Leadership is Everyone's Business

There is a very unique relationship between leadership and power. After reading the article, "Power and Leadership", I have a lot of thoughts surrounding this topic.

When specifically asked what "Leadership is Everyone's Business" and how it relates to power, I can't help but think of the recent scandal that has surrounded the Penn State University. I spent time reading the Grand Jury Report about the allegations surrounding Coach Sandusky and the alleged sexual child abuse he committed. The biggest question that was raised in my mind after reading through the 8 Victim's testimony and stories was, "How did this go unreported? Why did so many people know about this and it's just now come to the authorities attention?" Which leads me to, if Leadership is every one's business, where were these witnesses and people in positions of power? Where was there leadership? Non-existent. Which is exactly why the president of the Penn State University and the head football coach lost their jobs. Every other person mentioned in that Grand Jury report that had even the smallest inkling that this was an issue, should be completely ashamed of themselves. Concern about greed and reputation clouded the moral judgment of these witnesses and stopped them from using their power for good.

I'm going to take a step back and analyze the power that Jerry Sandusky abused in this scandal. First, Sandusky had legitimate power. He was a valued and appreciated football coach at one point at the Penn State University. He had power through his position. Even after he left his position, he still had the power that surrounded this position. Which leads to his ability to abuse reward power. Sandusky had a variety of perks including football tickets, bowl game tickets, access to Penn State facilities, field passes, pre-game tailgating parties, etc. Sandusky used this reward power to lure in these children. He was able to say "if you do this for me, I can give you this." Then as stated in the grand jury report, he threatened to send one of the children home from a bowl game in Texas, after the child resisted his actions. This was an example of Sandusky exercising his coercive power. Unfortunately, Sandusky's expert power in the situation was used for a wrong. He was able to use what he knew about the Penn State football program and other experiences to help him bend the rules and be able to hide these scandals for such a long time. Finally, Sandusky used his referent power that he earned as an admired football coach for a prestigious football program, to get around possible consequences with his colleagues, such as Joe Paterno, and with the children themselves. Many of the children found themselves in these awkward positions because they trusted Sandusky's referent power and believed that his actions were in his best interest.

Before concluding my blog, I want to be sure to mention positivity surrounding power. Leadership is every one's business because all five types of power can be found in everyone regardless of position, organization, or climate. I have found in my experiences that the most ineffective use of power is coercive. I think it solves a short term problem, but in the end does not build moral or positivity within a group. In my experiences, the most important use of power is expert power. I personally strive on expert power. I want to be used for my power based on what I can contribute based on my knowledge, experience, and intuition about a situation. There is also something very special about using referent power. When a person can use their referent power to get something done, that means that during their time as a leader they have established themselves through legitimate power, utilized reward power when necessary, avoided coercive power only in the most dire situations, built their reputation based on expert power, to eventually be regarded highly because of their referent power.

In the end, all of this power conversation reminds me of my leadership lens. I want to use my power to achieve forward motion. I also want to be a leader that when I use my power, when no one is watching, that it is still a positive and beneficial use of my power.

In the Spirit of Leadership

and always

In Buckeye Spirit,

Brandee Lee

College: The Years of Maturation as a Student

Above is one of my favorite photos because I think it shows a culmination of a large part of my own personal development as a student at Ohio State. The photo was taken at the entrance to the Center for Student Leadership and Service in the Ohio Union. Behind me, pictures and stories hang of Buckeye leaders, Les Wexner, Jesse Owens, and Patricia Heaton. In the back to the right, sits a bust of Beanie Drake who was the first director of the Ohio Union when it opened in 1910. These are examples of students that developed at the Ohio State University during their time. They weren't the first and they will not be the last. It reminds me that I am but a small piece of a huge, never ending puzzle. Yet, I'm so proud and honored to be a piece. I am glad that my development as a student has taken place here.

What is a Student Leadership Advocate? Just within the name, you can infer that a Student Leadership Advocate is a student who is advocating leadership. To whom is this SLA advocating leadership to?... Other student's! Which if you think about is a very unique concept. Most would assume that a person advocating leadership to students within student organizations should be an experienced professional with a variety of degrees that make them educated enough to facilitate this leadership growth.

