...Leading like Madiba: Leadership Lessons from Nelson Mandela Posted on August 17, 2011 by Martin Kalungu-Banda The world is in dire need of great leaders, ones who inspire people not through words but by serving them. The cutting edge in leadership discourse is the old fashioned idea of leadership through service. The whole human race, we could say, desperately needs these servant-leaders who really attend to others and are beacons of hope in our search for a world society where justice, fairness, care for the weaker members of our communities, and love flourish. The call for leaders who genuinely serve their people is obvious in social and political communities. We can see it equally in the economic sphere, in business organisations or corporations. The high turnover of staff in many work places suggests that people are looking for what Lance Secretan, a Canadian guru on leadership, calls ‘soul space’[1] – an environment where they will not simply be cogs in the wheel of production but can live full and happy lives. In my book, Leading Like Madiba: Leadership Lessons from Nelson Mandela[2], published in March 2006, I have attempted to present through stories the type of leadership that will take our world a higher ground.[3] What is so extraordinary about Mr Mandela’s style and practice of leadership is that it crosses the boundaries of culture, gender, race, religion and age. Madiba (as he is fondly referred to in his home country) has done so in a society that was once...
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...| Harvard University | | | Lessons from Antigone | | | | by | | | | Barry Humphries | | | | 31/01/2010 | | | | | | | | | We love our heroes. In sports, it’s Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods. Exploration? Christopher Columbus and Captain James Cook. Business? Donald Trump and Rupert Murdoch are revered by millions. No matter how fast, far or rich, how ruthless, mercenary or arrogant – it seems we can’t get enough. The question is, are we creating heroes or monsters? In the play Antigone, Sophocles draws Creon as an autocratic dictator, interested only in political order and public obedience to the state. His stubbornness renders him unable to feel the injustice of his decree and ultimately rewards his blindness with personal tragedy. Could it be that Sophocles is asking us to question the qualities of unwavering focus, resolve and commitment – celebrated by many as being vital attributes of effective leadership (Avolio, 1999)? Qualities which in the case of Creon, may also be categorised as sociopathic or even psychopathic (Babiak & Hare, 2006). Sub-clinical socio/psychopathic traits such as narcissism, impulsivity, superiority, low-empathy and self-promotion are ironically also those that may assist individuals in rising to the top of the corporate or government ladder (Boddy, 2009). Paradoxically, these traits are often accompanied by the more positively held attributes of charisma, ambition and opportunism (Andrews & Furniss...
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...Biographical Background At 7:22 am on the morning of April 15, 1865 the sixteenth president of the United States of America took his last breath after being assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Being the first president successfully assassinated in the United States of America would be enough to put Abraham Lincoln’s name in the history books, however his life is equally remarkable. Lincoln’s reputation as a strong leader has stood the test of time from his career as a politician and lawyer to the president who preserved the union during a crucial turning point in our nation’s history. Lincoln’s unquenchable thirst for education and self-improvement formed the foundation for the leader he later became (Austell, 2006). Lincoln’s stepmother, Sarah Bush Johnston, was the first person in his life that understood the importance of education and encouraged Lincoln in his educational efforts (Herndon & Weik, 1888). Lincoln’s quest for knowledge was a lifelong journey that continued throughout his career as a lawyer and a politician, and helped him to earn the trust and admiration of colleagues and friends (Alvy & Robbins, 2010). Lincoln’s first office for the federal government was as postmaster at New Salem followed by multiple terms in the Illinois state legislature. Over time Lincoln’s influence within the Illinois legislature grew, in large part due to his ability to draft bills and laws (Burlingame, 2008). It was during his first term in the Illinois legislature that Lincoln...
