and to continue to grow in that area. So, the respondents‘ use of leadership as ability supports the LeaderShape philosophy." (p. 82-83)

"With LeaderShape‘s emphasis on integrity, the research investigated any lasting effect this focus had on program participants by asking questions related to congruent behaviors between their values and their daily actions or activities. Results indicate an overwhelmingly strong response, with each question over 96% positive, in the respondents‘ abilities to self-assess and act with behaviors congruent with their values." (p. 83)

"Nonetheless, based upon the data, LeaderShape graduates believe they have and demonstrate integrity by aligning their daily actions with their personal values, acting consistently with their core values, and recognizing when their behaviors are incongruent." (p. 83)

"In order to act with integrity, an understanding of one‘s personal values is necessary combined with a commitment to regular action and reflection. Besides LeaderShape‘s emphasis on integrity, the values clarification outcome of LeaderShape is supported as a lasting effect of the program on participants." (p. 83)

"The data support long-term effects on program graduates as a result of attending LeaderShape, with social implications, personal effects, and influences on leadership practices. The positive environment created a strong emotional experience that allowed for personal exploration and learning to occur that was retained and utilized after attendance, at least for the respondents of this survey." (p. 83-84)

"Respondents clearly identified specific elements of the LeaderShape program, including details of the curriculum, that continued to resonate and affect current practices or behaviors. The program reached beyond the one-week session and provided learning opportunities to allow for practical applications in the participants‘ personal and professional lives. Although positive memories and connections to LeaderShape by participants were anticipated, the strong responses so many years after attendance demonstrated a bond with the program that was not expected." (p. 84)

"This study demonstrates that learning can occur within a program outside of a traditional higher education classroom setting, with positive memories of the experience enhancing the application of the material and intended outcomes years after attendance. Several factors that the LeaderShape experience included may be replicated with other programs or learning environments to achieve similar long-term results. The learning environment, both the physical location and surroundings, in addition to the atmosphere generated by the program, facilitators, and other attendees, all contribute to any potentially lasting effects. Components of the curriculum designed to elicit an emotional response or encourage strong personal reflection and exploration may also contribute to possible lasting effects." (p. 85)

"The program graduates in the study demonstrate a long-term effect that the program has had on their lives and their interactions with others." (p. 86)

"This study demonstrates lasting effects for program graduates of LeaderShape, providing evidence of support to justify sending students to the program. Likewise, LeaderShape has evidence that graduates continue to lead with integrity and identify a strong effect the program has had on their personal and professional lives." (p. 87)

"In addition to how and when leadership programs conduct assessment, this study demonstrates the influence emotions and personal connections have in creating lasting memories that ultimately affect attitudes and behaviors for the long-term. Leadership programs, as well as other learning opportunities, should account for a social component in the curriculum with time for individual processing, feedback, and group reflection to strengthen the personal ties the participants make with the material. Ideally, some activities in the curriculum should elicit an emotional response that challenges students‘ comfort zones and stretches their previous perceptions or beliefs." (p. 88)

"Among people who value LeaderShape the effects seem to be long standing. Program graduates of LeaderShape who attended a national session five or more years prior to the assessment demonstrate a lasting effect on their personal lives and leadership styles, directly linking such effects to their LeaderShape attendance and experiences. Responses were consistent over the time since attendance, demonstrating strength of the program by delivering a consistent message that has resonated over time with individuals. This study demonstrates that lasting effects occur from an emotionally charged, growth experience delivered in a one-week format with attention to the environment and atmosphere, facilitating personal development, and designing curriculum components that elicit strong responses. LeaderShape graduates responding to this study further demonstrate that specific information or knowledge is retained over time and utilized, supporting the idea that learning in the short term can have lasting effects over time." (p. 88)

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Stoker, D. J. (2010). Study of the lasting effects of attending a LeaderShape program. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Indiana State University.

2011-07-13T16:07:00.000-05:00

It is our choices that show what we truly are,

far more than our abilities.

- Albus Dumbledore in

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 1999

Maybe you’ve heard. The last movie in the Harry Potter series premieres this weekend: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2. I’ll admit, I’m excited to see it—albeit, as a movie purist, in good old-fashioned 2D. (Ralph Fiennes is creepy enough as Voldemort—I don’t need him waving his wand directly in my face!)

Google “Harry Potter and leadership” and a myriad of articles, blog postings, and websites will come up, from trite numerical lists of the “leadership lessons” one might learn from young Mr. Potter to more nuanced deconstructions of characters’ choices and the outcomes.

My goal isn’t to add anything new to the Potter/leadership lexicon. Enough has been written. What I’m suggesting instead is a leadership conversation. So, after you see HDPH2, why don’t you start one? When you’ve talked all the talk about whether or not you liked it and how close it was to the book and what they adapted well and what they did not, turn to your movie-going cohort and ask some different questions. Try this one: “Was Harry Potter a leader, a hero, or both? How about Neville? Ginny? Why or why not?” Or how about: “What values hold Harry, Hermione, and Ron together?” Or how about: “What wisdom does Dumbledore share with Harry throughout the series that holds true for us too?” And here’s a big one: “How is the Harry Potter series a metaphor for what we experience in our own leadership learning and practice?”

Now make up a few questions of your own! We'd love to hear what you come up with—both the questions and the conversations. Drop us a comment and let us know...

Practicing

2011-07-13T11:43:00.002-05:00

I recently read something somewhere that stated, "Authenticity is a daily practice." Although I don't recall where I read it, I kind of love this sentiment. It has me considering a few things...

Being authentic can sometimes come easy and then there are times when we really have to work at it. This is ok.

With practice comes learning and growth and the thought that we are striving to become more skilled at knowing and being ourselves. Mistakes are allowed (phew!). However, it is taking what we discover from our missteps and allowing the lessons to help us to gain clarity on who we are and what it is we believe.

There is no finish line. As a person who loves to check something off of a list, this idea can be both aggravating and freeing. I'm going to choose to embrace the latter, and allow myself the freedom to be "in" this practice.

How do you feel about authenticity as a practice?

Overheard: The LeaderShape Institute

2011-06-21T12:00:00.001-05:00

This past May, we received an email from Lead Facilitator and former staff member Anne Arseneau. We thought it was such a cool story, we wanted to share her email to us with you:

"Hi LeaderShape friends, thought I’d share my cool Day 5 experience that happened RIGHT before I started the curriculum piece on social responsibility at the Meredith LeaderShape session (which was a great session experience BTW…)

My sister-in-law Linda (who lives in Champaign and tries hard to understand LeaderShape) :) and I had the following text exchange during lunch (right before social responsibility/Living & Leading with Integrity) and it’s just cool enough that I needed to share it with you all:

Linda: Hey there. hope all is good. yesterday we went to a Cubs game and overheard some 20 somethings talking about how great Leadershape was! thought you might like to hear good chatter out there.

Anne: that is awesome! about 70 different sessions going on this year. that just makes me smile!!!

Linda: yep. we were on the L and we thought of you and how great of a job you guys are doing. felt proud! It made us smile big for you!

Maybe I’ve been around too long (just as the campus institutes were starting) but the idea that someone I know could overhear someone (they don’t know) on a subway train in Chicago talking about how awesome LeaderShape is gives me goose bumps. And it was a really neat thought to have about the viral impact of MORE people experiencing LeaderShape just before going into the Living & Leading with Integrity session. Shared the contents of the text with the Meredith women as an example and thought I’d pass along to you as well."

So thanks to all of you for sharing about your experience with others. You never know who might be listening...

Voice

2011-06-16T11:46:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I was interviewed by a local marketing company who we have worked with in the past as they are doing a project on “voice”. Outside of being slightly uncomfortable having someone taking pictures while being interviewed, I enjoyed the conversation and thought about the concept of voice for quite a bit longer than the actual interview. One of my comments regarding voice was basically that so many people are “yelling” through blogs, Facebook posts, Twitter, etc. that it is hard to hear their “voice”. Made me think that perhaps having a “voice” means absolutely nothing unless you can actually be heard.

So how do we become heard so that this wonderful gift of “voice” truly means something? Hell of a question and I don’t have the answer. But, of course, I have an idea or two. I guess we should start by remembering that yelling usually turns people off and tunes them out to your message. Maybe we should start by not drowning out the truly important messages by using our voice to tell the thousand friends we have (really?) what restaurant you are currently at or taking a picture of your dog sleeping? Maybe we should use fewer words with more meaning given that our attention spans are nil these days? Maybe you don’t have anything to say, but your “voice” shows up in your actions – an act of kindness, a hug, or a wink of the eye that says I believe in you.

I remember the quote “your actions speak so loudly that I can’t hear what you are saying” or something to that effect. My father still tells me that the reason he doesn’t run (or didn’t run in his case) is that perhaps you only have so many steps to take in your life and when you take that last one, you check out. Why waste them running in a circle? Of course, he is making an excuse for not exercising, but what if that principle applied to our “voice”? What if we only had so many words to say in our lives and when we spoke the last one, we were done, checked out, kicked the bucket? How would you share your voice differently? What words would you choose to say?

