By Kathy Russ
Administrative Coordinator to the Dean
Clemson University College of Science
The CU BeTrue Leadership Challenge is a free professional development opportunity at Clemson aimed at solving individual leadership challenges with collective creativity. If you are an African American woman who would like to practice a small group technique that helps you reframe your challenge with the benefit of diverse perspectives and develop creative solutions within the safety of a group that understands you, The Queen Collective may be for you! Facilitated by former Queen Collective participants, these coaching circles are organized around your lunch-time or after-work availability. The time commitment is one hour per week for six weeks, Feb. 13 – March 31, and attendance at one orientation session on
-Monday, Feb 6, 5-7 p.m. in Vickery Auditorium
OR
-Thursday, Feb 9, noon – 2 p.m. in Academic Success Center Auditorium
Coaching Circles will not meet the week of Spring Break.
How is it different from other small group methods?
- It moves dialog from download and debate to empathy and collective creativity.
- It levels the power field by giving equal value to each participant; no one dominates.
- It encourages sharing from one’s own experience and discourages advice-giving.
- It uses empathic dialog to create relational safety and build community.
- It uses silence, intention, and improvisation to form the ground of collective creativity
and synergy. - Each group member gives and receives in equal measure.
REGISTER online at http://www.clemson.edu/be-true/leadership-challenge.html to schedule your orientation and coaching circle. For more information, contact program coordinator Shelly Geer at sgeer@clemson.edu.