Newsletters

Welcome to the 16th issue of the KeyLinks Newsletter, Making Connections. The purpose of this newsletter is to reflect on changes and the conditions for learning/working that we encounter and create on a daily basis, for ourselves and with others.

Please note my email address is p_klinck@hotmail.com. Some of you may have other email addresses, but this is the one that is most reliable.

I will be in Australia from March 1 to April 10, 2007. I return to Calgary on April 30, 2007.

In the last issue I examined some of the ‘everyday’ experiences which teach us about leadership. Today I will explore ‘extra- ordinary’ approaches to learning about leadership. Innovative thinkers seek out extra-ordinary and relevant ways to explore leadership. I have chosen: emotional intelligence, equine-assisted learning, poetry and the visual arts.

Wikipedia defines emotional intelligence as ‘an ability, capacity, or skill to perceive, assess, and manage the emotions of one's self, of others, and of groups. In 1996, Daniel Goleman published his first book "Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than I.Q". It was an instant hit and opened a new look at leadership. So why would I choose it a decade later?

What is extra-ordinary is the approach of a colleague, Dr. Phil Minnaar who has just completed "The Positive Dictionary". Dr. Minnaar decided that the negativity which surrounds us daily is corrosive. He set about to make a difference! He went through thousands of words in dictionaries and chose positive words. Then he realized that this was not enough. When we are overwhelmed by events, we need some guidance. He explained the meaning of each word in the form of a positive action. Then he went one step further. He wrote a deeper thought or motto which can be followed in life. His choice of words reminds us of how language transforms our thinking.

You can get more information at http://thepositivedictionary.blogspot.com or by contacting Dr. Minnaar philminn@shaw.ca. The book can be purchased through Amazon.com.

Have you ever watched someone come through a crowded room? Noticed how the talk grows quiet? How the crowd moves apart to let the person through? Although there appears to be nothing unusual about her, you’ve thought to yourself "Now there goes a leader"! Leaders have a presence that commands attention. This presence is also true in the animal world, particularly for horses. Horses live in a world where leadership is negotiated from the strongest to the weakest. Although the challenge can involve physical contact, often it is directed through a look, a movement which stops short of contact, a threat, or a stare. I have worked with horses for some time now - in particular my paint horse, Indio. This work has developed in me, an awareness of the unique learning opportunities presented by horses.

Nancy Lowery, Natural Leader, www.thenaturalleader.ca, saw this connection too and has made it come true. She introduces her participants to the horse they will work with and then demonstrates the natural power of intention and energy. For many of her participants, working with horses is a new experience. For others it is a return to a childhood love, or a new dimension of dealing with leadership. Regardless, the learning environment is charged with relevance.

Horses are motivated by the fact that they are prey animals. They need, and some even long for, leaders to keep them safe from predators. However if the leader doesn’t take on the responsibilities, the horses will live and react in the moment. Speed and flight are their strategies. To work in this environment means that the leader must understand their mentality, must create meaning and provide support and security. When the rider hasn’t established her leadership role, they take charge of their world - i.e. speed and flight.

Nancy shows participants how to develop a meaningful relationship and construct an environment of trust and cooperation. She is one of a growing number of presenters who rely on equine assisted learning in their leadership workshops.

Artists rely on their ability to challenge our understanding of everyday reality. They put metaphors, sensuous details, rhythm and beauty in front of us and ask us to make sense of a new view of our world. Like artists, leaders inspire by using the power of language and images to create their world view. However, much of the writing on leadership is based on two areas of focus: the military and religion. They shape our images, words and metaphors. For example, we talk about strategic planning, about vision and mission. Although our references to military and religious worlds are not made consciously, they create a context for thinking and feeling about leadership.

David Whyte (1994) was one of the first writers to link poetry and leadership. He found that it touched the heart and the imagination in powerful ways. Why not seek out your favourite work of art - poetry, visual arts, music - and have it with you as a constant reminder that leadership and the arts are interwoven.

As we are considering other ways of exploring leadership and world views, Palmer is worthy of notice. He encourages us to think from another perspective:

"Spirituality is not primarily about values and ethics, not about exhortation to do right or live well. The spiritual traditions are primarily about reality. [They] are an effort to penetrate the illusions of the external world and to name its underlying truth, what it is, how it emerges, and how we relate to it." (Palmer 1983)

So let me leave you with this question: what has spirituality got to do with leadership - if anything?

Issues and trends follow cycles. In the beginning, they take up a lot of space by focusing our attention and shaping our learning. Key ideas don’t disappear entirely, but do experience cycles where their profile is lower. At the moment, there are several significant ideas which are returning front and center.

First, women in leadership programs are experiencing revitalization. It is apparent that although a lot has changed, the data has not changed enough at the upper levels of organizations. One of the most significant responses to that challenge is Lunch Box. This organization is run by Elizabeth Saunders and her daughter Emma Lovel in Perth, Western Australia. Lunch Box boasts a membership of over 4,000 women. The program consists of lunches, networking, and listening to role models as well as a leadership program "Making of Me". Check out their website http://www.lunchboxlunchlist.com.au

Second, mentoring first appeared in the writings of Homer. Ulysses asked Mentor to guide his son Telemachus during his absence, to make sure that he had experiences fitting to the son of a great king. In 1978, Daniel Levinson published "The Season's of a Man’s Life". For the next decade mentoring became a constant in work done around leadership. There is a resurgence of mentoring as an important aspect of leadership in both Canada and Australia. In some organizations the term ‘coach’ is more popular.

Last year was a year of writing for me. First, I presented at the Women’s Executive Development (WEXDEV) in Adelaide, South Australia. My paper, "Women in Leadership: Ingredients in the Recipe of Success" (see attached pdf "Observations On Leadership") was accepted in the conference proceedings. Second, Dr. John Burger, Alberta Learning is the editor of a book on educational leadership which will appear in the near future. I am a co-editor along with Dr. Charles Webber, University of Calgary. Our book is a compilation of writings on educational leadership primarily from Canadian researchers. My chapter is entitled "Observations on Leadership: Linking Theory, Practice and Lived Experience" (see pdf Women In Leadership).

Finally, I continue to edit and work on my Camino pilgrimage experience. Barbara Turner-Vesselago, who has been an inspiration for me in my writing and for many others as well, proves to be an excellent companion in the soul searching of editing! I hope to have completed the editing by June and will look at how I can publish it.

Many of you know that my paint horse Indio has taught me a lot about fear and presence. About a year ago he sustained a sesamoid bone injury, and it was recommended that I put him down. Injuries of this nature rarely heal completely. Instead I put him out to pasture for over a year - and it healed! Equally important, I met Josh Nichol, a horseman who is a consummate teacher, www.joshnichol.com. In six days Josh taught me a language that has transformed my riding Indio into a source of immense pleasure for both of us. Photo of Indio

-- What's New -- Presentations -- CV of Dr. Klinck -- KeyLinks --    Our Services --    Workshops --    Selected Clients --    Testimonials --    Newsletters -- Articles -- Contact Us --