Terrapin Leadership Institute

[Fall Only] Foundations (6 weeks): Participants will explore and develop foundational leadership skills such as leadership styles, ethics, identity, collaboration, and communication . Perfect for emerging leaders who want to discover and/or refine their leadership philosophy and practice! No prior formal leadership experience necessary.

1. Leadership Introduction & Ethics

• Identify salient values that guide their behaviors and decision-making and
• Reflect on how they live out their values, particularly when faced with dilemmas or obstacles and
• Understand the complexity of considerations made in the ethical decision-making process and
• Examine the relationship between ethics and values-based leadership.

2. Leadership Styles & Strengths

• Gain a meaningful framework to understand their individual leadership styles.
• Practice balancing their strengths and weaknesses to be effective leaders and
• Recognize tenets of a growth mindset and how it can be applied to their leadership development.

3. Leadership & Identity

• Identify marginalized and dominant aspects of their identity and
• Recognize the relationship between their identities and their leadership style and
• Interrogate how their identities bias their practice and interpretation of leadership and
• Understand the importance of challenging stereotypes in effective leadership.

4. Communication

• Recognize the importance of active listening in communication and
• Understand the requirements of effective communication practices and
• Practice effective communication in a variety of situations and
• Articulate the importance of communication in effective leadership.

5. Collaboration

• Reflect on the significance of flexibility and adaptability in effective collaboration efforts and
• Recognize how their working styles influence their role and contributions to the group process and
• Demonstrate their ability to work effectively in group settings to accomplish shared goals.

6. Goal Setting & Philosophy

• Evaluate and reflect on their leadership development over the course of the TLI Foundations program.
• Assess personal leadership capacities through the Aspen Index and
• Establish one's personal leadership SMART goals and philosophy

*sessions are subject to change*

[Spring Only] MOSAIC: Inclusive Leadership (5 weeks) In collaboration with the Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy Office, this track will explore leadership and social identity concepts related to liberation in how we navigate interconnected social systems in the present while reimagining and taking action steps towards the future we are dreaming of in the tomorrow. A great experience for leaders who...

• Wish to practice inclusive leadership and explore identities, representation, and dominant narratives in leadership,
• Desire to develop their confidence to practice leadership among diverse groups and context, 
• Value growing in their awareness of social power systems and
• Who want to be in a learning community with others practicing reimagining systems and leadership processes 

1. Community and Identity

• Engage with students from diverse student organizations, fostering cross-campus connections and building a deeper understanding of the purpose, structure, and advantages of the TLI Mosaic track.
• Demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of their social identity, life experiences, and personalities, recognizing their impact on leadership style. Develop insights into how these factors shape their leadership approaches and strategies.
• Articulate the significance of participating in the TLI Mosaic track, exploring its potential to enhance personal growth, leadership development, and the broader impact of diverse perspectives in leadership roles.

2. Power and Empowerment

• Explore and analyze six sources of power and influence, enabling participants to identify and evaluate their personal sources of power within their leadership roles.
• Recognize various types of power through real-life leadership examples, gaining a deeper understanding of how different forms of power manifest in practical settings.
• Gain insights into the nuanced dimensions of power in leadership, encompassing visible, invisible, and hidden elements, fostering a comprehensive comprehension of power dynamics in various leadership contexts

3. Reimagination

• Comprehend the concept of willful blindness and its implications, fostering awareness of potential blind spots in perceiving systemic challenges faced by minoritized groups.
• Analyze personal lenses and perspectives that might contribute to obliviousness regarding systemic challenges, encouraging introspection to identify biases and fostering a commitment to promoting inclusivity.
• Initiate the exploration of strategies to amplify the voices and experiences of marginalized individuals, empowering participants to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion in their leadership roles.
• Illustrate the systemic nature of discrimination, derogation, and oppression experienced by certain social identity groups, as well as the associated privileges afforded to others in modern U.S. society, providing an in-depth understanding of systemic dynamics over individual acts.

4. Action

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the diverse actions that can either perpetuate or challenge oppression, encouraging critical reflection on their impact and implications.
• Cultivate skills in empathy, active listening, and storytelling, enabling participants to effectively connect with others, promote understanding, and foster a more inclusive and supportive environment.

5. Commitment

• Synthesize and reflect on key insights from previous sessions, recognizing critical moments of learning and personal growth.
• Familiarize with the Leadership for Liberation model, understanding its principles and potential impact in promoting transformative leadership.
• Develop proficiency in identifying personal commitments and translating them into actionable steps, fostering the ability to effect positive change and advocate for social justice and equity.

Registration opens January 17th

• Closes February 22nd
• Track begins week of February 27th

[Spring Only] Organizational Leadership (5 weeks) In collaboration with the Student Organization Resource Center, this track is designed specifically for students involved in student organizations on campus. Students will participate in hands-on activities and critical dialogue with a small group of peers. This track focuses on organizational dynamics and development centered around structural, relational, and cultural aspects of student organizations. Perfect for student organization leaders looking to lead and develop their organization

1. Evaluation and Assessment

• Meet students across different student organizations on campus and
• Articulate the purpose, structure, and benefits of participating in the TLI Organizational Leadership track and
• Evaluate the current state of their organization, and begin to craft a plan of organizational improvements. 

2. Organization Communication and Structural Tensions

• Explore communication systems and factors that either help or harm their intergroup communication processes and 
• Identify the benefits and drawbacks of their group’s organizational structure and  
• Describe how structural tensions can contribute both negatively and positively to a group’s organizational structure.

3. Member Motivation and Team Contribution

• Understand the characteristics of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and
• Implement at least one new technique for motivating members in their student organization and  
• Identify the four different styles of contribution in a team setting and 
• Recognize how different styles of contribution manifest within and affect their student organization.

4. Organization Conflict and Delegation

• Determine where their organization falls on the conflict continuum and 
• Learn strategies for engaging in healthy conflict to promote effective decision-making and  
• Practice delegating tasks and assignments to their peers.

5. Organization Culture and Mission/Vision Workshop

• Recognize the influence of culture on individuals’ actions and
• Distinguish the ways in which culture plays a role in organizations and
• Differentiate between the influence of cultural competency in leadership and in organizational culture 
• Uncover hidden components of participants’ organizational culture and translate those into the mission statement. 
• Registration opens January 17th
  • Closes February 22nd
• Track begins week of February 27th