Susan R. Komives posted the below update to the “Leadership Network Listserv” at the University of Maryland on June 25, 2008. Very interesting stuff… Check it out! –Casey

From the World’s Future Society Listserv–

HOW YOU LEAD – http://www.howyoulead.org/

The Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government teamed with the Ken Blanchard Companies in May to identify the key questions we should be asking those who wish to lead us. Though the questions are specifically geared toward the U.S. presidential candidates, the issues are appropriate for anyone seeking to become a leader or to improve his or her leadership abilities. Among the leadership-probing questions suggested:

• What are your five core values, and how will they shape how you lead?
• What experiences have helped you deeply understand the mind-set and values of other cultures?
• Can you share some examples of when you were a catalyst who brought groups with polarized opinions together so that all voices were at the table?
• Tell us about a time when your judgment was tested in crisis. What do you want us to appreciate about your judgment?
• How will you create an environment for innovation within your leadership team?

The site also invites visitors to contribute their own leadership questions.

I recently got back from a global study in South Africa- looking at the K-16 educational system there. Something that really fascinated me regarding leadership involves one of the biggest challenges facing K-12 (called R-12 there) education- teachers’ attendance at school. No, not the children’s, but the teachers’! Every given day 18% of teachers are not at school, and sadly the situation is worse off in lower-income, all-Black schools. Naturally the leadership question about commitment and responsibility come in around teachers’ attendance- but looking at the larger system there is another factor key in this- lack of leadership in the principals and their equivalent of superintendents in the school system. There were schools that we visited that the principals (and vice-principals) weren’t there, and no one really knew where they were. It’s not uncommon for principals to rarely show up, and when they do they are drunk. No wonder the teachers fail to show up- they have poor leadership in the schools, and they probably feel cheated when they work hard and their principal isn’t present.

Now we met some amazing principals that certainly are the opposite of this problem. We were at a rural, under-funded, all-Black school with all township children that was absolutely amazing! The principal was beyond dedicated, she was active with the teachers and in the classrooms- and this school was having 100% of their seniors pass their exit exams (normally schools with this demographic have only 60% -70% pass these exit exams). All the students who would be graduating this year has jackets that said: “Destiny Awaits, Keep Walking- Matric 08″- and they word them with pride. The teachers were engaged and cared, and the students reflected this too. This certainly demonstrated to me the effect we can have on each other and the larger system in effectively taking up our roles and responsibilities. Here is an article about a girl from this school…Paige Haber

I came across this very inspirational video on YouTube.

I’m sure a unique context surrounds each of the brief yet powerful examples in the video. Nonetheless, each one forces you to rethink the idea of success and how one person comes to influence many people. Often it’s easy to forget that the great individuals of society we essentially take for granted usually do not have a direct path to the mountain’s summit. – Jim Meehan

I have been reflecting lately upon our (society’s) constant need or quest for happiness. So many books, DVDs and so on about creating a happy life. So much advertising aimed at making us happy. 

I order a coffee at a café and I am instructed to “have a good day”. I always railed against it just because I have a problem with authority and hate being told what to do… but what if having constantly good days was your life?

I receive letters/emails ending with “hope you are happy”. I send emails that way too – but not so often lately. How would you ever experience the full range of what life has to offer?

My favourite genre of music, the blues, would never be, if everyone was constantly happy.  I guess much of the famous art of this world would be absent too. Maybe we didn’t always seek to just be happy. Maybe at sometime in history (and I am no historian) we sought something else.

Happiness is just one of so many different human emotions. Who elevated to the number one spot?

I am also reflecting upon the question – if not happy – then what? What am I seeking? What difference would it make if I decided that I wanted to experience the FULL spectrum of human experiences? It would mean I would have to be very brave. I am not sure I am strong enough. It scares me to even contemplate it. Maybe this answers why we (society) seek happiness – we are just scared we are not strong enough. I would wager that some of you know much more about this than me – I have led such a privileged and sheltered (happy) life.

I wonder how deep this quest for happiness runs? How much it stops us from doing things we might otherwise?

Just a thought…

Josie

Just wanted to pass along some more great resources related to Leadership Development. Bill Pullen a good friend, and grad school classmate of mine, is President of Pullen Associates. They are an executive coaching and organizational development consulting firm based out of Washington, DC. In addition to providing resources on his web site, he also publishes a free, monthly, newsletter called “Insights” that focuses on a different topic each month. Check out the archive here. Bill does some pretty amazing work with a wide variety of clients and organizations across the country. Take a look!! -Casey