For someone who can talk much longer than needed, I am going to think about my “voice” much differently for a bit and see what happens. Might even use my “voice” for those that don’t have the same privilege of having their “voice” heard. That would have to be better than using mine to let you know that I am in the airport in Little Rock, Arkansas (no offense intended to Little Rock).

(This is me being quiet now…)

An Attitude of Gratitude

2011-06-10T11:55:00.000-05:00

Some of us on staff just came back from a workshop at the Mayo Clinic with Dr. Amit Sood on attention and interpretation. The two-day experience included all the science behind why it’s beneficial to cultivate and practice things like gratitude, compassion, acceptance, meaning and purpose, and forgiveness. The basics of the neuroscience are that these practices keep us in the higher cortical center of our brain, as opposed to the more “primitive” limbic system, and lead to lower stress and higher resilience (great qualities for leaders to have!).

You can read more about the studies and brain science in Train Your Brain…Engage Your Heart…Transform Your Life, and you can begin a resilience building leadership practice right now. This is my small thought about gratitude and something small and specific you can try today:

Every day we do small acts for people that may cause them to respond with a “thank you.” When these things happen I’ve caught myself replying “no problem,” meaning it’s not an inconvenience for me or isn’t a big deal. Lately, I’ve been trying to be attentive to responding “you’re welcome” or even “I’m happy to” and think silently to myself how grateful I am to be able to do whatever small thing it is I’ve just done. Whether or not someone says “thank you” for my action, I am trying to focus on gratitude. I am grateful to be able to physically hold open a door; I am grateful for the sight that allows me to notice others around me; I am grateful for brief interactions and the positive energy they create. Focusing on gratitude in these situations has helped me to find opportunities for gratitude all around me and more reasons for me to say “thank you” to others as well.

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude can change how we interpret what’s happing around us and is a small, daily way to move us just that much closer to a just, caring, thriving world.

What is in Your Book of Awesome?

2011-05-25T15:57:00.001-05:00

As summer approaches, my tradition is to make a list of all the books I want to read. This year my list is longer than normal- guess I haven’t read enough lately! One of the books on my list is The Book of (Even More) Awesome by Neil Pasricha. It is a follow up book to, The Book of Awesome.

About a month ago as I was getting ready for work, I heard Neil in an interview on the Today Show. I had heard of the book before but hearing him talk about it really peeked my interest. So, I bought the book. Since that time the book has sat on my desk until this week when it became my first book to read from my summer reading list. If you want to check out the book, click here. (http://1000awesomethings.com/book/)

The book is, well, AWESOME! It isn’t kind of book you can open it up and read any page. In the introduction to the book Pasrisha states, “Nobody can predict the future, but we do know one thing about it: It ain’t gonna go according to plan.” He goes on to talk more about his idea for these books and how his real hope is that people are reminded “that the best things in life are free”. As I read these words, I found myself agreeing completely with his thoughts. So often I am looking for the BIG things and I forget about the simple things that make me smile. So for the past few mornings, I have started my day reading this book. It’s refreshing and a great reminder that there are things in daily life that are truly awesome.

Some of the awesome things he write about include:

· When your fries order has a few onion rings stashed at the bottom

· Picking up something that turns out to be a lot lighter than you expected

· When someone saves you a seat

As I’ve been reading the last few days it has given me a reminder to pay attention to the awesome things in my day that make me smile and to appreciate those moments. If I were writing a book of awesome, it would include:

· Hearing a child say they love you

· Talking to friends you haven’t seen in years like no time has passed

· Towels right out of the dryer!

· Getting your inbox to 0

If you were writing a your own personal book of awesome, what would you include?

Mid-Life Unraveling?

2011-05-05T14:53:00.007-05:00

I recently had a conversation with a good friend about the term "midlife crisis" and how it is inevitable that people our age will be going through this stage of life. We took issue with the word "crisis" because it makes it sound so ominous and heavy. Like we need to avoid it at any cost. We are out to change that.

Life for me has come in stages as I'm sure it has for most of you. Well the stage I'm in now is looking a lot like a midlife crisis. No, I haven't bought a sports car, but the music is getting a little too loud, I'm really looking forward to getting in bed by 10pm, I'm growing my hair longer just to prove that I can, blah, blah, blah. So, my friend and I were looking for a better word and I think I have found it. Instead of calling it a mid-life crisis it should be a mid-life unraveling. I can't take credit for this as I read it in a book by Brene Brown. She describes this concept as "a time when you feel a desperate pull to live the life you want to live, not the one you're supposed to live." She goes on to say that the "unraveling is a time when you are challenged to let go of who you think you are supposed to be and to embrace who you are." Maybe being older, I have less patience or less of a filter for those things that are not congruent with who I am. The struggle has been characterized as a "crisis" when perhaps it is me changing and learning to lose the need to please other people so often.

Yeah, I know that most of the participants and graduates of LeaderShape programs are no where near their midlife crisis; however, perhaps they can learn from a few of us older folks some lessons to make their path a little easier. I'm thinking the sooner we all embrace who we are and let go of who we are supposed to be, the closer a just, caring, thriving world becomes.

And then, we can tell you how we used to have to wait for dial up internet service instead of walking 5 miles in the snow to school like our "elders" told us...

Palmer Award Application is Available!

2011-05-02T09:31:00.002-05:00

The Palmer Award is provided each year to two LeaderShape graduates who have participated in a national or campus-based session during the previous year. The award is given to recognize the achievements of those individuals who have demonstrated their commitment to bringing their vision to reality after attending a session of The LeaderShape Institute.

The Palmer Awards began as an endowment gift donated to the Alpha Tau Omega Foundation by Dr. Edmund T. Palmer, Jr. Together the Foundation and LeaderShape provide two $500 awards for a graduate of The LeaderShape Institute who has implemented their vision.

Individuals eligible to apply for this award must be 2010 graduates of The LeaderShape Institute. To view the Palmer Award application, please visit http://www.leadershape.org/PalmerAward2011.pdf. Applications are due June 30, 2011. If you have any questions, please e-mail Kristen Hyman at kbh@leadershape.org .

#3best

2011-04-28T15:42:00.002-05:00

#3best is a hashtag that can be found on Twitter. It can be used as a way to reflect on the highlights of your day and share them with your Tweeps, or Twitter community. I've found myself more and more drawn to this movement. I'm finding that in those moments of thinking about my #3best, I am more connected to the positive things that took place throughout my day. I like how this thinking connects me to gratitude, because I do find myself feeling truly grateful for those daily high points and the impact they make on my life. That gratitude helps me to be more appreciative of the "every-day" and puts into perspective the frustrating moments that are experienced. I guess today, one of my #3best is #3best!

What are your #3best?

LeaderShape: An Evidence-Based Leadership Example

2011-04-22T13:57:00.004-05:00

How do you make the case for The LeaderShape Institute?

Too often we hear participants say things like "you've just gotta do it" or "it was life-changing." And while we agree (we realize we may be biased) with these participants, it's important to note when the work that you are doing is highlighted as phenomenal evidence-based leadership program.

A description of The LeaderShape Institute may be best described in Komives et. al (2011) The Handbook for Student Leadership Development (2nd ed.) that states:

“Examples of evidence-based leadership programming abound. The LeaderShape Institute is a phenomenal example of an individual leadership experience that successfully embeds multiple high-impact learning strategies to enhance student learning. LeaderShape is a six-day intensive retreat experience focused on building college students’ leadership capacities (see www.leadershape.org for more information). The curriculum integrates theoretical leadership content consistent with contemporary philosophies with a delivery that taps into many of the positive influences identified in the literature. Specifically, the program provides extensive opportunities for group interaction that stimulate critical self-reflection. Groups also build trust and engage in experiential learning designed to enhance students’ leadership efficacy as well as capacity. The content incorporates sociocultural conversations both across the curriculum as well as in a focused section that allows participants to delve deeply into issues related to power, privilege, and oppression. Mentoring also plays a key role, with participants interacting with adult facilitators and building relationships that continue well beyond the boundaries of the six-day experience” (p. 79).

We appreciate the fact that such notable scholars in the field have highlighted The LeaderShape Institute as a great example. As we celebrate our 25th Anniversary of the program, we would like to thank the thousands of faculty and partners who share our goal of creating a just, caring, and thriving world. Our success is due to the generosity of so many others. We're proud of our collective work and efforts.

Komives, S. R., Dugan, J. P., Owen, J. E., Slack, C., Wagner, W., & Associates (Eds.). (2011). The handbook for student leadership development (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Who Do You Want To Be?

2011-04-20T15:05:00.004-05:00

Here is a quote that I think really resonates with the teachings of LeaderShape and is often difficult to practice in daily life.

