What happened to African Theories? Fundamental Flaws in Education that Keeps Africa Behind

Having taught and worked with hundreds of doctoral students all over Africa, I’m always amazed at the lack of critical application of theories and the scarcity of original African theories in the education system. While many have theorized about why so many African nations are unable to be competitive after their independence, not many have looked at the systemic issues embedded in the education system that produce the leaders in those nations. On the surface, issues such as corruption, policies, or politics are commonly discussed.  All these surface issues are driven by how we perceived the world and our thought processes, which are derived from our education. Left over from colonialization, the education systems in many African nations have 2 primary challenges. First is the lack of critical application of theories; second is the lack of knowledge and skill in research methodologies. These two issues drive a thought process that greatly limit competitiveness and prevent advancement of nations.

In a recent dissertation defense, a Kenyan doctoral student presented his findings on the relationship between leadership behaviors and small and medium sized enterprise (SME) performance. The individual was a well-established business executive with many years of experience. He conducted the research based on the established theory of transformational leadership along with its standard survey, which is quite common. After he presented his research, the dissertation committee began to ask questions about the research. “How did the survey reflect the cultural values in your city?” The doctoral student was stuck; he simply never thought about how the standard survey was created based on American cultural values and that it did not contain any African based statements. As the discussion went on, he began to realize that the transformational leadership survey being used lacked cultural considerations. For example, one of the dimensions for transformational leadership is inspirational motivation. How Americans are inspired in an individualistic society is quite different from how Africans are inspired. We continued the discussion to explore how an African theory of leadership is lacking. This incident is not the first. After having hundreds of doctoral dissertation defenses with African students, the lack of critical thought for theories continues to dominate. The idea that many theories are not built based on African values or society doesn’t seem to appear on students’ thought processes. 

In the last five years, we’ve partnered with several African universities and institutions to help them with research methodology. In these partnerships, we’ve seen many PhDs with high positions, such as professors and lecturers, not having the correct knowledge in research methodology. Worse yet, they continue to teach the incorrect research methodology to their students. I have personally reviewed dozens of articles submitted by African academics for journal publication. Well over 92% of these have flaws in the research methods, which invalidates the findings. 

Another critical issue is the lack of knowledge and/or courses in qualitative research using a grounded theory approach. If one seeks to create new theories, the grounded theory approach is required. This may be passed over by colonial design or simply forgotten, but the graduate level education should offer modules in the grounded theory approach. Without this expertise, it becomes nearly impossible to create new theories. Explore this, if you like – see if grounded theory research is offered in any of the local or regional universities near you. 

The combination of a lack of critical application and a lack of research methodology mastery leaves most African universities no choice but to continue to use western theories and textbooks. Regardless of the discipline, most governments and businesses use western theories in every day decisions. Such decisions have built in flaws, which prevent long term success. 

Higher education in Africa needs major systemic enhancements. Regardless of where you come from, a PhD holder should be able to think systemically and critically. They should be creating new theories that are meant for the people of the same cultural values and the current global environment. They should know the difference between the context of education and the content of education. Only when we have such scholars leading education will African nations advance and, perhaps, even get ahead of some of the developing nations. 

We would like to offer two solutions in the face of this problem. First, we offer aspiring scholars the opportunity study in a PhD program built for critical thinking, systems thinking, and theory creation. Within our PhD program, students go through a long-term development process to think systemically while building the skills for grounded theory research. They also learn to master various cultural environments through the effective use of their multiple intelligence. This PhD program is unlike any other in the world and designed specifically to address the needs of developing nations, such as Kenya.

Secondly, we invite innovative universities to partner with us to transform their educational processes into the 21st century. Rather than continue to use band aids to patch up major problems in colonial education systems that are rigid and out of date, partner universities can transform themselves into a regional powerhouse of innovative theory creation. We have designed a process where university professors can gain the knowledge needed for theory creation and a system to create numerous new theories that drive innovation in the nation. 

Let’s put an end to the question of – What happened to African Theories? 

Stuck in Shoes that Don’t Fit: The Major Challenge for Developing Nations

Globalization challenges every individual to run faster and faster to keep pace with massive innovation across borders. In order to do that, the theoretical foundations of individuals must be strong and congruent to ones’ core values. Unfortunately, most developing nations lack the theories that are developed by their own scholars. In social sciences, using theories from other nations is like wearing shoes that don’t fit the individual or the purpose. This lack of fit occurs for the individual due to a misalignment of cultural values; furthermore, the lack of fit also occurs for the business environment that’s drastically different from the theory’s original environment. As people get into the race of globalization with unfit shoes, they fall after a few steps. How can you get ahead when the theories/shoes simply don’t fit? 

