The Student Leadership Challenge

Answer Discussion Post !!!

Preface: Making Extraordinary Things Happen with Others The Student Leadership Challenge is about how young leaders people just like you-mobilize others to make extraordinary things happen anywhere, from a dassroom, residence hall, Greek chapter, dub, community service project, and student government, to the entire campus, neighboring community, and even the state and nation. It's about the practices student leaders use every day to get people moving toward a better future. They use these practices to transform vinlues into actions, visions into realities, obatacles into innovations, separateness into solidarity, and risks into rewards. Leadership is what turns challenging opportunities into remarkable successes. This third edition of The Student Leadership Challenge comes out ten years after the publication of the first. Since then, we have continued to research, consult, teach, and learn about what young leaders do and how anyone, regardiess of age, can become a better leader. We're honored by the reception we've received in the education marketplace and by hearing that students, educators, and is conceptually and practically usefut. The foundation for The Studont Loadership Chalienge has stood the test of time. We continue to ask the same question that started our inquiry into exemplary leadership: What did you do when you were at your personal best as a loader? One of the most common yet profound realizations from the answers to this question is that leadership is an identifiable set of skills and abilities that are available to anyone, no matter their age or position. As one student explained: "Growing up, I assumed leaders had certain traits and qualities that I didn't seem to have. I thought thero were natural' leaders who were born to lead. 1 thought leadership was the de scription of what the se people did. When you asked me to describe my personal-best leadership expenence, I found to my surprise that I had those loaderstip abilies myseif. Another student said that she learned "that anybody can be a leader. I had never considered myself a leader, but when I was needed to step up and deal with a difficult situation, I was able to find the leader within me and do so," We ve talked to thousands of young men and women, representing many educational institutions and youth organizations around the world. Their stories, and the behaviors and actions they've described, combined with examples from thousands of other leaders, validate The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership framework. When students do their best as a leader, they Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, and Encourage the Heart. These are the practices that you can use to become a more effective leader and that we describe in detail in this book. The Student Leadership Challenge is evidence based. We derived The Five Practices from research, and we illustrate them with examples from actual student leaders doing real things. In this third edition, we provide new stories, cases, examples, and illustrations of exactly what young people like you do when they are at their leadership best. The concepts are presented in a way that allows you to focus on applying what works. Also, with this latest edition, you have the opportunity to more dosely link how you see yourself behaving as a leader, through completing the Student Leadership Practices inventory, and reflecting on practical ideas for how you can take action. Our intention is to help you discover new ways to be the best leader you can be. The more we research and write about leadership, the more confident we become that leadership is within the grasp of everyone and that opportunities for leadership are everywhere. No matter what your experience is as a leader, we know that you have the capacity to lead if you choose to. Leadership is not about a position or titio, as many young people presume. It is about the choices you make throughout your life - with the goal of making the situations and places you find better becauso you were there. Great leadership is not about making the leader look good but about how individuals use Introduction: When People Are at Their Best as Leaders Madeline Price grew up on a beef cattle fam in rural Queensland, Australia. After high school graduation, she joined fffteen other recent graduates on a trip to see the world and do volunteer work along the way in Cambodia and Thailand. While visiting a school in Cambodia, Madeline noticed that all twenty-three students in the first-grade classroom were male. When she asked the teacher where the girls were, she was shocked by his answer. "Boys are more valuable to educate," he told Madeline. As soon as she got back to Australia, it clicked that the teacher's answer represented a problem that occurred everywhere. "I just hadn't perceived it yet," Madeline said. "But those simple words, 'Boys are more valuable," opened my eyes to the gender disparities faced both abroad and in Australia." Madeline's growing sensitivity to the gender inequality she saw back home in Australia clarified for her the need to speak out about it. However, she didn't find a receptive audience among her friend groups - at least, not at first. "I talked about it with my friends, and very few people felt what I was feeling." she told us. "My friends all truly believed that women were as equal as we could get. It wasn't that my friends didn't care; it was just that they didn t know." To Madeline, however, it was obvious that just because not everyone agreed with her. gender inequality was still a global issue. She didn't put it out of her mind, and she didn't stop trying to speak to others about it. A few years later, while at university. Madeline enrolled in a community development and leadership seminar. 