Well to compensate for my lack of a doctoral degree, heck my lack of completed bachelor's degree, I am taking a leadership theory class that is providing me the tools to learn more about leadership theory so that I can be a better Student Leadership Advocate.

This week, we focused on reading about the Perspectives on Student Development. I had a number of lightbulbs go off in my head about the concept of developing students as young adults and leaders.

This is what we are doing within SLA!!! We are providing "models that will stimulate and support students as they progress through their own unique developmental process." We are "individualizing" the process to help unique student organizations and executive boards to help provide them with that they need to grow and maintain. SLA is working with students and student organizations "one-on-one". We hope to "stimulate self-understanding, strengthen skills, and increase knowledge" on a variety of topics related to personal leadership development, personality assessment, brainstorming, etc.

As I read about Chickering's Psychosocial Theory of Student Develpment, I noticed a lot of similarities between his 7 vectors and the 3 year development process within specifically SLA, and with what we are doing for student organizations. One of our goals is to help students go through this process. During a single facilitation, we aren't going to be able to move a student organization or an individual student through all of these vectors, but we may play a small part for a student to help them overcome a barrier that has been blocking them from maturing through these vectors.

Examples of how I see SLA helping students with these vectors include:

Vector 1: Developing Competence - By facilitating ice breakers, we are helping to increase social and interpersonal competence by helping increase communication skills within an organization.

Vector 3: Developing Autonomy - By facilitating brainstorming sessions and sit down chats to help students identify resources, understand how they work as an organization, helping them learn how to solve their own problems, set goals, and make plans we are helping them develop their skills within this vector.

Vector 4, 5, 6, and 7: Establishing Identity, Freeing Interpersonal Relationships, Developing Purpose, and Developing Integrity - When I read through the descriptions of these vectors, I was reminded of all the assessments that we administer to students to help them become more self aware about not just themselves, but those around them. We are helping students be aware of their personality types, how they work in groups, where their skills can be used best, how to work with those that don't think or operate the same as them, building on their values and how to use that to grow, etc.

Also, as I read through what helps students mature through the various vectors, I really think that SLA is helping students through that process. We are trying to help foster development through learning in a new way and diverse environment and providing students and student organizations with the opportunity to maximize and grow.

We are "engaging students in making choices", "requiring interaction with diverse individuals and ideas", "involving students in direct and varied experiences", "involving students in solving complex and intellectual social problems" at their own discretion, and "involving students in receiving feedback and making objective self assessments."

Wow!!! It seems super nerdy to get so pumped up in a blog, but I am FIRED UP to be part of an organization that is literally influencing all 5 of the major experiences Chickering says is crucial to development for my fellow student peers at OSU!

In the end, Chickering addresses the theory of Mattering vs. Marginality. I like to think that within SLA we are helping students believe that they do matter and their presence on this campus within their student organization and just as a person is EXTRAORDINARILY IMPORTANT!

I'm so excited to take what I've learned in terms of student development and keep it in the back of my mind during my facilitations. It really helps to put in perspective that what we are doing within SLA really is a crucial part of the bigger picture for students across the university.

In the Spirit of Leadership

and always

In Buckeye Spirit,

Brandee

PS. As a disclaimer to my class, I apologize for not meeting our self-imposed "Monday by 11:59pm deadline". I promise I will have my next blog done before the deadline next time. At least, it's completed before the actual deadline, right Prof Roc?

My Leadership Lens

MY LEADERSHIP LENS:

My leadership journey has come from my experiences falling into leadership positions within groups through dance, cheer, school, church. Mostly, my leadership capabilities and experiences have come mostly through my Mom and everything she has taught me through the years.

I learn leadership through observation, reading, self-exploration, understanding the process, assessment, experience, mentors, and listening.

I experience leadership through setting a plan, developing strategies, adapting, thinking on my feet, trying new things, and teaching others.

I strive to be a leader that is innovative, appreciated, understood, valued, knowledgeable, experiences, futuristic, and striving for forward motion.

In the Spirit of Leadership

and always

In Buckeye Spirit,

Brandee