Current Students > Division of Student Life > Thiel Leadership Development Institute > Foundation Series

The Thiel Leadership Development Institute offers weekly/monthly leadership seminars on a variety of topics on leadership and different issues facing student-leaders. Each seminar lasts one and a half hours. The Foundation Series are 12 specific seminars within the Leadership Development Series that student-leaders in the TLDI are required to attend.

Moreover, the TLDI respects students' different learning styles and believes that learning is a cooperative effort. Therefore, student-leaders are expected to contribute to the construction of collective knowledge by offering, in each seminar, their insights and opinions about each topic, making this a time for dialogue as well as personal and professional growth.

Here's a brief description, in alphabetical order, of all 12 Foundation Series Seminars. For dates and times that each seminar is being presented, please click on Upcoming TLDI Events.

We hope to see you there!

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FOUNDATION SERIES SEMINARS

"Appreciating Differences" – Leading in the midst of differences can impose a true challenge for leaders. Nevertheless, differences can also be an advantage. This session will examine personal prejudice, discrimination, and exclusion. We will also talk about social, cultural and diversity issues, and the impact of such issues in groups and in society. Student-leaders will learn about the benefits of inclusive leadership practices.

"Foundations of Leadership" – This session is aimed to clarify myths and truisms of leadership. Student-leaders will examine the newest leadership trends, focusing on the "Relational Leadership Model" (Komives, Lucas, & McMahon, 1998) and the importance of trusting relationships as key to leadership effectiveness.

"Got Integrity?" – “It’s been said that character is revealed by how we behave when we think no one is looking and strengthened when we act as if everyone is looking” (Josephson, 2002). In the context of a fast-paced society, full of moral temptations, it takes a great deal of preparation for leaders to become fit for ethical practices that can positively impact the world. This seminar will explore four dilemmas of ethical living (Kidder, 2003) and continue to search for viable ways for leaders to exercise universal ethical values in their decision making process.

"Leaders and Followers: Transformational Leadership" – James MacGregor Burns (1978) defines leadership as “leaders inducing followers to act for certain goals that represent the values and the motivations — the wants and needs, the aspirations and expectations — of both leaders and followers.” In this seminar, student-leaders will learn about Burns’ Theory of Transformational Leadership and its relevance to leadership practices these days. Student-leaders will also contribute to a dialogue about Power and Human Motivations as elements in the relationship between leaders and followers in the context of moral leadership.

"Leadership: Theory and Practice" – “There are a multitude of ways to finish the sentence ‘Leadership is…’” (Northouse, 2004). There are also a variety of leadership theories that have been studied and applied throughout history. This seminar is aimed to study the relevance of different leadership theories and their applicability. Student-leaders will discuss other questions pertaining to the nature of leadership such as how leadership as a trait differs from leadership as a process; how appointed leadership differs from emergent leadership; how the concepts of power, coercion, and management differ from leadership (Northouse, 2004), in an effort to understand more in depth how leadership works in theory and in practice.

"Sight Beyond Sight: I Have a Vision" – Among other qualities, effective leaders posses the ability to be forward-looking. “Leaders must know where they’re going if they expect others to willingly join them on the journey… Vision reveals the beckoning summit that provides others with the capacity to chart their course toward the future” (Kouzes & Posner, 2003). This seminar will examine what visionary leadership is. Furthermore, student-leaders will explore ways to enlist and help others to understand, accept, and commit to a shared vision, a shared sense of destiny, and a common goal.

"Societal Problems" – Many are the problems facing society these days. Social problems remain a concern of world leaders, including poverty, racism, sexism, economics, prejudice and discrimination, division of classes, crime, etc. In the context of an ill-structured society, leaders are called to exercise a great deal of critical consciousness, as well as self- and social-awareness. In this seminar, student-leaders will explore some of the factors that contribute to these problems in an attempt to understand how they affect our communities, society and the world.

"The Dynamic Group" – “Group Dynamics is the study of the group’s life and includes such processes as how the group makes decision, how the group handles its conflict, and how the group meets its leadership needs” (Johnson & Johnson, 1994; Komives et al., 1998).  In this seminar, student-leaders will explore different models of group and community development and group growth. We will talk about effective ways of working together and leading groups.

"The Servant Leader" – “The servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first… The best test, and difficult to administer, is this: Do those served grow as a person? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?” (Greenleaf, 1977). This seminar will explore possible answers to these questions and help to clarify the role and importance of servant-leadership. Student-leaders will also examine how service can connect people and positively impact the relationship between leaders and followers, contributing to a healthier, more united community.

"Values, Morals and Ethics in Leadership" – In this session we will examine the role that values, morals, and ethics, play in leadership and how these elements influence our leadership style and decision making process. This is a very relevant topic in leadership and in life, since doing the "right" versus the "popular" thing is not always an easy task. Moreover, oftentimes we deal with decisions that put one right value against another right value. Considering such issues, we will talk about how to resolve the dilemmas of ethical living and decision making and how to deal with tough choices.

"What’s Your Problem?" – Conflict is part of our human experience. However, it can be healthy when it promotes win/win situations and outcomes in the context of relationships we value. In every attempt to solve problems or clarify misunderstandings, communication plays an important role. In this session, student-leaders will be challenged to explore the benefits of effective communication, appropriate assertiveness, and ways to build and sustain relationships. 

"You Can't Hear If You Don't Listen" - Clear communication is vital in the interaction between leaders and followers. In this session we will talk about ways to improve our communication and active listening skills and the importance of "dialogue" as an effective and fair way to lead.

References

Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper & Row.

Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. New York: Paulist.

Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, F. P. (1994). Joining together: Group theory and group skills (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Josephson, M. (2002). Making ethical decisions: The basic primer on using the Six Pillars of Character to make better

    decisions, and a better life. Los Angeles: Josephson Institute of Ethics.

Kidder, R. M. (1995). How good people make tough choices: Resolving the dilemmas of ethical living. New York: HarperCollins.

Komives, S., Lucas, N., & McMahon, T. R. (1998). Exploring Leadership: For college students who want to make a difference.

     San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2003). The leadership challenge (3rd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Northouse, P. G. (2004). Leadership: Theory and practice (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.