Having taught and worked with countless PhDs on every major continent, it’s astonishing to see how many business PhDs are living in a bubble, sheltered from the real world, rarely making a profound impact in their fields of business in their nation. In the many journal articles and dissertations that I’ve reviewed from developing nations, the majority of them only test existing theories from the west with little to no consideration for cultural or situational influences. For example, many students explore transformational leadership from the US. One of the dimensions is intellectual stimulation. While students find a way to show evidence of this practice in their studies, the actual practices of intellectual stimulation conflicts with cultural norms like high-power distance. Worse yet, when I ask graduate students and PhDs about their studies, they can’t recall a specific theory from all their studies that originated from their nation. Why don’t people ask the challenging questions about these foreign theories concerning cultural and situational fit? Why aren’t PhD’s creating new theories that fit their cultural values and their economic environments? 

The situation calls for a systemic exploration of the educational environment. While these perspectives do not apply to all developing nations, the general characteristics of the educational system are relatively consistent. Three root causes are perpetuating this phenomenon: 

1. Rigid Hierarchy: With the high-power distance in most African and Asian institutions, students are taught to comply. Even as they get into graduate levels in business schools, they are only taught to test existing theories. Professors in these institutions have ultimate authority to push foreign theories onto impressionable minds. Especially with the dominant lecture style of teaching, students are left with “yes sir” as their common response. There is no room to challenge why a theory functions or not in their respective environment. Compliance to the professor is the norm. As a result, students graduate in a context of conformity to conventional thought and rigid hierarchy, without having developed a critical mind for theories.
2. Flawed Research Methodologies: I’ve seen many PhDs with high academic positions in universities lacking the correct knowledge in research methodology. Worse yet, they continue to teach the incorrect research methodology to their students. For example, some professors tell students a generic number for the target sample size for their study, leaving students no knowledge of how to calculate it statistically. Furthermore, most are being taught quantitative research methodology only, which can only test existing theories. Grounded theory approach in qualitative research is rarely understood in order to develop theories. Without the correct research methodology, it becomes impossible to create new theories that are needed to lead the nation.
3. Lack of Systems and Critical Thinking: Two fundamental thought processes a PhD should have are systems thinking and critical thinking. Neither are present in the current system of education in most nations. At best, some universities have a course on the topic. Students learn to regurgitate the theories, but rarely learn to apply them. This type of thinking takes years to develop, along with many other self-constructs needed to support these skills, such as self-confidence and self-efficacy. Without being able to see systems at work, most can only see what is in front of them, which are given theories from foreign nations. For example, I’ve had hundreds of students defend their master or doctoral research in nations like Myanmar and Ghana, the overwhelming majority of students’ research quantitatively tests western theories like Transformational leadership or Service Quality model (SERVQUAL). None have critically assessed why a given western theory in a textbook should be updated with cultural values within the nation. Key constructs like reliability in SERVQUAL and individual consideration in Transformational leadership are very different in developing nations that struggle with scarcity of basic resources and cheap labor. These theories function within a set of American cultural values and in an environment where basic needs are met; they do not work when placed in in a different system with another set of cultural values and business environment. More importantly, the western assessments of the constructs are value-laden, far removed from the environment of developing nations. This calls into question the validity of the assessments, requiring systemic and critical thought from students. 

For your nation to be an economic powerhouse, you need courageous and innovative leaders! How these leaders think depends on their mental schema (how their brains function).  Much of the ability to think resides in the theories embedded in one’s education. PhDs are meant to be thought leaders with powerful scholarly abilities. Unfortunately, many educational systems in many developing nations don’t have this perspective on their educational environments. Educational institutions need aspiring leaders to create new systems of education that address the problems of rigid hierarchy, flawed research methodologies, and lack of systems and critical thinking. When we have many more institutions, like Transcontinental Institute, who help PhDs focus on theory creation and systems thinking in developing nations, you’ll be equipped with the right shoes to win the race in globalization. At Transcontinental, the curriculum is designed around systems thinking and grounded theory research. The learning process is customized to the students’ cultural values and environment through numerous systems from individual learning plans to caring and humble faculty who are international consultants. In every class, students are encouraged and empowered to critically explore the systemic challenges in social science theories within their respective environments. Overtime, systems thinkers are developed through careful scaffolding of learning. Finally, students form their unique dissertation research designed to transform their part of the world. This is what many developing nations need to enter the globalization race.

