EXPLOREAIESEC THE STUDENT SERIES ACTIVATING LEADERSHIP ACTIVATING LEADERSHIP
AN
PUBLICATION Credits: http://www.ipeacemeal.com/
AIESEC
The international platform for young people to explore and develop their leadership potential
Volume I: Issue I
DEFINE:
ACTIVATI
LEADERSHI
http://aiesec.ca/laurier/en http://aieseclaurier.wordpress.com/ https://www.facebook.com/ AIESECLaurier https://twitter.com/ #!/AIESEC_Laurier http://issuu.com/aieseclaurier
“We lead by example through our activities. for developing the you our members.”
- AIESEC Internationa VP of Communications Chungsoon Haw Editor-in-Chief Catherine Tong
The internationa
See What’s Inside 3
ING
IP
About AIESEC
What is AIESEC? Message from Editor-in-Chief
5
Executive Board
7
Exchange Participants
9
Why are you an AIESECer?
Featuring LC President Carson Kolberg
7 Vietnam: Thomas Waite 8 Greece: Anchal Dhingra
Testimonials from Members of AIESEC Laurier
and inspire leadership . We take full responsibility uth leadership potential of
11
Leadership
Snapshot of Keynote Address Dr. Kevin Lynch: Vice-Chair of BMO Financial Group
13
al Design Consultant Victoria Dam
AIESEC’s Secret to Longevity
Testimonial from AIESEC Alumni Featuring Neil Janin
14
Design Consultant Sandro Stojakovic
AIESEC
Global Leadership
Featuring an Excerpt from “What Being Global Really Means?”
al platform for young people to explore and develop their leadership potential
Present in over 110 countries and territories and with ove organization. Focused on providing a platform for youth le portunity to participate in international internships, experie ment. What makes AIESEC unique is the youth driven impac by young people for young
We currently have 60,000 me
A Message from the Editor-in-Chief
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to th purpose of this publication is to help realize AIES person in the world”—it’s a BHAG (Big Hairy Aud “Good to Grand”—AIESEC Laurier’s motto—as an
Explore AIESEC begins with the theme of, “Activ ing Leadership as, “We lead by example and ins the youth leadership potential of our members”. school or work environment, if neither, than it is what it takes to be a great leader? Have you eve imagined yourself becoming a global leader? You
With that being said, it is my expectation that yo issue, but also in future issues. May you discove ney is worth taking, and one that you will never Go on, Explore AIESEC for yourself! Catherine Tong 3
er 60,000 members, AIESEC is the world's largest youth-run eadership development, AIESEC offers young people the opence leadership and participate in a global learning environctful experience that it offers to its members. AIESEC is run people, enabling a strong experience to all its stakeholders.
embers and over 945,000 alumni. Learn more about AIESEC through their stories. - AIESEC International
he inaugural issue of Explore AIESEC. The underlying SEC’s vision for 2015, which is, “to engage and develop every young dacious Goal) isn’t it? We know. But this is what motivates us to go from, n organization.
vating Leadership”, which is one of AIESEC’s six values. AIESEC defines Activatspire leadership through our activities. We take full responsibility for developing . Often times you are required to step up and take on a leadership role within a s more likely than not somewhere local. However, have you ever wondered er wondered how globalization has impacted leadership? Still, have you ever u will come to learn that AIESEC is capable of this and much more.
ou will gain a greater knowledge of AIESEC in its entirety, not only through this er for yourself what it truly means to be an AIESECer. I can assure you the jourr forget.
4
g r e b l o Excerpt from Carson’s Blog: K n o s CoacalrCommittee President L rier u a L C E S of AIE
I joined AIESEC to go on an exchange. Two weeks after joining I became president, and started leading a team of five incredible people. I have learned that AIESEC Laurier is full of opportunities, some that find you and some that you have to find yourself. As President, I manage the performance of the Executives, the Board of Advisors and our relationship with AIESEC Canada. I divide my time between strategic planning, coaching, meeting partners or externals, and managing projects across the Local Committee. You may also find me hosting dinner parties for members, dancing, talking about AIESEC to strangers or travelling the world. 5
Ever Considered 3 Months in India?