7 knew, going inte the class, that I had to do something related to gender inequality, Madeline said. She came up with the idea of conducting educational semmars for high school students and community organizations to open their eyes to the ways that gender inequality still played a role in their lives and how they might combat it. "I couldn't stop talking and thinking about it. even when other people liknew didn't sitom to thirk it was as big a problem in Australia as II did," Madeline said. She created an organization called the One Woman Project (OWP) and began recruiting volunteers to help her develop and lead the seminars. The name comes from the idea that if we educated just one woman to empower herself, the world is already a better place," Madeline said. OWP works with schools and community organizations through invitation. Schools call OWP in to conduct an educational seminar when an incident of gender bias has occurred on campus or just because they believe in the importance of gender inequality education. Framing the information in ways that students could identify with was an early challenge for OWP. "It's not enough to say, 'Gender inequality is a problem,' especially for the girls in the high schools. They think it's a 'me thing' and not a culture thing. "One of the best ways of engaging students, Madeline found, was to enable them to find their voices. She explained: Theyre stendents, and they re not given very many platforms to say. This is what I thirk abeat sexcialty of gender' Student volces arent often rislened to whent it comos to chinscuium or educationat isseins. Wo want lo h bat what their antanwer is regarding those qup tians. end fleith rs malyimportant to let. them know year want lo ho of theme that speanc to make such a difteronce incetting thenvito share their ofiritera and feelings. OWP also works to show that gender inequality is not an issue that affects women alone. The curriculum covers all the ways a patriarchal culture reinforces beliefs and behaviors that are harmful to men as woll as women. For example, in cultures where masculinity is measured by "toughness' and the expectation that men not show emotion, men have higher rates of suicide and accidental death, as well as an increased chance of mental health concerns during their lifetime. Madoline aiso recruited male volunteers to OWP, which helps give male students a visual connection to the idea that gender inequality is not an issue that affects only women. I wanted to find ways to make sure that students see that both men and women are affected by these is sues. The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership In undertaking her leadership challenge, Madeline seized an opportunity to make a difference. And although her story is unique, it is not unlike countless others. We ve been conducting original global research for more than thirty years, and when we ask young leaders to tell us about their personal-best leadership experioncesexperiences that they believe are their individual standards of excellence-there are countless stories just like Madeline's: W We vo found them everywhere, and it proves that leadership knows no othnic, cultural, or geographical borders; no racial or religious bounds; no differences between young and old. Leaders reside in every city and every country, in every function and every organization. We find exemplary leadership everywhere we look. After analyzing these leadership experiences, we discovered, and continue to find, that regardiess of the times or settings, individuals who guide others along pioneering joumeys follow sumprisingly similar paths. Although each experience was distinctive in its individual expression, there were cle arly identifiable behaviors and actions that made a difference. When getting extraordinary things done with others, leaders engage in what we call The Five Practices of Exemplary Loadership: - Model the Way - Inspire a Shared Vision - Challenge the Process - Enable Othors to Act - Encourage the Hoart These prictices are not restricted to tho peropie we studied. Nor do they baiong to a fow select ahining atara. Loadorstip is not about personimity. power, or privileger: it's abaid behavior. The Five Practicas ate available to anyone who accopts the ioadership chalienget. Introduction to Student Leadership Challenge and the Five Exemplary Practices for Leadership For this lesson, read The Student Leadership Challenge, Preface and Introduction. The preface and introduction of this text describe what the Student Leadership Challenge is and introduce you to the Five Exemplary Practices for Leadership. To help you with this module's discussion, ask yourself the following questions as you read: - Have you witnessed any of these leadership practices in action? If so, who was it and what were the results? - Have you engaged any of these leadership practices in your own leadership? If so, what happened? - Do you think any of these leadership practices will help you develop