Ban urges African countries to entrench civil, political and economic rights

29 January 2012 – 

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged African countries to entrench civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights to boost stability and development in the continent.

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a promise to all people in all places at all times,” Mr. told African leaders gathered in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, for the annual Summit of the African Union (AU).

He cited discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity as one of the injustices that has been ignored or even sanctioned by many States for too long.

“This has prompted some governments to treat people as second-class citizens, or even criminals. Confronting this discrimination is a challenge. But we must live up to the ideals of the Universal Declaration,” Mr. Ban told the Summit, held in a new conference centre funded and built by China.

“I salute your efforts to build African prosperity and grow intra-African trade. Our challenge is to transform Africa's potential into progress for all,” he said.

The Secretary-General noted that 25 African countries will hold elections at either the presidential, legislative or local levels this year and urged them to ensure that the polls are well-managed, transparent and inclusive.

“The transition in Tunisia has been a model for other States. In Libya, our political mission is helping the new transitional authorities to organize elections and improve public security, rule of law and transitional justice,” said Mr. Ban.

He once again encouraged the transitional authorities in Egypt to guarantee the peaceful and early handover of power to a civilian government, uphold human rights, release political prisoners and accelerate the pace of reform.

Mr. Ban pointed out that the so-called Arab Spring – popular protests for civil rights – took the world by surprise because traditional indicators were showing that the affected countries were “stable.”

“Yet below the surface, there was deprivation, exclusion, abuse. Events have proved that repression is a dead-end. Police power is no match for people power seeking dignity and justice,” he said.

Mr. Ban said he was committed to deepening ties between the UN and AU, noting that the fruits of the two organizations' partnership had manifested themselves in the search for peace in Darfur, in common diplomatic efforts in Guinea and cooperation on Somalia.

“Where there are differences, let us continue to find common ground for the future. For example; let us review how effectively and how quickly we are able to respond to crises,” he said.

He called for joint efforts between the UN and AU to improve the lot of women and youth in Africa, who account for 80 per cent of the continent's population, pointing out that the presence of Liberian President President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, at the Summit was an indication that women are not only victims of war. “They are also champions of peace,” said the Secretary-General.

He called for greater representation of women in parliaments across Africa, which he said currently stands 20 per cent on average.

“We must ensure that women are fully represented in decision-making bodies, including in Egypt and Tunisia, where they played a role” in the recent pro-democracy protests.

“And we must restore hope and a better future for youth in Africa. Unemployment and poverty feed chronic instability and create tensions. I intend to appoint a special representative for youth, who will open dialogue with young people and lead our efforts,” he added.

On the sidelines of the Summit, Mr. Ban had separate meetings with the leaders of African countries, including Salva Kiir, the President of South Sudan with whom he discussed several issues, including the country's new institutions and the constitutional review process.

Issues relating to post-independence arrangements also came up for discussion, including dispute over the transportation of oil produced in South Sudan through neighbouring Sudan, and the need for a quick resolution of the Abyei dispute. The Secretary-General reiterated the continued engagement of the UN in peacebuilding efforts in South Sudan.

At a news conference on the sidelines of the Summit, Mr. Ban voiced concern over the deteriorating relations between Sudan and South Sudan.

“It has become a major threat to peace and security across the region. It is the responsibility of the African Union – and its international partners, including the UN – to intensify common efforts to resolve outstanding issues and build confidence between the two countries,” Mr. Ban told reporters.

“The longer these issues remain unresolved, the greater the tensions will grow. The international community needs to act, and it needs to act now,” he said.

Mr. Ban's meeting with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki centred on developments in Somalia, including support to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the AU peacekeeping force in Somalia (AMISOM), as well as efforts to combat maritime piracy in the Indian Ocean. He thanked the Kenyan Government for hosting a large number of refugees from Somalia.

The Secretary-General also met with the Libyan Prime Minister, Abdurrahim el-Keib, and voiced his support for the interim Government's work. They also discussed the security situation in the country and reintegration plans for former fighters, as well as plans to improve conditions of detention.

