With 25 years of research and data collected from over 3 million leaders the authors Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner built a leadership model on the belief that leadership is measurable, learnable, and teachable set of behaviors and that “Leadership is Everyone’s Business”. After surveying thousands of individuals on their personal best leadership experience Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner found there were similar patterns of behavior that could be broken down into 5 leadership practices. These practices are, Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Enable Others to Act, Challenge the Process, and Encourage the Heart.

We are excited to offer you the opportunity to take part in The Leadership Challenge Institute. The Leadership Challenge Institute is a leadership program focusing on developing exemplary student leaders at East Carolina University.  The “Challenge” is a five week intensive program geared toward students who have already acquired the basic premises of leadership skills/practices and are ready to move to the next level.  This is a nationally recognized program that is being tailored to meet the needs of ECU students in developing leadership skills and practices.  This comprehensive program engages students in activities, dialogue, and readings with current leaders from the faculty, administration, and staff. These activities will enhance student leadership practices as well as integrate students into the campus community.

The Leadership Challenge Community is comprised of Leadership Challenge Family Clusters.  The Leadership Challenge Family Cluster is the formal support and reference group for the participants during the 5 week program. The Family Cluster will be comprised of 5 to 7 students from ECU. Participants will work closely with their Faculty/Staff Leadership Challenge Preceptors. The Preceptors are individuals that provide practical experience and training to students on leadership. The Preceptor serves as the group’s resource, catalyst and coach. Preceptors are more than gatekeepers; they serve as a bridge between the Leadership Challenge Community and learning application in the Family Cluster.

The Leadership Challenge will require the participants to travel overnight for 1 night to engage in programs that will begin to take their leadership skills to the next level. Transportation will be provided. Upon returning, participants will focus on their Leadership Practices Inventory, an assessment tool that measures their level of development within the leadership practices, to develop a path to improve their practical leadership. This analysis and discussions on reaching your leadership potential will take place Week 2, 3, and 4 at the time and location determined by the Family Cluster and under the guidance of your Preceptor. In addition to the required reading, each Family Cluster will plan and complete a service project during the five week program.

Premise

• Leadership is a continual process of understanding who you are and using that knowledge to positively influence yourself, others and society.

• Civic engagement is a powerful vehicle for developing students' leadership skills
• Leadership is collaborative process.
• Leadership is value-based.
• All students (not just those in formal positions) have the ability to apply leadership practices to real life situations.

Exemplary Leadership Practices

Outcomes

1.        Have an understanding of leadership as a process and reflect on how values and experiences affect how you choose to serve and lead.

·                 Create and implement a shared vision.

·                 Critically reflecting on the program activities and assigned readings through written and oral assignments and group projects.

2.        Be able to integrate leadership competencies with practical experiences.

·                 Execute goals and objectives toward the achievement of a common vision for their service project.

·                 Clearly communicate the goals and vision that they have for their service project.

3.        Have the ability to think ethically and critically, be able to make individual decisions, and participate effectively in group decision-making.

·                 Be able to effectively make sound and correct decisions in individual and group environment.

4.        Have an understanding of reflection and its role in leadership development.

·                 Articulate change in their self-perceptions of their leadership skills before and after the program.

·                 Learn from their situations and learn how to be more effective in their roles.

5.        Acquire strategies for decision making.

·                 Participate in group and cluster activities that require making decisions for self and for the cluster.

6.        Participate in a service learning project.

·                  Complete a service project as a cluster group.