as a leader? Which ones and how? Preface: Making Extraordinary Things Happen with Others The Student Leadership Challenge is about how young leaders people just like you-mobilize others to make extraordinary things happen anywhere, from a dassroom, residence hall, Greek chapter, dub, community service project, and student government, to the entire campus, neighboring community, and even the state and nation. It's about the practices student leaders use every day to get people moving toward a better future. They use these practices to transform vinlues into actions, visions into realities, obatacles into innovations, separateness into solidarity, and risks into rewards. Leadership is what turns challenging opportunities into remarkable successes. This third edition of The Student Leadership Challenge comes out ten years after the publication of the first. Since then, we have continued to research, consult, teach, and learn about what young leaders do and how anyone, regardiess of age, can become a better leader. We're honored by the reception we've received in the education marketplace and by hearing that students, educators, and is conceptually and practically usefut. The foundation for The Studont Loadership Chalienge has stood the test of time. We continue to ask the same question that started our inquiry into exemplary leadership: What did you do when you were at your personal best as a loader? One of the most common yet profound realizations from the answers to this question is that leadership is an identifiable set of skills and abilities that are available to anyone, no matter their age or position. As one student explained: "Growing up, I assumed leaders had certain traits and qualities that I didn't seem to have. I thought thero were natural' leaders who were born to lead. 1 thought leadership was the de scription of what the se people did. When you asked me to describe my personal-best leadership expenence, I found to my surprise that I had those loaderstip abilies myseif. Another student said that she learned "that anybody can be a leader. I had never considered myself a leader, but when I was needed to step up and deal with a difficult situation, I was able to find the leader within me and do so," We ve talked to thousands of young men and women, representing many educational institutions and youth organizations around the world. Their stories, and the behaviors and actions they've described, combined with examples from thousands of other leaders, validate The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership framework. When students do their best as a leader, they Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, and Encourage the Heart. These are the practices that you can use to become a more effective leader and that we describe in detail in this book. The Student Leadership Challenge is evidence based. We derived The Five Practices from research, and we illustrate them with examples from actual student leaders doing real things. In this third edition, we provide new stories, cases, examples, and illustrations of exactly what young people like you do when they are at their leadership best. The concepts are presented in a way that allows you to focus on applying what works. Also, with this latest edition, you have the opportunity to more dosely link how you see yourself behaving as a leader, through completing the Student Leadership Practices inventory, and reflecting on practical ideas for how you can take action. Our intention is to help you discover new ways to be the best leader you can be. The more we research and write about leadership, the more confident we become that leadership is within the grasp of everyone and that opportunities for leadership are everywhere. No matter what your experience is as a leader, we know that you have the capacity to lead if you choose to. Leadership is not about a position or titio, as many young people presume. It is about the choices you make throughout your life - with the goal of making the situations and places you find better becauso you were there. Great leadership is not about making the leader look good but about how individuals use Introduction: When People Are at Their Best as Leaders Madeline Price grew up on a beef cattle fam in rural Queensland, Australia. After high school graduation, she joined fffteen other recent graduates on a trip to see the world and do volunteer work along the way in Cambodia and Thailand. While visiting a school in Cambodia, Madeline noticed that all twenty-three students in the first-grade classroom were male. When she asked the teacher where the girls were, she was shocked by his answer. "Boys are more valuable to educate," he told Madeline. As soon as she got back to Australia, it clicked that the teacher's answer represented a problem that occurred everywhere. "I just hadn't perceived it yet," Madeline said. "But those simple words, 'Boys are more valuable," opened my eyes to the gender disparities faced both abroad and in Australia." Madeline's growing sensitivity to the gender inequality she saw back home in Australia clarified for her the need to speak out about it. However, she didn't find a receptive audience among her friend groups - at least, not at first. "I talked about it with my friends, and very few people felt what I was feeling." she told us. "My friends all truly believed that women were as equal as we could get. It wasn't that my friends didn't care; it was just that they didn t know." To Madeline, however, it was obvious that just because not everyone agreed with her. gender inequality was still a global issue. She didn't put it out of her mind, and she didn't stop trying to speak to others about it. A few years later, while at university. Madeline enrolled in a community development and leadership seminar. 