Leadership
Development Institute: Exploring Leadership - Co-Corricular Course
Outline
Meeting times: TBA
Textbook:
Komives, S.R. Lucas, N., and McMahon, T.R. (1997) Exploring Leadership:
For College Students Who Want to Make a Difference. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Learning Outcomes:
Learn basic skills of leadership
Reflection – understanding value and practice
Listening – constructivist
Understanding oneself
Understanding others and in relation to oneself
Communication and Dialogue with others
Feedback
Recognizing others
Develop sustained interest in leadership development as a relational
process.
Purpose and Objectives
As engaged members of our St. Lawrence University community you are all
involved in active leadership. Under the premise of non-hierarchal leadership,
the SLU co-curricular community can provide numerous venues, in which
students can learn, demonstrate and practice leadership development.
This course uses the relational model of leadership emphasizing leadership
as “a relational process of people together attempting to accomplish
change or make a difference to benefit the common good” (p.68, Exploring
Leadership).
The course is specifically designed to be community learning based, where
students will use their leadership roles on our campus as their experiential
“textbook”. Students will be asked to identify a co-curricular
program in which they are involved. They will actively practice the leadership
skills and material discussed in class in that program. Reflections both
oral and written on those experiences will be a primary learning tool
as will the readings and class discussions. Reflections will link co-curricular
experiences with learning objectives. The reflections will be on a weekly
basis, both in structure work and class participation. Feedback and critique
on the experience can be expected along with suggestions on further exploration
and application of skills and ideas.
The course goes beyond skill development and reflection. It is about
developing your own leadership potential while respecting others. You
will be asked to better understand your own skills and values and how
those shape your leadership abilities. In addition you will be asked
to think critically about how you understand others and how your understanding
of whom you are affects your level of civil engagement with others.
Class participation and sharing of your experiences
is integral to what you will get out of the course. Giving voice to one’s
experiences, naming them, and having others share theirs in return gives
deep meaning to our leadership experiences. Learning and practicing news
ways of communication and listening that allow others to be heard and
understood first before being understood will be a premise of our work
together. We are a close knit community; respect for difference and understanding
that each individual may be at a different learning and development stages
is critical to maintaining an open dialogue.
Selection of Student Club or organization for reflection
Students will chose an SLU community based learning placement based on
the co-curricular programs in which they are currently involved. This
club or organization will serve as the student’s focus point
for reflection and text discussions.
Readings
Reading are optional but strongly encouraged.
Course Outline
Introductions and assessment
Overview and Expectations
Choose a campus learning group or organization- what do you hope to gain
from
this class as it applies to your chosen group?
Start with A-O-R – assign as practice for the week
Hand out MBTIs, types must be emailed
Due: p. 67-135,, Exploring Leadership
Understanding Yourself – MBTI discussion
Due p. 137-160, Exploring Leadership
Understanding others/ What is Listening
Due: p. 165- 194, Exploring Leadership
Understanding communication and Dialogue
Due p. 67-102, Exploring Leadership
Community- Relational Model of Leadership
Due p. 299-313, Exploring Leadership
Feedback – Encouraging the Heart
Recognizing others and Renewal
Slice
of Leadership – Skills for Leadership
This is a five part series sponsored by the Division for Student Life
available for all students, but targeted for those in leadership positions.
Short, information packed lunch time sessions address challenges students
face with their students groups or residence halls through out the semester.
All programs will be held in the Winstron Room of the Student Center.
Class 1 - Run an effective meeting guided
by your vision of your organization. Presented by the Leadership Academy.
Does your organization have a current vision and active purpose for its
existence? Do your meetings work toward actualizing your mission and
goals? Come learn the basics of establishing a vision and goals for all
your members and how to achieve them through effective meetings.
Class 2 - The Mind, Body and Spirit of the
Leader, Presented by Co-Curricular Education Office and Counseling Services
Any leadership process can be rewarding, exciting and developmental as
well as exhausting, challenging, consuming and stressful. Most active
participants would agree that others in their organizations expect a
great deal from them, sometimes at the sacrifice of their personal time
or commitments. This program focuses on the renewal of the leader or
participant and stresses the importance of being a healthy, renewed individual.
The bottom line is that you must take good care of yourselves physically,
mentally and spiritually in order to effectively lead with others.
Class 3 - Diversity in Leadership - Presented
by Residence Life
This workshop explores issues of leadership in relation to diversity
and multiculturalism. Whether it be leadership on campus, or leadership
in the workplace, today's leaders need to be savvy in relation to issues
of multiculturalism, diversity and cross-cultural communications. Not
only is the workplace in the United States growing more diverse, but
globalization necessitates us all to pay attention to these issues.
Class 4 - The Art of Reflection: Making
the Most of Your Leadership Experience - Presented by Career Services
and Leadership Education
Ever get so caught up in the details of being a leader that you forget
to take a couple seconds and THINK every once in while? Think time or
processing time is an important part of growing as a leader. It’s
what makes you better at dealing with the same problem the second time
around. This workshop will teach you the importance of taking that time
and give you some concrete methods for reflecting on your experiences
that will help you to identify your skills, talents, and areas for improvement.
Class 5 - Take a Break, Take a Breath!
Conquer the tyranny of the urgent!!! Presented by the Chaplain’s
office and Counseling Services
Effective leaders understand how to take time away from daily pressures
to rejuvenate and revitalize themselves. We invite you to join us as
we explore a few alternatives for rejuvenation that are designed to release
stress and renew energy and help you stay connected to yourself.
Work In Progress – Tools for the Trade
This is a five part series sponsored by the Division for Student Life
available for all students, but targeted for those in leadership positions.
Short, information packed lunch time sessions address challenges students
face with their students groups or residence halls through out the semester.
All programs will be held in the Underground.
Class 1 - Run an effective meeting guided by your vision
of your organization.
Presented by the Leadership Academy
Does your organization have a current vision and active purpose for its
existence? Do your meetings work toward actualizing your mission and
goals? Come learn the basics of establishing a vision and goals for all
your members and how to achieve them through effective meetings.
Class 2 - Constructing Good Communication
Presented by Office of Co-Curricular Education
Sometimes just being aware of the landscape on which you are building
is half the challenge. This session will explore communication; the ins,
outs, ups and downs. While sometimes it is better to use a sponge than
a hammer, the perceived urgency of the situation may cause us to be sharper
than intended. We will discuss group dynamics, the difference between
perception and intention, delegation and motivation.
Class 3 - Diversity in Leadership
Presented by Residence Life
This workshop explores issues of leadership in relation to diversity
and multiculturalism.
Whether it be leadership on campus, or leadership in the workplace, today's
leaders need to be savvy in relation to issues of multiculturalism, diversity
and cross-cultural communications. Not only is the workplace in the United
States growing more diverse, but globalization
necessitates us all to pay attention to these issues.
Class 4 - Testing for Soundness: An important part of the
building process
Presented by Career Services and Leadership Education
Ever get so caught up in the details of being a leader that you forget
to take a couple seconds and THINK every once in while? Think time or
processing time is an important part of growing as a leader. It’s
what makes you better at dealing with the same problem the second time
around. This workshop will teach you the importance of taking that time
and give you some concrete methods for reflecting on your experiences
that will help you to identify your skills, talents, and areas for improvement.
Class 5 - Take a Break, Take a Breath Come. Conquer the
tyranny of the urgent!!!
Presented by the Chaplain’s office and Counseling Services
Effective leaders understand how to take time away from daily pressures
to rejuvenate and revitalize themselves. We invite you to join us as
we explore a few alternatives for rejuvenation that are designed to release
stress and renew energy and help you stay connected to
