The purpose of this study was to describe and record the experiences of
people of color in a community leadership development program. Selected people
of color were asked to describe their experiences as participants in the American
Leadership program in Tacoma-Pierce County in the State of Washington. The
American Leadership Forum (ALF) is a national leadership development program
that is dedicated to joining and strengthening established leaders in order to serve
the public good. ALF has 13 chapters throughout the United States, one of which
is in Tacoma-Pierce County. Ten graduates of the year-long program were
participants in the study, all of whom resided, at the time of the study, in that local
community.
The participants shared stories of their common experiences. These stories
were compared to reveal the similarities and differences among them. While their
personal backgrounds, familiarity with leadership theory, and careers revealed
considerable differences, common themes emerged from the interview data. The
research identified the following themes of their perceptions of the ALF
participation: networking, relationships, community commitment, leadership
development, personal transformation, family, connectedness over time, diversity,
and community impact.
The emergent themes reflect the positive perceptions of the participants'
experiences, as well as their disappointments and concerns. They also represent the
attitudes and opinions that were most deeply impacted by the ALF experience, as
evidenced by their stories.
The findings suggest community leadership development programs have the
ability to:
1) Enhance professional networks and encourage relationship building
2) Empower leaders by developing their leadership capacity
3) Develop the image of a positive, centered self as a significant part of
effective leadership.
The findings also suggest considerations for the planning of leadership
development programs that include:
1) Time for reflection and sharing
2) Relationship building among the participants of color
3) Balancing competing needs for time (i.e., work, involvement in the
community, and meeting family obligations)
4) A mentor component
5) A learning environment that acknowledges and draws upon the diverse
wealth of knowledge and experiences brought by the participants
6) Time for meaningful dialogue on ethnic and racial diversity.
Recommendations for further research on leadership development and
ethnic and racial leadership are included. They include intensive studies in
leadership development, leadership development programs, and promoting and
sustaining diverse communities. / Graduation date: 2004
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/34303 |
| Date | 12 September 2003 |
| Creators | Hiyane-Brown, Katherine H. |
| Contributors | Duvall, Betty |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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