Leadership development is often a claimed outcome for programs like GYLI, and we do seek to endow participants with leadership skills by creating environments where they can learn about leadership and actively practice these skills. However, we approach leadership from a nontraditional yet well proven perspective.
Our understanding of ideal leadership is based on Collaborative Leadership – eliciting and valuing input from all stakeholders so that decisions and any resulting actions represent the contributions and reflect the needs of all group members. In taking this approach, GYLI is promoting a form of leadership that emphasizes utilizing the knowledge of all group members and basing decisions on discussion and consensus in place of traditional hierarchical models that rely upon the exclusive knowledge and perspective of one individual.
In emphasizing collaborative leadership, GYLI creates situations where young people and adults learn to share in the decision making process and where students are placed in a position to take the lead. Students and adults thus become co-learners and co-creators.
What is Collaborative Leadership?
Collaborative leadership is co-learning and co-creating based on community, partnership, and input from all stakeholders; a constructive process based on multiple perspective thinking and acting, where shared visions are built in a common space and success is celebrated together.
The 7 Qualities of a Collaborative Leader
1. Builds a shared vision.
2. Shares common space with others.
3. Engages in multi-perspective thinking and action.
4. Empowers others and allows others to empower themselves.
5. Behaves ethically to influence others positively.
6. Acts with Awareness of Leadership Styles
7. Celebrates successful collaborations.
Do you want more information on the 7 Qualities of Collaborative Leadership, or how this is presented and experienced in our programs? Contact us!