Mr. Ban's meeting with President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, the AU current chairman, focused on de-escalating inter-community tensions. They also discussed cross-border challenges affecting the central African sub-region, including the growing threat of maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and the need for enhanced efforts against insurgents of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

The Secretary-General also met with the Presidents of Tunisia, Moncef Marzouki, Francois Bozizé of the Central African Republic, as well as Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Júnior of Guinea-Bissau. He also conferred with Presidents Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and Idris Déby of Chad.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=41073&Cr=African+Union&Cr1=

How to Move Through Uncertainty to Opportunity

Ineffective leaders require certainty before they act, I am certain.

On the other hand, successful leaders make decisions where outcomes are uncertain.

Turbulent times, regulations and compliance, technology, politics, people, and global markets enflame uncertainty. Additionally, complex challenges have more than one solution. Leadership is rich with uncertainty.

A surprising juxtaposition:

“Trustworthy leaders move through uncertainty to pursue opportunity,” Amy Lyman. The opposite of uncertainty isn’t certainty it’s opportunity.

Have you been in a meeting where conversations revolved around problems and uncertainties? They usually spiral in despair, stall, and produce nothing. Participants return safely to their offices feeling successful because they dodged imaginary bullets.

Without leadership and direction, groups produce uncertainty. Leaders always pursue opportunities while acknowledging realities. Successful leaders don’t get stuck.

Certainty matters:

Adequate certainty eliminates distracting uncertainties. Five ways every organization builds baselines of certainty:

1.      Standard operating procedures.

2.      Decision making models.

3.      Designated decision makers. (usually those closest to the action)

4.      Transparency.

5.      Clarity of mission, vision, and values.

The ultimate goal:

Certainty is not an end in itself. Lyman explains the ultimate goal is, “Creating enough stability to capitalize on opportunities.”

Opportunity:

Strategies that enable organizations to pursue opportunities include:

1.      Honor.

2.      Inclusion.

3.      Valuing and engaging followers.

4.      Sharing information.

5.      Developing others.

From: “The Trustworthy Leader.”

Global Survey Reveals Most Companies Naive When it Comes to Energy Management

Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, announced the results of its first ever global carbon accounting survey, which offers insight into the fact that despite forthcoming legislation mandating carbon accounting, most companies are still lagging in their comprehension of carbon accounting as a whole, and in the execution of said carbon accounting initiatives.

With Australia introducing the new tax legislation on carbon emissions, and new regulations soon being introduced in California, the momentum behind requiring corporate energy management is well under way. The survey, which was conducted by Epicor during August and September 2011, was designed to investigate the ability and willingness of companies to identify their greenhouse gas emissions; to find out how they technically capture emissions; and to clarify the extent to which companies have to meet not only legal requirements for sustainability, but also what demands they meet from partners and customers.

The survey compiled responses from nearly 1,000 companies worldwide. The majority (48%) of respondents were from organizations in the manufacturing industry. Most (42%) respondents were from organizations with 100 to 1,000 employees and organizations with $50 million in annual revenue, or less (43%). The survey revealed that 58% of companies surveyed had not heard of the term “carbon accounting”, that less than a quarter could accurately describe what the term means, and that a full 80% of companies surveyed don’t monitor their company’s carbon footprint.

“It’s quite worrying to think that a third of all companies don’t know whether they are under legal obligation to report emissions and we want to take this opportunity to urge the industry as a whole to take responsibility and help educate businesses about energy management,” said Chris Purcell, product marketing manager for Epicor. “Businesses should prepare now for carbon accounting.”

He explained, “Carbon reporting will happen irrespective of any personal opinions about global warming; those businesses that prepare now for the reporting that will be legally required of them in the near future will have a clear competitive advantage over laggards. Energy management is not a distraction to a company’s core business. Businesses can gain cost and energy savings from sustainability investments and the growth of emission trading schemes will only increase the need for companies to understand how carbon accounting will impact their bottom line.

The survey also revealed that although the CEO is the most likely person to be responsible for a company’s green strategy, 50% of companies surveyed don’t have any C-level involvement at all in their carbon accounting initiatives. 85% cannot report the level of carbon their company has consumed in each of the last six months, and nearly 70% believe that they accurately account for less than 25% of their company’s carbon consumption.

Read more about the survey at: http://www.epicor.com/MRCPR/Epicor-Announces-Carbon-Accounting-Survey-Results-NR-012512.pdf

Can Computers Replace Teachers?

