The week is finishing out in extraordinary ways. The LeaderShape Revue tonight was one of the most heart-felt and hilarious of any I've every seen. All five Family Clusters had very fun skits that captured all sorts of moments nad memories from the week. It was very clear that all students have enjoyed the week and that the experience has been very good for them.
I met with the native student participants this afternoon to hear their suggestions about the future of LeaderShape with tribal colleges. They are very excited about continuing the partnership with LeaderShape but they are asking for modifications in the curriculum that embrace native philosophy and perspectives. The core assumptions of the program are not at odds, just the interpretation of some issues. The biggest point is that native perpsectives are simply not recognized or incorporated into the curriculum. After the discussion, I am convinced that the curriculum must be changed before offering it again for native students.
Star Power had a profound impact on all participants. The simulation seemed not to be having much impact until the latter part of the debriefing. At this point, a white student commented that all any group needed to do was to work hard and that the reward would be advancement and, in essence, the American dream. At first, one of the African American students responded that the comment did not recognize the complexity of American society nor did it recognize the generations of neglect of people of color in the U.S. A native participant followed who more directly addressed the assertion that everyone had opportunity. She said that for 500 years native citizens have been marginalized and pushed into poverty. The result of this is deep deprivation and hopelessness that makes the American dream impossible. She also said that, even as she defended native people, she felt that she betrayed her people by revealing the plight of tribal groups to white and privileged participants. The interaction was profound and brought an evening of struggle and striving, the likes of which I've seldom seen.
The conclusion of the interactions and the journey for us all is that much learning occured. Not without pain and struggle. But learning did occur.
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Friday, June 23, 2006
LeaderShape 06 at Allerton
I'm in Illinois this week (June 19-25) working as one of the two Lead Facilitators for the LeaderShape Institute. I have a lull in the schedule and thought I'd use the moment to reflect on my experience over the last week. As a framing perspective - it has been a challenging and incredible week.
This is the third year I've been Lead for the most diverse Institutes LeaderShape has. The American Indian College Fund (through the support of Coca-Cola) has been sending delegations of native students to Illinois for LeaderShape. This year we have almost twenty of our 64 students from tribal colleges. It is a truly amazing experience because there literally is no majority at the Institute. For whatever reason, the tensions over culture are stronger this year and I don't know exactly how this will all turn out. I trust the LeaderShape curriculum enough to believe that we will go where we need to go, but it's not easy.
One of the primary issues is the tension over cultural expectations. The native participants believe that some of the white students don't really get the point of what it means to be open to the culture of someone else. Specifically, the communication patterns among native students is more reserved and respectful. When in discussions, the native students are taught to speak only when they have listened carefully to others and when they have discerned something worth sharing with the rest of the group. The white students are more assertive - talking on top of each other, breaking in, and competing for group visibility. The difference in the cultures inevitably results in the native participants being locked out of communication. Some white students are more sensitive but others are very intolerant about the quiet nature of native participants. Their belief is that, if they have something to say, they should fight for the chance. As you might expect, these dynamics are not easy to handle.
Another cultural difference is between the Greek and native participants. The Greek organization members like to bring the topic of discussion to their own issues and they don't really try to connect to the points of other groups. The amazing thing about this is that the challenges of native peoples in their tribes and communities are actually quite similiar to the tribes or clans of fraternities. In fact, one of the greatest tensions in tribal groups is between "gaming" and "non-gaming" tribes, meaning the difference between those with and without casinos. While casinos raise the standard of living and visibility of tribal groups, they tend to draw natives away from the core culture of their people. In fraternities, the shift to larger memberships, centered around social conduct, separates the "social" from the "non-social" fraternities. While the social groups tend to be more visible, popular, and have larger memberships, they also are the groups that lose their core values and purposes, and therefore, contribute to the disintegration of the historic culture of Greek organizations. This link is fascinating to me but remains primarily unrecognized and unappreciated by Greek student participants. The native participants totally understand (probably the result of age and maturity).
Note to self - take back the idea of the similarity between native and fraternal groups and try to understand the dynamics with which both struggle. Perhaps they share a common strategy or solution to their struggles.
This is the third year I've been Lead for the most diverse Institutes LeaderShape has. The American Indian College Fund (through the support of Coca-Cola) has been sending delegations of native students to Illinois for LeaderShape. This year we have almost twenty of our 64 students from tribal colleges. It is a truly amazing experience because there literally is no majority at the Institute. For whatever reason, the tensions over culture are stronger this year and I don't know exactly how this will all turn out. I trust the LeaderShape curriculum enough to believe that we will go where we need to go, but it's not easy.
