Insights from the Frontline

A few insights from the trenches of adult education and the implementation of online learning platforms.

The Path of the Servant Leader


Servant leadership is characterized as style that seeks to empower followers instead of using power to dominate them. Establishing trust by being completely honest and open, keeping actions consistent with values, and showing trust in followers are other key areas indicative of the servant leader (Greenleaf,1977). Articulated by Greenleaf, servant leaders have been defined as a people that seek to inspire others into heroic acts of leadership, so that they may become moral agents in society. The servant leader has always maintained that he or she is simply the “guide on the side”, a facilitator pointing the way so that others may write their own tales of greatness and adventure.

The late martial artist Bruce Lee in his movie Enter the Dragon touched upon this theme. In the beginning sequence of his movie Bruce is training a young pupil and instructs the young learner that learning is “like a finger point a way to the moon”. Bruce notices his student intently focused upon his outstretched finger. Disappointed, Bruce raps the young pupil on the top of his head and admonishing says “don’t concentrate on the finger or you’ll miss all that heavenly glory”!

Much like the “outstretched finger”, the servant leader is merely pointing the way for others to follow. The servant leader is not the reason for the interaction, nor is the servant leader the center of attention. The servant is merely a guide, assisting others in realizing their own glory. It is the path of servant leadership that educators should tread.


Referenced scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4wNKR0s4UA

The Power Of Vision

All great things endeavours, triumphs and victories start with a dream,
a vision. What has stood out to me most in recent days has been how important one's vision is to achieving one's goal. Fidelity of purpose and a clear articulation of goals have been of the up most importance to me as of late.

What I have found is that within articulation of purpose one will find the means by which success can be had. Clarity of vision, leads to clarity of means. An understanding of how something can be accomplished is dependent upon acknowledging a destination. I have come to understand that behind clarity lie the blueprints to the machinery in which dreams are built.

The vision we all have when starting our academic and life journeys should be at the forefront of our efforts. For me, my goal of building institutions dedicated to the holistic education of the human mind and spirit has been re-established as the ultimate prize. What this refocused dedication has led to is a reassessment of my current strategies and practices.

The Educational Possibilities of Second Life.

The Power of Teams the Power of "WE".

Cohort systems within academic study use the power of teams and of community to deliver effective learning experiences. Cultivated skill is rarely used within the confines of a vacuum, human interaction is always a part of the equation.

Cohort systems of learning prepare students to use acquired skills within the dynamic currents of life.

Education should provide a platform for humanization in which one can develop his or her ability to effectively interact with others.

Cohort Case Study

Moment of Insight

The Law of Cause and Effect in the Development of Self-Confidence
Brian Tracy

An e-lightened Moment


"Harvest the fruits of the sweat of one's brow, sweet the taste of seeds sown with sincerity and conviction. Jurisdiction of the universal law transcends all current circumstances, political stances or philosophical leanings, deceiving but only to ourselves the intention of our deeds. Intention is the important thing.

Unseen realities does not equate to the reality of things being unseen, for we are constantly surrounded by its sway daily. I pray we understand the true nature of ourselves and the universe. There is no escaping the elevating, error correcting administrator, of all ways and means, all beings and things.

The pendulum swings in retaliation to the nature of the scheme, which put its arm in motion, the notion of something for nothing, pleasure without pain, borders on the insane. The rocky road is the abode of the royal and wise, understanding leads to open eyes".

-R.L. Adams

Zen and Education

• All of life all of universal activity are in the state of Musabi, Movement, Becoming



• Discovering our physical limitations causes us to reflect on the deepest meaning of harmony and conflict and to strive for a level of consciousness above the ego, closer to the creator.



• Silence and action are modes of training that teach us to still the mind and see inside



• Attitude reflects the spirit, training cleanses the foundation of the body and mind.

reference:

Saotome, M. (1993). Aikdio and the Harmony of Nature. Shambhala:

Second Life.......The Educational Matrix?

E-lightened Thoughts of Transformational Leaders

An E-lightened Moment

The division between you and I is an illusion with real consequences. Nihilistic inclination backed by the painful sensation of nothingness, confines the heart in an unnatural state of disinterest and apathy.

The pen caresses the page in an effort to give birth to life. The immaculate creation of abstract landscapes seeks new travellers and explores of its terrain. The pen's emission snugely makes its home between the confines of the page, giving rise to the birth feelings, emotions and truth.

The Question ?

"Has the artist equipped himself with a world view which enables him to see as much of the world as it is possible for him to see and to make us see"?

-Nugugi Wa Thiong'o

Power, Culture and Reflection

Power, culture and reflection are themes of relevance to those of us who embrace the challenge of leadership and education. Power is the backbone of all beneficial action, without it plans are mere thoughts never emerging from the ether of our imaginations.

The wisdom necessary to wield power in its many facets is best cultivated through reflection. In a society that champions “the bold move” reflection maybe a counter intuitive activity; it is however an activity that must be engaged in.

Outside of the spectrum of power and reflection, strategies and actions must be apart of the culture in which they are initiated. Culture offers the staying power necessary for positive behaviors to be truly transformational. Rituals practices and habits are anchors by which excellence can firmly established.

Hungry Minds and Slippery Slopes

Leadership despite the environment in which it is found must navigate safely along the slippery slope of leadership and the responsibility that comes with it. I have always found it a challenge to balance the dual impulses of freedom and discipline. Overbearing leadership and use of one's authority can snuff out the spark of growth and initiative in students. Yet discipline is needed to encourage the healthy growth of students unimpeded by the perils of unchecked impulse.

