Issue
27(2)
Exploring
leadership for college students who want to make a difference
(2nd edition).
(2006). Susan R. Komives, Nance Lucas, and Timothy R. McMahon.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 512 pp. $30.00. ISBN # 0-7879-8213-X.
Review
by: Paige
K. Wilmeth
First-Year Experience Coordinator
Kapi`olani Community College, Honolulu, Hawaii
Advisors
seeking a comprehensive manual on leadership would do well to
add this tome to their libraries. The breadth and depth of this
text are commendable. The book begins with an overview of the
notion of leadership, including the challenges of defining the
term in light of the social and historical associations we likely
lend to that definition, and ends with a focus on the individual
leader's need for personal renewal throughout the leadership process.
Topics also include enhancement of self-awareness and understanding
of others, creating and sustaining productive group or team dynamics,
and effecting meaningful change. Most impressive is the array
of theories and models presented in the book. Even those who specialize
in leadership will benefit from this text. The authors infuse
the text with quotes from student leaders, which is a refreshing
break from the typical and clichéd approach of quotes from famous
leaders. Reflection questions prompt application, and may be useful
in aiding student understanding of leadership endeavors.
Advisors
who work with student leadership groups, e.g., student
government or clubs, will find sections of the book useful to
guide students' mental processing of their experiences. Separated
from practical experience, however, students may find the text
alternately too abstract or too elementary; this is especially
true when topics move from concept to application. Frequently,
examples feel divorced from the college experience and lack relevance.
The book is extremely well-organized, however, so selecting specific
components for use is not difficult. Additionally, the authors
specify that the text is not designed to provide a simple "how-to"
approach to leadership; instead they seek to prompt individual
development of a leadership philosophy (p. 383).
Those
seeking more information or strategies on practical application
may want to try McKeachie's Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research,
and Theory for College and University Teachers (McKeachie
2002) or Students Helping Students: A Guide for Peer Educators
on College Campuses (Ender & Newton 2000). Both provide
straightforward, basic strategies for working with groups; these
strategies maximize individual learning and teach how to use resources
appropriately as well as help readers develop ethical considerations
of leadership. The accessibility of these materials may be more
appealing to student readers who can identify immediate relevancy
and application.
This
book is a must for those working with student groups even if the
book is never actually assigned to the students. The information
and insight provided serve as tools that support the positive
and productive development of student leadership and group cohesion.
Those interested in helping students develop their own sense of
leadership (and moving away from misconceptions about leadership)
may also want to add this to their reading list. Finally, the
twenty-one page reference list is an excellent resource for anyone
beginning their own leadership exploration.
References
Ender,
S.C. & Newton, F.B. (2000). Students helping students: a guide
for peer educators on college campuses. San
Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
McKeachie,
W.J. (2002). McKeachie's teaching tips: strategies, research,
and theory for college and university teachers. Boston,
MA:
Houghton Mifflin.
