"You Got the Power to Let Power Go?"

This question, rapped by Kanye West in his song "Power," is a great intro into how leadership is everyone's business.  Though Kanye may not be a model citizen in some regards, I think we can learn something from the question he asks.

*Note: The question that is my title does not show up in this video (the abbreviated version of the song)



Let's have a look at: "you got the power to let power go?".  The first thing I notice is that power here takes the form of exercising self-discipline, which is not usually the first thing that comes to mind when this topic comes up.  Authority and influence go hand-in-hand with power, and the reading does a good job clearly defining all three terms.  Additionally, control, command, clout, and supremacy are all words that we closely associate with power.  But when we think about power, are we also thinking about leadership?  And when we think about leadership, are we thinking about effective leadership?

According to the class article about power and leadership, the most effective leaderhship happens when the individual in power empowers (letting power go according to Kanye) others around them.  And who does the leader empower?  Well, everyone, or as many people as possible.  See, leadership is everyone's business, and if just one or a few hold power, many people are left without a sense of investment in the organization.



Found this energy drink online.  Pretty cool name eh?

To answer the question ProfRoc posed in the prompt: Leadership is Everyone's Business means that each individual in an organization must have some ownership or meaningful contribution to the direction or achievement of the group.  More importantly, each individual must feel like they have ownership or meaningful contribution to the direction or achievement of the group.

How can this be achieved?  That's where power comes in.  If all power rests in the person at the top, or even a few people at the top, there is no sense of ownership or meaningful contribution from everyone else.  Effective leaders "let power go" by empowering others around them to lead the group and move things in a positive direction.

The next question that needs to be asked: how does one empower someone else?  Two ways in particular struck me as especially promising.

1. High work and productivity standards
   • This ensures that those who have been given power know that much is expected of them.  With great power comes great responsibility (credit to Spider-Man's Uncle Ben and others).  By agreeing to high work and productivity standards, those who are entrusted with power know that the organization is counting on them to make a meaningful contribution.  When people are faced with a challenge and meet it, a strong sense of satisfaction with their work usually follows. 
2. Clarification of organizational missions and goals
   • This is extremely important, and failing to execute this step can lead to big problems.  It must be understood that when an individual is empowered, they are to use their new power to work congruent with the group's missions and goals.  This subject can get tricky, however, because there is a fine line between checking up to make sure mission is being followed, and micromanaging.  Effective empowerment walks this line so the empowered understand expectations and also have creative freedom.

These are the components to effective leadership and empowerment, and would serve any organization and leader well.  Notice I asked a fair amount of questions in this blog.  I feel this approach is important when dealing with power to ensure it is being used properly and effectively.  If power rests with one or a few, and they have no one questioning them, corruption could be on the horizon.  While all the questions I asked in this blog are imporant to establishing a good leadership-power relationship, I think the most telling comes from our friendly neighborhood Kanye:

"You got the power to let power go?"

Changemakers

In all honesty, I did not feel compelled to read this book until my other classmates (Neil, Kelsey, etc.) said how good it was.  All the orientation leaders received a free copy at the beginning of the summer, and I didn't so much as peek inside the front cover.  In an all-time "judging a book by its cover," I saw the words "outcasts" and  "refugee", and soccer ball, and immediately dismissed it as the type of story I would not choose to read on my own.

Once I started reading, everything changed.  Though the book was long, it was not a taxing read by any stretch.  Warren St. John does a great job setting up a character by providing powerful flashbacks into the tragedies suffered by the Fugee members.  Luma is a rock, and it amazes me how she was able to handle herself in the face of a situation anyone would consider challenging.