Whether you’re an educator or someone exploring for further education, start by asking the right questions to challenge conventional wisdom. And, if you’re an educational leader, initiate theory creation with an imbued understanding of cultural and environmental influences. Such efforts create the new ideas that transform systems and nations. Let’s lead this initiative together! 

Unforgettable Education: Remember what you learned?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Unforgettable – it’s not a term you hear with any educational institution. You paid a significant amount of money, made considerable personal sacrifices, and spent a tremendous amount of time to obtain your educational degree(s). Sometimes, all that investment leads you to believe it was worth it in your mind. But was it really? Famous author and speaker, Sir Ken Robinson, illustrated a scary reality with many fundamental challenges occurring in education; one of them being that education kills creativity. When we look at the business world, some businesses are requiring more education; while others, like Global publishing group Penguin Random House, are dropping the requirement of a degree for hiring; but the message is the same – they want more from employees and they are not getting it. What is missing? 

To have a full understanding of the value of education, it’s helpful to explore the historical journey of formal education. Before the industrial revolution, apprenticeship was the most common form of education. When the industrial revolution took hold with its massive need for labor on the assembly line, the formal educational system was born to create assembly-line workers who perform repetitive tasks. As we moved into the knowledge economy and the digital age, however, many systemic characteristics in our higher educational system remained stagnant. 

Behaviorism is one characteristic that greatly limits one’s development as an intelligent innovator/leader. Within behaviorism, people are expected to change their visible behavior based on a given stimulus. Behaviorism does not consider the cognitive thought process that drives behaviors; therefore, if the desired changed behavior is accomplished, the educational goal is complete. In today’s higher education, the desired behavior is attending class, passing a test, and writing a good paper and countless universities still use grades as the major determinant of success. The is a limiting factor in learning and the comprehensive development of the human being is being ignored.

So ask yourself this –

• How much do I remember from what I learned in college/university?

Most people we surveyed around the world responded between 20-35%.  This is a rather sad reality when you consider all the time you’ve spent in the classroom and studying outside of class. This is what we call – forgettable education.

• Can I practice what I learned effectively when needed?

In many instances, to apply something “learned” effectively, one must have the knowledge of the skill and have had ample practice time. If the recall is between 20-35%, how appalling is the ability to apply? In adult learning studies, most of our skills that attribute to success are NOT gained from formal education. This provides a clear rationale why business employers are wanting more from their employees, but not getting it. To be competitive in the global environment, employers want employees who are innovative.  

Higher education stands in front of a major revolution. Whether it’s in the US, EU, Asia, Africa or anywhere in remote parts of the world, the system of education has some fundamental challenges – one of them is students being able to not forget what they supposed learned. While these are major systemic issues confronting universities, you do not have to be trapped in an old system designed to create laborers. Here are some strategies to empower you:

1. Integration: the real world is very much integrated. When you’re learning topics like accounting, ask your professors to show a clear connection between accounting and other topics like marketing, human resource and operations. Integration in the real world happens with multiple subjects. These intricacies and dependencies among topics are crucial to making wise decisions. You need to see the interconnections among topics to lead effectively. 
2. Application: for you to remember information, you must apply it in a meaningful way. Doing case studies in itself is not necessarily meaningful. Find real world situations to apply on a personal level. This will greatly enhance your ability to remember and to develop your courage and creativity.
3. Measurements: as you apply knowledge, measure the outcomes. These measurements help you determine the value of new information as you apply them in your life and creates an emotion that solidifies knowledge in your brain. It also helps you develop skills while creating a learning loop.

The above strategies take courage, conscious effort, and commitment. The value you get from any form of education is drastically increased when you apply these learning processes. This is just one of many systems necessary to create Unforgettable Education Model.

At Transcontinental Institute, we consciously redesigned higher education to include these processes. As you progress in our powerful integrated learning system, you will not only earn an accredited degree, you will evolve into a fully capable leader with courage and wisdom.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

True Potentials in a PhD: Transform your nation one theory at a time

Having taught and worked with countless PhDs on every major continent, it’s astonishing to see how many business PhDs are living in a bubble, sheltered from the real world, rarely making a profound impact in their fields of business. While we can all acknowledge the massive changes in business driven by globalization over the last two decades, how many new theories, with cultural considerations, have been developed to help your nation advance, help you advance, or shift your perspective of you and your nation? 

