M.Phil. / All of us have experienced some kind of synchronicity before. An example of this phenomenon would be thinking of a friend and receiving a phone call from that friend at that time. The people you meet or simply run into on the street; the shirt that someone you walk by is wearing; the license plate or bumper sticker of the car in front of you — all could be examples of synchronicity. It can range from minor incidents to those that have a profound impact on our lives. The problem is that many of us do not understand the concept of synchronicity and how to utilize it in our journey to personal leadership. Not everybody is comfortable with the idea that the universe is giving us guidance. Often people have misconceptions regarding the synchronicity phenomenon and therefore dismiss it as mere chance while other believes that it is dark and evil. The general aim of the study was to get a better understanding of the concept of synchronicity and the importance thereof the people's lives. Ways of enhancing people's awareness of synchronicity was to be explored to assist them in their journey to purpose and meaning. Specific aims were set in order to achieve the general aim, namely to answer the following questions: "What is synchronicity?" and " What is the contribution of synchronicity towards personal leadership?" as well as "How can people enhance their awareness of synchronicity?" The research strategy of this study is characterized as explorative, descriptive and hermeneutic. The research methods used included word and concept analysis and literature study. On the question of "What is synchronicity?" it was found in chapter two that synchronicities are forces that come together in time and space, providing just what is needed. The occurrence strikes the participants as special, unexpected, or unexplainable by normal cause-and-effect rationales. The effect of synchronicity on the psyche is to trigger awareness that maybe a greater — or even divine — purpose is at work. It was discovered that the theory on synchronicity was the brainchild of C.G. Jung and that different types of synchronicity can be identified. The explanation of the background of the theory as well as the different types was found to enhance awareness and understanding of the concept of synchronicity. The question of "what is the contribution of synchronicity towards personal leadership?" was answered in chapter three. It was found that personal leadership is a value-based, principle-centered, inside-out approach to gaining control of one's life and living a happy and fulfilled life. It is based on the knowledge of who one is, where one currently is, and where one is going. A personal leader needs to develop in a balanced and holistic manner. Therefore all the individual's dimensions such as the spiritual, physical, mental and social/emotional dimensions should be improved. It was discovered that synchronicity has a definite contribution towards personal leadership, specifically towards the spiritual, physical, social/emotional and mental dimensions. Synchronicity can assist people in their search for meaning, with accepting the responsibility of taking good care of the physical body, it can help one make better choices and heighten awareness of one's own feelings and emotions as well as that of other people. The last question of "how can people enhance their awareness of synchronicity?" was also answered in chapter three. It was found that certain practical guidelines could be given on how people can enhance their awareness and use of synchronicity in their personal lives. These guidelines include mainly the cultivation of an open, receptive and nonjudgmental attitude as well as an active interest in synchronicities. In doing this, one would be able to tap into the vast knowledge of the universe. This study proves that every individual in his quest to become a personal leader should become aware of the various possibilities for moving forward in their lives. By being open to the possibility of guidance from the universe, we can experience synchronicities that enhance our self-awareness and the decisions we make in life. In this way, body and consciousness, ndividual and society, mind and matter may come to achieve their unlimited potential.

<p>In today’s tough business environment the need for good and efficient leaders are becoming more and more important. The businesses are in constant change, the world is more unpredictable and the competences of the employees are much greater today, which also calls for a new type of leader, a leader who not only is authoritarian, but also possesses soft skills. In this environment where there is this greater focus on leaders, leadership developments have emerged and increased in number over the last ten to twenty years. They try to develop leaders in all domains of their life, both professional and personal and the model we work with in this paper is Total Leadership, this model implies that you try to accomplish being a better leader throughout your whole life as a leader, to be whole, genuine and innovative, no matter career or position in life. The purpose with this essay is to investigate the outcome of leadership developments and see whether or not these leaders feel that they have become more efficient leaders. This was done by a qualitative research where we interviewed twelve leaders who had undergone a leadership development at a leadership development company called GestaltPartner. We reached the conclusions that all informants have had great value of the development and feel that they have reached a greater personal development that also reflects on their professional skills that in the end makes them more efficient leaders.</p>

