December 2012 SLPKC Newsletter

Leadership Case Study Edition

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Welcome from THE SLPKC CHAIRsIt is with great excitement that we welcome our over 4,000 SLPKC members!

On behalf of our SLPKC Leadership Team, we trust that this has been a productive and successful semester of leadership programming on your campus. As noted in this edition, our Knowledge Community has collected submissions of leadership development experiences with students at the many institutions we represent. As the mission of the SLPKC states,

“(We) serve as a resource for higher education professional who have a profes-sional interest in young-adult (i.e., college students) leadership training, education, and development. The Community will share best practices, provide critical eval-uation of the field, examine standards for leadership programs, support national and regional efforts to develop student leader-ship programs, make contributions to the literature, recognize exemplary programs, and cultivate a forum for the presentation of new ideas.”

Through staying true to our SLPKC Mission, we are excited to disseminate this wealth of knowledge and experiences with our over 4,300 members. As practi-tioners, it is important that we realize how

truly important the exchange of best prac-tices are throughout our profession, and how we can best use this knowledge to improve our leadership offerings.

It is our hope that you take this upcoming holiday break to reflect, rejuvenate, and revitalize your leadership programs through the case studies presented in this edition of the SLPKC newsletter.

Our best,

Michael Baumhardt ([email protected])

Sherry Early ([email protected])

SLPKC National Co-Chairs 2012-2014

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Meet your

Editors

Adam Cebulski works with OrgSync and

holds his MSEd degree in Higher Education

Administration and Policy (concentrating

on strategic planning and leadership

development) from Northwestern

University. His background has focused

on strategic planning and assessment for

student affairs divisions and departments

at a variety of institutions.

During the NASPA conference in Phoenix

this year, Tom realized that in order to preach

the benefits of leadership and involvement to

students, he should also be involved. He looks

forward to working with you. As Newsletter

Co-Coordinator, he will work to solicit, edit,

and compile content as well as assist with

the layout and design of the newsletter. He

hopes that you will be willing to submit content

regularly and encourage others to do so.

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NASPA KC Online PublicationTake advantage of our continuing education offerings!

It is with great delight that I present to you our Fall 2012 NASPA Knowledge Commu-nity Online Publication. Please access the publication via our KC main page. Scroll down a bit and you will see it featured with a graphic of the front page:

http://www.naspa.org/kc/default.cfm

Again, we thank all of the KC’s for submitting an article and for the authors who took their time to write on important topics. It is our hope that you share this widely with your members and/

or at your upcoming NASPA regional conferences. Please also don’t forget to send the link to your authors.

Thank you all again for this outstanding piece that contrib-utes to our creation and dissem-ination of knowledge for our association.

Sincerely,

Evette NASPA National KC Director

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The Emerging Leaders Program is open to any first-year student at Pacific Lutheran University. Two years ago, we partnered with our Admission Office to link scholarship recipients to the program. This new dimen-sion to the program is known as the Scholar Series, it strengthens our academically gifted students’ experiences on campus by inten-tionally linking them with first-year programs.

Scholar Series holds approximately 10

workshops each semester, often in part-

nership with other offices or by attending a

campus-wide lecture together, in addition

there are three workshops offered each

January Term (J-Term). The program

uplifts campus resources, encourages

students to meet faculty, staff, and student

leaders, and connects them with other first-

year students. Participants are asked to

reflect upon their goals, identify meaningful

involvement opportunities, and partici-

pate in student leadership programs. The

program devotes fall semester to going

in-depth on important topics that were briefly

covered during new student orientation.

Workshops focus on presenting campus

resources and programs to students in an

accessible way. The J-Term builds upon

our first-year student retreat, EXPLORE!,

and focuses on character strengths and

positive student development. Workshops

focus on students’ understanding their

strengths and preparing for their second

semester at PLU.

Program SPotlight Congratulations to the spotlight program of the quarter, Scholar Series at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA.

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Spring semester is centered on our mentor program and providing students with outlets to practice leadership skills. Students are able to be apart of the Emerging Leaders team that develops a scene for our Tunnel of Oppression program, join a campus committee, or meet one-on-on with a student leader who shares similar interests.

Scholar Series participants are required to participate in our common reading program dur-ing new student orientation, attend at least three fall workshops, attend the Emerging Lead-ers retreat, one J-Term workshop and two spring workshops. Students receive credit for attending the workshops by submitting a reflection form. The event reflection form uplifts our university’s integrative learning objectives, which were adopted by our faculty in 1999, which were adapted by the Student Involvement and Leadership department to reflect the objectives of a co-curricular setting. Students are asked to identify a learning objective that the workshop helped them learn about, practice, or explore.

Intentionally linking students to the Scholar Series workshops has given PLU the ability to extend the new student orientation program and deliver information and resources in a more time appropriate fashion. Students were also looking for more chances to interact with one another in a social setting. They have come to see the Emerging Leaders/Scholar Series group as a community, elevating our concerns that there would be a divide between the two groups.