For your nation to be an economic powerhouse, most persons in business, government and society believe in the need for strong leaders. How these leaders think depends on their mental schema (how their brains function).  Much of the ability to think resides in the theories embedded in one’s education. PhDs are meant to be thought leaders with powerful scholarly abilities. Unfortunately, many educational systems in various nations don’t have this perspective on their educational development. This is especially true in developing nations that were once colonies, they are stuck applying theories from other nations that have very different values systems. Three specific root causes are perpetuating this phenomenon:

1. Incorrect research methodologies: We’ve seen many PhDs with high positions, such as professors, not having the correct knowledge in research methodology. Worse yet, they continue to teach the incorrect research methodology to their students. And, without the right research methodology, it becomes impossible to create new theories.
2. Systemic and critical thinking: Two fundamental thought processes a PhD should have are systems thinking and critical thinking. Neither are present in the current system of education. At best, some universities have a course on the topic. Students learn to regurgitate the theories, but rarely learn to apply them. Reflect on your education – how many theories did you study that were from your own nation within the last 5-10 years?
3. Emotional Intelligence:  The foundation of effective change at the systemic level by any leader is driven by one’s emotional intelligence. While most universities maintain a rigid hierarchy within all aspects of education, emotional intelligence develops one’s ability to infuse learning with the cultural nuance necessary for great success. This infusion brings enlightenment and new understanding. Imagine yourself with formidable emotional intelligence to engage people and systems in your nation. 

Higher education stands in front of a major revolution. Regardless of where you come from, a PhD holder should be able to think systemically and critically. This drives your ability to see what others don’t see. Through that foresight, your knowledge and skills in theory creation with an imbued understanding of cultural influences would enable you to create the new ideas that transform systems and nations. At Transcontinental, this is the type of PhD we graduate. Here are a few of the many differences in our Unforgettable Educational model:

1. Integration: The real world is a set of integrated systems. When you’re learning about various theories in different disciplines, such as economics, strategy or leadership, you’ll be challenged to explore the cultural and time perspectives of these theories. You will also experience the integration between psychological aspects of the human mind and business theories and how the integration of multiple disciplines influences and changes your view of the world existent and the world that can be created.
2. Curiosity: A powerful and wise leader is one who possesses an open mind to constantly explore. We utilize Socratic methods and psychological empowerment in all aspects of our educational system to inspire the curiosity within our students. This enables them to find their own path and begin the process of innovation. You will not find any of our professors talking at you for hours at a time. Instead, you’ll be engaged to think differently so that what you learn can be actualized in what you create for the business world.
3. Systemic thinker: Thinking differently calls for a solid understanding of systems and their interconnectivity. For a PhD, theories in a specific discipline can rarely stand alone in social science. Our entire curriculum is built on empowering leaders to be systems thinkers.

We believe that PhDs are the creators of new knowledge that transforms the business environment. Within our Unforgettable Education Model, you will experience the most powerful transformation as a leader-scholar. Whether you’re considering how to advance your career or to lead your nation in the development of new theories, perspectives, and business models that honor your rich cultural heritage, your norms and values, driven by your unique understanding of your world, our PhD program will give you the emotional intelligence, systems thinking abilities, confidence, and courage to make it happen. As you experience our powerful learning system, you will not only earn an EU accredited degree, you will evolve into a powerful leader. 

The Mental Trap of Retirement?

While conventional wisdom has the general population afraid of the needs of retirement, the major challenge is whether retirement really exists in a knowledge economy. In the industrial revolution, physical work has its limitations. Retirement makes sense as the human body’s physical abilities diminish and the output of one’s muscles diminishes with age (Jacques, 1996). Yet, in a knowledge economy, the human brain is the muscle for output (Drucker, 1993; Harvard business review on knowledge management, 1998). Does it truly retire? According to bioneurological studies, the human brain is capable of learning throughout one’s life span (Ormrod, 2006).  Imagine a life where people work within their passions and love what they do. As a result of working smarter, they decrease the amount of time spent at work, while increasing the output and income. By the time you reach the 50’s, you can be making just as much if not more by working 5-10 hours per week. Here’s an even more challenging thought – how about working 5-10 hours by choice by the time you get into their 40’s? Isn’t it time to debunk an old paradigm of retirement? Don’t let your government or workplace tell you when to retire. More important, distribute hours of one’s day based on one’s core value system (ie. More time for family/friends/hobbies)?

