Leadership Philosophy
Guiding our mission, vision, and outcomes is a leadership philosophy that defines leadership as a collection of skills, some innate, most of them learned, that enhances a person’s ability to influence events and people around them resulting in positive change.
We also believe:
- Leadership is a process, not a position.
- Some people are born with inherent characteristics, while all people are able to grow and enhance leadership characteristics through education and training.
- Leadership occurs when a person establishes true conviction and incites that passion into action.
- We explicitly promote the values of equity, social justice, self-knowledge, personal empowerment, collaboration, citizenship, and service.
(Deeper Learning in Leadership, 2007; Leadership Reconsidered, 2006;The Social Change Model of Leadership, 1996 & 2006)
We believe that all of our outcomes can be reached by building intentional leadership development and service learning opportunities on the foundations of the Social Change Model of Leadership (1996, 2006). THis model posits that leadership development is a collaborative, group process through which the individual, group, and society/community develops 7 core values. Each of these groups dynamically influences one another, and true leadership results in positive change.
Following are brief definitions of each of the "Seven C’s."
Individual Values
- Consciousness of self means being aware of the beliefs, values, attitudes, and emotions that motivate one to take action.
- Congruence refers to thinking, feeling, and behaving with consistency, genuineness, authenticity, and honesty towards others. Congruent persons are those whose actions are consistent with their most deeply-held beliefs and convictions. Clearly, personal congruence and consciousness of self are interdependent.
- Commitment is the psychic energy that motivates the individual to serve and that drives the collective effort. Commitment implies passion, intensity, and duration. It is directed towards both the group activity as well as it´s intended outcomes. Without commitment, knowledge of self is of little value. And without adequate knowledge of self, commitment is easily misdirected. Congruence, in turn, is most readily achieved when the person acts with commitment and knowledge of self.
Group Values
- Collaboration is to work with others in a common effort. It constitutes the cornerstone value of the group leadership effort because it empowers self and others through trust. Collaboration multiplies group effectiveness by capitalizing on the multiple talents and perspectives of each group member and on the power of that diversity to generate creative solutions and actions. Collaboration empowers each individual best when there is a clear-cut "division of labor."
- Common Purpose means to work with shared aims and values. It facilitates the group’s ability to engage in collective analysis of the issues at hand and the task to be undertaken. Common purpose is best achieved when all of the members in the group share in the vision and participate actively in articulating the purpose and goals of the leadership development activity. Recognizing the common purpose and mission of the group helps to generate the high level of trust that any successful collaboration requires.
- Controversy with Civility recognizes two fundamental realities of any creative group effort: that differences in viewpoint are inevitable, and that such difference must be aired openly but with civility. Civility implies respect for others, a willingness to hear each other’s views, and the exercise of restraint in criticizing the views and actions of others. This is best achieved in a collaborative framework and when a common purpose has been identified. Controversy (conflict, confrontation) can often lead to new, creative solutions to problems, especially when it occurs in an atmosphere of civility, collaboration, and common purpose.
Societal/Community Values
- Citizenship is the process whereby the individual and the collaborative group become responsibly connected to the community and the society through the leadership development activity. To be a good citizen is to work for positive change on behalf of others and the community. Citizenship thus acknowledges the interdependence of all who are involved in or affected by these efforts. It recognizes that the common purpose of the group must incorporate a sense of concern for the rights and welfare of all those who might be affected by the group’s efforts. Good citizenship thus recognizes that effective democracy involves individual responsibility as well as individual rights.
Source: A Social Change Model for Leadership Development
Higher Education Research Institute,
University of California, Los Angeles.
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