Until we figure out how to best use technology in the classroom, the bells and whistles are often a distraction

By ANDREW J. ROTHERHAM | @arotherham | January 26, 2012

Steve Jobs didn’t think that technology alone could fix what ails American education. It’s worth remembering that in the wake of last week’s breathless coverage of Apple’s new iBooks platform, which the company promises will radically change how students use and experience textbooks. Under Apple’s plan, companies and individuals will be able to self-publish textbooks, ideally creating a wider array of content. Students will be able to download and use these books on their iPad much like they would use a regular textbook — including highlighting passages, making notes and pulling out passages or chapters that are especially important to them. Apple says it also plans to cap the price of textbooks available through iBooks at $14.99, a significant departure from the price of many textbooks now.

Critics were quick to pounce that Apple wasn’t being revolutionary enough. Former school superintendent and current ed-tech investor Tom Vander Ark chided Apple for not thinking past textbooks, which he considers hopelessly 20th century. Others worried that Apple’s real goal wasn’t to open up the textbook industry but to control it and profit from it through restrictive licensing agreements and a platform that dominates the market. I’m sure the for-profit company’s shareholders will be horrified at that news.

Let’s slow down. Textbooks or tools that look a lot like textbooks aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. And since high quality educational material isn’t cheap to generate, simply tearing down distribution barriers will only go so far in reducing the costs of producing good content. Lost in the heated claims, however, is a more fundamental question: what have educational technology efforts accomplished to date and what should we expect?

As a field, education is easily seduced by technological promises. Textbooks? Thomas Edison saw movies as way to replace them. In a prelude to today’s debates, the phonograph and film strip were lauded as technologies that could replace live teaching. These days, conservatives are in love with the idea that technology will not only shrink the number of in-classroom teachers but render the teachers’ unions obsolete.

The experience to date is less grandiose and more worrisome considering the billions that have been spent on technology in schools in the past few decades. Interactive whiteboards have been around since the early 1990s and done little to transform how teachers teach, and computers are often unaligned with classroom instruction, even though 90% of classrooms around the country have them. Still, according to Department of Education data from 2009, just 61% of students use computers to prepare texts “sometimes or often” and just 45% do more complicated tasks, for instance to “solve problems, analyze data, or perform calculations” on a regular basis.

Usage aside, there is scant evidence that technology is improving learning — even the cheerleaders are reduced to arguing that various education technology tools are obvious rather than supported by much evidence. And when you watch, say, high school students use the Internet to prepare research papers, it’s questionable whether technology — especially when coupled with poorly trained teachers — isn’t doing more to enable the superficial rather than open up richer veins of information for students.

The reasons for the slow pace of change are as obvious as they are stubborn. Altering classroom and school practice in our wildly decentralized education system is always a slow process. Many teachers are not familiar with technology or how to use it in the classroom, and high-quality training programs — either in schools of education or as part of a teachers’ ongoing professional development — are rare. As always, there are few guides for educators to determine which products are any good.

There is, of course, still promise in education technology. When Dreambox Learning, an online math program for elementary-aged students, offered me a free trial to check it out, I did what I usually do with new educational tools — I put it to the ultimate panel of critics: my kids. Dreambox, which just this week announced a new series of lessons aligned to the nascent Common Core standards and free licenses for every school in the country, combines real content with an interactive format so kids are learning even when they think they’re just playing games. I’ve looked at a variety of products, and it’s one of the best in terms of powerful instruction. In a short time, it substantially boosted my kids’ math achievement. (They have a great teacher, too.) As for engagement? Maybe too much. One of my daughters woke me up at 5 am the other day because she wanted to do math.

Yet even a top-shelf product can only augment live teaching. Despite Dreambox’s overall good functionality, there are places where students can become frustrated — not because they don’t know how to do the underlying math, but because the directions for the online activity are confusing. Likewise, technology is bringing back in vogue the idea of the “flipped classroom” with the teacher acting as a “guide on the side” rather than the primary source of instruction. I say back in vogue because, ironically, talk of devaluing the teacher as content provider has been a fixture of progressive education thought for a century. Another variation of the flipped-classroom idea is to use technology to explain concepts at home and use classroom time differently. Again, a lot of potential, but only with keen attention to instructional quality. Much of the online content available today merely replicates the lame instruction already available in too many of our nation’s schools.