A synthesis of many theories such as systems thinking (Checkland, 1999), knowledge creation spiral (Sun, 2007) and Super’s theory of occupational development (Cavanaugh & Blanchard-Fields, 2006) could evolve around a constant pursuit of working smarter through self awareness and development.  Work can and should be a blissful activity embrace by individual who are congruent with their occupations. Learn how you can maximize your output and reduce the hours worked by working smarter through multiple intelligences. Don’t wait until you’re too old to enjoy the many gifts of complete control over your time. 

References

Cavanaugh, J. C., & Blanchard-Fields, F. (2006). Adult development and aging (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. 

Checkland, P. (1999). Systems thinking, systems practice: A 30 year retrospective. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 

Drucker, P. F. (1993). Post-capitalist society. Oxford: Butterworth Heonemann.

Harvard business review on knowledge management. (1998). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Jacques, R. (1996). Manufacturing the employee: Management knowledge from the 19th to 21st centuries. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 

Ormrod, J. E. (2006). Educational psychology: Developing learners (5 th ed.). Upper Saddle River , NJ : Prentice Hall. 

Sun, T. (2007, July). Survival Tactics: Top 11 behaviors of successful entrepreneurs. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Limitations of using Case Study as a teaching tool in Higher Education

Are you sick of one case study after another in your graduate business program? The use of case studies in higher education is quite common. While they have their merits, as an educational tool in undergraduate studies, their value is highly limited for graduate studies where students are looking for real world skills to apply in their work. When we look at many of the stated outcomes for graduate business programs, such as an MBA, many universities state problem-solving skills for the workplace. A critical mind might ask: How do universities show such an outcome as a skill? And how are they measuring the improvement of such a skill? 

Countless business programs use case studies to help students develop analytical skills for a given situation. Unfortunately, businesses today need leaders with much more than analytical skills in theory. The use of case studies in higher education has four major problems.

1. The real world is far from words in a case:  When students review a case study, they analyze a problem given to them, in writing, by someone else. In the real world, no one is going to give you a problem written in words. To reach a solution,  individuals need to determine a problem from their personal experiences, talk to various stakeholders, and connect the systems that influence an outcome, recognizing that the context can change the dynamic content issues before them. None of this exists in the current use of case studies. With globalization, the complexity of problems calls for perspective from multiple stakeholder groups.  It is a leaders’ responsibility to see the full picture of a given situation and not only the surface issue. This requires identification of key stakeholder groups as a process, as well as engagement of these groups in problem identification. All of this requires specific leadership and process creation skills. When facing a real-world problem, wise leaders perceive the problem from a multiplicity perspective. Case studies, no matter how well written, do not provide the environment for students to gain such skills.  
2. Theory application is often too theoretical: When students conduct the analysis of a case study, they only read what’s written. Further questions concerning the case study are limited to what the professor may be able to theorize or glean from the case study’s notes. When students analyze and create solutions based on academic concepts or theories, a professor provides the feedback. The effectiveness of the students’ solutions remains unknown. The sad part is that many professors have their own biases in what a solution should look like, regardless of the current real-world possibilities. With many university professors, practical experiences from consulting engagements are also limited. For example, a marketing class had a cruise company as a case study. A student submitted a creative solution that has not been done in the past and received a C on the case analysis. In a second submission, this student submitted the solution based on exactly what the professor taught and received an A. The professor’s bias towards a certain perspective is very clear. Far too often, student creativity is stifled within the traditional hierarchy. Students have no ability to see how their ideas may or may not function in the real world. Case studies maintain a closed and theoretical system of learning. 
3. Environmental consideration is limited: When students analyze a written case and create solutions, the real world will likely have very different environments. Especially with globalization, the environments vary substantively from one organization to another. Unique organizational cultures, individual, group, and national cultures, and political climates can differ from a case study that was written in the past and, often, from a different environment. Especially for students in developing nations, analyzing a case study that was written about a company in the US or UK offers very limited insights for these students. The real world requires leaders to consider the unique situation with the cultural preferences of the people involved, the economic conditions, and the political environment both within the organization and external to the organization 
4. Implementation of a solution is not an option: The best ideas, if not implemented, are worthless. The traditional case study in a business class has no option to develop this skill. What good is any solution if it cannot be implemented? As people graduate from universities, their lack of implementation skill leads them toward the common management practice of driving decisions downward with significant resistance and cost. By not knowing how to implement a solution to a problem, the great ideas are lost on paper. Some of the best consulting companies leave great ideas for their clients; without implementation success, they’re worthless. 

