The Centre for Lifelong Learning

Leadership Development Cohort

In September, 2007 twenty leaders from the pilot project cohort gathered in Chiang Mai Thailand to bring to culmination the year-long collaborative study of leadership in a crosscultural ministry setting. Three of the original cohort could not attend, due to health emergency for one couple, and unavoidable travel conflicts for the final member.

The goals for the culminating face to face sessions were three-fold: bring to conclusion the third learning “chunk” that focused on the character of the leader; articulate the learning results from the year-long study; and evaluate the cohort experience on four levels: reactions, learning, transfer, and results.

The results, or impact “on the ground” were beyond all expectations. Leaders told stories of using what they had learned about coaching to develop coaches in their school. These newly trained coaches then integrated the principles in their relationships with students, in ways that became visible to other observers. Two cohort members from different countries collaborated on translating one of the assessment tools we had used to identify leadership values into a tool they could use with the national leaders. The coaching process impacted the leadership team in one ministry area so greatly that they decided to implement the practice among all of their 100+ personnel.

As cohort members articulated the specific things they had learned, we developed a significant list of knowledge, skills, and attitudes and values that had grown over the year. Participants identified growth in their knowledge of specific leadership tools, teambuilding practice, coaching activity and cultural implications of leadership. They described skills that had developed with practice over the year, bolstered by feedback from their cohort colleagues’ encouragement on the online collaborative site. Individuals identified and clarified values that affected the way the led: values of humility in cross cultural situations; that we can learn from and with our colleagues, not just about them; and that leadership is all about relationship.

The cohort gathered a number of observations about the process we followed in the pilot project: the learning activities, the face-to-face sessions and online learning chunks, and particularly the technology challenges they faced over the course of the year. Their suggestions included more frequent face-to-face opportunities, more specific and frequent “deadlines” for learning activities, and more user-friendly software that works well on non-PC platforms.

Next steps
The Centre for Lifelong Learning is taking the lessons learned from the pilot project to be incorporated into a task force whose purpose is to develop a leadership culture within TEAM. This task force will recommend a comprehensive program for leadership development at all levels for all TEAM personnel in whatever leadership role they are called to fulfill. Integration of the cohort model and collaborative learning tools with best practices in adult learning will provide a way for each TEAM worker to grow toward their full potential, as they incorporate their personal skills, gifts, and preparation into a growth plan that will maximize their effectiveness in developing themselves and their colleagues.

The Centre is grateful for the support of the Bolthouse Foundation which made possible the development of the online collaboration tools, and the initial implementation of the MILD pilot project. The impact has already been much wider than the cohort of 16 leaders and the Centre staff. It is our prayer that the benefits of this project can be replicated and extended through the next iterations of comprehensive leadership development programs in TEAM.

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