The Emerging Leaders and Scholar Series program exemplifies the SLP KC mission state-ment by encouraging first-year students to ground their leadership experiences in their tal-ents, values, and interests. Students are encouraged to start with the self, and then identify meaningful opportunities. It is a program that utilizes the talents of our upperclass student leaders and encourages strong relationships across campus.

Scholar Series is coordinated by Amber Dehne Baillon, Associate Director of Student In-volvement and Leadership

Amber Dehne [email protected]

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Following is LeadingMuch has been studied and written about leadership – skills, qualities, personalities. But what about followers? Traditional approaches to leadership (and sometimes leadership education) are top-down/hierarchical leadership is often attributed to people in leadership positions who possess a set of specific qualities or skills to get the job done.

Brenda McKenzie Teaching Assistant College of Education, Health and Human Services, Founda-tions, Leadership and Adminis-tration Kent State University

As Seteroff (2003) asks,

“However, what are we, at

lower levels of our organi-

zations, to do when we see

the need for leadership and

change in our own organi-

zation but we do not have

the support of our hierar-

chical superiors to make

change a reality?” (p.1). In

recent history, leadership

models and theories have

shifted to be more focused

on relationships and shared

leadership (i.e. Rela-

tional Leadership Model,

servant leadership). These

recent models/theories

directly and indirectly lend

credence to the importance

of the concept of followership as an aspect

of leadership. Leaders cannot accom-

plish goals and implement change without

followers.

As Kelley (1988) defines a follower as one

who pursues a course of action on common

with a leader to achieve an organizational

goal. As we design and implement leader-

ship programs, we have a responsibility to

educate students on the concepts of follow-

ership as well as leadership. Students need

to develop an understanding of the inter-

connectedness of leaders and followers –

they need each other.

Chaleff (2003) states, “We need a model [of

followership] that helps us embrace rather

than reject the identity of follower” (p.1). To

that end, Chaleff developed a model of the

five dimensions of courageous followership

which is outlined below.

Courage to assume responsibility

Followers don’t expect leaders to give

them direction or permission to act. The

authority to act comes from the followers’

understanding and owning of the group’s

common purpose. Example: As a member

of an organization’s event planning

committee, taking the initiative to submit

an ad to the student paper without needing

to get permission from the chair.

C o u r a g e t o s e r v e

Followers are not afraid of hard work. They

are willing to stand up for the leader and the

tough decisions that person has to make.

Example: As a member of student govern-

ment, backing the president’s support of a

university initiative that is unpopular with a

number of students.

C o u r a g e t o c h a l l e n g e

Followers are willing to voice when they are

uncomfortable with a leaders’ behavior or

policies. They are willing to take a stand,

when appropriate. Example: Challenging a

student organization president when they

make disparaging comments about less

involved members of the group.

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Courage to participate in transformation Followers champion the need for, and help lead change. Example: Working on a resi-dence life committee to implement required social justice training for hall council officers so that perceived discrimination is decreased in the halls.

Courage to take moral act ion Similarly to courage to challenge, followers know when it is right to take a stand different from the leader. They recognize this may involve personal risk, but know it is right in service to the common purpose. Example: Taking a stand against hazing in a Greek organization by not participating and then reporting the hazing to the Greek life office.

Using Chaleff’s dimensions, there are a number of ways and various activities that one could use to incorporate followership into leadership programs. Followership could be addressed as a concept in an on-going program such as a course or a semester-long experience. This could be accomplished as a standalone topic and/or a concept that is referenced throughout the program. This could be a topic offered in one time expe-riences such as leadership conferences or workshops. It can be addressed in training sessions or retreats with student organiza-tion officers in connection to discussions on delegation or motivation. It can be addressed in reflection activities through the use of ques-tions such as [insert question]. Or it could be a topic of conversation, one-on-one, with students in either role about the purpose of their role and how to connect effectively with the other.

Some other activities that could be used include:

• Use of the video, “Climbing Blind,” about a blind man who climbed Mt. Everest (see also the article in About Campus). One way to use the video is to analyze when members of the climbing party take on leadership roles and when they follow.

• Use a followership qualities check-list that allows students to rate their level of ability on different qualities when playing the follower role. Lower scores can then help students develop action plans for ways to enhance those skills.

• Many team building type activities exist that lend themselves to different members taking the lead at different times. Processing questions can be tailored to reflect the fluidity of leaders/follower roles and how that contributed (or not) to the accomplishment of the activity’s goal.

• Student leaders can be challenged to be a follower at their next meeting and to then reflect on that experience – what they experienced and how that could help them be a better leader.

• Identify people who have exhibited the five dimensions of courageous follower-ship. Have students share what that person did that reflects that dimension.

