C of I PowerPoint

+Developing Value Congruence and Balance to Foster Student Leadership Development

Ben Correia ‘01Project Manager and Research Assistant for the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership

+Today’s Overview

Setting the stage for today

What is leadership, the Social Change Model of Leadership, and the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership

The power of mentorship

Centering ourselves through Consciousness of self Congruence Commitment

Resilience to persist through adversity and promote positive change

+My Journey & Style

What led me here…

I believe that we all see the world and knowledge differently based on our backgrounds and life experiences.

I believe we all have truth and wisdom to contribute I am not the end all and be all of today’s topics

Living in the tensions is a theme of my life and work This lens will be apparent in some of our conversation today

+Contemplation from the Balcony

Jesuit ideal of contemplatives in action

Heifetz analogy of the balcony and the dance floor

Today we get to enjoy some time in the balcony; in contemplation We may have other stressors on our minds, but let’s do our best to

leave these at the door and embrace the opportunity today

+ The Carrot, Egg, and Coffee Bean

+What is Leadership?

Some basic assumptions moving forward: Leadership is a process not a person Leadership can be taught Leadership is values based Leadership is predicated upon change

+ “Leadership is a purposeful, collaborative, values-based process that results in positive change.” Komives, Wagner, & Associates, 2009, p. xii

+Social Change Model of Leadership Development

+The Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership Started in 2006 by a team of researchers at the University of

Maryland

Over 300 institutions all over the US have participated in this study Private and public Large and small Religious and secular Ranging from baccalaureate to research-focused

Approximately 350,000 students have participated in this study

+The Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership Outcomes we study

Leadership Capacity Leadership Efficacy Complex Cognitive Skills Social Perspective-Taking Collective Racial Esteem Leadership Aspirations Resiliency

+Major Findings about Leadership Development Women have higher capacity for leadership than men but lower

efficacy

Developmental sequencing is important

Key factors influencing leadership development Socio-cultural conversations Community service Internships Mentoring

+Mentoring Matters

Can build student leadership efficacy (strongest findings for mentoring relationships with administrators) Through vicarious experiences watching the mentor Through encouragement to enact leadership

Can build leadership capacity (strongest findings for mentoring relationships with faculty members) Through content expertise within respective areas Advise for navigating difficult political systems

Different findings pertained to mentoring relationships with all groups Faculty, staff, community members, employers, family, and peers Findings varied by demographics and outcomes

+Each of you matter as potential mentors to students.

+Our mentors

Think of one or to mentors who have influenced you

What struck you about them? Why do you think you felt a connection to them? What did they stand for? How did they carry themselves

Turn to a partner near you and discuss your experiences with mentors What do you find in common about your mentors?

+ So why can’t we be powerful mentors to students and each other?Can mentoring in and of itself be seen as an act of leadership?

+Powerful Mentors

Need to be centered in their authentic selves in order to positively influence others Genuinely seek to understand ourselves Understand our deep-seeded values and act in congruence with those

values Commit to a vision or cause that gives you some direction and

motivates you to continue forward

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Time to Stretch

+Consciousness of Self

Awareness of the beliefs, values, attitudes, and emotions that motivate one to take action (HERI, 1996)

This is a life-long and cyclical process Personality and talents stay relatively consistent Life experiences though may change beliefs, values, and attitudes

+Cura Personalis – Care for Self and Others We need to have a clear understanding of ourselves in order to

make decisions to care for ourselves. Only when we properly care for ourselves can we properly care for

others

More and more we see students who are over-extended, over-scheduled, over-worked What example are we setting for them?

+Cura Personalis How do you achieve the appropriate work – life balance?

How do you know when too much is too much at work? Work will never feel like sitting on the beach, but it shouldn’t feel

like a torture chamber either. How do you find the right balance between feeling challenged and

feeling comfortable at work? What are some positive coping mechanisms that you use?

When the stress is getting to you, what helps you to work through these times?

Do you know how to appropriately advocate for yourself in the work environment? This can look very different with different offices and supervisors.

Understanding yourself and your supervisor can help significantly in this process.

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Interesting factIn a recent study, we found that one’s consciousness of self is significantly related to one’s resilience.

+Congruence

Thinking, feeling, and behaving with consistency, genuineness, authenticity, and honesty towards others; actions are consistent with most deeply-held beliefs and convictions (HERI, 1996)

Have you had an experience with someone who has not acted in congruence with his/her values? What were your thoughts of that person?

We can loose respect and trust of others when we don’t act in congruence. Difficult to mentor others when they don’t respect you Difficult to influence others when they don’t trust you

+Values Clarification

Circle all values that resonate with you the most

Review which ones you have left to narrow to seven values Do some correspond with others you have circled?

Which ones would be root constructs? i.e. Knowledge and Curiosity

One could say curiosity is the process of seeking new knowledge

+Values and Action Congruence

Reflect on some examples of how people may see your top values reflected in daily action. If you know each other well enough, group members may be able to

give examples of how they other members enacting their values.

What actions may be inconsistent with your values? Share with your group based on your comfort level

How do you think you congruence or incongruence influences the way you are perceived at work? By students?

+Commitment

The psychic energy that motivates the individual to serve and that drives the collective effort; implies passion, intensity, and duration, and is directed toward both the group activity as well as its intended outcomes (HERI, 1996)

What drives you to do the work you? You chose this line of work for some reason? You chose College of Idaho for some reason?

+Slipping Commitment

Commitment can easily wane in the midst of daily, mundane responsibilities and actions.

Reminds me of Diana Eck’s understanding of the sacred and the mundane Mundane Sacred

So then how do transform the mundane into the sacred? How do we transform the way we conceptualize our work in order to keep the larger purpose and value in mind? What are practical ways you can help reinvigorate your passion for

your work? How do you incorporate reminders to help you see the ultimate

purpose of your work?

+Long Term Commitment

Committing to a cause or complex change Doesn’t happen quickly Novelty wears off, new obstacles pop up, competing opportunities arise

Reflection Song

Critical hope Understanding the realities of the challenges ahead but maintaining hope

by celebrating the small steps that move us toward the larger goal. We must also understand ourselves and care for ourselves in the process.

If we don’t care for ourselves, we can’t care for others

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So what does this all mean?

+Navigating the Tensions

We all experience internal tensions: Talents that don’t match with passions Values that conflict in certain cases A path toward a commitment that challenges our values

We all experience external tensions: Job expectations that push against our self care or values Competing opportunities that challenge our sense of commitment Life experiences that cause us to questions previously held values

That’s when we step up into the balcony Time in the balcony looks different for different people

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When we have a realistic consciousness of self, act in congruence with our values, and commit to causes that motivate us, we then live centered and authentic lives that inspire others and allow us to navigate change. We can serve as powerful mentors to others We can act with intention We can positively impact people around us We can make positive change in our communities …

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…we can be the coffee bean.