On now to social change, which is the reason the book was written.  There are countless examples of the Social Change Model in action, so I will do my best to illustrate a few to you all reading at home.  First, let's look at the assumptions of the social change model and see how Outcasts United fits in.
1. Leadership is socially responsible - Definitely.  While some individuals in the book sought change for their own benefit, they also worked to create change for the community of Clarkston as a whole.  I think of the store owner and police chief as prime examples.
2. Leadership is collaborative - Luma did not accomplish anything by herself.  It took other volunteers, city council, and the Fugee players to make the team simply exist, much less effect social change.
3. Leadership is a process, not a position - The person with the "most powerful" position, the mayor, was actually the least helpful in creating social change.  It took multiple individuals and groups to gradually change the culture in Clarkston.
4. Leadership is inclusive and accessible to all people - While the change makers in Clarkston hoped to make things better for the refugees, they also considered the "old Clarkston" residents and made sure everyone was on the same footing.
5. Leadership is values-based - The social change observed in Clarkston had the intent of positively changing the status quo for fair treatment of all members of the community.
6. Community involvement is a powerful vehicle for leadership - Those who became actively involved in the community (Luma, Chief Scipio, William Perrin) had a tremendous effect on Clarkston, which was necessary because the refugees could not become involved because of their work hours.

As we can see, the story meets all the criteria for the Social Change Model of Leadership.  Let's next look at specific examples from the book that demonstrate the workings of the model.

Looking at society and community values, it is plain to see how citizenship played a large role in the social change in Clarkston.  To pull from the reading, citizenship is "actively working toward change to benefit others through care, service, social responsibility and involvement."  Initially, Clarkston did not have these values of citizenship.  Certain individuals, however, began to become aware of the local issues and enact change.  Bill Mehlinger, the owner of Thriftown, finally realized that he could cater to the needs of refugees by providing different ethnic goods in his store.  This change had a profound positive impact on both Bill and refugees, and helped shape the community for the better.

A good example of group values, another component of the Social Change Model, is the Lost Boys repeatedly playing soccer at the park and repeatedly getting kicked off.  This demonstrates controversy with civility, as the Lost Boys did not simply give up after the first time they were asked to leave the park.  After countless attempts to use the park for soccer, the story eventually was made public.  This was bad PR for the mayor and Clarkston, which had an affect when Luma eventually received use of the field for six months.  Though not directly causing a change, the Lost Boys repeated run-ins with the police due to a shady policy ultimately paved the way for another group to achieve its goals.

Let's finally have an in-depth look at Luma and how her individual values helped contribute to the social change in Clarkston.  She embodied consciousness of self, congruence, and commitment extremely well, and used all three components together to work with the community.  Early in the book, Luma's self-awareness allowed her to realize that running her own restaurant was not what she wanted out of life, and it gave her the courage to file for bankruptcy even though she faced immense pressure from friends who invested in her.

Luma's congruence particularly suck out to me, as she took a hard line with each and every player on the Fugees, even going so far as to cancelling the under-15s season due to poor attitude.  Even when one of her players only knew Arabic, she tried her best to communicate to him in English so as to not appear to be playing favorites.

Luma's commitment goes without saying.  The amount of time, energy, and emotional capital she devoted to the Fugees and improving the community seemed at times inhuman.  Because she was so strong in her values and commitment to providing a safe, respectful environment to her boys, Luma was able to press on in the most difficult times.  This is what I admire most about Luma...her resolve was extraordinary.

Going back to Luma's congruence...she tried to treat every player the same because that's what they needed.  She led by being tough and unwavering, because again, that's what the players needed.  Luma knew her boys faced an uphill battle in life, so she tried to equip them with the necessary tools to succeed: hard work, discipline, respect.  She knew that if she could instill these qualities in her boys, they would be much better off than the alternative (gangs, minimum wage jobs, etc.).

Though Luma stands by her leadership style of tough love, she also made certain concessions to players.  She put up with Mandela's antics longer than others because he was good, which eventually led to a falling out between the two.  Though Luma was not proud of this, she admits to not being a perfect leader in every situation.  Another example of Luma altering her leadership style is reviving the U-15 team after previously declaring the season over.  Kanue's persistent pleading pulled at her heart, and she felt obligated to not let down the boys who had done everything she asked.  While some people have no trouble with this flexible leadership, it was difficult for Luma because of her deeply-rooted values in consistency.

As I was finishing up the book, something finally came to me.  As a freshman, I lived in Lincoln Tower, a stone's throw away from the turf fields near the RPAC.  Every night, I would see people playing soccer all night until well past midnight when the lights would go out.  These weren't just any people, though.  There were many Africans, Muslims, and boys of all different nationalities playing soccer on the fields, and I'm sure most did not attend Ohio State.  I remember thinking that it was not right that these men played soccer on fields which they did not pay a fee for like I did as an OSU student.  I now realize that those men playing soccer at Lincoln Tower Park every night were likely in similar situations as those in Clarkston.  None spoke English, but they were all out there playing a game they loved, no matter the skin color or background.  Thinking back, I feel bad that I was so narrow-minded, but now I realize that they just wanted a place to get away from life for a few hours.