• Use case studies that put students in the followers’ position related to the five dimensions (i.e. leaders make statements about a new initiative that goes against the organizations’ purpose).

These are just a sampling of possibilities. To truly provide a fuller view of leader-ship, it is important to expose students to the concept of followership. Hopefully this article has provided some insights for ways to address in your campuses leadership programs.

References

Chaleff, I. (2003). The courageous follower: Standing up to and for our leaders, 2nd Edition. San Francisco: Berrett-Roehler Publishers, Inc.

Kelley, R. E. (November/December 1988). In praise of followers. Harvard Business Review, 142-148.

Seteroff, S. (2003). Beyond leadership to followership: Learning to lead from where you are. Victoria, B.C. Canada: Trafford Publishing.

Following is Leading Continued...

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SLPKC Partners

With OrgSyncSubmitted by Evan Witt, KC Sponsorship Chair

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We are proud to announce an official part-

nership of the SLPKC and OrgSync. This

partnership is the product of many conver-

sations between both parties to determine

how we can best serve each other. The

current partnership agreement is for two

years and will be revisited in 2014.

Within this partnership OrgSync will be

helping to develop a SLPKC membership

database, as well as maintaining confer-

ence registrations, and offering support

for web based initiatives. In return for

these services the SLPKC will provide

space for OrgSync to share information

about their various products and services

within the SLPKC.

This partnership is just the beginning

of the KC’s growth in the area of fund-

raising and sponsorships. These kind

of mutually beneficial relationships will

greatly enhance the work that we are able

to do within Student Leadership Programs.

Our capacity for knowledge sharing will

increase as we develop ways to better

serve the students that we work with.

We want to formally thank OrgSync for

their collaborative spirit and we look

forward to many years of enhancing the

work we do!

For more information on OrgSync, please visit www.orgsync.com

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Dr. John Dugan Dr. Susan Komives Dr. Corey Seemiller

Dec 9-11Leadership

Educators InstituteThe Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA December 9 – 11, 2012

For more information and conference updates, visit the web site, http://www.naspa.org/programs/lei/default.cfm.

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The Leadership Educators Institute is just around the corner. There is still time to register; go

to http://www.naspa.org/programs/lei/registration.cfm. The hotel block at the Hyatt Place –

Columbus/OSU is sold out. For other hotel options, visit http://www.naspa.org/programs/lei/hotel.

cfm. Please note that there are not blocks of rooms at these hotels; contact the hotel directly to

make a reservation.

The program schedule is being finalized. The list of conference sessions will be posted on the

website shortly. In the meantime, check out the Schedule-at-a-Glance at http://www.naspa.org/

programs/lei/schedule.cfm.

Our opening keynote will be John Dugan from Loyola University Chicago. He will be talking about

the latest Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) and how the data can be used/applied

to our work. Our closing keynote will be Corey Seemiller from University of Arizona; she will be

talking about the leadership competencies/outcomes they developed and how we could apply

those to our work. Susan Komives will be a “special guest” and will be interviewed in an Actor’s

Studio type setting.

Transportation, at specific times, will be offered between the hotel and the Ohio Union where

the conference will be held. Specific times will be shared in a mailing to participants prior to the

conference as well as signage at the hotel and the Ohio Union. Parking at the hotel is free and

discounted parking will be available at the garage at the Ohio Union (passes can be purchased

at registration).

Hope to see you all at the LEI and make sure

to join us Monday, December 10 at 5:15pm at

Sloopy’s in the OSU Union!

Brenda McKenzie Associate Director

Center for Student Involvement Kent State University

16Encouraging the HeartAn Amazing Student Engagement Experience

You…You…are…AWESOME! These

were the words that started the first

clip during our leadership workshop.

To see the video click here.

Bowling Green State University’s

Center for Leadership hosts workshops

throughout the year for skill enhance-

ment, reflection, and overall leadership

efficacy. The student interaction we

would like to share was as co-facilita-

tors for a workshop based on Kouzes

and Posner’s “Encouraging the Heart“

principle from The Leadership Chal-

lenge. We spent time discussing the

seven essentials of encouraging; 1) set

clear standards; 2) expect the best; 3)

pay attention; 4) personalize recognition;

5) tell the story; 6) celebrate together;

and 7) set the example (Kouzes &

Posner, 2003). In an effort to engage

the audience, we tried to make the

workshop as interactive as possible by

both providing examples of each of the

essentials and asking attendees to share

ways they can encourage the heart and

build relationships with their constituents.

