Training a New Generation of Leaders

Abstract

This article highlights the Eisenhower Leadership Development Program, an undergraduate course with a two-fold purpose: (1) to develop students' leadership skills and abilities, and (2) to foster in students a desire to use their leadership abilities to address the different problems that communities and society face. To accomplish this the course uses traditional classroom instruction, guest speakers, leadership games and activities, and, most notably, semester-long group projects. Through the group projects students apply the leadership skills they have learned in class to real world situations and become more conscious of the positive contributions they can make as leaders in their communities.

Addressing issues in group work in the classroom

“…Essentially, these activities will help to prepare students for the workplace where employees must work with others in virtually every aspect of their job. When administered appropriately, those who use group projects contend that the projects allow students to learn about real-life situations (Welch 2000). Welch (2000:75) points out that students "learn about working as a team, resolving conflict, developing a division of labor, and improving their communication ability."…”

Impact of Industry Guest Speakers on Business Students' Perceptions of Employability Skills Development

“…The majority of studies make the (obvious) connection that if a guest speaker is from industry, they bring the real world into the classroom and expose students to their experiences, insights, perspectives, ideas and knowledge. Importantly, this also opens students' minds to differing viewpoints and contemporary issues and provides variety in the educational experience (Hemphill and Hemphill, 2007;Kamoun and Selim, 2007;Ormrod, 2004;Payne et al, 2003;Welch, 2000;Wolfe, 2006). Such an approach is key to accommodating the multiplicity of student learning styles, alongside the active learning pedagogy in the overall teaching and learning process.…”

“…However, research examining the perceptions of undergraduate business students of the insights that guest speakers provide with regard to employability skills does not seem to have been undertaken to any great extent. One study by Welch (2000) explains how guest speakers are used as one type of activity in the Eisenhower Leadership Program (a one-semester undergraduate course run at Texas A&M University in the USA) to talk about perspectives and experiences of leadership as well as the specific leadership skills that need to be developed by students. However, only general comments about the evaluation of the overall programme are provided: there is no empirical research of student perceptions and attitudes towards these active learning educational experiences.…”

A Review and Critique of Guiding Questions: Guidelines for Leadership Education Programs

“…The Guiding Questions (2009) document attempts to identify all the ways in which leadership studies programs utilize different environments and opportunities to promote leadership identity development (International Leadership Association, 2009). Besides in-class lecture and out-of-class experiential activities, the research suggests there are a number of ways a program can promote leadership learning including: (a) activities, (b) presentations, (c) games and simulations, (d) group projects, videos, or current media events, and (e) speakers (Prince, 2001;Riggio et al, 2003;Roberts, 2003;Welch, 2000;Zimmerman-Oster & Burkhardt, 1999). Although none of these activities alone can build effective leaders, a program built on a combination of these activities can aid students in a better understanding of their leadership styles, group dynamics, teamwork, conflict negotiation, and goal setting (Welch, 2000).…”

“…Besides in-class lecture and out-of-class experiential activities, the research suggests there are a number of ways a program can promote leadership learning including: (a) activities, (b) presentations, (c) games and simulations, (d) group projects, videos, or current media events, and (e) speakers (Prince, 2001;Riggio et al, 2003;Roberts, 2003;Welch, 2000;Zimmerman-Oster & Burkhardt, 1999). Although none of these activities alone can build effective leaders, a program built on a combination of these activities can aid students in a better understanding of their leadership styles, group dynamics, teamwork, conflict negotiation, and goal setting (Welch, 2000). Another outcome of inclusion of these types of activities into a leadership studies program is an increase in students' motivation to learn due to different activity addressing different learning styles and students enjoying the activity (Riggio et al, 2003).…”