For those of you who teach leadership and need a great resource of audio and video clips, the American Rhetoric website has a number of GREAT resources.  Check it out and I am confident you will find something interesting. – SJA

I came across a quote by Jay Conger a few years ago, and it has stuck with me. The quote was in his book, Learning to Lead and it goes like this…”Most would agree that to seriously train individuals in the arts of leadership takes enormous time and resources – perhaps more than societies or organizations possess, and certainly more than they are willing to expend.” There are a lot of leadership “camps” and “sporadic” trainings in the market, but to seriously train someone in leadership, a “camp” (one-six day experience) simply will not do. It can only be a part of a larger process.

Could a world class pianist be developed by attending a 3-6 day learning opportunity? I think not (unless you are working with Mozart). Developing leadership capacity is in some ways similar to developing other skills, competencies, or behaviors – it takes time, consistent practice, coaching, and reflection. Yet many organizations, divisions, and departments are not structured to facilitate this “deep work.” As a result, individuals spend years in organizations with few opportunities to truly grow as an effective leader in a variety of contexts.

One thing is for sure, leadership development is a challenging endeavor. Returning to Conger, he suggests, “The development of leadership ability is a very complex process. It starts before birth, with a prerequisite of certain genes that favor intelligence, physical stamina, and perhaps other qualities. Family members, peers, education, sports, and other childhood experiences then influence the child’s need for achievement, power, risk taking, and so on. Work experiences and mentors shape the raw leadership materials of childhood and early adulthood into actual leadership by providing essential knowledge and behavioral skills. Opportunity and luck are the final determinants of who gets a chance to lead.” I think he is right…

So how do we move past the superficial experiences, fads and the “drive by approaches” and get to the deep work needed to help people be more successful when serving as a leader? Organizations have one half the equation figured out – the experiential opportunity. However, it seems the other half, the consistent coaching, feedback and a culture of development may be lacking. What do you think?- SJA

I am always interested in the multiple ways individuals and organizations approach leadership development. Now if you happened to read my post, “Leadership Development?…Hmmmm” you will know my bias. However, I attended a session conducted by The Ariel Group more than a year ago and was intrigued by their methodology. The Ariel Group uses theater-based experiential learning in its leadership development programming. I had an enjoyable two days and did learn how acting techniques and tools may apply to leadership. – SJA

Yesterday, I highlighted a resource that showcases several great leaders. Today’s resource does the same, but focuses on individuals who made a difference at a young age. If you work with youth, then be sure to check out these important books – Boys Who Rocked the World, Girls Who Rocked the World and Girls Who Rocked the World 2. Each book contains a number of case studies about young men and women who made some impact on the world. From Tiger Woods to a young activist named Kory Johnson, these books teach children that one does not have to be an adult to make a difference. – SJA

Looking for come case studies on great leaders?  The Center for Public Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University has compiled a list of America’s Best Leaders.  Check it out! – SJA