One of the premises of our experiment is the idea that cohorts are not only a structure (a group of people) but also the holding environment for learning and interaction among members. To test this hypothesis we asked fellows from other programs whether they felt that their cohort peers had played a role in their learning process and development as individuals. The unanimous answer was yes. Below we present what the fellows shared as ways in which the cohort environment added value to their fellowship experience.
First, by coming closer to people from other fields that share a common purpose and are doing similar things fellows became more aware of themselves as leaders and entrepreneurs.
“Meeting the other fellows in my group allowed me to become more aware of what happens in the outside world and what others are doing. It is a humbling experience that obliges you to reflect on what you are doing and challenges you to think about how you can do better.”- Kamal Mouzawak, Synergos Arab World Social Innovator
Fellows from other programs agree with Kamal and add that by sharing experiences with their cohort they gained a better understanding of the common challenges faced by the group. Whether this realization will spark to develop collaboration or new ideas is another matter shares Derek Ellerman, an Ashoka Fellow. “You need time to build the trust that will lower the barriers to natural collaboration” says Derek.
Derek’s comment is related to the third value added of the cohort environment: a safe space to talk openly about personal challenges. Last week we talked about this “safe space” as a characteristic of programs that follow an “inward” approach to leadership development. As some of the fellows interviewed pointed out, a cohort does not translate into a collaborative environment. Initial structured activities focused on interpersonal relationships and peers getting to know each other are critical to building trust and creating a “safe space” for sharing personal experiences. Once this is achieved the possibilities for learning and collaboration are endless!
Fellows concur that a fourth way in which their cohort peers shaped their leadership development experience was by challenging them and providing feedback. Elizabeth Edwards, a participant of GE’s Experienced Commercial Leadership Program (ECLP), explains how the program incorporates many structured occasions for peer to peer feedback. In addition, because participants of the program truly care to see each other succeed, they also find opportunities to exchange feedback more informally. This has made a real difference in her personal leadership development process.
Finally, fellows talked about the value of peer learning to understand their own individual motivation and moral center and using this to encourage action. Dileepan Siva, a Coro Fellow, refers to this as the process of doing away with “walking wounded”. In Dileepan’s words:
“There are many leaders out there that are walking wounded. Amazing individuals outwardly but internally they have not worked through understanding what is walking them into their work. One of the true values of having cohorts is creating the space where one can explore the connection between personal motivation, background and why you do what you do in the world.”
These are the five major value-added qualities of cohort environments in the process of leadership development that we found from the interviews. If you have ever participated in a cohort program for leadership development and have an additional experience to share, we would like to hear about it!
Stay tuned for next week’s post when Blair will talk about some new considerations to cohort program design that we discovered from the interviews and their effect in program objectives and group dynamics.
Tags: AF Fellows, Cohort Experiment, Talent
This confirms my experience both as a Peace Corps volunteer and country director and in my current work in Colorado State University’s GSSE program (www.csugsse.org). We take a multinational cohort of 25 students annually and put them through a high degree of rigor. They work through it all together, sometimes getting guidance from previous cohorts, but mostly depending upon each other for support. We survey each cohort three times during the master’s program and each time they confirm the value of the cohort approach.
I have observed, both at Peace Corps and at CSU, that strategic visioning and periodic external engagement are critical elements to cohort cohesion, particularly when the going gets tough. Absent these elements, cohorts can gravitate to the bad energy of a vocal malcontent, which can take the whole group of task. With a documented vision in place, there’s generally someone who will use that to refocus everyone.
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