As a leadership development professional, you may want to become more familiar with those organizations, events and conferences, publications, and assessment efforts related to the field of leadership studies.
Numerous professional associations are engaged in the study and support of leadership development including the International Leadership Association, Association of Leadership Educators, College Student Educators International, and National Association of Student Affairs Administrations and its Student Leadership Programs Knowledge Community.
In addition, there are other centers and entities that are engaged in the development of young leaders. The Center for Creative Leadership in Charlotte and the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership in Atlanta both provide leadership development training, workshops, and publications to current and emerging leaders. The Peer Leader Center, through its conferences and online training programs, is focused on helping students grow as college peer leaders. LeaderShape supports the broader community of leadership through its six-day institute as well as its one day programs.
There are also a variety of conferences and workshops focused on the topics of leadership development, education, and research. Check out the calendar of upcoming events and deadlines.
For those individuals who are interested in learning more about their future leadership potential, the strengths they already have, or what they may want to enhance, there are numerous assessment instruments and other resources to help with further self-discovery. Other individuals may be curious about the wide range of leadership development theories, particularly those which were formulated based on the college student experience. For those who want to learn more about how the collegiate experience impacts the development of leadership, the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership in an international effort which has been designed to help better understand the influences of the college student experience on leadership development.
There are a number of significant publications that are good resources for those interested in leadership development. The Circle, the magazine of Omicron Delta Kappa, published three times a year, profiles leaders as well as organizations that facilitate leadership development. ODK also produces Leading Today. Leading Tomorrow. during the academic year. This semi-monthly email newsletter contains links to five to seven articles selected specifically for emerging leaders. In addition to these recommended readings, podcasts are a great way to stay current on leadership matters.
The National Association of Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) produces several referred journals focused on leadership including the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice and the Journal of College and Character. The Association of Leadership Educators produces the Journal of Leadership Education. The International Leadership Association distributes several publications including The Leadership Quarterly and the Journal of Leadership Studies. More information about these resources and other recommended readings may be found here.
In addition to the resources identified above, there are additional resources with which members, circles, and leadership educators may want to become familiar including those on the Learn From Leaders page of this website. The C. Charles Jackson Foundation provides financial support for select organizations that advance leadership development. The New York Times in Education has a specific section devoted to the topic of leadership. The National Clearinghouse for Leadership Programs is tremendous resource devoted to the sharing of information about leadership programs for college students. It also connects leadership educators and provides information about best practices and other resources.