Being aware of the above problems in the case study method of learning is critical, especially considering the integrity of a student-centered learning approach. Transcontinental Institute chooses to use a much more integrated process of learning, rather than isolated case studies. Using concepts from the knowledge creation spiral and organizational, educational and positive psychology, Transcontinental’s students engage with local businesses to identify real world issues from a multiple stakeholder’s perspective. Within the knowledge creation spiral, students’ tacit knowledge of their environment such as issues in local businesses is the starting point of learning, rather than case studies. Theories and professors’ expertise build on students’ tacit knowledge in the process to create new knowledge for the students. With professors who are also renowned consultants, students co-create solutions with implementation strategies for local businesses. They learn to create metrics to understand the impact of the various parts of the solution and adapt to environmental changes locally. This completes the knowledge creation spiral and furthers students’ tacit knowledge. As a spiral, this process enables them to develop the full range of skills needed to be effective leaders in local and global organizations. 

Higher education should be an integrated system of learning well beyond a textbook, case studies, and professors. Universities can design curriculum that engage the real world to find and solve existing problems in organizations within the respective communities of the students. If you’re enrolled in or thinking of enrolling in any graduate level business course, ask the university how they assure outcome learning for the students. This will help you make a better-informed decision on where to spend significant time and money. Don’t waste your time stuck analyzing case studies that have no relevance to you.

TU Strategy: 5 Keys to Building Powerful Teams

Everyone wants to be a leader in some way. There are continuous debates on whether leaders are made or born. The world of literature is full of behaviours, confusing at best, of successful people. Unfortunately, being a powerful leader who consistently inspires people is very challenging and what many people don’t know is that all the behaviours practiced by another person work for that person, in that situation, with the people involved. It may not, however, work for you and your situation.

We’d like to share some wisdoms on some key qualities to becoming a leader who can build powerful teams in any industry.

1. Knowing the difference between management and leadership: 

Management theories are built on a set of fundamental beliefs that demand desired behaviours. As a result, they rarely consider the thought process that drive the desired behaviours. Therefore, the minute someone is not watching, people easily can go back to their comfort zone. When looking at leadership, behaviour starts with understanding one’s thought process of their beliefs and values. This is what drives decisions, which drives behaviours.  As a leader, you need to learn how people think and shift their thought process. Once you are able to do that, the rest of the desired behaviours are sustained without monitoring.

1. Existence in scarcity or abundance: 

Management practices exist in a world of scarcity, where by design, there is not enough.  The principle of scarcity creates a very competitive environment, where people compete for promotions with fewer and fewer upper level positions. This scarcity environment also creates an environment of scarce money, especially when it comes to rewarding employees. Leaders choose a different environment of abundance.  Leaders give people endless amounts of support and development. They show people how much care and consideration are given to the individual each day and provide ample emotional pay, in addition to standard renumeration. Subsequently, team members feel valued in an abundance environment.

1. Choice of fear or inspiration: 

Standing on the edge of a cliff, what do you feel? When we ask managers this question in various courses around the world, 97% of them respond with a negative emotion such as fear or anxiety; very few speak of the positive emotions in such a situation. Why are we more prone to negative emotions? This thought process has to do with how most environments are drive by fear, rather than by inspiration. Most managers use fear of job loss, more work, no promotion/bonus to manipulate peoples’ behaviours. In the best situations, fear as a motivator obtains conformity. If you’re looking for innovative teams, inspiration is the focus. This requires the leader to understand each team member’s passions and values. Do you have a passion and values inventory of your team? Perhaps, you can build one, and start inspiring your team more often

1. Balance of short-term and long-term outcomes: 

Managers tend to focus on the current project/task. This narrow focus is a one-dimensional thought process that may get the results for the current project but diminishes the possibility of success long term. Leaders focus on two areas; the first is development of skills and beliefs; helping people grow in a way they wish to grow is a powerful tool. The second is the relationship focus; leaders always focus on developing relationships of trust and respect.

1. Development of Systems Thinking: 

All of the above-mentioned qualities reside on the fundamental skill of Systems Thinking. Systems Thinking is the fundamental ability for leaders to see the interconnectedness of tasks to skills, individuals to teams, work life to personal needs and many more areas of interconnections. 

Most educational systems, unfortunately, focus on contents of leadership, such as a leadership module. One might study the contents of leadership behaviours, but not the skills necessary to lead. At Transcontinental Institution, we provide the necessary tools for our students/graduates not only to learn the knowledge of leadership, but also to master the skills of effective thinking processes and multiple intelligences that are required for sustainable success. 

If you’d like others to see you as a powerful leader, come and explore our programs. At Transcontinental Institution, we guarantee that your educational experience will be a most profound and transformational journey.