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...Greg Meholick Research Paper The Leadership Lessons of Jesus Christ When we talk about Jesus as a leader, we may imply two different forms: Jesus as the only Son of God, God of the universe, or the risen Christ as being one with God; or Jesus as the 1st century flesh and blood human being, the historical figure. Since the purpose of studying leadership is to improve one's own leadership skills, it makes sense to analyze Jesus' applicable traits, actions, and accomplishments as a good leader—in his historical role—so his leadership skills can be feasibly related to ourselves as human beings. I will attempt to analyze, using modern leadership criteria, how Jesus of Nazareth, the Jew and carpenter's son, was an effective spiritual leader of his time. Let us first examine the leadership attitude Jesus showed in his ministry. According to the address Thomas Cronin delivered at the Western Academy of Management in 1982, part of what makes leaders appealing is their confidence and faith: Leaders have those indispensable qualities of contagious self-confidence, unwarranted optimism, and incurable idealism that allow them to attract and mobilize others to undertake tasks these people never dreamed they could undertake. (To Lead or Not to Lead, Unit One 36) Jesus had infectious self-confidence that attracted all types of people to his cause. A teacher of the law said to Jesus, “Teacher, I will follow your wherever you go” (Matt. 8:19). He was also an...
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...Over the course of my high school career, I have taken on a multitude of leadership opportunities and one thing that is has gone unnoticed is the amount of sacrifices I have had to make behind the scenes. Everyone wants the limelight, but it takes a true leader to selflessly sacrifice their time for the betterment of others. I found the value of selflessness to be one of the most beneficial lessons I have learned in my life and will surely aid me in all of my future endeavors. One of the activities in which I took on a prominent leadership role was the DECA club as sought the president position and was voted in by my peers. I had numerous new ideas and initiatives I wanted to introduce in the club. The first major lesson I learned was the...
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...In the world we live in emergencies happen all around us, the biggest question one can think of is are we prepared, and what are we ready to do in the situation? Far too often there are large incidents ranging from multi vehicle accidents, entrapment, wild fires, terrorist attacks, and sudden severe weather and so on that require a split second response from multiple agencies with hundreds of working personnel to save the lives of many. Any average person not working in a field relating to or participating in such volunteered practice events really doesn’t understand the time and effort it takes when a large incident takes place. Sadly during August 2005 there were four states hit by severe weather storm causing great tragedy. Due to the incidents that took place there were multiple agencies working around the clock across the states to save everyone they could, unfortunately not everyone was saved but there was an extreme effort to do so. Hurricane Katrina is now the eleventh named storm and fifth hurricane during the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Today Katrina is known as the costliest natural disaster, and one of the five deadliest hurricanes known in the history of the United States. August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of the United States. This storm was given a Category 3 rating on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale due to the fact that it brought sustained winds of 100–140 miles per hour and stretched over 400 miles. This storm did a great deal...
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...scenario? What is going to happen in the future? Are we going to have a World War 3? Germany and France trying to protect Russia It was obvious that Russia supported the separatist militants in the region, while on the other hand it was trying to deny this support. At the same time, the Russians joined Germany and France in a diplomatic effort to promote a political agreement within Ukraine that takes into account the interests of Russia. Expanding relations with BRIC countries Putin, on the other hand, expanded its relations with China, gaining moral support from other BRIC countries (Brazil, India, China, South Africa) and also strengthening old and making new friends in Latin America. My Personal Learning with Putin’s Style of Leadership In business life, as mentioned by Rickards (2012), leaders are focused to achieve economic goals and unethical behavior happen if businesses are economically disadvantaged for executives. Putin has its objectives cleared in his mind, and to achieve them he uses the tactics of common enemies (Diamond, 2012). Putin knows the importance of having allies at his side, and by experience we know that anyone can’t achieve their goals alone. Analyzing...
