May 24, 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. -Tammie Stenger-Ramsey had a group of Western Kentucky University students tied in knots
Wednesday morning.
Dr. Stenger-Ramsey, an assistant professor in WKU’s Department of Physical Education and Recreation, led the morning session as part of LeaderShape, a leadership training course.
About 50 WKU students arrived Tuesday at the Mount St. Joseph Conference and Retreat Center in Daviess County for the six-day program.
In one team-building activity, Dr. Stenger-Ramsey showed the group how to tie a bandana into an overhand knot. The students then divided into four groups and lined up with each student holding a bandana between them.
The goal was to tie the middle bandana in a knot without breaking the line.
Group members quickly began assessing the task and making suggestions. Soon the lines started moving and weaving like a large rope.
“Is everybody with us?” Scott Taylor, director of University Centers and Leadership Programs, asked his group.
Taylor’s group members decided they were one big bandana and needed to visualize the task that way. “Over, around and through ought to work,” Taylor said as the students twisted, turned and weaved.
In about 15 minutes, a loud cheer went up from one of the groups. They had tied the knot.
The exercise revealed the value of visualizing the situation and working together to solve a problem, Dr. Stenger-Ramsey said. “Raise your hand if you were frustrated?” she asked. Several hands went up. “Were you ready to quit?” More hands went up.
Even a seemingly simple task, such as tying a knot, can become complex, she said. The key, as one student noted, is to remember “it’s just a knot, don’t get stressed.”
Wednesday morning’s session is just one part of the intensive leadership training program.
Student Lacey Vanderveen of Cary, Ill., is pleased that WKU provided her with an opportunity to improve her leadership skills. “Since this is the inaugural trip for Western, it is exciting to pioneer through it,” she said. “For Western to pick this up is great.”
Funding support for the program has come from the Provost’s Office, Student Affairs and Campus Services, Student Government Association, Campus Activities Board and Parents Association, Taylor said.
LeaderShape is the nation’s premier collegiate leadership program, he said. “This is something we’ve been wanting to do for years,” Taylor said. “With the growth of leadership programs, this is another opportunity for our students to get exposure to leadership.”
LeaderShape won’t end when the students leave Maple Mount, Taylor said. The leadership skills and other ideas learned this week will benefit others on campus and in the community, he said.
“One of our goals for this program is to achieve a breakthrough in leadership capacity,” said Dale Masterson, assistant dean of student affairs at the University of California-San Diego.
Masterson has served as a LeaderShape facilitator for five years. In the program, the WKU students will develop their own vision of how to improve their communities and will learn to lead with integrity, he said.
Other areas covered in the 70 hours of training include emotional intelligence, decision making, communication styles, diversity issues and personality profiles.
“This program encourages students to get beyond the immediate needs and look at what they can do to make a difference in a larger community,” he said.
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