Synthesis Statement for Learning Outcome #7

Define and describe leadership and management theories, research, and

practices in order to analyze their own effectiveness as a leader and/or
administrator of programs in higher education and community education.
The artifact I am using for leadership and management is the summary I
wrote after taking a series of inventories in CCE 576, Leadership and
Management of Education Programs, to help me identify and evaluate my
leadership/management strengths and weaknesses. I chose this artifact
because it reveals leadership areas I need to further develop skills for. I
found this very helpful in helping me identify how to focus on my building my
skills. I found the inventories also identified strengths I know I have, but
encouraged me to grow those strengths further.
An example of an area I discovered I needed to develop is how to respond to
criticism. Whetten and Cameron (2007) gave a formula for effectively
identifying and responding to criticism. Their formula says if you can
recognize the information (criticism) is verifiable, predictable and
controllable then you can take it as constructive. If it does not, then dont
waste time trying to respond to it. This discovery has been a very useful tool
to process criticism and even negative comments.
The PAMS confirmed that one of my best qualities as a leader/manager is
building trusting relationships. Kouzes and Posner (2007) provided new
considerations on how to go about building on this strength. Using
collaboration, being involved, making myself available, listening and focusing
on the positives are just some of the ways trust can be nurtured. I have been
applying these principles in relationships with students, co-workers and in
my personal life with great success.
I have worked on both of the above specific areas in my role as a
leader/manager. I have found it is so much easier to process criticism when I
mentally walk it through the formula Whetten and Cameron (2007) provided.
For example, a faculty member came to my office recently making a remark
that indicated our staff had not done their jobs. I went through the process I
had learned: Was the information verifiable? Was what was being said true
of our staff? As I went through to verify, it was obvious right away that the
criticism was not true. I didnt need to go any further in the formula. Having
this simple process as a tool for measuring criticism has been helpful in
many areas of my life.
I am continuing to grow my skills in building trusting relationships as a
leader/manager. I was recently asked to be an advisor to a new student club
on campus. I have found that addressing activities, planning events and
problem solving are all opportunities to collaborate. People feel valued and
respected when you invite them to be part of the process. They are more
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willing to invest themselves in the process of accomplishing the objective

when they feel their voice is heard and their participation is valued. In
addition, focusing on the positives is so much more productive in my
leadership roles. If I dont make it a point to focus on the positives when
encountering barriers, it is easy for those I am leading to lose heart.
These are only a couple of examples of the ways in which I have grown as a
leader/manager since taking CCE 576. The knowledge and skills I gained in
this course have helped me develop in ways I did not know I could.
Kouzes, J. M. & Posner, B. Z. (2007). The leadership challenge (4th ed.). San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Whetten, D.A. and Cameron, K.S. (2010). Developing Management Skills (8th
ed.). New York: Addison-Wesley.