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...Lesson Plans Lesson plans will be filled out on how to use Dolch words to help improve reading. 1. Are the objectives aligned with academic standards? Yes State how the lesson objectives support the academic standards. The lesson will help students in grades Pre-K, K and 1st to understand how to read. 2. Are the assessments aligned with the objectives? Yes Is it explicitly clear what the students should know and be able to do by the end of the lesson? Yes, the students should know a certain number of dolch words by a certain date. What is the evidence demonstrating mastery of knowledge and/or skills that will support the lesson objectives? Documentation of the words correct on paper. 3. Are the learning experiences relevant to the objectives? Yes 4. Is instruction differentiated? Yes, EEL and Special Education students will have flash cards, I-pads to help pronounce the words, memory match. How will ELL or special needs students benefit from these lessons? To help them build up their vocabulary by learning the basic and more frequent words. Name the activities that support learning modalities, gender, or cultural groups. 5. Are there frequent and multiple ways to check for understanding during instruction? List the strategies to check for understanding. Include other strategies not in the lessons that could be utilized to further check for student understanding. • Spelling test • Memory test • Flash card • Reading probes • Printable worksheets ...
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...DEMO LESSON Lesson Plan in Language in Literature II Afro-Asian Literature I. Subject Matter: Vietnam Legacy Reference: Language in Literature Afro-Asian Literature (p. 156) Materials: illustration boards, Multimedia materials Time Frame: 2 Meetings II. Objectives A. Generate responses to a question the poem asks about giving tributes to fallen soldiers B. Identify imageries in the poem C. Demonstrate comprehension on the poem by giving accurate answers to questions D. Enumerate ways how they can promote peace in their own little ways as students. III. Lesson Proper A. Introduction 1. Through a DLP, show pictures of soldiers. Let students verbalize their ideas about the pictures. 2. Inform them that they are about to read a poem about soldiers. 3. Post the following question to be answered towards the end of the lesson: What is the best way to remember those who fought in a war for freedom? B. Interaction 4. Let students read the poem silently, then let them read it aloud in chorus with the poem projected through DLP. 5. Instruct them to locate the following unfamiliar words on the poem, then give their definitions: * Granite- a very hard rock used in building * Engraved- carved into a block or surface * Relive- To undergo or experience again, especially in the imagination. * Laureate- a person who has been honored for achieving distinction in a particular field or with a particular award...
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...|Name: Gail Faulkner |Date:4-22-2012 | |Unit Title: the study of Water | |Grade Level: PRE-K | |Subject: Science | |Unit Length: 10 minutes | |Brief Summary of Unit | |(Describe the context for this unit within the curriculum, and the curricular aims of the unit.) | | | |What understandings or goals will be assessed through this task? (Students will…) | | | |Will understand how water is a way of life for people. They will also gain recognition of various types of things we use water for.| |The students will develop...
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...TLA Self-Assessment: To What Extent Do My Lessons Show… OLTA Code | Area of Teaching, Learning and Assessment - “To what extent do I, my students or my lesson show…” | Strength | AFI | 1 | QUALITY OF LEARNING | | | 1a | Punctuality (and attendance) * do my students arrive on time; are they ready and prepared for work; * do I address lateness properly and effectively; have I evidence of strategies I have used to prevent lateness; * do I support late-comers and integrate them into the lesson; * am I aware of any background issues that might prevent my students arriving on time; * do my students demonstrate a commitment to learning through consistently high records of attendance (90% +)… | | | 1b | Learner Engagement * are my students attentive and focused; * are they responding to my questioning and are ALL my students engaged in the tasks during the lesson; * are my students enthusiastic and do I nurture this with my tasks; * am I aware of which students need more of a challenge and do I include this in my tasks… | | | 1c | Standard of Work * if someone was to look at my students’ work on the tables or in their folders does it meet or exceed the expectations of typical students at this level; * are their folders neat, tidy and have they brought the appropriate resources with them; * am I helping my students develop along Blooms’ taxonomy from developmental to higher order skills… | | | 1d | Individual & Independent Learning (outside)...
