During 2008 I had the pleasure of developing and delivering a leadership program for AFL Indigenous Academies involving high school kids aged 12–16. The academy is a social responsibility program of the Australian Football League (AFL) in Western and South Western Sydney designed to encourage indigenous kid to finish high school and eventually take leadership roles in their community.
As my usual gigs are with adults in the corporate sector, I knew that working with kids would be a challenge for a non-teacher. To cover the bases I enlisted the help of university student, Daniel Nelson who at 19 was closer to the age group involved and therefore a ready-made role model. Daniel also had some invaluable facilitation experience with disadvantaged youth through YCS and YCW.
Starting with no expectations whatsoever, I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed that facilitation tools and simulation game frameworks that I had developed and used used for years with adults in business, worked just as well with indigenous youth. Only the context was changed.
We kept the approach simple:
One Rule – “One at a Time”
Structure: 3 Positions. Circle, small group and standing up.
Values: The 3Rs – Respect; Responsibility; Role Models
Outcomes: The 3Cs – Confidence; Communication; Connections
Daniel and I saw remarkable and promising changes in confidence and communication skills among all kids in all groups over 22 weeks. This was true experiential learning. I learned as much (probably more) from the young aboriginal kids as they learned from me. At very least, I came away with new insights into the universality of leadership and especially more clarity on the differences between leadership and management.
My 3 key insights
Leadership is Universal
Leadership develops experientially (starting before 16yrs)
Leadership expresses itself from the inside out
Leadership and management are not the same. Here is my view of the differences:
Management is for the designated few with responsibility for budgets, people, resources, assets
Leadership is for everyone and just as relevant for mothers and youth as it is for middle and senior managers
Management is situational
Leadership is universal
Management is hierarchical with layers of responsibility
Leadership is individual- every leader is different
Management is external whereby you manage something or someone
Leadership is not driven by ego
Management is about, performance, compliance, results and competency
Leadership is an experience based Inner journey. Leadership requires being open to change
Management can be taught in accredited programs
Leadership is an experiential journey that starts early in life – before 16. Sometimes a leadership legacy lasts beyond a persons lifetime (e.g. Gandhi, JFK, Martin Luther King)
Management is mostly organisation related and is identified with a position and/or designated responsibility
Leadership exists with or without a management position
Management is hierarchical and therefore directive
Being a leader involves providing choice
Management is about maintaining the status quo
Leadership is about change – it facilitates change both in the leader and those being led
The challenge for those in management positions is to be aware of the difference.
When is it the right time to lead?
When is it the right time to manage?
This challenge can only be addressed when the differences are clear and understood.
My mentor at the beginning of the AFL Indigenous Academies endeavor was David Rock www.quietleadership.com. David was very helpful in guiding aspects of the program design. The subtitle of his book ‘Quiet Leadership’ is thought provoking. It reads “Help People to Think – Don’t Tell Them What to Do’.
