Deeper Learning in Leadership - coming to fruition

The time when Deeper Learning in Leadership will be published is coming ever closer. It is now posted on Amazon for pre-purchase. It's exciting beyond belief to actually have a book cover and all the contents (including Lena and Sandy Astin's foreword) back to be processed for page proofs. The next step is review of the proofs at the end of the month. The projected real publication date is late September.

I've continued to reflect on the message I sought to send with Deeper Learning in Leadership. Every once in a while, I get a chill up my spine that there will be those who will take exception with one of the primary arguments - that our institutional models may be undermining our ability to achieve the deeper leadership that our institutions, businesses, and communities need. At the same moment I hesitate, I am struck by the constant evidence that our institutions are not sending the messages and modeling the kind of leadership that our world so desperately needs.

Matching our thought and actions seems always to be one of the greatest challenges organizations face. In the particular case of leadership learning, it seems that we have no choice but to engage as deeply as we can so that our graduates are prepared for the changing, challenging, and chaotic world of the future. We need responsive, creative, and wise leadership to create a future for citizens around the globe. The stakes are high and the opportunities are great.

Sacred intrusion

I'm sure it has become abundantly clear that I am attracted to succint and provocative phrases. When they fly through my consciousness, they are like stunningly beautiful birds that I try to savor. The unfortunate part is that they are frequently gone before I have the chance to lock them in my memory. My only hope is to lunge for a piece of scrap paper so that I can go back to study it later, turn it around, and explore its deeper meaning.

Such was the case again when we attended Easter Sunday services in Pittsburgh with our daughter this last weekend. The sermon was delivered by Dr. Craig Barnes and was titled "Leaving the Dead." The image was of how startling it must have been when the tomb was empty three days after Christ's crucifixion. "But,..." he said. "But,..." "But,..." Dr. Barnes noted that frequently the Bible uses "But,..." as a sacred intrusion into our conventional or previous way of seeing our world. This sacred instrusion provided the opportunity to cease seeing our lives as a horizontal succession of events, but, instead as a vertical experience of recognizing that we are not really in control of any of our experiences. This vertical experience allows us to realize that we live our lives only as a gift, informed by an unfolding awareness of who we are and shaped by the role God intends for us to play.

I know that this post is theologically based but, regardless of your religious views, it may well deserve your consideration. If you are intrigued by this snippit of an explanation, you really should check the Shadyside Presbyterian Church sermon archives for a full copy of Dr. Barnes remarks. Suffice it to say, living a life punctuated by "But,..." is a bit unsettling but as I have attempted to understand it, this punctuation may just be the kind of sacred intrusion that keeps us alive and connected to our being.

Ripples and networks

The ACPA/NASPA Convention in Orlando was pretty amazing - 9,500 people from throughout the U.S.A. and with significant international representation as well. The convention was a combination of keynote speakers, workshops, presentations, meetings, and lots of opportunity to meet and network with colleagues. The deepest satisfaction at this point in my life is renewing contact with valued colleagues. I started the conference with treasured doctoral colleagues from my Maryland days - Linda and Ron. Then I moved to colleagues in the Senior Scholars group of ACPA - faculty and senior administrators attempting to push the boundaries of knowledge in student learning. I checked in with younger colleagues who are either moving through doctoral study (Chad) or are moving into the formative years of their careers (Tracy). And, I spent time with more recent Miami grads such as Erin, Laura, Dave, Julie, and Matt. All of these encounters reinforced the critical importance of building and renewing relationships over time and space. When it all comes down to the core and most important things in life, it's about the ripples of our lives and the networks that sustain us.

I was particularly touched during this convention by a couple of former Miami students. These students, one in particular, approached me to remind me who she was. In a hallway on my way to another destination, she looked at me and I at her. After realizing that I visually recognized her, she started, "Do you remember who I am?" Then she said, "I'm Felicia, a former Miami student." She went on to describe her work and how much she loved student affairs. She closed by saying that she wanted me to know that, while she was an undergraduate, she was watching - watching to see who loved their work and seemed to be making a difference. It was this observation that drew her to student affairs and a very fulfilling place in life. Who would have thought that encounters of chance could shape another person's life like this.

Beyond renewing relationships, the programs were also very informative. Former Vice President Al Gore provided a live "Inconvenient Truth" lecture. Dr. Benjamin Carson spoke on aspiration, accountability to ourselves and others, and seeking to do all that we can with the opportunities that come our way. I had the chance to present on Deeper Learning in Leadership to a group of over 200. This was particularly fun because we started by generating ideas about what we've accomplished in 30 years of leadership learning and the gaps that now need to be filled. After I presented, two reactors provided comments that deepened the concepts I presented while also addressing the gaps that were identified by others. The most rewarding feedback came from those who recognized the critical importance of going deeper in our advocacy for leadership and who saw the possibility of doing this through combining presence, flow, and oscillation in putting their conviction into action.

The key is creating ripples through our many relationships, especially in those where we have no clue we are having an impact. Note to self - who is watching and modeling the actions that I assume have little impact at all?