Thank you, Outcasts United, for opening up my mind to look at a situation totally differently than I had in the past.  Go Fugees!

Observation Tower

DISCLAIMER:  I just finished a 7-page research paper, so this blog will probably sound very academic as it takes a while to get out of that mindset.

Due to my inability to be at my target-student org's meeting, I chose to observe a monday evening meeting of a group I am already a part of.

The first thing I noticed was the lack of members present.  It always surprises me how few members attend meetings, even though it happens week after week.  I believe there were less than half of the total members at the meeting, which does not lend itself well to communication.  The meeting also started 10 minutes late, which is fairly typical of us.  Even so, some members yelled to the president to get the show on the road, which showed that they valued their time and did not appreciate the late start.  In the minutes leading up to the meeting, there was a sense of restlessness and excitement, as is usually the case at these meetings.  Some members have not seen each other in a week or two, so they chum it up with friends.

To start the meeting, the president banged the gavel multiple times as a cue to get quiet, and it was fairly effective.  A few side conversations lingered, but on the whole the group was attentive.  The seven officers sit in the middle of the room in a square, 2 officers per table (president by himself).  They each give a report updating the group on the goings-on of their committee.  Interruption, jokes, and side comments are frequent, and keep the meeting long but entertaining.  Most of the group seems to have no problems with these interruptions...they are a part of the culture of the group, which otherwise could be viewed as rude.

After officer reports and new/old business, the president opens the floor for announcements.  This is the first official time that the rest of the group may speak, though they do so throughout the meeting.  Many members had announcements, which, after about 10 minutes, elicited some groans from the general body.  We had been in meeting for about one hour, which is a little less than normal, but people nonetheless wanted to get on with their evening.  Some announcements were pertinent to the group and some were simply funny, which aided in the light mood.

The overall mood of the meeting led me to believe the group was happy and had a definite sense of pride in their organization.  There weren't any awkward moments of turmoil, and things ran smoothly.  The president had the power, and controlled the flow of the meeting well.  He runs meetings differently than previous leaders, who set a more serious tone (for better or worse).  I think the members like the current president's approach to having a more relaxed atmosphere, and their behavoir reflects it.

All in all, it was an insightful evening observing from the watchtower.

College...where it all goes down

So what is student development theory and why are we studying it in our leadership theory class?  Interesting question...I'll take a stab at it on this blog.

First off, student development theory fascinates me.  Not so much the intricacies and proper names we associate with the different theories and stages, but more the general idea of a young adult figuring out themselves and their world.  I have spent much time reflecting on my own journey through college, so needless to say I consider this a very worthwhile topic.

My gut instinct when considering why we are studying student development theory is that the college years form the basis for future leadership styles.  It is uncommon for any one's leadership to be examined closely in high school, though I am not sure about why.  Regardless, the opportunities and experiences in college serve as great test runs of leadership.  The stakes are generally not high, but the situations are as close to "real-world" as possible.  Students, whether they know it or not, affect their leadership foundations by how they react to these situations.

Relating student development to facilitation, I see a direct connection between the experience of facilitation in the Skilled Facilitator approach and Vector 2 of Chickering's Psychosocial Theory of Student Development.  Both deal largely with keeping emotions in check and always being conscious of how emotions affect actions.  To be an effective facilitator, one must not get caught up in the emotions of the group or oneself, and must be able to maintain composure throughout...basically, "the show must go on" approach.  This ability is outlined by Chickering as being completed in the first two years of college, which could be some of the reason why we only accept second-year students.  Hmm...just some thinking out loud going on here.

