Program Background

The purpose of Leaders for Life (LFL) is to engage with and develop the leadership abilities of emerging, diverse underclassman leaders at the University of Michigan. Specifically, the program seeks to foster the next generation of leadership at Michigan by connecting a group of 100 exceptional sophomore and junior leaders to one another and to accomplished members of the University community.

The program was initiated in 2009 with the express purpose of bringing relevant leadership insights, tools and techniques for student leaders. The format features seasoned leaders to share their experiences and advice on specific topics other student leaders valued, based on research. Past speakers include University President Mark S. Schlissel, former football Coach Lloyd Carr, Athletic Director David Brandon (2010 - 2014), Regent Denise Ilitch and many others.

Original Concept: Initially, the approach was created on a very simple premise — asking proven Michigan leaders from a variety of fields — one question:

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give student leaders?

The results were thoughtful, sometimes counterintuitive, and often very insightful.  They encouraged rich discussions and plenty of food for thought. The advice covered a wide range of situations and organizations, and sometimes opinions seemed in conflict.

Research Background

The Leaders for Life team sought an even more exhaustive path — quantitative research.  With the help and guidance of a former Partner with McKinsey & Co, in collaboration partnership with Student Life, ‘Effective Leadership’ was deeply researched by studying fellow U of M student leaders and recent graduates.   

In 2012, over 1,200 student leaders, from a representative cross section of student organizations, took part in an in-depth survey. The study was considered a landmark achievement as nothing had been done on that scale nationally. The results were published in 2014 (and available here [link]). Then in 2016, a second survey was conducted among 8,000 recent UM graduates to determine if what makes an effective student leader is relevant once someone graduated. The results mirrored the original study!

The Drivers

Based on empirically studying U of M students (2012) and alumni (2016), the leadership research is quite clear on what really matters, as demonstrated to the right through pathway modeling.

• Empathy is the first and foundational component to understanding what makes an organization effective in delivering its mission. An equally strong counterpart is consensus building, based on the correlation data. These both converge with strong problem solving. Empathy requires listening, reflecting and aligning; Consensus Building involves having all express their views and seeking common agreement; and Problem Solving entails experimenting with new concepts and ideas.

• Building Consensus [text here]

• Problem Solving is the most important component in understanding what makes an organization effective in delivering its mission. The foundational elements of Empathy and Consensus Building are highly correlated and are precursors, based on the data. Problem-solving’s critical qualities include understanding the complexities of the problem before drawing conclusions and implications; creating and experimenting with new concepts and ideas; and providing relevant feedback and making real-time refinements. These elements are highly associated with effective leaders. 

Leadership Topics of Interest - Speaker Highlights

Personal Mission: An Approach from Jeff Domagala

Key Questions

• What are the things that matter to you, that you daydream about, get energy from, wish you had more time for?

• If you had no limits — money, family obligations, work — what would you spend the rest of your life working toward?

• What has your life uniquely prepared you to do? What does your life until now tell you about the direction you’re heading?

• What is a purpose you’d be excited to commit to that extends across all parts of your life?

• What would you be proud to display on your tombstone?

Click here to view the complete Leading With Purpose session.