As a parent and an analyst, I want technology that includes rich content or enables students to access it. And I want technologies that are engaging for students but actually teach them something. Plenty of applications err on one side or the other. And as with lots of offline schoolwork, there are time wasters that aren’t helping anyone learn much of anything. If anyone tells you an ed tech tool has “gaming elements,” make sure it’s not just a game.

American education desperately needs an overhaul that goes far beyond upgrading computers in the classroom. It’s the last major American field relatively untouched by technology. But Jobs was right: technology by itself won’t fix what ails our schools. He saw teachers’ unions and archaic practices as the big barriers. Perhaps, but I’d argue they are symptoms of our larger inattention to instructional quality. The bells and whistles of technology, for all its promise, are distracting us from this mundane but essential reality.

Rotherham, a co-founder and partner at the nonprofit Bellwether Education, writes the blog Eduwonk. The views expressed are solely his own.

Read more: http://ideas.time.com/2012/01/26/can-computers-replace-teachers/#ixzz1keY2dbXV

When knowledge sharing turns into knowledge hiding

When knowledge sharing turns into knowledge hiding

Despite efforts to enhance knowledge sharing and collaboration in organizations, for many, success has been elusive. It’s becoming clear that in many instances employees are unwilling to share knowledge, even when organizational practices are designed to facilitate this behavior.

By Nishwa Ashraf, Assistant Editor, Melcrum Ltd.

When you look at the theory behind knowledge sharing – the activity through which information, skills and/or expertise is exchanged among employees enterprise-wide – it’s no surprise that many organizations have recognized that knowledge constitutes a valuable intangible asset for creating and sustaining competitive advantage.

After all, businesses already have access to an extensive pool of knowledge, from the skills and experience of the workforce and their understanding of customers’ needs, the files or documents (whether held digitally or in print), to plans and ideas for future activities.

Harnessing and exploiting such insights in a productive and coherent way can be key for a business to achieve organizational goals and perform successfully.

According to findings from AMR Research, companies spent nearly US$73 billion on knowledge management software in 2008. For these organizations investing heavily in knowledge management tools, it may come as a blow to discover that, despite such investment, companies are not seeing an improvement in their information flow.

While there are a myriad of reasons why employees can struggle to access the information they need when they need it, the main reason behind this is simply that some employees won’t share what they know, according to a new study.

Dubbed “knowledge hiding”, authors David Zweig of the Rotman School of Management, Catherine Connelly of McMaster University, Jane Webster of Queen’s University, and the University of Toronto’s John Trougakos, conducted several studies to confirm evidence of knowledge hiding and cited three techniques employees use to buck knowledge management initiatives:

·         Being evasive, or just repeatedly ignoring requests for information.

·         Rationalized hiding, such as claiming the requested information is confidential and can’t be shared.

·         Playing dumb, or pretending they don’t have the information being requested.

The findings also identified two main reasons why employees might indulge in such behavior: having basic distrust of co-workers and/or management, and a poor knowledge sharing climate within the company.

For organizations that promote a culture where knowledge is a form of currency, it can propel employees’ reluctance to share what they know.

After all, when knowledge is power, why would you share your valuable information with a colleague or someone in another department?

The research suggests that companies can overcome knowledge hiding by having more direct contact and less email communication with employees, highlighting

examples of trustworthiness (people who share and use information well), and avoiding “betrayal” incentives, such as rewarding salespeople who poach another’s clients.

In knowing that employees sometimes undermine the effort by deliberately concealing information from their coworkers, the bottom line is organizations must review their culture and tackle the levels of distrust among employees, as they are key factors in determining whether and how people hide what they know.

It takes the right environment to create an effective knowledge sharing program and for such an environment to be nurtured, organizations need to look inwards at the type of culture they promote before investing in knowledge sharing tools. If you want to get value out of expensive knowledge management systems, you have to spend time and effort to ensure that all the people involved are willing to collaborate and share.

“A lot of companies have jumped on the bandwagon of knowledge sharing,” says Zweig. “It was a case of, ‘If you build it, they will come’. But they didn’t come. If you don’t work on creating that climate and establishing trust, it doesn’t matter how great the software is, people aren’t going to use it.”

http://www.internalcommshub.com/open/channels/casestudies/knowledgehiding.shtml

With Prevalence of Nanomaterials Rising, Panel Urges Review of Risks

By CORNELIA DEAN

Published: January 25, 2012

Tiny substances called nanomaterials have moved into the marketplace over the last decade, in products as varied as cosmetics, clothing and paint. But not enough is known about their potential health and environmental risks, which should be studied further, an expert panel of the National Academy of Sciences said on Wednesday.