I also drew some strong connections between the Building a Shared Vision article and Mattering vs. Marginality bit in student development theory that was briefly touched on.  In the Shared Vision article, a strong emphasis was places on generating buy-in through a sharing of personal visions.  While this is not necessarily what happens when a student develops a support team of friends, faculty, and advisors, I think a somewhat similar process occurs.  When a student has a vision and shares it with people who are invested in him or her, it makes that vision much more attainable.  I hate to compare a student with an organization, but some of the same steps are involved.  One concrete example...in the "Why do visions die?" section of the Building a Shared Vision article, one reason was that organizations get caught up in the day-to-day hustle and bustle and lose sight of what they are really shooting for.  The same certainly holds true for college students.  In this day of the hyper-involved student, long-term goals can easily get lost when one has 50 emails to respond to, ten meetings, and three papers every week.

No need to end on a negative note, though.  One piece of advice that all or most of the readings touched on was the idea of reflecting on experiences and asking: "what happened, how did that make me feel, and what can I learn from that experience?"  I read a book last summer titled How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.  It is one of if not the most popular self-help book of the last century, and contains plenty of valuable insights.  One example in that book is a man who, after dinner every Saturday, would keep to himself for a few hours and reflect on all of his interactions of the past week.  He would recall what he did or said in situations that went well and make note, and also recall those that did not go so well and try to figure out what he could do to improve.  Personal reflection is a great tool, it just requires some time and focus to be used effectively.

To those of you who read this: I challenge you to take 15 minutes at the end of each day and reflect on your interactions and decisions.  They say hindsight is 20/20, so why not look back with a clear lens to learn from previous experiences and facilitate your growth.

Leading Off: Leadership Lens

Let's get this party started.  A number of people and experiences have shaped how I view leadership and what it means to me.

First:  My parents.  Two great people who made it a priority to raise their children well.  Disrespect and unruliness were not tolerated in my family, and good manners were expected at all times.  Respect and good manners are two basic criteria of not only leadership, but simply being a good person.  I consider myself very fortunate to have learned their importance early on, as those qualities have served me well throughout my life.

Second:  High school football.  Playing varsity football in my hometown is not for the feint of heart.  Our coach was a taskmaster, stressing hard work, discipline, and integrity.  As a football player, there was no place for slacking off on in practice or in the classroom.  Some of the days on the practice field were the most exhausting of my life, but they taught me I could always dig a little deeper when the chips were down.  The memories of my times as a football player remind me how important hard work and discipline are to success in all situations in life.  Nearly all the great leaders I've met have a tremendous work ethic, and exhibit strong willpower when others may fold.

Third:  College and Student Organizations.  My idea of leadership has taken off since I arrived at Ohio State, going many different directions.  The following are the two primary ways I observe leadership at OSU:

1.) Individuals as role-models - I look to other leaders all the time for guidance and tips on how to be a more effective leader.  There are so many incredible people at Ohio State, I consider myself extremely lucky to be surrounded by such a group.  While students and faculty have certainly rubbed off on me, the man whose words most resonate are President Gee's.  I am first amazed by his schedule: up at 4:30 AM, workout, news, breakfast, into work by 8:30, done at 11 PM, rinse, repeat.  How he keeps it up is beyond me, but it shows that you must continually strive even when you've reached the pinnacle of success.

Secondly, Dr. Gee says that humor is a must for any leader, and he certainly backs up that statement.  I doubt most 66-year old university presidents have his sense of humor, and I also doubt most are as highly-regarded as he is.  Gee says you cannot take yourself too seriously, and must always be ready with a joke to lighten the mood.  I agree he is correct, but this somewhat conflicts with the notion that leadership is learned, not born.  There are many aspects of leadership that you can work on, but humor and charisma don't quite fall into that category (at least in my opinion).  I'm interested to see if we tackle this in the coming months.

2.) Experiences - By far the most effective way to learn anything, not just leadership.  There is nothing more satisfying that trying, failing, and getting it right the next time.  This to me is the great benefit of college, and especially student organizations.  Students are set in near-real life situations, but without the pressure of real-life responsibilities.  Say you have a big idea for a fundraiser for one of your clubs, but it ends up losing money.  Not the end of the world by any stretch, and no major problems would come from the blunder.  If the same thing happened in a job, however, you could get demoted, or even worse, fired.  College is designed for students to take chances and learn without worrying about the implications of professional life.  So why not take a chance at being a leader?  Bite off a bit more than you can chew and see what happens.  The results are usually pleasantly surprising.