“Do the things you used to talk about doing but never did. Know when to let go and when to hold on tight. Stop rushing. Don’t be intimidated to say it like it is. Stop apologizing all the time. Learn to say no, so your yes has some oomph. Spend time with the friends who lift you up, and cut loose the ones who bring you down. Stop giving your power away. Be more concerned with being interested than being interesting. Be old enough to appreciate your freedom, and young enough to enjoy it. Finally know who you are."

Kristin Armstrong

In the upcoming days, I encourage you to practice a little healthy selfishness! Explore who you are and more importantly who you are becoming.

1.4 Million Reasons to Celebrate 25 Years!

2011-04-12T09:43:00.013-05:00

This weekend, we celebrated 25 years of The LeaderShape Institute with so many participants, cluster facilitators, lead facilitators, guest leaders, and family.

It was a glorious evening and wonderful celebration with 240 of our closest friends.

The LeaderShape staff was able to go through our archives and provide historical pictures, documents, and letters to share our founding and growth that were put on display at the 25th Gala.

A t-shirt wall of dozens of past session t-shirts over the last 25 years displayed the richness and diversity of sessions.

Joe Cimino's "I am LeaderShape" video was shown as the chosen winner to our YouTube contest with over 1100 votes cast. Joe is a current student from St. John Fisher College. To see Joe's winning video, please click here.

We enjoyed the fellowship and friendship with all of those who were able to attend and with all of those who helped us celebrate by wearing your t-shirt, sending in pictures, posting on our Facebook fan page, retweeting our tweets, or sharing with a friend or colleague the impact that the program had on you. We all can share in our collective success!

We are so very proud to announce that the board alone has personally committed $1.4 million toward LeaderShape's 25th anniversary campaign! This is an incredible gesture of leadership!

The board invites you to become involved with our 25th anniversary campaign by contacting our President, Paul Pyrz, at 800.900.LEAD (5323) or by email at lead@leadershape.org or by donating here online. We invite you join us to make our next 25 years even better!

How Fascinating

2011-04-03T14:06:00.004-05:00

In the curriculum for The LeaderShape Institute, I particularly enjoy and connect with the pieces on making mistakes and failure. As a person who struggles when I've blundered or (ugh!) bombed something, these sections continuously provide me with ways to reflect, reframe, and attend to error and my attitude. Right now I'm working to quiet my inner voice (thanks, Zander) in order to move forward.

What lessons from The LeaderShape Institute do you revisit?

Starting Your Week On the Right Foot

2011-03-21T10:02:00.003-05:00

This morning I sat down at my desk for the first time in almost two weeks and immediately I was overwhelmed by the daily tasks of my job. Have you ever felt that way? It can be a paralyzing feeling. For me I get caught thinking that there is so little time and so much to do. I often don't know where to start. I had that feeling this morning. As I sat staring at my computer screen trying to figure out where to start my eyes wandered to a copy of the LeaderShape vision I have pinned to a bulletin board near my desk. I sat there for a moment and read…

VISION

A just, caring, and thriving world where all lead with integrity and a healthy disregard for the impossible.

As I read that the feeling of being overwhelmed slowly went away. I was grounded once again in the purpose of all of these daily tasks. Really for me it isn't about how many emails I need to return or how many glass pebbles need to be ordered. It is about working every day to create this world.

As you start your week, I encourage you to find your grounding. We each become grounded in different ways. It may be by looking at a quote, reading a poem or a scripture that brings meaning to you. I could be revisiting the vision you created a LeaderShape. It may even be picking up the phone and calling someone you are care about. Or simply spending a few moments in quiet meditation. However you find your center, I encourage you do it everyday….never forget why you are involved in the organizations you are a part of, why you do the work you do or spend your time in the way you do. Don’t forget why these things are important to you.

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumblebee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” Ashley Smith, Author

Do You Know Your (Women's) History?

2011-03-08T18:57:00.003-06:00

"We have a responsibility in our time, as others have had in theirs, not to be prisoners of history, but to shape history." - Madeleine K. Albright

A good friend of mine shared on his Twitter account on March 1st, "It's Women's History Month. Just in case you know any."

Today is international women's day.

Women and men have all had significant women role models in their life. But how are you educating yourself, your friends, and those around you about women's history?

The National Women's History Project (founded in 1980) is a good place to start. The site provides great information on news, events, and resources.

So start with yourself. Then spread the word.

"I personally measure success in terms of the contributions an individual makes to her or his fellow human beings." - Margaret Mead

2011-03-03T14:56:00.000-06:00

Star in Our LeaderShape Video!

We’re making a video to celebrate 25 years of The LeaderShape Institute and would love for you to appear in it. Whether you’re a past participant, facilitator, On-Site Coordinator, Program Coordinator or Guest Leader—we want to hear from you.

Whether or not you can make it to our 25^th Anniversary Gala on April 9^th in Chicago, we would love to honor the breadth and diversity of the LeaderShape Community, that stretches from 1986 to today. Take 15 minutes out of your day to be a part of something special!

Take a photo of you holding a sign...

It’s very easy—you don’t even need a video camera! Get complete details including where to send your snaps here: http://tinyurl.com/4886ycd

...we'll add text based on info you share with us!

The deadline is March 15^th so don't delay (we need some time to edit!). Regroup with other LeaderShape friends and have a photo shoot! We’d love to be bombarded with your photos and your creativity.

The video will open our Celebration in April and will be posted to YouTube for everyone to enjoy. Questions? Contact us at lead@leadershape.org.

YouTube Contest Winner

2011-03-01T15:03:00.006-06:00

We are so happy to announce that Joe Cimino from St. John Fisher College is the winner of our first ever YouTube contest. We'll be showing the video at our 25th Anniversary Celebration in April. Want a peak at it? Take a look...

Joe's Video: I am LeaderShape

A huge thanks goes out to everyone who participated in our contest. We received many wonderful videos by people we are so proud to have as a part of the LeaderShape community. We were also overwhelmed by the response to the voting. Thanks to all who took the time to review the videos and voted for the one they found to be most compelling.

Do you have a story about LeaderShape to share but didn't submit a video? You can "Share Your Story" on our website.

Good Enough

2011-02-24T18:31:00.002-06:00

What is good enough? I'm sitting in the Dallas airport on my way back to Champaign thinking. Scary. I know. I'm thinking about my expectations and whether I have set them high enough for myself and for that matter LeaderShape. Jim Collins wrote in his book, "Good to Great" that the enemy of great is being good. We have very few great things in the world precisely because we have so many good things in the world. It is good enough. I'm wondering if there are times when good enough is OK. Hang with me...

So, I'm in the airport because I was just visiting the site for our California national session and it was not perfect. Shocker. I know. It was good. In fact, it was very good. The only trouble I'm having is that it is not as good as "when I went through LeaderShape." I'm wondering how many times do I miss opportunities because they are good because I'm holding out for great. I'm all for striving and having high expectations of everything in my life, but what if it is costing me all that is good right in front of my face.

Hmmm...I still think Collins was right, but I'm going to make sure that my line of sight continues to have my vision as well as what is good, worthy, and noble in my own front yard. Might make the journey to great even that much more enjoyable.

Caring, Courtesy, Community

2011-02-17T13:59:00.004-06:00

An interesting thing has happened to me in the past couple of months. Twice now I have left a business and found that someone had parked so close to my car that I couldn't open the driver's side door. I had to get into my vehicle through the passenger side, crawling over the gear shift to get to the driver's seat. During the week of the most recent "people are parking too close to my car" incident, one of my colleagues had the same thing happen to her.

As you can imagine, many a thought ran through my head (some not so kind). In the end, what I found myself stuck on was what this act, although small, said about caring, courtesy, and community. What do my actions say about my beliefs in regards to caring, courtesy, and community. For that matter, what do your actions say about these things? Are we adding to the community or are we taking from it? Are we all behaving in a way that treats our fellow community members with care and courtesy? If not, let's start.

We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow humans. ~Herman Melville

Bringing the LeaderShape Community Together

2011-02-10T13:35:00.007-06:00

The LeaderShape Institute is turning 25 this year and we could not be more excited! We are planning a celebration in Chicago on April 9^th.

Will you be there? We sure hope so!

As you read this, you might be saying: “Oh, that’s neat that LeaderShape is turning 25. But really, I don’t think this event is for me.” STOP right there….this is FOR YOU!

This anniversary celebration is a chance for every member of the LeaderShape community to come together and celebrate an experience that has been so special to so many people. That is the great part about the LeaderShape community! It may have been 6 months or 16 years since you attended The LeaderShape Institute but every member of this community has that experience in common. What a great opportunity to come together, share memories, catch up with old friends and make some new ones.

The night will start with a reception and an opportunity for people to reconnect with people from their session. We’ll then have a delicious dinner. Followed by a keynote speech from Eric Saperston. Eric is a really great guy who is going to share with us a little about his journey in life and the power that each person has to make a difference in the world. Our celebration would not be complete without some balloons (maybe in castle form?!), great food, flipchart paper and lots of fun.