Nanoscale forms of substances like silver, carbon, zinc and aluminum have many useful properties. Nano zinc oxide sunscreen goes on smoothly, for example, and nano carbon is lighter and stronger than its everyday or “bulk” form. But researchers say these products and others can also be ingested, inhaled or possibly absorbed through the skin. And they can seep into the environment during manufacturing or disposal.

Nanomaterials are engineered on the scale of a billionth of a meter, perhaps one ten-thousandth the width of a human hair, or less. Not enough is known about the effects, if any, that nanomaterials have on human health and the environment, according to a report issued by the academy’s expert panel. The report says that “critical gaps” in understanding have been identified but “have not been addressed with needed research.”

And because the nanotechnology market is expanding — it represented $225 billion in product sales in 2009 and is expected to grow rapidly in the next decade — “today’s exposure scenarios may not resemble those of the future,” the report says.

The panel called for a four-part research effort focusing on identifying sources of nanomaterial releases, processes that affect exposure and hazards, nanomaterial interactions at subcellular to ecosystem-wide levels and ways to accelerate research progress.

“A lot of things are being done right, but we need to think about how to regroup those efforts to get more power from the punch,” said Mark R. Wiesner, an engineering professor at Duke University and a member of the panel. As director of the Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology at Duke, he leads a group studying the movement and effects of nanomaterials in the environment.

“We cannot knock these things off on a case-by-case basis,” Dr. Wiesner said in a telephone interview. “The number and variety of nanomaterials that is possible is just mind-boggling. There are not enough beakers to do all the experiments required.”

The last time the academy weighed in on this was in a report in 2008 that included a sweeping critique of the National Nanotechnology Initiative, the federal body that coordinates nano-related activities across agencies. In its report on Wednesday, the academy acknowledged the initiative’s progress, but added that “there has not been sufficient linkage between research and research findings and the creation of strategies to prevent and manage risk.”

The report noted that the initiative lacked budget and management authority to direct research and added that its dual goals of promoting nanotechnology and mitigating its risks “impede implementation and evaluation” of risk research.

The panel was convened by the National Research Council, the academy’s research arm, at the request of the Environmental Protection Agency. It posted its report on Wednesday.

Dr. Jonathan M. Samet, an epidemiologist at the University of Southern California and the chairman of the panel, said his group would revisit the issue in 18 months. By then, he said, “We will hope the planning is in place and the N.N.I. and others are moving forward” with research

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/science/nanomaterials-effects-on-health-and-environment-unclear-panel-says.html?_r=1&smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto#h[]

What Develops in a Leader?

SELF MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES

People develop more effective ways to manage themselves – their thoughts, emotions, attitudes, and actions – over time.

The capacity for self-management enables leaders to develop positive and trusting relationships and to take initiative – important aspects of roles that help people work together in productive and meaningful ways

Self-management capabilities include -

A.      Self-awareness

B.      The ability to balance conflicting demands

C.      The ability to learn

D.      Leadership values

Self-Awareness

A key aspect of understanding oneself is having awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses

1)      What one does well and not so well

2)      What one is comfortable with and uncomfortable with

3)      Which situations bring out one’s personal best and which are difficult to handle

4)      When one has a wealth of experience/expertise to draw on and when one had better look for expertise elsewhere

But self-awareness also means that people must understand why they are the way they are –

·         What traits, learned preferences, experiences, or situational factors have shaped their profile of strengths and weakness?

Self-awareness means understanding the impact their strengths and weaknesses have on others, on their effectiveness in various life roles, and on reaching their goals

Ability to Balance Conflicting Demands

In organizational life, people encounter conflicting demands. For instance,

1)      Boss and subordinate may have different priorities

2)      Internal systems may not match external clients’ needs

3)      Joint demand of personal and work life may cause stress

People must learn not to let the conflicts paralyze or overwhelm them.

