Kansas State University

K-State Leadership Communication doctoral students and faculty have been recognized as 2023 recipients of the Association of Leadership Educators (ALE) Mini-Grant Awards. These awards provide small grants to support new diversity, equity, and inclusion focused projects or programs. These projects will be featured in an upcoming webinar 2 p.m CST Friday, Sept. 29. You can join by registering here.

The mission of ALE is to strengthen and sustain the expertise of professional leadership educators. Through their awards, these K-State faculty and students have developed programs to implement positive change on specific issues – and empower others to continue to do the same.

Leadership Development Fellowship for Nigerian Female Changemakers

Chibuzor Azubuike is the executive director of Haske Water Aid and Empowerment foundation. She has facilitated and organised several leadership trainings in Nigeria, Africa and the US. Chibuzor has over 12 years of experience in the development sector focusing on clean water provision and women/youth empowerment.  She is also a PhD candidate in Leadership Communication and Graduate Teaching Assistant at Staley School of Leadership, Kansas State University.

Andrew Wefald, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Staley School of Leadership at Kansas State University. In that role Andrew teaches leadership classes and conducts research broadly around the topic of leadership. Andrew has published in journals such as the Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, Leadership and Organization Development Journal, Journal of Management Inquiry, and the Journal of Organizational Behavior among others. Andrew earned his PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Kansas State University. 

This project aimed to develop a culturally relevant leadership development workshop tailored for Nigerian women engaged in catalyzing change. Under the stewardship of Azubuike and Wefald, a hybrid two-day leadership workshop was organized, convening a cohort of thirty Nigerian women occupying leadership roles within small organizations. The Haske Water Aid and Empowerment Foundation provided on-ground support in Nigeria, complemented by a dedicated team of volunteers. Facilitators from both the United States and Nigeria participated, either virtually or in person.

The workshop encompassed a diverse range of sessions, including topics such as team dynamics, effective communication, leadership coaching, business acumen, social entrepreneurship skills, and the art of crafting a narrative for change. These subjects were carefully chosen to equip women with the requisite leadership tools and skills vital for excelling within the intricate and traditionally male-dominated landscape.

Following the pilot workshop, a community of practice was established to ensure ongoing support and sustained leadership development. The project’s forward-looking objective is the establishment of a Women Leadership Development Fellowship Program. This initiative is designed to empower and provide support to women holding leadership positions within their organizations, aptly referred to as “change makers” for their pivotal role in reshaping the perception of women in Nigeria from historically passive actors to proactive change agents.

Adaptive Leadership Training: Civil Society groups addressing the challenge of the implementation of the Nigerian National Youth Policy

Anisah Ari serves as an Executive Board Member implementing projects across Africa. She is currently a PhD Candidate in Leadership Communication, with on-going research targeted at exploring emerging leadership practices in conflict ridden context with a focus on hyperlocal efforts. She has over the past 18 years worked in the development sector supporting public  and civil society institutions to address multi sector policy and practice issues. 

Fifty participants, representing various organizations focused on addressing challenges related to the implementation of the Nigerian National Youth Policy, engaged in a three-day session. The approach encompassed three dimensions: diagnosing technical and adaptive aspects of the challenges, engaging in dialogues to enhance comprehension of these challenges across different regions, and deliberating on available options, including political, economic, and social capital, necessary for progress.

At the end of the three-day engagement process, an action plan was developed with the aim to scale the training manual as a tool for other regions, and organizations expanded their network base.

A training manual was developed prior to the training as a tool to scale knowledge and practice to other regions. The outcomes of the three day engagement includes the development of participant action plans, and expanded organizational networks.  

Key takeaways from this intervention include the importance of open-mindedness, willingness, and collaborative efforts in collectively addressing complex issues. Additionally, progress is most effectively achieved through contextually beneficial mutual learning, where individuals are intentional about identifying and leveraging strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats.

We extend our gratitude to the Youth Alive Foundation for their invaluable support in facilitating this training. Special thanks are also due to the Association of Leadership Educators for their mini-grant and to Brandon Kliewer, Ph.D., for his intellectual support and guidance throughout this endeavor.