In today’s tough business environment the need for good and efficient leaders are becoming more and more important. The businesses are in constant change, the world is more unpredictable and the competences of the employees are much greater today, which also calls for a new type of leader, a leader who not only is authoritarian, but also possesses soft skills. In this environment where there is this greater focus on leaders, leadership developments have emerged and increased in number over the last ten to twenty years. They try to develop leaders in all domains of their life, both professional and personal and the model we work with in this paper is Total Leadership, this model implies that you try to accomplish being a better leader throughout your whole life as a leader, to be whole, genuine and innovative, no matter career or position in life. The purpose with this essay is to investigate the outcome of leadership developments and see whether or not these leaders feel that they have become more efficient leaders. This was done by a qualitative research where we interviewed twelve leaders who had undergone a leadership development at a leadership development company called GestaltPartner. We reached the conclusions that all informants have had great value of the development and feel that they have reached a greater personal development that also reflects on their professional skills that in the end makes them more efficient leaders.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This work provides a comprehensive overview of the theories on adult learning. For each approach, the applicability for a leadership development programme is discussed. If available, examples for the use of a certain theory in a leadership course as part of a Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme are provided. An overview of the Personal Leadership Development Journey (PLDJ) of the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) is provided. The structure of the programme demonstrates the application of certain adult learning theories. Interviews with the alumni of the programme show how successfully the adult learning theories are practised and to what extent students have found them useful. Gaps in these interviews are pointed out with reference to the theories on adult learning. As an example, there is a certain body of literature on transformative learning as a subcategory of adult learning. In this case, two different theoretical approaches are explained, of which one is a more general discussion on adult learning and the other is focused on leadership development. Then an example of the application of this theory at the Institut Européen des d’Administration d’Affaires (INSEAD) shows how other business schools employ the theory in practice. In this case, the practical example is a leadership course as such, not a general MBA programme. The reason for this is that examples which match the situation at the USB exactly can not always be found. In the interviews, alumni of the USB were asked how the PLDJ impacted their professional and their private life. So indirectly, students were asked if a transformative learning process had taken place and how they would describe it. The analysis of the results is used to point out the strength of the programme as well as gaps, which could be addressed for future improvement.

This study explores potential implications of the Personal Leadership method for study abroad instructors and their students as emerging global leaders. This research documents and analyzes the experience of one cohort of Council of International Educational Exchange (CIEE) international educators as they gained a preliminary understanding of the Personal Leadership method across a five-month virtual blended learning course. Additionally, this research looks at CIEE's decision to incorporate Personal Leadership into their intercultural competency training program. Finally, this research examines the predicted global leadership development benefits Personal Leadership could provide students learning abroad, according to this cohort of international educators. This study employs qualitative methods in the case study of one CIEE instructor cohort. The researcher limited data collection to unstructured expert interviews, instructors' written discussion and polling data reported during the recorded course sessions, and a Likert-type scale exit survey. The findings from this study suggest that Personal Leadership offers a useful, process-based method for self-inquiry that significantly helps individuals develop affective qualities essential to be effective global leaders.

The purpose of this research was to study the lived experience of being a strategic leader, described as the black box of leadership, and to extend the limited research in this field. The researcher utilised the qualitative ethnographic methodology of direct observation, observing 138 discrete critical incidents that made up the lived experience of the five strategic leaders in the sample. The researcher further utilised observation tools from the field of Neuro Linguistic Programming, personal experiences, metaphors, allegories, analogies as well as deep personal introspection to make sense of the lived experience of the five CEOs. The primary research objective was to answer the question: What do CEOs do and how do they do it? A further related objective was to explore how they think about what they do. The research answered these questions by prising open the 'black box' of the lived experience of the strategic leader. The result of the research is the pure leadership spider web model. The pure leadership spider web model breaks down the lived experience of the strategic leader, the content of the black box, into eight dimensions: the pillars that make up the personal leadership philosophy; emotional states of mind brought to bear in meetings; kinaesthetic patterns used during meetings; meeting dynamics; emotional states brought to bear on day-to-day shop-floor engagement; emotional states brought to bear on leadership engagement sessions with other like business leaders; frames of mind governing the day-to-day experiences; and The Magic Language Box. / Business Management and Entr / DBL

The purpose of this research was to study the lived experience of being a strategic leader, described as the black box of leadership, and to extend the limited research in this field. The researcher utilised the qualitative ethnographic methodology of direct observation, observing 138 discrete critical incidents that made up the lived experience of the five strategic leaders in the sample. The researcher further utilised observation tools from the field of Neuro Linguistic Programming, personal experiences, metaphors, allegories, analogies as well as deep personal introspection to make sense of the lived experience of the five CEOs. The primary research objective was to answer the question: What do CEOs do and how do they do it? A further related objective was to explore how they think about what they do. The research answered these questions by prising open the 'black box' of the lived experience of the strategic leader. The result of the research is the pure leadership spider web model. The pure leadership spider web model breaks down the lived experience of the strategic leader, the content of the black box, into eight dimensions: the pillars that make up the personal leadership philosophy; emotional states of mind brought to bear in meetings; kinaesthetic patterns used during meetings; meeting dynamics; emotional states brought to bear on day-to-day shop-floor engagement; emotional states brought to bear on leadership engagement sessions with other like business leaders; frames of mind governing the day-to-day experiences; and The Magic Language Box. / Business Management and Entr / DBL