7 knew, going inte the class, that I had to do something related to gender inequality, Madeline said. She came up with the idea of conducting educational semmars for high school students and community organizations to open their eyes to the ways that gender inequality still played a role in their lives and how they might combat it. "I couldn't stop talking and thinking about it. even when other people liknew didn't sitom to thirk it was as big a problem in Australia as II did," Madeline said. She created an organization called the One Woman Project (OWP) and began recruiting volunteers to help her develop and lead the seminars. The name comes from the idea that if we educated just one woman to empower herself, the world is already a better place," Madeline said. OWP works with schools and community organizations through invitation. Schools call OWP in to conduct an educational seminar when an incident of gender bias has occurred on campus or just because they believe in the importance of gender inequality education. Framing the information in ways that students could identify with was an early challenge for OWP. "It's not enough to say, 'Gender inequality is a problem,' especially for the girls in the high schools. They think it's a 'me thing' and not a culture thing. "One of the best ways of engaging students, Madeline found, was to enable them to find their voices. She explained: Theyre stendents, and they re not given very many platforms to say. This is what I thirk abeat sexcialty of gender' Student volces arent often rislened to whent it comos to chinscuium or educationat isseins. Wo want lo h bat what their antanwer is regarding those qup tians. end fleith rs malyimportant to let. them know year want lo ho of theme that speanc to make such a difteronce incetting thenvito share their ofiritera and feelings. OWP also works to show that gender inequality is not an issue that affects women alone. The curriculum covers all the ways a patriarchal culture reinforces beliefs and behaviors that are harmful to men as woll as women. For example, in cultures where masculinity is measured by "toughness' and the expectation that men not show emotion, men have higher rates of suicide and accidental death, as well as an increased chance of mental health concerns during their lifetime. Madoline aiso recruited male volunteers to OWP, which helps give male students a visual connection to the idea that gender inequality is not an issue that affects only women. I wanted to find ways to make sure that students see that both men and women are affected by these is sues. The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership In undertaking her leadership challenge, Madeline seized an opportunity to make a difference. And although her story is unique, it is not unlike countless others. We ve been conducting original global research for more than thirty years, and when we ask young leaders to tell us about their personal-best leadership experioncesexperiences that they believe are their individual standards of excellence-there are countless stories just like Madeline's: W We vo found them everywhere, and it proves that leadership knows no othnic, cultural, or geographical borders; no racial or religious bounds; no differences between young and old. Leaders reside in every city and every country, in every function and every organization. We find exemplary leadership everywhere we look. After analyzing these leadership experiences, we discovered, and continue to find, that regardiess of the times or settings, individuals who guide others along pioneering joumeys follow sumprisingly similar paths. Although each experience was distinctive in its individual expression, there were cle arly identifiable behaviors and actions that made a difference. When getting extraordinary things done with others, leaders engage in what we call The Five Practices of Exemplary Loadership: - Model the Way - Inspire a Shared Vision - Challenge the Process - Enable Othors to Act - Encourage the Hoart These prictices are not restricted to tho peropie we studied. Nor do they baiong to a fow select ahining atara. Loadorstip is not about personimity. power, or privileger: it's abaid behavior. The Five Practicas ate available to anyone who accopts the ioadership chalienget. Introduction to Student Leadership Challenge and the Five Exemplary Practices for Leadership For this lesson, read The Student Leadership Challenge, Preface and Introduction. The preface and introduction of this text describe what the Student Leadership Challenge is and introduce you to the Five Exemplary Practices for Leadership. To help you with this module's discussion, ask yourself the following questions as you read: - Have you witnessed any of these leadership practices in action? If so, who was it and what were the results? - Have you engaged any of these leadership practices in your own leadership? If so, what happened? - Do you think any of these leadership practices will help you develop as a leader? Which ones and how