Here are details about the event: https://www.leadershape.org/25th-Anniversary.aspx

Spread the word and make plans to reconnect with your Family Cluster! We can’t wait to see the community gathered together to celebrate this very special occasion.

Impossible Is A Shared Agreement

2011-02-03T08:29:00.001-06:00

What is "impossible" is a shared agreement.

How many times has someone told you, "you can't do that?" What about "that will never happen." It's enough motivation for any of us to want to prove them wrong.

How many times have people been wrong about what they thought would never happen?

On May 6, 1954 Roger Bannister, a 25-year-old medical student broke the four-minute-mile (3 minutes, 59.4 seconds to be exact). The "experts" said it was impossible. People thought you would die if you tried.

Within 46 days, Roger Bannister's record was broken by another runner. By the end of 1957, 16 runners had ran sub-four-minute-miles. To date, more than 1,000 runners have run sub four-minute-miles, accomplishing it an astonishing 4,700+ times.

Well, it's February. How are your new year's resolutions coming along? Have you gotten committed yet?

The difference between impossible and possible is often how many times you try.

Remember, nothing is impossible unless you say it is.

Perception vs. Reality

2011-01-28T14:54:00.004-06:00

I had a supervisor in my early career provide me with that advice and I've been thinking about it a lot lately. It is so immensely difficult to manage the perception others have of you, your work, your relationships, etc. yet I (and maybe you) spend countless hours worried about what others think (perceive) about us. More times than not, issues that service in our lives, barriers that jump out of no where, are the results of faulty perceptions. We just didn't have the hard conversation. We just didn't take the time to stop and ask, "Is this what you meant when you said that?" It has been said that one's perception IS one's reality. Given that, we all have our own versions of reality. Our purpose and goal should not be to convince someone of our reality, but work hard to understand the perceptions of others to understand theirs. If all of us did that, we would perhaps act a little kinder...lead a little better. Maybe the goal should be to use multiple perspectives to create a collective reality. Hmmm. Nah, that's too deep...or is it?

I'm gonna make it better

2011-01-14T10:43:00.006-06:00

I saw this video today and posted it to our Facebook and Twitter pages. It's a pretty simple and straight forward message, "I'm gonna make it better."

I'm gonna make it better.

I'm pretty lucky to work for an organization that I believe does a great job supporting its community to do just that. Make it better. Whatever "it" is. Each of us has our own passions and causes that motivate us to do good, to make better. All of these efforts contribute to the improvement of our lives, communities, and the world. That's so amazing it's almost overwhelming!

I also appreciate that LeaderShape supports what I want to make better, which is the health of our bodies and our environment through plant-based living. They listen when I talk, eat the (delicious) vegan foods I bring to the office, and are mindful of the places we eat while traveling and the food we order for events. My passion isn't my co-workers passion...but they still support me.

Watch the video. Ask yourself, "What am I making better? Who am I supporting as they make their 'it' better?" Now make it better.

YouTube Contest

2011-01-03T10:47:00.000-06:00

Hello and Happy New Year! We want to start out 2011 with an opportunity to hear from you.

With that in mind, we'd like to announce our first ever YouTube contest! There are so many stories among the LeaderShape community about how being a part of The LeaderShape Institute has impacted lives. We'd like to hear your story.

All of the details that you will need to participate can be found by going to our LeaderShape YouTube Contest information page.

Lights, camera, action!

The Donate Button

2010-11-02T11:30:00.000-05:00

Did you know that LeaderShape is a not-for-profit organization? And did you know that we depend on contributions in order to reach more people with our programs?

The contributions we receive go directly to providing scholarships for participants to attend programs. If you have attended The LeaderShape Institute, you may be someone who has benefited from a donation to our organization. If you have already participated in one of our programs, your contribution could help to provide someone else with the experience, too. Think about it like this…

If every graduate and facilitator contributed $20, we would be able to add $800,000.00 to our endowment.

Wow. That’s a lot of scholarship money! Imagine the impact that would have. Seriously, imagine it. Imagine the number of people out in the world furthering our vision of a just, caring, thriving world where all lead with integrity and a healthy disregard for the impossible. If you ask me, that’s pretty powerful.

Because the act of giving is so important to LeaderShape and the ability to further our cause, we’ve made it easy to contribute through our website by including a “Donate” button right on the main page. We hope you check it out. We hope you decide that you’d like to make a contribution. No amount is too small.

Of course, no amount is too big either. J

Profile PIcture

2010-10-27T15:30:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it’s helpful to be able to put a face with a name, don’t you think? We do!

In order to make it easier for you to have your mug shot, er photo, connected to your LeaderShape profile, we’ve added a new feature to the “My Profile” that allows you to sync your Twitter status and your Facebook photo to your LeaderShape profile.

To do this, go to “My Profile” and scroll down to the “Social Networking Settings” section. Click “Edit” and follow complete the information. Click “Save” and you are all set! Now people can see that good-looking face of yours and you can see theirs.

2011 Cluster Facilitator applications

2010-10-25T14:35:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year again! Cluster Facilitator application time! The application to serve as a Cluster Facilitator for a National Session of The LeaderShape Institute is now available.

Please visit our website to learn more, including how to apply.

Videos Help Tell a Story

2010-10-13T10:37:00.000-05:00

Have you seen the new videos we have on the LeaderShape website? If not, we hope you take a moment to check them out. They were created as a resource to help folks understand the programs that we offer, The LeaderShape Institute and Catalyst. We hope that you find them helpful.

To view the video on The LeaderShape Institute, click “Institute” at the top of the page then scroll down and click play in the video box.

For the Catalyst video, click “Additional Programs” at the top of the page. Scroll down and click “Catalyst.” Click play in the video box below.

Would you like to share or view the opening video again? Scroll to the very bottom of our homepage and click the “View Intro” link located in the left hand corner.

New Website: Login and Contest

2010-10-04T13:40:00.000-05:00

We hope you’ve been enjoying the new LeaderShape website so far. We are excited to share it with you. The feature we’d like to share with you today is the “My Profile” area. (Be sure to read to the end because there is a contest involved! With a prize, of course.)

For folks who have created a profile on our website (if you have ever participated in a session of The LeaderShape Institute, you probably have a profile here), the following information will get you familiar with logging in and navigating your profile.

New “Login” location: To login, you’ll now go to the upper right hand corner of the home page. Enter in your login and your password in the pop-up box that appears when you click “login” and you now have access to your profile. Forgot your password? No worries. Click “Forgotten Password?” and follow the instructions.

My Profile: This is where you will be directed to once you login. You’ll notice that there is a place to update your picture as well as review your contact, work, and education information. We like to stay in touch with our community members so please take a few minutes to make sure that your profile is up-to-date.

My Session Information: If you attended The LeaderShape Institute, you can find contact information for all of the folks who participated in the session with you by clicking the “My Session Info” tab. By staying in touch, the community you created together can continue on after the program has ended. How great is that?

Vision Updates: Often our visions are fluid, growing, and evolving over time. You can update, refine, and even change your vision right in your profile by clicking on the “My Vision” tab. Additionally, you can search for and connect with other participants of The LeaderShape Institute who care about the same issues that you do by clicking on “Vision Search” and following the instructions.

So let’s have some fun with this! Update your picture on your LeaderShape profile and let us know that you have by emailing lead@leadershape.org. If you do so wearing a LeaderShape t-shirt, hat, fleece etc., we’ll enter you into a drawing for one of the LeaderShape shirts we have here in the office. Deadline to enter is Friday, October 8, 2010.

Website Redesign!

2010-09-28T10:57:00.000-05:00

The next time you visit www.leadershape.org, you may be surprised with a new look and layout. That’s right! We’ve redesigned our website.

We feel confident that the new design will make it easier for you to do all of the things you’ve been doing on the website. Just like in the previous design, you still have the ability to learn about our organization, gather information on programs we offer, access resources, and donate to our cause.

Plus…there’s more!

More opportunities to connect with the LeaderShape community. We’d like to share two community-focused features with you today.

Share Your Story – We love to hear what the members of the LeaderShape community are up to. The “Share Your Story” tab on the lower left hand side of our main page is a great place to share YOUR story with us. And by story, we mean a moment, a discovery, a breakthrough…anything that you connect with the LeaderShape experience.

@LeaderShape – We want to stay connected to and interact with our community as much as possible. With graduates and facilitators located all over the world, it can be challenging to do so face-to-face. LeaderShape has accounts on Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, and YouTube. Scroll down to the center light grey box and connect with us! You can also subscribe to the “I am LeaderShape” blog by clicking on the RSS feed button.

Again, we hope that the new design, crisp look, and updated information allows you to navigate the site more easily and provide you with the particulars you are looking for. So take a look. Click away. Let us know what you think.

Palmer Award Recipients!

2010-08-10T17:45:00.000-05:00

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Anne Frank

Once again we are in awe over the amazing work that this year’s Palmer Award applicants have done to help to create a just, caring, and thriving world. Thank you to all of the LeaderShape graduates who shared their stories with us through this process. We are eager to continue to hear about the strides that you make. So don’t stop! Keep going!