People must learn to understand the natural roots of the conflict

People must learn to develop strategies for balancing or integrating them

Ability to Learn

When we say someone has the ability o learn, we mean that the person recognizes when new behaviors, skills, or attitudes are call for, accepts responsibility for his or her own development, understands and acknowledges current personal strengths, and weaknesses, engages in activities that provide opportunities to learn or test new skills and behaviors, reflects on his or her own learning process, and works to develop a variety of learning tactics in order acquire needed skills and behaviors.

A person with the ability to learn does not deny or ignore the need for new approaches, does not get stuck using habitual behavior or outmoded skills, and is not seduced by past success into believing that no change or development is necessary.

Leadership Values

We have found that people who project certain personal values are particularly effective in leadership roles

Foremost among these values are honesty and integrity, which engender trust and credibility in others.

Strong personal initiative and drive are needed to preserver in the face of difficult organizational goals.

A positive, optimistic attitude supports both individual and group efficacy.

SOCIAL CAPABILITIES

People develop many interpersonal and social skills over the course of their lives.

Because leadership roles and processes are by their very nature social (meaning that they require making meaningful connections to others), the ability to work effectively with others in social systems is a fundamental capacity of leaders.

Social capabilities include –

A.      The ability to build and maintain relationships

B.      The ability to build effective work groups,

C.      Communication skills

D.      The ability to develop others

Ability to build and maintain relationships

At the hearth of social capabilities is the ability to develop cooperative relationships.

In leadership roles, the ability to develop positive relationships with many different types of people is particularly important.

The foundation of this ability is the capacity to respect people form varying background and to understand the perspectives that they bring.

Ability to Build Effective Work Groups

People in leadership roles need not only to develop their own relationships with others but also to facilitate the development of positive relationships among others who work together.

Effective leaders help create synergy, motivation, and a sense of empowerment in work groups.

Communication Skills

Communications skills operate in two directions.

In addition to being able to communicate information, thoughts, and ideas clearly in different media, individuals with effective communication skills are able listen carefully and understand what others are saying, thinking and feeling.

Ability to Develop Others

Leadership roles often call for the ability to develop others in ways that allow people to work together in increasingly productive and meaningful ways.

This includes –

1)      The ability to help others diagnose their development needs

2)      To provide appropriate feedback

3)      To encourage changes in their behavior

4)      To recognize them

5)      To reward improvements

WORK FACILITATION CAPABILITIES

People develop skills and perspectives that enable them to facilitate the accomplishment of work in organizational systems.

Organizations consist of many individuals, groups, and subsystems that need to work interdependently to accomplish collective goals and outcomes.

Individuals in leadership roles facilitate the implementation, coordination, and integration of this work.

Work facilitation capabilities include –

A.      Management skills

B.      The ability to think and act strategically

C.      The ability to think creatively

D.      The ability to initiate and implement change

Management Skills

Management skills encompass a broad range of competencies related to facilitation and coordination of the day to day work in organizations, including –

1)      Setting goals and devising plans for achieving those goals

2)      Monitoring progress

3)      Developing systems for accomplish work

4)      Solving problems

5)      Making decisions

Ability to Think and Act Strategically

Day to day work is accomplished in the context of broad organizational objectives that support the long-term vision and mission of the organization.

People who can think and act strategically have a clear sense of the desirable collective future.

They make decisions, set priorities, and support initiatives that will bring the current reality more in line with the desire future.

Ability to Think Creatively

Creativity involves seeing new possibilities, finding connections between disparate ideas, and reframing the way one thinks about an issue.

Creativity yields innovation when novel ideas or perspectives are used to solve difficult problems

Implementing innovations also requires an element of risk taking, of going into uncharted territory and leaving the familiar behind.

Ability to Initiate and Implement Change

Leadership roles often require the ability to make major changes in organizational systems and practices

This include establishing the need for change (for example, by demonstrating that current ways of working are no longer adequate), influencing others to participate in the change, and institutionalizing the new ways of working.

Although by no means exhaustive, our description of individual capabilities illustrates the breadth of capabilities needed to provide leadership in organizations.

To develop any of these capabilities, people first have to realize that their current skills or perspectives are inadequate or are not being fully utilized.

This alone can be a major step, sometimes triggered by a mistake or failure, a personal crisis, or a piece of feedback form an assessment experience.

Next, people have to identify the skills or perspectives that they want to more fully develop and begin to try it on for size.

Finally, after an extended period of practice, they can begin to feel comfortable with the new skills or perspectives and start to use it more effectively.

