PLC’s Parent Lecture Brings Families & Faculty Together Around Leadership Themes

October 5, 2011

The first weekend in October saw family’s reunite on the CU Boulder campus for “Parent’s Weekend.” While the main event was Saturday’s football game, PLC hosted its annual Parent’s lecture Friday evening. This year, all three of PLC’s class professors presented a short 20-minute lecture.
Before the lecture, State Senator Rollie Heath talked to the room about Proposition 103. The proposition seeks to revenue for education by rolling taxes back to 1991 levels. Colorado currently ranks last in education funding and cut 36 million dollars to higher education last year. For more information visit voteyeson103.com

The lecture saw a wide range of styles from the three speakers. First year Professor Colleen Scanlan Lyon’s focused on looking at leadership in terms of nature with an analogy that focused on deer, bears and mountain lions. She made the case that different situations call for different types of leadership. To be an effective leader, a person must know how to effectively navigate problems based on the level of danger (or opportunity) present.

Professor Dino focused on adaptability as a leadership trait, telling the audience about a case of two shipwrecks on the same island. The first group adapted to the situation and everyone survived. The second group refused to adapt from the hierarchy of the ship and only a couple people survived. The cases showed that effective use of resources in front of you is the mark of a great leader.

Finally, Global Issues Professor Gordon Riggle asked the audience a simple question, “What makes a Great Leader.” The parents were asked to provide leadership qualities traits that they see in leaders. The answers varied but the parents matched the consensus of the general population, honesty, integrity, drive and ambition are hallmarks of leaders. Concluding his lecture however, Professor Riggle reminded all that there is no magic formula to leadership.

In addition to students and parents, PLC Professors’ Angela Theimen-Dino and Professor Colleen Scanlan Lyon’s brought their families to the event and the newest PLC family member was in attendance with her mother Tiffany Wiley Anderson’s daughter Adelynn Dessany Anderson, now six weeks old, listened attentively to the presentations.

Professor Dino at Parents Lecture