To be honest, about 2 years ago I had decided I wouldn't travel to Asia because it was too far out of my comfort zone. Even if you had asked me 12 months ago where I would be now, I don’t think I would have described the following: I was an intern at an 850 student public school in a town adjacent to Chandigarh, India in the Punjab/Haryana state. My daily routine included arriving to St. Soldier’s Divine Public School around 7:55 am, where I was given my schedule for the day. Each day I started out with 1 hour of an interest activity. This included coaching Basketball and Field Hockey. From 10 am to 2:30 pm, I rotated around classes from 2nd Grade to 11th grade,
where I shared global perspectives, taught effective public speaking skills, and strived to learn universal similarities of youth (and some Hindi too). School ran from Monday to Saturday, but allowed me the flexibility to travel on my weekends. In 10 weeks, I travelled to Jaipur, Shimla, Amritsar, Kausali, Agra and Rishikesh. I hiked through the Himalayas, did yoga with Gurus, visited ancient forts, and saw the Taj Mahal. A monthly stipend covered my accommodation (a short 5 minute walk from the school), along with basic food costs. I lived with 15 interns from 9 other countries who worked at a variety of schools and NGOs. Sure, it may not revolve around the professional development or money making endeavours you would expect from a summer job, but I now have 10 weeks of developing as an open minded, global minded youth with a wallet full of photos, business cards (AIESEC helps with the professional side...)
and memories to take home. So, when I stated at the end of August last year that I would “get a summer’s experience working in India”, I may not have envisioned the description above, but I am proud to have done exactly that. If you have a few months free and no plan this year, I know a school that might be of interest to you.
Carson Kolberg “ Its a mistake not to give people a chance to learn to depend on themselves while they are young.” - Walt Disney 6
Internatio
Vietnam: The Land of Opportunity Follow Thomas Waite’s adventure in the largest city of Vietnam in our next issue!
Credits: Victoria Dam
What’s Happening? Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam April 28, 2012 So, what’s the skinny? If you haven’t heard, I am traveling to Vietnam for six weeks! I am not going to write that much now, because I haven’t done anything yet. I will tell you that I am working with the Hope for Children Project, an orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City, through an AIESEC internship
offer. My motivation was to explore—I wanted to try something new, and experience a different taste of life. It just so happened that this job popped up during a finance lecture that I was all too willing to not pay attention to (don’t worry, I passed). I intend to get everything that I can out of this opportunity. It is thanks to many people that this is even possible, and I hope the experience I am about to have will allow me to bring back some-
Ho Chi Min City (Saigon), Vietnam
thing positive. If it doesn’t, then I am sure it will at least be fun! That’s all for now! I’ll let you know when I actually start doing stuff, but as of now I am packed and waiting to fly out at 10:00 tomorrow. I’ll talk to you again, but from Vietnam — the and of opportunity. Cheers, Thomas!
“The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say “I.” And that’s not because themselves not to say “I.” They don’t think “I.” They think “we”; they think “team.” They unde make the team function. They accept responsibility and don’t sidestep it, but “we” gets the cr creates trust, what enables you to get the task done.” - Peter Drucker
7
onal AIESEC Stories Greece: The Solution to a Spontaneous Summer
Global Community Development Projects (GCDP). Just a few days ago, I accepted one of the internship offers, and I am now headed to Thessaloniki, Greece for 6 weeks. The post-internship plans are unknown as of now, but I am sure I will be travelling around Europe and hopefully find a job somewhere. The goal is to stay as long as possible before getting kicked out of the continent for not having a visa! I love the spontaneity I adopted this summer, and I am excited to challenge myself and make the best out of this trip.