This cycle is repeated many times as people expand their self-management, social, and work facilitation capabilities.

This is why we say that leader development takes time.

COURSE OUTLINE FOR JAN 2012

TITLE OF THE COURSE: Leadership development

CODE OF THE COURSE: COM 203

CREDIT HOURS: 3

SEMESTER: January 2012

LECTURER: Stephen G. Njenga, (Adjunct Faculty)

EMAIL: ruchwarsteve@gmail.com  (Kindly indicate course code and title in all your official emails including assignment sent to this email address)

Homepage:		http://groups.google.com/group/com-203-jan2012-semester?hl=en
Group email:		com-203-jan2012-semester@googlegroups.com

TEL.: 0733-420265

COMMENCEMENT DATE: 13-January-2012

DESCRIPTION

This course seeks to help students develop an understanding of organizational leadership characteristics and behaviors. The aim is to help them develop skills in teamwork, conflict resolution, communication, and group problem solving techniques used in business. It is expected that students would find it helpful to apply the principles of leadership learned in the university, community, and leadership-related contexts.

 

Recommended Credits: 1/2 – 1*

Recommended Grade Levels: 10th, 11th, 12th

GOALS

The student will evaluate the roles of leadership in an organization.

LEARNING EXPECTATIONS

The student will:

ü  Distinguish the functions of organizational leadership.

ü  Examine the levels of leadership within an organization.

ü  Analyze the various management styles.

PER FORMANCE INDICATORS: EVIDENCE GOAL IS MET

The student:

ü  Analyzes the planning, organizing, directing and controlling functions of an organization.

ü  Differentiates between the roles and responsibilities of various management levels within an organization.

ü  Compares and contrasts the various management styles.

SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS

ü  Construct an organizational chart for a local organization.

ü  Role-play a situation dealing with a manager meeting.

The student will explore the personal and interpersonal skills needed for developing leadership relationships.

LEARNING EXPECTATIONS

The student will:

ü  Analyze the importance of personal and interpersonal skills.

ü  Examine techniques for problem solving.

ü  Assess the importance of teamwork in leadership.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: EVIDENCE GOAL IS MET

The student:

ü  Examines the relationship of understanding others.

ü  Examines problem solving and critical thinking skills.

ü  Distinguishes the aspects of successful teamwork.

SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS

ü  Role-play a conflict and resolution situation.

ü  Evaluate self and team members involved in a class project.

The student will apply the skills needed to communicate effectively.

LEARNING EXPECTATIONS

The student will:

ü  Assess the importance of effective communication skills.

ü  Analyze appropriate technology used to facilitate communication.

ü  Appraise the various skills leaders need for positive communication.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: EVIDENCE GOAL IS MET

The student:

ü  Examines the primary elements of communication.

ü  Evaluates technology used to provide faster and more accurate communications.

ü  Compares and contrasts the use of verbal, nonverbal, and written skill.

SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS

ü  Role-play a procedural explanation of a problem between marketing workers and customers using communications skills.

ü  Prepare an agenda for a committee meeting.

ü  Prepare an oral presentation.

ü  Prepare a report on marketing trends.

The student will assess cultural diversity and equity issues as they relate to organizational goals.

LEARNING EXPECTATIONS

The student will:

ü  Examine the various components involved in distinguishing cultural differences.

ü  Analyze the impact of cultural differences in the workplace.

ü  Evaluate equity requirements in employment.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: EVIDENCE GOAL IS MET

The student:

ü  Identifies cultural components such as language, race, religion, customs, etc.

ü  Evaluates cultural diversity in the workplace can increase profitability.

ü  Compares and contrasts equity goals required involving race, gender, religion, and age.

SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS

ü  Prepare a written report comparing a particular culture to that of the student's.

ü  Survey an identifiable organization for the diverse cultures involved.

The student will evaluate career plans and employability skills.

LEARNING EXPECTATIONS

The student will:

ü  Analyze abilities, interests, and values in developing a career plan.

ü  Compare the levels of management.

ü  Analyze the major competencies needed to succeed in leadership of an organization.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: EVIDENCE GOAL IS MET

The student:

ü  Develops his/her leadership development plan using his/her abilities, interests, and values.

