LEAF 514: Leadership and Community: Empowerment, Collaboration, and Dialogue
Faculty: Joseph Sankoh
Date: March 23, 2014
Books: Strategic Management and Business Policy: Concepts and Cases, T.Wheelen & J. D. Hunger (2008)
Diverse Communnities: The Problem with Social Capital, B. Arneil (2006)
Bowling Alone, R. Putnam (2000)
Summary: This is an intensive immersion program based on a collaborative partnership between the students and an agency. This allowed for field experience that engaged students in successful leadership practice that provided real world opportunities to observe leadership and organizations while applying classroom theories.
I did my immersion at The United Way of Buffalo and Erie County. It was a great experience; affording me the opportunity to observe involved caring leaders with various leadership styles. It was a perfect place to compare the Star Model (Galbraith, 1995) of leadership.
So what, Now what: My take away from spending time observing the leadership at the United Way is that there is no one-size-fits-all model when designing an organization to be effective. All departments and functions must be aligned and collaborating across the organization. There is no right or wrong leadership style; each style has a time and a place. Recognizing that leadership styles and employees are as varied as the departments they work in and the challenges they face, will help an organization successfully focus on its mission, vision, and values.
