There was a shift in focus for the participants as Leadership Niagara’s December Learning Day was held at the festively decorated White Oaks Resort and Spa. A beautiful venue for a day dedicated to energy leadership and mindfulness.
This learning day was all about exploring the idea that different individuals operate at different energy levels at any given time, and that we need to be mindful of ourselves and others in order to be effective leaders. To recognize and understand is one thing, but to know how to incorporate differences is another. During the December Learning Day, the participants heard from Lesley Calvin, a past Leadership Niagara participant, about the impact and importance of practicing effective energy leadership. The examples and lessons shared not only could be applied to professional lives, but personal lives as well. And for the participants, their community project and group work.
Exploring the idea of energy leadership and mindfulness meant that the Class of 2018 had some new concepts to explore and incorporate. As the day progressed, the participants had an opportunity put some of their newly learned lessons into action. Dr. Kristine Clark, professor at Niagara College, elaborated on the day’s themes and made sure the message was being absorbed through interactive quizzes. The prize for the top performer in the quizzes: a subscription to Moksha Yoga.
To get a taste of what the winner would receive, and to apply mindfulness with movement, the Leadership Niagara class was honored by the opportunity to do movement exercises with Tracy Duru, from Moksha Yoga St. Catharines, in the early afternoon.
While the Class of 2018 continues to progress through the Community Leadership Program, the opportunity to incorporate the lessons learned each Learning Day grows. With the community projects well underway, the participants are finding both areas of success and areas for improvement as they work towards graduation.
“Mindfulness and energy are such important parts of leadership.” remarked Shane Malcolm, Leadership Niagara’s Executive Director, “We learn a lot about ourselves through the course but often times those don’t include a truly mindful element, so it’s really important stuff.”
The 2018 Community Leadership Program will reconvene on January 19th to continue project work and develop leadership skills.
Thank you to our amazing guest:
And our awesome facilitators:
Stay tuned as we continue to follow the exciting journey of the 2018 Leadership Niagara class in the New Year!