Michael Shenkman, president and founder of Arch of Leadership, Professional
Leader Mentoring (www.leadermentoring.com), will be
presenting two papers at the 20100 Mentoring Conference, sponsored by the
Mentoring Institute at the University of New Mexico, and the International
Mentoring Association on October 26, 2011.
In a morning workshop, Shenkman will discuss his own experiences in "Creating and Effective Mentoring Programs."
In the afternoon Shenkman will introduce important concepts in mentoring the diversity of creative aspirations, that inspire people to take up roles such as leading, but also those of artist, mystic and prophet.
For information about the conference, contact Nora Dominguez: noradg@unm.edu
For information on Shenkman's talks, contact michael@leadermentoring.com
In a morning workshop, Shenkman will discuss his own experiences in "Creating and Effective Mentoring Programs."
In the afternoon Shenkman will introduce important concepts in mentoring the diversity of creative aspirations, that inspire people to take up roles such as leading, but also those of artist, mystic and prophet.
For information about the conference, contact Nora Dominguez: noradg@unm.edu
For information on Shenkman's talks, contact michael@leadermentoring.com
If a leader’s impact is measured by the sense of loss and disorientation
his or her
departure evokes, then Steve Jobs is certainly a leader in my life. He has held that status for
me ever since I began this leader mentoring work in earnest 15 years ago. I preferred him as
a leader exemplar to his peer Bill Gates, who’s Microsoft was riding high as Apple was still
struggling. Now, of course, the situation is reversed.
I remember vividly how, ten years ago, I was sitting in a living room in San Jose, CA,
in the heart of “Apple Country,” with a group of female Apple expatriates, who are now
major executives in other Silicon Valley companies. I was introducing the idea of leader
mentoring, and when I asked about Jobs as a leader, they universally derided his irascible
personality and abusive behaviors. Every one proclaimed her were glee at being out of his
company. At this point Jobs had just returned to Apple and so the curtain had not yet risen
on his second act. I replied then that being a great leader is not necessarily the same as being
a...... [ Read the rest of this story ]
departure evokes, then Steve Jobs is certainly a leader in my life. He has held that status for
me ever since I began this leader mentoring work in earnest 15 years ago. I preferred him as
a leader exemplar to his peer Bill Gates, who’s Microsoft was riding high as Apple was still
struggling. Now, of course, the situation is reversed.
I remember vividly how, ten years ago, I was sitting in a living room in San Jose, CA,
in the heart of “Apple Country,” with a group of female Apple expatriates, who are now
major executives in other Silicon Valley companies. I was introducing the idea of leader
mentoring, and when I asked about Jobs as a leader, they universally derided his irascible
personality and abusive behaviors. Every one proclaimed her were glee at being out of his
company. At this point Jobs had just returned to Apple and so the curtain had not yet risen
on his second act. I replied then that being a great leader is not necessarily the same as being
a...... [ Read the rest of this story ]
In considering the last post, on the value of liberal arts for leaders, one
might apply the "free market" ideology that says, liberal arts are
under siege because students don't want them. Given the
pathetic education many are subjected to prior to college (in a recent survey,
only 17% of 12th graders could provide a name for a picture of the 16th
president of the US: Abraham Lincoln!!!!), that is not surprising.
It doesn't validate this ideology, but certainly puts on display one of
its results.
That said, however, there is strong evidence that at least among some college students, liberal arts are desired.
I refer to today's (June 15, 2011) column by Tom Friedman in the New York Times. He cites world wide excitement for the classes (now available on line at www.JusticeHarvard.org) of Michael J. Sandel of Harvard. He is a teacher of political philosophy. People in the US, China and elsewhere, line up hours in advance to attend his lectures. Friedman goes on to say, "Sandel’s recent book — “Justice: What’s the Ri...... [ Read the rest of this story ]
That said, however, there is strong evidence that at least among some college students, liberal arts are desired.
I refer to today's (June 15, 2011) column by Tom Friedman in the New York Times. He cites world wide excitement for the classes (now available on line at www.JusticeHarvard.org) of Michael J. Sandel of Harvard. He is a teacher of political philosophy. People in the US, China and elsewhere, line up hours in advance to attend his lectures. Friedman goes on to say, "Sandel’s recent book — “Justice: What’s the Ri...... [ Read the rest of this story ]
THE HIDDEN VALUE OF LIBERAL ARTS: NURTURING OUR
ASPIRING LEADERS
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
W.B. Yeats
I recently addressed an audience of faculty, students, administrators and guests from my alma mater, Dickinson College, in Carlisle, PA. The substance of my talk centered on the idea that a liberal arts education informs, guides and deepens a leader’s aspirations.
In the meantime, the value of a college education is being challenged. In all the conversations on the subject, the notion that a liberal arts education nurtures our leaders’ aspirations does not even show up.
Take, for example, an article by Louis Menand, in the June 6, 2011 issue of The New Yorker.
He cites three “theories” for investing in a college education:
(1) gain qualifications to enter into elite professions;
(2) provide people with &...... [ Read the rest of this story ]
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
W.B. Yeats
I recently addressed an audience of faculty, students, administrators and guests from my alma mater, Dickinson College, in Carlisle, PA. The substance of my talk centered on the idea that a liberal arts education informs, guides and deepens a leader’s aspirations.
In the meantime, the value of a college education is being challenged. In all the conversations on the subject, the notion that a liberal arts education nurtures our leaders’ aspirations does not even show up.
Take, for example, an article by Louis Menand, in the June 6, 2011 issue of The New Yorker.
He cites three “theories” for investing in a college education:
(1) gain qualifications to enter into elite professions;
(2) provide people with &...... [ Read the rest of this story ]
For both mentors and mentees, entering an Arch of Leadership leader
mentoring
engagement for the first time can be disorienting. The people in our program are there
because they care about leading, have succeeded in leading, or want to succeed. But when at
the table, in their conversation, neither mentor nor mentee is a leader. Mentoring is a
different kind of conversation – for both parties. A short list of comparisons between the
roles of leaders and mentors shows how different the two processes are.
1. Leaders are expert in forming collaborations that accomplish goals successfully.
Mentors tend to aspirations. These delicate states of being need to be coaxed into
clarity, nurtured with reflection, recollection and self-trust, and need to survive beyond any
limited goal.
2. Leaders must act with resolve, in the heat and complexity of the immediate
situation.
Mentors must cultivate in the mentee an awareness of the kinds of feelings,
spiritedness a...... [ Read the rest of this story ]
engagement for the first time can be disorienting. The people in our program are there
because they care about leading, have succeeded in leading, or want to succeed. But when at
the table, in their conversation, neither mentor nor mentee is a leader. Mentoring is a
different kind of conversation – for both parties. A short list of comparisons between the
roles of leaders and mentors shows how different the two processes are.
1. Leaders are expert in forming collaborations that accomplish goals successfully.
Mentors tend to aspirations. These delicate states of being need to be coaxed into
clarity, nurtured with reflection, recollection and self-trust, and need to survive beyond any
limited goal.
2. Leaders must act with resolve, in the heat and complexity of the immediate
situation.
Mentors must cultivate in the mentee an awareness of the kinds of feelings,
spiritedness a...... [ Read the rest of this story ]
