Students of management have long argued the comparison of managers to leaders. There has been a lingering contention among this group that leadership is a trait naturally imbued in a person that is not a learned behavior. A recognized scholar in the field of leadership development, Daniel Goleman, addresses this issue in his book titled Emotional Intelligence [Bantam, 1997].
Goleman contends that knowing one’s emotions, managing emotions, motivating oneself, recognizing emotions in others, and handling relationships are core competencies needed by an effective leader. Goleman recognizes the important traditional traits found in successful leaders, but argues that truly effective leadership entails the use of other innate types of intelligences.
At one point Daniel Goleman states that “IQ and technical skills are important, but emotional intelligence is the sine qua non of leadership.” Another of Dr. Goleman’s tenant is that the important skills of emotional intelligence can be learned and are not some fluke of genetics.
Leadership Training Programs
There are educational programs available to students that can improve their leadership skills. Goleman identifies six leadership styles that can be employed by a leader under varied circumstances and he contends the best leaders can utilize several different leadership styles to address varying situations. Leadership skills can be improved through contact with new ideas and approaches.
One approach used by the Department of Alaska Native and Rural Development (DANRD) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is a degree program that emphases the relationships of rural communities with the overarching global economy, communicating with others in a cross-cultural environment, and development of future leaders, especially among indigenous people. Students in the program learn to work with other cultures and provided skills needed by community leaders that include business planning, grant writing, community planning, project management and evaluation.
Circumpolar Indigenous Leadership Symposium
DANRD offers a distance delivered master's degree program in Rural Development designed to educate a new leaders that can work in a culturally diverse world. Working professionals can completer the degree from home or the office. A highlight of the degree program is course titled the Circumpolar Indigenous Leadership Symposium.
This symposium is held over the period of ten days and provides an intensive face-to-face experience for students. The graduate seminar has a focus on indigenous leadership. Noted Native leaders and leadership practitioners from throughout the North provide presentations and discussion opportunities with students.
The Northern Leadership Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) has taken the notion of leadership development and training a step further in establishing its Northern Leadership Center (NLC). The effort is aimed at linking student leadership initiatives at the school with members of the community and surrounding region. The NCL is a result of the work produced by the members of the UAF Leadership Initiative Task Force. The Task Force membership consists of broad cross section of disciplines and departments found within the university.
Opportunities exist at many different levels for leadership training. Programs are in place within the academic, government and industry communities. Many employers offer the training in-house or have cooperative agreements with training providers to make courses available. Many leadership skills can be learned, if the student makes the effort to secure the training.
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