Discipline when used in an effective manner has the effect of "continually clarifying and deepening our personal vision, of focusing our energies, of developing patience, and of seeing reality objectively" (Bass, 2000, pg.117), can be a tremendous force in unlocking dormant potential and polishing expressed talents. It is the burden of the educator to endure under the struggle to maintain balance.

Reference:The Jossey-Bass reader on educational leadership. (2000). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

The Paths of Leadership

Transactional leadership can be defined as a leadership style which emphasizes the structural and procedural side of leading others. Transactional leadership theory does not concern itself with questions of personal empowerment and inner processes. The philosophy of this approach deals primarily with the observable, procedural actions engaged in by the leader. For example if follower A does action X, then follower A will be rewarded with Y.

Transformational leadership seeks to garner a deeper understanding of the inner processes and traits of leadership. Within the scope of transformation are those practices which focus on personal empowerment and self actualization.

An e-lightened Moment

"Liberating solitude, moments of a million thoughts, bring peace to the masses. Fear of a descending abyss, regrets and should haves left seekers in an aftermath of doubt.

For without direction the erection of deeds transcribed to memory is all but an impossibility. Uniqueness exists only in the ligt of history....hitherto one's a madman.

The band that I dance to is one of a different beat, seek the unique, the true I BE I and defy the contemporary, to embrace the timeless and legendary".

-R.L. Adams

.....Like a TranQuil PoND


Reflection is a best practice for practically all business processes; however in the case of innovation it would play a critical role. Deeply thinking upon the needs of one’s customers or on the challenges facing an organization requires one to be in tuned to the subtle messages provided by their environment. The business landscape is littered with the most well planned business strategies that failed utterly because they did not address the realities on the ground.

The culture within an organization also plays a large role in how successful innovative plans are. Businesses with a culture of execution and performance are needed when attempting to successfully implement change. Execution cannot be drawn up in a business plan or even lectured about in some board room; it is a reality that must be lived and breathed throughout the entire organization. “It should be clear by now that execution isn’t a program you graft onto your organization. A leader who says, “Okay, now we’re going to execute for a change” is merely launching another fad of the month, with no staying power (Bosidy, Charan, Burk,2003 pg. 490). Execution and performance is a way of being it is the very culture itself.


Resource:

Business leadership: A Jossey-Bass reader. (2003). San Francisco: Jossey-
Bass.

The Virtues of Conflict?

Conflict seems to have a negative connotation within popular culture. Conflict is often viewed as the breakdown of communication, an anomaly in the system. This is an inaccurate perception in my view. Conflict when done in a constructive manner and focused on differences is philosophy, strategies and approaches can clarify one’s understanding of a situation.

Constructive conflict has the potential to clear one’s path of inaccurate perceptions and false assumptions so that one may accurately assess the topic at hand. “Conflict is a dual edged sword. Unbridled it can bring out the worst in human nature resulting in violence and destruction. Properly channeled it is the source of energy for challenging people and renewing organizations” (Tichy, Devanna, 1990, pg. 124).

This is also where the role of the transformational leader can be very effective. Transformational leaders tend to be particularly adept at establishing mitigating mechanisms within the organization that keep the activity of conflict productive and not destructive (Tichy, Devanna, 1990, pg.).


Resource:

Tichy, N.M., & Devanna, M.A. (1990). The transformational leader. New York:
John Wiley & Sons.

Ahhhh.....The Power of Power

Power is the ability to influence the behavior, performance and decisions of others. There are many sources that power flows from, the most notable are:

Referent- the force of one’s character and personality
Expert- the force of one’s depth of knowledge
Rewards- the force of one’s ability to give rewards of benefit
Legitimate- the force of one’s official position, title or role
Coercive- the force of one’s ability to manipulate policy or procedure

(French, Raven, 1960)

Power is the lifeblood of one’s ability to lead. Without power one cannot influence others to higher levels of performance and behavior. How one uses his or her power is a direct indication of how effective they will be as a leader.

It is essential for a leader to do some level of self-reflection in identifying how they intend to exercise their power within the organization. A leader must assess personal feelings about the exercise of power. If things are to be accomplished in organizations, the leader must understand what motivates his or her own behavior and the behavior of others in the organization (Tichy, Devanna, 1990). Only then can effective and responsible actions leveraged by power be implemented.


Resource:

Tichy, N.M., & Devanna, M.A. (1990). The tranformational leader. New York:
John Wiley & Sons.

The Power of our Habits

Learning must impact habits. Habits, when a true reflection of the depths of our learning, securely anchors our newly acquired skills and perceptions. Habits are the backbone and substance in the ephemeral ether we call knowledge....

Habits powers execution

Execution powers progress

“There are three kinds of people in the world; those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened.”

-Unknown


Be one of the brave souls that face the realities of the world with determination and fortitude.
Be one of the spirits that change their world for the better, through actions and investment of one’s time.
Beware of contentment and apathy, for tragedies the world over have been caused by their mingling in the affairs of people.

Personal Growth

Education in its truest sense should provide a platform for humanization. The development of one's personal ability to interact with others and understand oneself is an important and often neglected element in present day pedagogy.

The development and utilization of technical skill within the larger context of human interaction is a representation of "life" in all its complex reality. Cultivated skill is not used within the confines of a vacuum. Human interaction with both the inner and outer world is always part of the performance equation.

Students guided along the path of self understanding and personal growth tend to be better prepared to handle the dynamic and challenging nature of reality.