November 8 spot report on LCU Fulbright Specialist Project

Today, November 8, 2023 afforded me the opportunity to interact with approximately 40 students from the Departments of Pharmacy and Law.  The Nigerians referred to the interactive process as ‘rubbing minds’ and I just love that metaphor.  We began with introductions and as is customary in my classes, we did a breathing exercise together. We discussed Overcoming a 21^st Century Pandemic: Living and Leading with purpose, meaning and intentionality.  Beginning with important symbols (see below), I asked the participants to consider the importance of the times in which we are living.

I regret the images are not coming through. Please see attachments.

Figure 1: Delta represents the concept of change in mathematics.

The literature on leading change tells me that change is messy (Anderson, 2015). Moreover, when both internal and external conditions are in flux, as we see today, we are in the midst of chaotic change (Karp & Helgo, 2009).  Drawing from my rich cultural legacy of African and Native American heritage and traditions that emphasize inclusion and broad-based consultation, including a prayerful consultation with the Ancestors. These traditions also employ story and narrative engagement as a means of leading and learning, two concepts that are inextricably linked. I asked participants to consider Meyer’s proposition that

“What you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass.”

—Paul J. Meyer

I presented five additional symbols (see Figure 2). The Chinese symbol for crisis which emcompasses both problem and opportunity, one artist’s representation of the Southern African philosophical construct Ubuntu which says that I am because we are and we are because I am.  We are inextricably linked together.  Next, I discussed Sankofa, a West African philosophical construct from Ghana that counsels us to “go back and get it” the it being Indigenous Knowledge. Next, I introduced the Wheel from Buddhism and the cyclical natre of our lives and world affairs. Finally, I explained the symbol I developed to represent my Chieftaincy Title as the Yeye Araba of the Source.  We begin with a coil or energy conductor that moves into the shape of a question mark, punctuated by the cowrie; its meaning is to question authority, it is healthy in a democracy.  We can do so respectfully, but as citizens, we have an obligation to question those in authority, monitor their decisions and hold them to account.

During the second part of the workshop, we had a robust Q & A.  I asked participants to write out questions and we would answer as many as possible to the best of our abilities.  We tackled the following questions:

What is the difference between a leader and a manager? What are some common leadership mistakes?

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? What do you get out of a slump?

What makes you stand out as a leader/ How do you bring about change in social injustice?

How can I balance my academic life and my everyday life, especially my business life?

Are there ways to get international scholarship opportunities? Can you enlighten us?

Can a pharmacy student in Lead City University transfer for a Pharmacy School in the United States or any school outside of Nigeria?

As you can imagine, there were several questions we did not get to today.

References

Anderson, D.L. (2015). 3^rd ed. Organization. Development.  The Process of Leading Organizational Change, Los Angeles: SAGE.

Karp, T., & Tveteraas Helgø, T.I. (2009). Reality Revisited: Leading People in Chaotic Change. Journal of Management Development, 28(2), 81- 93.