One of the primary issues is the tension over cultural expectations. The native participants believe that some of the white students don't really get the point of what it means to be open to the culture of someone else. Specifically, the communication patterns among native students is more reserved and respectful. When in discussions, the native students are taught to speak only when they have listened carefully to others and when they have discerned something worth sharing with the rest of the group. The white students are more assertive - talking on top of each other, breaking in, and competing for group visibility. The difference in the cultures inevitably results in the native participants being locked out of communication. Some white students are more sensitive but others are very intolerant about the quiet nature of native participants. Their belief is that, if they have something to say, they should fight for the chance. As you might expect, these dynamics are not easy to handle.
Another cultural difference is between the Greek and native participants. The Greek organization members like to bring the topic of discussion to their own issues and they don't really try to connect to the points of other groups. The amazing thing about this is that the challenges of native peoples in their tribes and communities are actually quite similiar to the tribes or clans of fraternities. In fact, one of the greatest tensions in tribal groups is between "gaming" and "non-gaming" tribes, meaning the difference between those with and without casinos. While casinos raise the standard of living and visibility of tribal groups, they tend to draw natives away from the core culture of their people. In fraternities, the shift to larger memberships, centered around social conduct, separates the "social" from the "non-social" fraternities. While the social groups tend to be more visible, popular, and have larger memberships, they also are the groups that lose their core values and purposes, and therefore, contribute to the disintegration of the historic culture of Greek organizations. This link is fascinating to me but remains primarily unrecognized and unappreciated by Greek student participants. The native participants totally understand (probably the result of age and maturity).
Note to self - take back the idea of the similarity between native and fraternal groups and try to understand the dynamics with which both struggle. Perhaps they share a common strategy or solution to their struggles.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Getting back to blog
I really miss not taking the time to reflect on my leadership journey on my blog. One of the "notes to self" of the last year is that I now realize how powerful times of solitude and reflection can be. The time in Luxembourg was a luxury that I've never had before - time to be with myself, reading, thinking, and writing. The reason that the adjustment to more private time was so difficult was the fact that I'd literally never done it before! Although I tried to keep the lessons of Luxembourg alive, I slipped back into old patterns in my work and quickly became consumed again. I'm coming back to see if I can reestablish balance between reflecting and acting.
The most positive part of the last six months is that I completed the manuscript for Deeper Learning in Leadership. As of June 1, the full text was off to Jossey-Bass for reviewer and editor feedback. Once Miami closed for the spring, I returned to voraciously complete the chapters that remained incomplete. With the tolerance of my wife, Diane, and the assistance of two great graduate students, Julie and Kari, I bull-dozed through the manuscript. Once I receive feedback I'll return for revisions but, for the moment, the book is out of sight and out of mind. I would never have completed this labor of love had it not been for Luxembourg!
Since the manuscript was completed, I've returned to catching up with work and family matters. One of the personal highlights of recent weeks was Darbi's graduation from Carnegie Mellon University. The picture below is of Devin, Diane, and Darbi during this wonderful weekend.
Devin and Steve joined us from Chicago for a full weekend of family celebration as Darbi graduated with College and University honors, Mortar Board, and Phi Beta Kappa. She's now off to the Wind River Ridge of Wyoming for a 6-week wilderness and spiritual adventure.
One of the new additions to the Carnegie campus was the focus of considerable conversation over commencement weekend - Reaching for the Sky. This is a brand new sculpture created by an alumnus. This particular sculpture reminds me so much of Darbi, Devin, and Steve as they begin their adult lives. Depending on your vantage point, Reaching for the Sky is endless, breathless, unknowable, and many other discriptors. Who knows where we'll be and what we'll ultimately do in life? As young people, family, friends, and students - the possibilities are endless.
The most positive part of the last six months is that I completed the manuscript for Deeper Learning in Leadership. As of June 1, the full text was off to Jossey-Bass for reviewer and editor feedback. Once Miami closed for the spring, I returned to voraciously complete the chapters that remained incomplete. With the tolerance of my wife, Diane, and the assistance of two great graduate students, Julie and Kari, I bull-dozed through the manuscript. Once I receive feedback I'll return for revisions but, for the moment, the book is out of sight and out of mind. I would never have completed this labor of love had it not been for Luxembourg!
Since the manuscript was completed, I've returned to catching up with work and family matters. One of the personal highlights of recent weeks was Darbi's graduation from Carnegie Mellon University. The picture below is of Devin, Diane, and Darbi during this wonderful weekend.
Devin and Steve joined us from Chicago for a full weekend of family celebration as Darbi graduated with College and University honors, Mortar Board, and Phi Beta Kappa. She's now off to the Wind River Ridge of Wyoming for a 6-week wilderness and spiritual adventure.
One of the new additions to the Carnegie campus was the focus of considerable conversation over commencement weekend - Reaching for the Sky. This is a brand new sculpture created by an alumnus. This particular sculpture reminds me so much of Darbi, Devin, and Steve as they begin their adult lives. Depending on your vantage point, Reaching for the Sky is endless, breathless, unknowable, and many other discriptors. Who knows where we'll be and what we'll ultimately do in life? As young people, family, friends, and students - the possibilities are endless.
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