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...Introduction Cross Curricular teaching involves a conscious effort to encourage students to apply skills or knowledge acquired through learning at school to more than one subject on their curriculum. A central topic or theme can interlink subjects with each other, and students as a result should be able to learn an aspect of a central topic and apply information learned in one subject to others(Householder & Boulin 1992). As mentioned in Component 1 there are huge advantages to Cross Curricular teaching and learning. However, many students do not or cannot apply the knowledge that they have acquired in one subject to others (www.fromtinyacorns.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/about-transdisciplinary-thematic-learning) Learning beyond subject boundaries provides a student with the opportunity to experience not only learning that is relevant to one subject’s requirements, but also learning information that they will apply to other subjects. This type of learning some students may find to be challenging as they will be studying one topic from many different perspectives. However, with a deeper understanding of a topic, others will find it more interesting and may be encouraged to study the topic even further. Rensick (1989) confirms this stating that in contrast to learning topics in isolation students become more actively engaged in their studies when they participate in cross curricular learning. Cross curricular learning that is based on linking learning experiences and...
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...REFLECTIVE ESSAY #4 What a week last week was. Most the lessons touched me in some way. I liked the discipline model and progressive discipline process. It reminded me on how discipline should be handled. I have seen the progressive discipline model in action and when it is was done right it worked. Once again the speech was a little nerve racking, but I got through it. I missed a lot of my introduction because I got flustered. After I got over my initial nervousness the rest was smooth. It flowed pretty good and I had a good closing. Now I know that I need a little more practice with my speech before jumping into it. I know that I can do better on it so I will use my experience on the last two speeches to improve on the next one. Effective negotiations was an eye opener in the aspect that I do a lot of the technics that were taught, but didn’t know I was using them. I am defiantly more integrative then distributive. I like to build that relationship then to “burn the bridge” with people. I try to make sure that everyone is happy with the out come of the discussion and that everyone got what they wanted. Sometimes it’s not possible and I feel like I have failed when that happen. Continuous improvement was a little difficult to wrap my head around at times. As soon as I thought I had a grasp on it I would get the question that was posed wrong. System 1 and system 2 thinking was like that, but by the end of the lesson I had a better understanding of the...
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...Have you ever learned a valuable lesson that has helped you? In the book A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck, Rob also learned some valuable lessons throughout the book. His friends and family members taught him those lessons to help him later in life. SomeA few of the important lessons he learns are life isn’t fair, death is a part of life, and respect and listen your elders. Rob learns that life isn’t fair mostly from his father. Rob wanted to go to a baseball game on Sunday but his father told him he couldn’t. In the text, Rob’s dad says, “Rob, the Book of Shaker forbids frills on any day. And that goes double on Sunday.”(32) People think that Rob’s dad isn’t as good as them because he can’t read or write. Rob finds this out when he asks his dad why he can’t vote. In the text Rob’s dad also says, “...It’s account of...
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...Introduction: “The Pursuit of Happyness,” was released by Columbia Pictures in December 2006 and is inspired by the true story of a real-life leader, Chris Gardener. Chris Gardner is the owner and CEO of Gardner Rich LLC with offices in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. Gardner Rich LLC is a FINRA registered broker-dealer specializing in servicing public pension funds and Taft-Hartley plans for some of the nation’s largest institutions and unions. Conquering grave challenges to become a successful entrepreneur, Gardner is an avid motivational and inspirational speaker, addressing the keys to overcoming obstacles and breaking cycles. Gardner is also a passionate philanthropist whose work has been recognized by many esteemed organizations. Will Smith starred as Gardner and received Academy Award, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations for his performance. Gardner was an associate producer on the film. In the early years of his life, Gardener was a scientific supply salesman. In the movie, he sells bone scanners which are hard to sell and no one needs. As a result he is shown to be financially distraught from the beginning. In 1981, as a new father to son Christopher Gardner Jr., he was determined to find a career that would be both lucrative and fulfilling. He was also determined to raise his child in the best way he could because he himself had spent his entire life not knowing who his father was. Fascinated by finance and in his pursuit of happiness, but without...
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