ü  Compare and contrast the responsibilities and experience needed for each level of organizational leadership

ü  Examines how the social, political, technology, education, and economic competencies are relevant to organizational leadership.

SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS

ü  Write a personal vision statement

ü  Write a personal mission statement

ü  List down important personal values

The student will demonstrate organizational and leadership skills.

LEARNING EXPECTATIONS

The student will:

ü  Demonstrate a knowledge of leadership roles and functions

ü  Utilize critical thinking in decision-making situations.

ü  Compare and integrate personal characteristics needed in leadership situations.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: EVIDENCE GOAL IS MET

The student:

ü  Relates his/her knowledge of leadership roles and functions through a written or an oral evaluation.

ü  Solves problems utilizing role-play, team decision-making and class projects.

ü  Accepts task/project responsibilities in the class activities.

SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS

ü  Join and participate in a class group

ü  Attend a leadership conference.

ü  Chair a committee

ü  Organize a class project.

The student will demonstrate an understanding of the importance of academic integration in Organizational Leadership.

LEARNING EXPECTATIONS

The student will:

Language Arts

ü  Generate original ideas based on previous knowledge and research.

ü  Utilize proper grammar in leadership activities.

ü  Use advanced publication methods.

Mathematics

ü  Perform mathematical calculations used by managers.

ü  Allocate and measure time needed for tasks.

ü  Design a statistical study/survey. Calculate and graph survey results.

Science

ü  Discuss social responsibility in business.

ü  Evaluate laws that regulate business.

ü  Educate the public on environmental and health issues.

Social Studies

ü  Evaluate leadership at different levels of management.

ü  Assess personality traits in successful leaders.

Technology

ü  Discuss the future of technology in organizational leadership

ü  Distinguish technological trends in organizational leadership.

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: EVIDENCE GOAL IS MET

The student:

Language Arts

ü  Composes an editorial on an original idea.

ü  Prepares a speech for an organization.

ü  Assembles a newsletter for an organization.

Mathematics

ü  Designs time management calendars for a specific event.

ü  Calculates and graphs survey results.

Science

ü  Debates social responsibilities of an organization.

ü  Compares and contrasts effects of regulations on organizations.

ü  Proposes a public relations/civic consciousness campaign.

Social Studies

ü  Differentiates leadership styles at various levels.

ü  Compares and contrasts personality traits of leaders.

Technology

ü  Researches effects of government on ethical decisions in business.

ü  Categorizes types of technology used within an organization.

ü  Interprets use of technology for a small scale business

SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS

ü  Evaluate the effectiveness of a speech.

ü  Design and conduct a leadership assessment project.

ü  Design and conduct a leadership development plan.

ü  Prepare a report on the history of leadership at the workplace.

ü  Set-up an e-mail account for a group.

ü  Organize a small group meeting.

MODE OF DELIVERY

This course will be conducted through brief lectures, fun in-class exercises, stimulating class discussions, small groups, and practical application assignments.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

1.      Lap-tops

2.      LCD projector

3.      White board

4.      Markers

5.      Handouts

COURSE ASSESSMENT

Two Class Quizzes	10%
Personal Leadership Development Plan	20%
Exam	70%
Total Marks	100%

CORE READING MATERIALS

McCAuley, Cynthia D. and Ellen van Velson, (eds). (2004). Handbook of Leadership Development, 2^nd ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Maxwell, John C. (1995). Developing the Leaders Around You. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

RECOMMENDED REFERENCE MATERIALS

Clinton,  Robert J. (1988). The Making of a Leader. Singapore: NavPress.

Maxwell, John C. (1993). Developing the Leader Within You. Nashville: Thomas Nelson

Cole, Victor R., F. Gaskin, and R. J. Sim (1993). Perspectives on Leadership Training. Nairobi: Nairobi Evangelical School of Theology.

GRADING

As per the university catalogue

CLASS POLICIES

Students are expected to consistently attend classes and be prepared to participate in class activities and discussions. Absenteeism will surely have a negative impact on the grading of a student’s effort.  All course papers and projects are expected to be done following the APA writing convention. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all course papers and projects are submitted not latter than the negotiated date. Late submission will surely have a negative impact on the grading of a student’s effort.  Each student is encouraged to present his or her thoughts creatively and without plagiarizing other authorities’ work. Each student is also encouraged to familiarize himself or herself with the policy of the university on matters plagiarism.