“Leadership cannot be exercised from a

distance. Leadership is a relationship”

(Kouzes & Posner, 2003, p. 29). During

this hour-long session, we met under-

graduate students who were beginning

their leadership journeys while others

had been leading their student

organizations for more than a year. However,

regardless of how established the leaders were—

they all recognized the need to encourage, motivate,

care about, and maintain positive relationships with

others. Some of the ideas generated were to create

personalized motivational thank you notes, host a

recognition-themed meeting, celebrate successes

(group and individual), and take the time to let

others know you notice and value their contribu-

tions. After engaging in great dialogue, we closed

with another clip that embodies all seven princi-

pals of encouraging the heart or copy/paste http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVnTBt0UONU We

had a great time meeting these amazing student

leaders and presenting on a topic near and dear

to our hearts.

If you would like a copy of our PowerPoint presen-

tation to share with your student leaders, please

email:

David Sleasman,Graduate Student Senate President, Bowling Green State University [email protected]

Sherry Lynn Early, Research Assistant B o w l i n g G r e e n S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y [email protected]

References Kouzes & Posner (2003). Encouraging the heart : A leader’s guide to rewarding and recog-nizing other. San Francisco, CA.: Jossey-Bass.

Kouzes & Posner (2007). The leadership chal-lenge. San Francisco, CA.: Jossey-Bass.

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S h e r r y ’ s p e r s p e c t i v e :

The leadership development encounter we want to share has been ongoing for nearly six years. I met Matt Cooney after he returned from a study abroad experi-ence in Mexico. I was hired as an assis-tant director and Matt asked me—“Who are you and why should I care?” A bit brazen, but forgivable. Once I told him about my experiences and why I was hired it was like at first sight. Matt and I connected instantly. Things got even more intense when I was his instructor for his internship and he had to be account-able to me online. Sometimes that can destroy a relationship, but for Matt and I it strengthened it. The feedback I provided Matt made him trust me. The encourage-ment I demonstrated made him believe in his abilities and helped him purse a career in student affairs. Thereby, when Matt determined he wanted to purse a master’s in student affairs I was elated! And for him to turn to me as a reference, resume reviewer, and mentor humbled me.

M a t t ’ s p e r s p e c t i v e :

My interactions with Sherry during my undergraduate career left me with a key lesson that I incorporate my professional career as a college student educator. The lesson is to make yourself available to students as you neverknow how a simple interaction can turn into a ifelong mentor/mentee relationship. As administrators, we often are caught up in the day-to-day aspects of our job in addition to the “other duties assigned”, but we must keep in mind that most leadership development in college students happens outside of the standard formalized leadership programs. No matter the day or time, Sherry was available with an open door and its the interactions with her that served as a catalyst for my future career decisions, but also served as a way to develop and reflect on my leadership style and skills.

The Reciprocal Cycle of Mentoring

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We believe in the power of lifelong learning. I learn from Matt consistently. Such was the case when I determined I wanted to pursue my doctorate. Matt was in his master’s program, but he served as a student reference for me and gave me feedback on MY resume! That was when I realized mentorship is a reciprocal process. This is not where our story ends. Matt got his first post-master’s position and I helped him determine fit. The first time Matt and I experienced being at the same level as professionals was at the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) Summit. Matt was a member of the re-search team. I was a contributor/participant. However, there was no tension. Matt and I have such a mutual respect for one another and a passion for leadership.

In order for a mentor/mentee relationship to work both people must have an open mind and allow the relationship to develop naturally and holistically. Sherry and I’s relation-ship has been evolving since the spring of 2007. The conversations we have remain the same, but the context behind our conversations changes: what do we value, is our cur-rent situation in line with the rest of our career goals, and, as always, how are you do-ing? The relationship truly became mutual once we let go of titles, and paid more atten-tion to experiences. A bigchallenge I faced as a new professional was learning about the proper support needed from a supervisor, department, and/or institution to be successful in my current role. I leaned on Sherry to learn how to navigate my new situation, in a similar way that she leaned on me when going through the graduate school search process. As of Fall 2012, our mentorship has returned to where it began: the graduate school search process with myself as the potential student and Sherry as the inspiration for entering the next phase of my professional career.

The takeaway from our mentor/mentee relationship (our student development experi-ences) is that we must practice the lessons that we teach our students in regards to mentorship. Most universities recognize the importance that a mentoring relationship plays in college student leadership development and many administrators are in their current situation because someone took the time to believe in us, and many times that person turned outto be a mentor. Continue to develop and strengthen your relationships with your men-tors, as situations may change but the genuine interest in success should remain the same. It is important to recognize the reciprocal qualities and mutually beneficial as-pects of a mentoring relationship, as you never know when your mentee becomes your mentor.

Sherry Lynn Early is the Research Assistant for Dr. Christina Lunceford at Bowling Green State UniversityMatthew Cooney is an Acadmic Advisor at Florida International University

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FROM THE STUDENT LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS

K N O W L E D G E C O M M U N I T Y

FAMILY TO YOURS, WE HOPE YOU HAVE A

F A N T A S T I C HOLIDAY SEASON AND A

HAPPY NEW YEAR!