We do want to take some time to highlight this year’s recipients. Their passion and the progress they have made on their visions is inspiring and touching. We hope that you are able to capture the essence of the outstanding work they are each putting out into the world.

Jonathan Naber (The University of Illinois)
With a vision to provide affordable prosthetics, Jonathan founded the Illini Prosthetics Team and, in collaboration with his team, began a start-up social venture to provide prosthetic arms to people in developing nations. In his application, he shared that candid conversation, networking, and a resolve to accomplish the vision have served as motivators for him and the group.

Jonathan also developed a website (www.illiniprosthetics.com) to serve as a platform for amputees to convey their concerns for prosthetic arm design as well as aid organizations in obtaining prosthetic arms. As the site grew, clinics in Guatamala, Columbia, Bolivia, India, and Sierra Leone have contacted the group asking for prosthetic arms. Through the connections that have been created through the website, Jonathan and his team were sought out to provide prosthetic fingers to a patient in Ecuador and they are currently testing out three different “concept” arms with ten patients at a partner clinic in Guatamala.

Not only has Jonathan been acknowledged by LeaderShape for the work he has accomplished related to his vision, he was also the recipient of the 2010 Lemelson-MIT Illinois Student prize, recognizing him as the most innovative student at the University of Illinois.

Janelle Legros (Florida State University)
Longing to be an active voice on campus that would educate and inform the student body on issues distinctive to the Caribbean islands and Haiti in particular, Janelle set forth on a path of self-discovery. Through this self-discovery and the encouragement from her fellow LeaderShapers, Janelle chartered the Global Haiti Initiative (http://www.haiti-initiative.com) on her campus. Since then, she has collaborated with other colleges and universities, establishing over 15 additional chapters.

The initial focus of the Global Haiti Initiative was to take on projects that brought to light various issues from education to water sanitation, orphanages to health care, and de-worming to the construction of medical facilities. The focus of the organization changed suddenly when the earthquakes struck Haiti in January.

Demonstrating her ability to work in times of chaos and change, Janelle and The Global Haiti Initiative worked to provide assistance to the people of Haiti by collecting over $3000 in donations and coordinating a mission trip to the country. They have also held a blood drive that benefited Doctors Without Borders’ work in Haiti and sponsored a screening the film “Road to Fondwa” that was accompanied by a discussion.

Congratulations to Jonathan and Janelle!

Accepting Applications for The Palmer Award

2010-04-30T15:14:00.000-05:00

The Palmer Award is given out each year to two LeaderShape graduates who have participated in a national or campus-based session during the previous year (in this case, that's 2009). The award is given to recognize the achievements of those individuals who have demonstrated their commitment to bringing their vision to reality after attending a session of The LeaderShape Institute. The recipients of these awards receive $750 in honor of their achievements.

The Palmer Awards are provided from an endowment gift donated to the Alpha Tau Omega Foundation by Dr. Edmund T. Palmer, Jr. Alpha Tau Omega created the concept of The LeaderShape Institute in 1986 and the Alpha Tau Omega Foundation funded the creation of the initial curriculum design for The LeaderShape Institute.

PALMER AWARD APPLICATION

Why Multiple Sources Of Information Are Important

2010-04-25T12:21:00.001-05:00

It seems lately that everything seems to be characterized as polar opposites. Democrat or Republican. Red or Blue. Fox News or MSNBC. Liberal or Conservative. With us or against us.

The leaders of today and tomorrow need to see past this sucker's argument. Very rarely in life are things just so simple with easy dichotomy. Heck, just do a Google image search of blue states vs. red states and see how many versions different sources show. I've just shown two examples above.

That's one reason we haven't hung our hat here at LeaderShape with any one particular leadership theory. No one author, theory, study, or approach works in a one-size fits all, works every time, way.

One strategy to help you avoid falling into this trap is to seek out multiple sources of information. Look for opinions and approaches different than yours. To illustrate the point of why only looking to one source of information could be dangerous, I'd like to share with you four different takes on the same research study. Each of these articles have a different spin on the same recent study. Notice the different titles:

New EyeDriver technology the future of driving?

Hands off that steering wheel

Driving with your eyes, not your hands

Checking out girls while driving could kill you

Nothing is "wrong" here. Just different takes on the same basic information.

Let's be honest. We're all busy. It's easy to only listen, hang out, and agree with people who already agree with what you think or believe.

But there is a danger in doing this. Part of leadership is not doing the easy, way you want it, version. Effective leadership bringing all voices, people, opinions, thoughts, and ideas together and forges a new way forward that's better for all.

Often there are multiple "truths" involved. No one is saying this is easy. But this is one reason why good leadership can be difficult, exciting, challenging, rewarding, frustrating, and needed.

Why Is Ethics So Important?

2010-03-13T10:51:00.001-06:00

"Business is set up in a way that deliberately pushes the boundaries of ethical acceptability and evolves naturally along a path of ethical ambiguity. This does not arise because of intrinsically low integrity of the entrepreneurs/owners, but because of the genuinely ambiguous role of them." (p. 21)

Pearson, G. (1995). Integrity in organization: An alternative business ethic. London: McGraw-Hill.

The Humanitar-ish Award

2010-01-25T14:16:00.000-06:00

I have to admit. I'm a fan of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

While I do enjoying watching these shows, I don't support these shows as a main source of news for some individuals (my lack of support extends to all tabloid journalism, not just these shows, posing as legitimate news).

That being said, comedy can often provide a reality check. Last week, there was an episode on The Colbert Report that seemed timely:

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Own a Piece of Histor-Me - Original Interview Table

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Economy

Stephen Colbert proposes a Humanitar-ish Award for "outstanding achievement in the field of considering whether to give to charity as long as there's something in it for me."

Colbert does a great job and poking fun at individuals and organizations that seemingly give for altruistic purposes, but come across as though they have alternative selfish motives.

There is no substitute for the real thing.

If you choose to give, give because you really care - not because you want to look good.

New Years Revolutions!

2010-01-04T11:17:00.000-06:00

A few years ago, a good friend and LeaderShape Lead Facilitator, Jeff Cufaude, and I were discussing new year's resolutions. I have to say that I have not been a big fan. I've never understood the concept of waiting until a particular time of year to start or do what you want to do. Why not do it now? Why wait?

Now I do value the taking stock of what you've done, where you've been, and where you want to go.

Jeff suggested I change my language from resolutions to revolutions. Now we're talking...

So for the past several years I've made a list of things that would truly be revolutionary in thinking and doing. And set out to do just that. To put it in LeaderShape terms, it's stretch goals.

I've included a great revolution clip for your inspiration (of course, I'm hoping it really doesn't involve the police).

If you are interested in taking stock of the past year and want to look toward the next year, I think David Allen's most recent newsletter does a great job of posing some compelling questions. Here are his questions:

David's Coaching Tips

For those of you who want more form and structure, here are some questions that can guide you in your 2009 review and 2010 goal setting. When I go through these kinds of questions I like to consider my answers in several areas:

Physical
Emotional
Mental
Spiritual
Financial
Family
Community Service
Fun / creativity / recreation

Completing and remembering 2009

Review the list of all completed projects
What was your biggest triumph in 2009?
What was the smartest decision you made in 2009?
What one word best sums up and describes your 2009 experience?
What was the greatest lesson you learned in 2009?
What was the most loving service you performed in 2009?
What is your biggest piece of unfinished business in 2009?
What are you most happy about completing in 2009?
Who were the three people that had the greatest impact on your life in 2009?
What was the biggest risk you took in 2009?
What was the biggest surprise in 2009?
What important relationship improved the most in 2009?
What compliment would you liked to have received in 2009?
What compliment would you liked to have given in 2009?
What else do you need to do or say to be complete with 2009?

Creating the new year

What would you like to be your biggest triumph in 2010?
What advice would you like to give yourself in 2010?
What is the major effort you are planning to improve your financial results in 2010?
What would you be most happy about completing in 2010?
What major indulgence are you willing to experience in 2010?
What would you most like to change about yourself in 2010?
What are you looking forward to learning in 2010?
What do you think your biggest risk will be in 2010?
What about your work, are you most committed to changing and improving in 2010?
What is one as yet undeveloped talent you are willing to explore in 2010?
What brings you the most joy and how are you going to do or have more of that in 2010?
Who or what, other than yourself, are you most committed to loving and serving in 2010?
What one word would you like to have as your theme in 2010?

So here's to a new decade...and not to incremental change, but rather revolutionary change that makes a much bigger difference.

Learning from LeaderShape

2009-11-23T13:49:00.000-06:00

Mike Severy, currently serves as the Program Coordinator, for The LeaderShape Institute at the University of North Carolina-Pembroke. We came across his post about us, and with his permission along with studentbranding.com, we are republishing it here.

We were honored and sincerely appreciative for Mike's comments. You can find Mike's original post online here. Thanks Mike, for being a great partner with us!

