Momentum 2008 thus far, has been a terrific gathering. Well worth the time, in fact, exponentially so. I have so many notes and thoughts though that I've finally come up with an approach to lite digestion and sharing. My plan is to go topic by topic as the event was structured and talk about what resonated. I begin with looking at the title followed by the premise for bringing us together.

The Title

Wikipedia describes Momentum as the product of the mass and velocity of an object (p = mv) in its classic definition.

This all makes sense to me. And for a moment this morning, I wondered as I recalled and heard people talk about the experience of grandparents that propels them forward - a strong hand in the small of the back - and about visions of a different world that draw others forward into an imagined future, does momentum come from experience or from hope? It only took a few minutes to realize that both are necessary for momentum to matter at all and momentum is essential.

Wikipedia also tells us that Momentum is "a conserved quantity, meaning that the total momentum of any closed system (one not affected by external forces) cannot change." So are the systems we are trying to impact open or closed? If they are open then what are the external forces that are effecting them and in what direction? What does this mean for a sector? What does it mean for how we lead?

John Edwards spoke about breaking down silos, the intersection of systems of oppression, and the necessity of national leadership in the opening plenary session on Sunday night. But I'm getting ahead of myself! Stay tuned for more!

Leadership is a very ambiguous word in itself and subject to different interpretations. Therefore, it is understandable that when it comes to the methods in which people implement programs to help develop leadership, the approaches vary widely. In the past few weeks I have been looking at non-profit leadership development organizations, I have noticed that most are directed towards youth, women, or minorities. All are understandable target populations, as they are usually considered to be under served. A great majority implement some form of workshop learning into their program to teach the skills they value, such as public speaking, decision making, entrepreneurship, and the like. Usually this is backed by some form of experiential learning where the participants take their skills into the real world and make a visible impact, whether it is through implementing their own project or community service.

Looking at the general norm in which leadership is taught makes me wonder whether or not it is the best way, or if there even is a “best” way. How can you even measure success in leadership programs in order to know what’s effective? It was going through this train of thought that made me realize the reason why Leadership Learning Community exists, to address these questions.  read more »