-----

I spent this past weekend in Chicago completing Program Coordinator Training for LeaderShape. Here are three transferable learning points I gained from my time with the LeaderShape Staff and some opportunities for you to make LeaderShape a meaningful experience for you:

Communicate your Brand Consistently and Constantly

LeaderShape’s focus is on teaching young adults to lead with integrity. We started the first evening with a welcome ceremony, and within the first thirty seconds, the president started talking to the group about leading with integrity and the values and beliefs LeaderShape espouses. Every time he spoke throughout the weekend, the same held true – within thirty seconds, he was talking about leading with integrity.

All of the LeaderShape staff members revisited and practiced their values. While each individual person had a sense of self that was uniquely his or her own, the common denominator between all of them was evident. Their transparent, intentional and unapologetic focus on their brand, values and mission was refreshing.

What would our interactions look like if we were positive, transparent and intentional about sharing our beliefs and brand?

Ask Others to Own and Share your Brand

Word of mouth is often cited as the strongest method of information dissemination, but how do you actually use this method effectively? A few years ago, LeaderShape developed their ‘I am LeaderShape’ phrase and gave their brand away to everyone who participated in the program.

The effect had two major consequences. First, it solidified the learning and expectations for participants, essentially requiring them to reflect on: If ‘I am LeaderShape’, and LeaderShape members believe in leading with integrity, then I better follow through. Secondly, by giving away ownership of their brand they extended LeaderShape beyond a pass-through experience for participants into something each individual incorporated into their own being. By doing so, LeaderShape developed a tribe of followers who became disciples of the LeaderShape experience.

What are you doing that is so exciting others want to widely share positive stories about and for you?

Evolve your Brand

While having a strong sense of the LeaderShape brand, the staff actively sought and were open to feedback about their programs and ideas. Their goal was to accurately align perception with reality and further solidify the ownership of their brand by asking you to help define it.

How often have you asked for feedback about your brand?

More importantly, how often have you incorporated constructive feedback to refine and evolve your brand in a manner that holds true to your core beliefs while staying fresh and relevant?

Looking for a Meaningful Experience?

College Students:

LeaderShape, designed for college students, is a an interactive, energizing, and unique experience that includes six days of non-stop self-discovery and learning from practical experiences to build your leadership concepts and abilities.

As an undergraduate, you can participate in two ways. If your campus sponsors one of the campus-based sessions you can register to participate with the coordinating office on your campus. Campus-based sessions occur at a variety of times throughout the academic year. If your campus isn’t listed (and even if it is) you can apply to attend one of the National Sessions. Most of the National Sessions take place at Allerton Conference Center in Monticello, Illinois 20 minutes from the University of Illinois. New for 2010, LeaderShape also plans to offer sessions in Atlanta and Boston to help alleviate travel costs for participants who live further away. A west coast session is also under consideration.

If you choose to apply for a national session, check for sponsors on campus to help offset your cost. The usual suspects include many student affairs offices especially student life, student government, leadership, service, programming and residence life offices. Be sure to check with your academic department (or college on larger campuses) to see what travel funds might be available to support your participation. If all else fails, do a quick search for student travel funding or leadership and see what comes up on your university site.

Graduate Students:

The Cluster Facilitator position is ideal for graduate students. Utilizing your experience, you will be asked to facilitate a group of 8-12 students through the LeaderShape experience. The days are long but incredibly valuable for your personal and professional development. Applications for both campus based and National Sessions can be found on the LeaderShape website. Applications are due by 5 pm Friday, December 11.

High School Students:

LeaderShape is exploring programs that would target high school students, and you can follow their progress and any potential announcements at their website. For now though, do your research on LeaderShape and have the program be an aspirational experience for you until you reach college.

Are you LeaderShape? What do you think? Make it a good day.

Author:

Mike Severy is the Director of Student Life at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Managing an office responsible for student organizations and major campus programs, his role at UNCP is to help students create and find the meaningful experiences in their lives. He views his work through the lens of student leadership development believing that students are developed over time through a series of meaningful experiences.

Cluster Facilitator Applications for 2010

2009-10-21T09:56:00.000-05:00

We are excited to announce that applications to serve as a Cluster Facilitator for a 2010 national session of The LeaderShape Institute are now available!

Please visit our website to learn more, including how to apply.

A Quote So Good, It Has To Be Shared

2009-10-19T19:50:00.000-05:00

An incredible quote from MIT President Emeritus Paul Gray re: The LeaderShape Institute from 2007 - http://bit.ly/4vQhUS

"I've been here almost 50 years, and I've been almost everything--an undergraduate, a Ph.D. student, a professor, president. But I never really understood how magnificent our young people are until now, after having spent six days away with them at MIT LeaderShape," said President Emeritus Paul Gray, who formerly participated as a cluster facilitator."

At MIT, they spend all their time trying to be what we put forward as the model: the intensely rational, smart, driven person. Too often, they don't get to be or explore all those other things that are life," Gray said.

PDF link - http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/techtalk51-15.pd

Put It On Your Resume

2009-08-27T11:19:00.000-05:00

Every so often I do a Google search on "LeaderShape" just to see what's out there and what's new. I'm always surprised what I find.

It could be pictures, videos, or people talking about their experience - most often from The LeaderShape Institute.

With more than 34,000 graduates of The LeaderShape Institute and over 4,000 faculty, LeaderShape is a community that continues to grow.

I have also noticed that many people list on their online resumes that they have attended, participated, or serve as a faculty member for The LeaderShape Institute.

Putting LeaderShape on your resume is one of the best ways to increase your accountability to leading with integrity and to let others know that your a committed graduate.

So go on...and put it on your resume.

Mike

Another "Greatest Generation" is on the way!

2009-08-25T13:36:00.000-05:00

We often get great resources from our campus partners. This is another one.

Dr. Becky Bradley, Director of Student Life and Leadership from Scottsdale Community College, currently serves as the Program Coordinator for the Maricopa Community Colleges session of The LeaderShape Institute in the Phoenix area.

In her email to us she said, "Before clicking and reading it, however, click and read the first link, which is referred to in the second link – just helps to provide a bit of background. For those of us in higher education, I think the commentaries add some additional emphasis and hope to what it is that we do."

1. http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/01/new-greatest-generation-leadership-innovation-bennis.html

2. http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/cs/2009/08/observations_from_a_student_le.html

Thanks for sharing Becky!

We look forward to working with another great generation.

Mike

Miniature Earth

2009-08-25T12:51:00.000-05:00

Recently a LeaderShape Program Coordinator, Lauren Cove from the University of Texas-Austin, shared with us a great resource.

In her note, she said, "It's a great video showing what the world would look like if we had 100 people representing the entire world population." For Lauren, it serves as great motivation to be fortunate for her opportunities and drives her to be motivated to work toward a better world.

We agree with her and wanted to pass along the video to you.

http://www.miniature-earth.com/me_english.htm

Go out and make a difference today.

Mike

World of Possibility

2009-08-21T16:33:00.000-05:00

During The LeaderShape Institute we spend a lot of time thinking about what we are passionate about where we want to spend our time. We then create a world of possibility where our time is spent working on the things we are most passionate about. When we are in that world of possibility our mind wanders to amazing places and creates great things. However, once we leave LeaderShape it might be difficult for us to work in our every day world while at the same time living in that world of possibility.

Last month while I was visiting a camp and conference center in Prescott, Arizona I met two amazing people Mike and Corky. They are the on-site caretakers for the Anytown Camp and Conference Center.

Mike and Corky are able to live in that world of possibility everyday. They loving refer to the Anytown Camp and Conference Center as “camp”. Their hearts and souls are there at camp. Now they have not always been as fortunate to work in a place that directly aligns with their passions but now that they do they could not be happier. They work diligently to serve the participants of their camps; making sure that everyone who comes to there is well feed (yes the food is DELICIOUS!!) and has all of their needs met so that they can fully participate in their program.

At camp there is no hierarchy. Mike and Corky do what needs to get done. While I was visiting the camp, a large delivery truck came by and accidentally knocked out the phone lines to camp. No sooner than it happen, Mike got out his ladder and fixed the phone line. When I saw him doing this, I asked him why he did not call someone from the phone company to come and fix it. He smiled and said, “Well, that would take to long, I don’t want any of our participants to miss an emergency phone call from their parents. Plus, this is what I do and I love it!”

It was the last part of what Mike said that has stuck with me. “This is what I do and I love it.” Mike and Corky have been fortunate to find a career that aligns with their passions. They don’t do this work for recognition or fame. They do this job because they love it. They are amazing examples of servant leaders.

As you think back on your experience at The LeaderShape Institute, where does your mind wander as you think about that world of possibility you want to create? What steps can you take today to bring a little of that possibility into your every day world?

Kristen Y.

Pull Your Manual Off The Shelf

2009-08-12T10:51:00.000-05:00

So when's the last time you've actually looked at your LeaderShape binder?

I thought so.

I find myself in conversations with individuals who have participated in The LeaderShape Institute who say things like "oh, I still have my manual on the shelf."

I want to invite you to dust off your binder and reconnect with the lessons learned. Track someone down from your family cluster. Rework your vision and bring it up-to-date. Commit to one thing you wanted to do, but just haven't had time.

It's never to late to begin something you've always wanted to do.

Mike

Aha Moment Campaign

2009-08-07T12:08:00.000-05:00

The Mutual of Omaha is sponsoring this really cool and interesting campaign called The Aha Moment. For the campaign, an Aha Moment is is a defining moment where you gain real wisdom - wisdom you can use to change your life. They have been traveling around capturing the Aha Moments of people all over the country. How amazing is that? These moments are recorded and posted for viewing on their website. Check it out! I find watching the videos to be inspirational and uplifting.

We learned about the Aha Moment when the LeaderShape staff members were invited to participate during the campaign's stop in Champaign, IL. A couple of us had the opportunity to record our own LeaderShape Aha Moments. We hope you enjoy them (just click the links below).

This posting is not a shameless plug to check out our videos. No, I want more than that from this entry. I want to encourage (challenge?) each of you to take some time to share your Aha Moment! You can be part of the campaign and do so on the Aha Moment website. You can also do this in other ways, anytime you wish. Write about it. Create art about it. Talk about it. Sing about it. Create an interpretive dance about it - whatever! Just Share It. Put it out into the world. Change your life. Change our world.

Kristen H.

Kristen Y's Aha Moment

Kristen H's Aha Moment

Palmer Award Recipients!

2009-08-05T15:05:00.000-05:00

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
—Harriet Tubman (1820-1913); American escaped slave, abolitionist, humanitarian

This year's Palmer Award recipients have been selected and notified...and they certainly are impressive! It's difficult to truly capture all of the passion they have and all of the accomplishments they have made here, but please read on to learn a little bit about each recipient.

Alexis Dennis (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)
Alexis's experience with the Sunflower County Freedom Project, a nonprofit organization that offers students intense academic enrichment and leadership development opportunities, inspired the vision she created at the LeaderShape Institute in 2008. Her vision is for the women and girls in the Mississippi Delta to have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to become successful and take risks in order to pursue their passions and dreams. One of Alexis's steps towards this vision was the creation and execution of the "Health and Self" camp, a six day after-school program that led young people through a series of modules covering topics such as goal setting, values identification, healthy relationships, media stereotypes,and health related topics.

Kathryn Rice (Alma College)
While at LeaderShape, the vision that Kathryn began was to establish health clinics in developing countries that would provide free basic care and children's books to patients, making an impact on both healthcare and illiteracy. Since attending LeaderShape in 2008, one of the steps that Kathryn has taken was to spend a month in Ghana looking after newborns in the Osu Children's House orphanage. While there she came across the World Light of Ministry and began teaching at the school each day before she went to the orphanage.

Congratulations to Alexis and Kathryn!

We also want to take a moment to thank all of the LeaderShape graduates who shared their stories with us through this process. It is wonderful to learn about the impact you are making on the world. Thank you...and don't stop!

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
The Palmer Award is given out each year to two LeaderShape graduates who have participated in a national or campus-based session during the previous year. The award is given to recognize the achievements of those individuals who have demonstrated their commitment to bringing their vision to reality after attending a session of The LeaderShape Institute. The recipients of these awards receive $1000 in honor of their achievements.

The Palmer Awards are provided from an endowment gift donated to the Alpha Tau Omega Foundation by Dr. Edmund T. Palmer, Jr. Alpha Tau Omega created the concept of The LeaderShape Institute in 1986 and the Alpha Tau Omega Foundation funded the creation of the initial curriculum design for The LeaderShape Institute.

Kristen H.

No More Trouble

2009-07-21T14:53:00.001-05:00

I am a big fan of Twitter. The people that I follow bring me laughter, recipes, crafts, ideas, and inspiration. One of my favorites to follow is Ann Curry, from my beloved Today Show. She tweeted this video which I've now watched three times in a row. It gives me a sense of hope and unity. What do you think of it?

FBL

2009-07-02T10:06:00.000-05:00

Each day I get a quote from the Foundation for a Better Life. If you haven't checked out their website, I encourage you to do so. It's great for a little shot of inspiration and hope. I thought I'd share today's quote with you all.

"Trust in what you love, continue to do it, and it will take you where you need to go."

Natalie Godlberg; author, motivational speaker

-Kristen H.

Palmer Award Deadline - June 30, 2009

2009-06-12T11:23:00.000-05:00

Greetings from a sunny day in Champaign, IL! This is a friendly reminder that applications for the Palmer Award are due at the end of this month. Yes, people! June is here.

If you are 2008 graduate of The LeaderShape Institute and you have been making things happen in regards to your vision, click below! We can't wait to read about all of your amazing accomplishments.

Palmer Award Application

Guy #3

2009-06-10T15:17:00.000-05:00

Some of us in the LeaderShape office subscribe to Seth Godin's blog. The entry we received today included this video. Watch the video. Read Seth's blog entry. Start a movement.

Guy #3

Tomorrow’s Headlines…..What a Wonderful World!

2009-06-05T11:08:00.000-05:00

Hi from Day 4 of The LeaderShape Institute at Elmhurst College!

It is quiet around our camp site as our 40 participants are experiencing an earthquake! So, in my down time I thought I would take this opportunity to reflect a little on what I am experiencing this week.

As I sit in the Learning Community, I am surrounded by a world of possibility. The headlines on the walls talk about a world in which no one goes hungry and children love to learn. They describe a society that is free of discrimination and filled with compassion for others. They have created college campuses that provide outstanding educational experience both in and out of the classroom.

I could go on and on about the world in which these participants are going to create. But what is really resonating with me right now is that that these headlines tell us stories of change both big and small. They tell us stories of passion and persistence. These headlines are rooted in the heart of each individual that developed them. They have taken the risk to give a voice to their passions and values in this community and they have been supported. They recognize that the road ahead will be full of twist and turns, ups and downs but they are determined to stay the course because it is important.

At the same time, I realize that this same experience happened for many of other young adults this past month as they experienced LeaderShape. The potential that comes from all of these people following their hearts and pursuing their passion is overwhelming to me but is oh so energizing. As I sit in this Learning Community and envision the world that these individuals are going to create, I can hear the Louis Armstrong song in the background as it ends saying, “And I think to myself….what a wonderful world.” Indeed that is true, what a wonderful world!

Kristen Y.

LeaderShape Grad Determined to Make a Difference

2009-05-22T15:02:00.000-05:00

University of Michigan Wolverine, LeaderShape graduate, and Tampa Bay Buccaneer Brian Griese is giving back as a social entrepreneur. The founder of Judi's House, a children's grief support center opened in honor of his mother, spoke at the "Champion's for Children's Hearts" campaign at the University of Michigan's golf course.

Read about Brian here!

UT LeaderShape Grad Named 2009 Rising Star

2009-05-22T08:53:00.000-05:00

Another LeaderShape grad is making a difference.

Piryx Inc. Founder, Tom Serres, now shares the title of Rising Star with past Rising Stars Karen Hughes and George Stephanopoulos.

Campaign & Elections’ Politics magazine announced on May 20, 2009, Tom Serres, Founder/CEO of Austin-based Piryx Inc, as one of the 2009 Rising Stars. One of the most prestigious honors in politics, the award goes to people 35 or under who have already made a significant mark in political consulting or advocacy. The magazine chose 10 Democrats, 10 Republicans and seven nonpartisan leaders this year out of a pool of several hundred nominees. The Rising Stars will be honored on June 12 in Washington D.C.

Past Rising Stars include Karen Hughes, George Stephanopoulos, David Axelrod, Paul Begala, Donna Brazile, James Carville, Rahm Emanuel, and Laura Ingraham.

“Capping off an historic election year, we received a record number of nominations for this year’s Rising Stars,” said James Klatell, managing editor of Politics. “With so many exceptional young people working in politics today, this was an exceedingly difficult process.”

Tom Serres, 27, is one of the seven nonpartisan leaders recognized this year. Serres is the entrepreneur behind Piryx, a social commerce platform aimed at empowering the little guys of the political world with online tools.

Piryx empowers users with technology to effectuate political and social change. Their web platform offers political aspirants the online tools needed for faster and easier compliance and fundraising, a social networking infrastructure with voters, and other political applications and resources needed for any campaign. Whether Barak Obama or Joe Blow, Piryx presents an affordable web platform to make a difference.

"Our mission is to ignite much needed involvement among the voter community, while allowing candidates at all levels to have the tools and information they need for an equal chance on Election Day," says Piryx CEO Tom Serres.

For a complete list of the 2009 Rising Stars, visit http://www.politicsmagazine.com/rising-stars-2009

The University of Texas-Austin has been a partner with LeaderShape since 1997 and will hold their 29th session of The LeaderShape Institute in May of this year.

Michigan Tech LeaderShape Gets Highlighted

2009-05-21T08:34:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Michigan Tech!

Michigan Tech's session of The LeaderShape Institute was highlighted in a great article in the Spring 2009 Michigan Tech Magazine. Check it out starting on page 4 in PDF or Flash format at: http://www.mtu.edu/umc/services/pr-news/magazine/

Michigan Tech has been a partner with LeaderShape since 1996 and held their 14th session of The LeaderShape Institute in January of this year.

Palmer Award Application Available

2009-05-18T12:41:00.000-05:00

Have you or has someone you know been making some awesome progress on a vision that stemmed from a 2008 session of The LeaderShape Institute? Then check this out - and either apply yourself or encourage someone else to!

The Palmer Award

The Palmer Awards are provided from an endowment gift donated to the Alpha Tau Omega Foundation by Dr. Edmund T. Palmer, Jr. Alpha Tau Omega created the concept of The LeaderShape Institute in 1986 and the Alpha Tau Omega Foundation funded the creation of the initial curriculum design for The LeaderShape Institute.

Palmer Award Application

Keep the Beach Clean

2009-05-14T10:28:00.000-05:00

At the 2009 Florida State University/Florida A&M University session of The LeaderShape Institute, the students and faculty participated in five community service projects in the Panama City Beach area. Students worked to improve facilities at the Boys & Girls Club and Salvation Army service sites, collected qualitative data and cleaned up trash as part of the the "Keep the Beach Clean" campaign, and executed a Sea Turtle Safety Awareness campaign through a partnership with the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The participants engaged in discussions regarding the importance of direct and indirect service, investigated various community issues, and formed collaborative partnerships with community agencies. The students had an opportunity to use teamwork and build relationships in order to create positive change.

The PCB Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau just sent us the following media story on our Sea Turtle Safety campaign:

http://www.panhandleparade.com/index.php/mbb/article/students_promote_sea_turtle_awareness/mbb7716419/

My contact at "Keep the Beach Clean" is also working on a press release for our beach clean up project.

Thanks again to you all for making this very special week a reality for our students and faculty.

-Kellie Gerbers

_____________
Kellie Gerbers
Graduate Assistant, Leadership Programs
Center for Leadership and Civic Education
Florida State University
850-644-1435
kgerbers@admin.fsu.edu

You Never Know...

2009-05-05T11:06:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was pretty exciting for those of us working in the LeaderShape office. I got a call from one of our Lead Facilitators at Michigan regarding the commencement speech given on Saturday morning. Many of you may know Larry Page who is one of the founders of Google, but many of you might not know that he is a LeaderShape grad from one of the University of Michigan campus-based sessions. Anyway, he mentioned his experience at LeaderShape as having taught him to have a "healthy disregard for the impossible" and serving as a catalyst for his development of Google. His speech was so consistent with what we believe about leadership and being a visionary person that we immediately went to YouTube to see if there was a video of it. One was there within 24 hours.

Not that everyone needs to create a company like Google, but wouldn't it be great if everyone did have a healthy disregard for the impossible and lived their dreams. What an amazing place it would be to live and learn.

As we begin over 40 sessions of The LeaderShape Institute in the month of May, let's hope that all of us can continue our quest to lead with integrity and a healthy disregard for the impossible and that maybe someone sitting in those 40 learning communities will be the tipping point that makes it all happen. Maybe that someone is you. You never know...

Take a few minutes to enjoy Larry's speech. We should all be very proud.

www.youtube.com/leadershape

The Biggest Loser

2009-04-28T15:41:00.000-05:00

I love NBC's "The Biggest Loser." My husband and I take time to watch it each week (while eating a healthy snack of course!) and are regularly blown away by what the contestants are able to accomplish. One of the things that I enjoy so much about "TBL" is witnessing the contestants reach what they once perceived as unreachable milestones. In addition to their own commitment, they do this with a lot of support and resources. Awesome support (trainers and teammates) and awesome resources (have you seen that gym?)! Sounds like a pretty great formula for success to me: Commitment+support+resources.

So it makes me think about what seems unreachable to me. Will I shoot for it anyway? Do you? How strong is my commitment? What about yours? Am I in touch with my support systems? Are you? How about resources? How can this formula help me (an you!) reach your milestone?

We may not be on a tv show, but we can all commit to making ourselves and the world a better place. I'm going for it. Are you?

Kristen H.

Sometimes We Forget

2009-04-16T16:33:00.000-05:00

I recently got this quote from a daily e-mail I receive from the Foundation for a Better Life .

“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.” –Woodrow Wilson

Sometimes in the routine of everyday life, I forget why I am really here. And I don’t mean, here as in sitting at my desk typing this post, but why was I put in this place to do this work. I was talking to a friend about this topic recently and they said they felt the same way. Now their “day job” is much different than mine, but it made me think that this is something that lots of people struggle with.

I believe no matter where you are working, this quote rings true. We are all here to enrich the world. So if this is something that others are contemplating, I figure there have to be ways to remember and not get caught up in the tasks list, phone calls, and emails that consume our daily lives. How do you do it? How do you remember why you are doing the work you do?

Kristen Y

25,000 mornings.

2009-04-09T10:44:00.000-05:00

On TV, I recently saw a great commercial. It started with...

"Twenty-five thousand mornings, give or take, is all we humans get."

So what haven't you done, that you want to?

What haven't you said, but want to?

We all need you to be your best. To do the things you dream.

To be the person now, you have wanted to be all along.

The clock is ticking. What will you start today?

Here's the commercial: http://tr.youtube.com/watch?v=ElCe0ILsgLE&feature=PlayList&p=3D527501B8E32A3A&index=0

It's Just Words.

2009-04-02T13:31:00.000-05:00

I was in a recent discussion with a friend about marriage and commitment. Our conversation centered around how and why divorce happens. What happens when your partner doesn't end up sharing the same commitment as you? What can you do? As someone who comes from a divorced family, I was particularly intrigued.

My friend said, "In the end, they are just words."

Wow. I had to stop and think about that. Is that really true? My friend and I both want our words to be congruent with what we do - but what happens if and when others don't agree or don't follow through? And certainly I know I'm not perfect and haven't followed through with every single commitment I said I would do. Heck, I'm not even married, so I can't even begin to provide advice regarding marriage.

But this "actions are louder than words" piece is sticking with me - and, I have definitely dealt with it in other areas of life - personally, professionally, etc. I also know I am not alone.

How do you best have conversations with others about congruence? Without leaving them feeling as though you are judging them. Without coming across as "I'm better than you." How can we best teach the next generation of leaders?

Because in the end, it's more than just words.

Mike

Our new manual

2009-03-26T16:35:00.000-05:00

Now I'm attempting to blog with a picture from my iPhone. I hope it
works because featured here is the new LeaderShape Institute manual
(modeled by staff member Kristen Y). We think it looks hot! Do you?

Blog posting from email

2009-03-26T16:28:00.001-05:00

Greetings!

We are testing out some aspects of Blogger as we work on really getting into a blogging habit. I just learned that you can email a posting and it can either go into drafts or be posted immediately. Apparently you can do the same with photos. How great is that? Especially if we are traveling the world helping young people lead with integrity.

So here I go...this will be my first effort at posting via email. Next will be a posting with a picture from my iPhone.

Kristen H

Looking Forward...

2009-02-06T11:54:00.000-06:00

With all of the negative news these days regarding the economy, jobs, etc., it is harder than ever to radiate possibility. I thought I would provide a brief update on what we are working on in Champaign as we look forward.

I could not be more excited about the future. I am very sincere about that and let me tell you why. In 2010, we will roll out an improved curriculum that helps prepare young adults to lead with integrity in the global community. Later this year, we will unveil a new web site that will help to connect the LeaderShape community better than ever and help spread the LeaderShape message. This December, we will hold the first non-English speaking session of The LeaderShape Institute for the Universidad de las Americas in Mexico. I could go on and on...

These tough economic times provide an amazing opportunity for all of us. It provides time for us to clarify our priorities, simplify our lives and purpose, and rededicate to those causes we truly care about. The same holds true for this organization we love so much...LeaderShape. The staff and I are determined to meet these challenges and come out of it prepared to help an additional 31,000 graduates make a difference in the world while leading with integrity. We need our current and future graduates more than ever.

Wouldn't you agree?

Paul

2009 national sessions

2008-12-01T11:04:00.000-06:00

Dates for 2009 national sessions of The LeaderShape Institute are listed below. See the sponsor page for more information on sending participants to a national session. The national sessions of The LeaderShape Institute are hosted at Robert Allerton Park and Conference Center near Champaign, IL. Dates for the sessions are:

May 12-17
June 23-28
July 28- August 2
August 4-9

Participant registration for national sessions of The LeaderShape Institute will begin on Monday, February 2, 2009. Your sponsor will receive a registration link when they contact us about sponsoring you. They will share the link with you so you can register. Participants will be notified of placement on a continuing basis beginning March 2, 2009.For more information about attending a session, please send email to LeaderShape or call 800.988.LEAD (5323).