Credits: Anchal Dhingra
Before the Journey... Thessalonike, Greece May 1, 2012
My mom woke me up this morning with a smile on her face yelling, “THREE MORE DAYS”! It took me a few seconds to process what she was referring to. Then I remembered. I was heading to Europe for the first time in my life in three days. It’s funny how things happen for a reason. Had I not been looking
e they have trained erstand their job to be to redit…. This is what
Thessalonike, Greece
at the walls in the Concourse while walking to class earlier this year, I would have never come across a poster that caught my eye. It said, “Do you want to go to India, China, Brazil or Czech Republic this summer?” I could see myself going to either Brazil or Czech Republic, as I had no other plans for the summer yet. So I decided to check out the information session. Two information sessions, two interviews and a whole bunch of emails later, I was approved, and began applying to AIESEC’s
Everything is happening so fast, and there is so much to be done with so little time! I just booked my flight TODAY, and have not even started packing yet. All I know is that I am super stoked and about to experience one of the best summers of my life! Big shout out to Michael Fragiskatos (AIESEC Laurier VP of Outgoing Exchange) and the amazing AIESEC Laurier team for being a great help with the whole AIESEC process! More from Europe! Till then, take care! - Anchal
Follow Anchal Dhingra on her amazing internship in Thessalonike, Greece in our next issue!
8
Why are you an AI Why are you an AIE “I am an AIESECer because I found activities outside of the classroom that challenged me. To say that I have been to conferences on every continent except Australia and Antarctica in the last 12 months is a personal inspiration. To say I have a personal network in 70 countries makes me think about how amazing my travelling future will be. To know that something now exists that did not exist before because of a team of dedicated individuals gave me the privilege to lead them. I used to wonder how my predecessor could be so passionate about AIESEC. Now I wake up in the morning to volunteer, to lead, to create and to live a crazy year as an AIESECer.” - Carson Kolberg
“I am a person who constantly looks for self improvement and ways to better the lives of others. AIESEC is the perfect outlet where I gain practical experience in leading a team, coordinating projects, speaking publicly and sharing ideas with others around the globe. It is the perfect way I can express my passion and build my character.” - Robert Cekan
“AIESEC gives me the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and network with students around the world while also developing my leadership skills by working within a team.” - Ena Petrovich
“I am an AIESECer ship abilities, gain a tive, and to network and companies.”
“I am an AIES as for myself, not know abo Project and G always been s why I joined A AIESEC as a m of what I wou sonal skills. I great leaders, change that c
“I’m not the best public speaker, m about international relations, heck
“I am an AIESECer because I want to grow as a leader. The reason I first joined AIESEC to begin with stemmed from the idea of travelling abroad. But little did I know, AIESEC has provided me with much more than just that. At first, I wasn't aware of how big and the sheer impact this organization was capable of. It wasn't until I attended the National Leadership Development Conference in May that I felt my whole AIESEC experience had broadened. I can now honestly say, by being apart of this organization, I have developed as an individual who is willing to step outside of my comfort zone. So the real question should be, why aren't you an AIESECer? ” - Kelly Su 9
IESECer? ESECer?
so I can develop leaderan international perspeck with other AIESECers - Cindy Dong
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead
“I initially joined AIESEC to improve my professional skills. However, I ended up embracing the community more strongly than any other organization. I believe in AIESEC's mission and the values it bestows on those who take part in it. It is both a privilege and an honour to call my fellow AIESECers friends, and belonging to a network that goes beyond race, religion and culture is an amazing opportunity! Most importantly, it is inspiring to watch students from all across the world dedicated to promote understanding and cooperation for a better future.” - Muhammad Talal Farrukh Irfan Khan
SECer because I believe what AIESEC does for others, as well , is something so amazing that I can't believe many people do out it. Sending students on a Global Community Development Global Internship in another country is a huge deal. It has something that I have wanted to do- this was the main reason AIESEC in the first place. But now that I have made it onto member who aids those going abroad, I have also gained a lot uld not have if it wasn't for AIESEC: leadership and interperhave met all sorts of youth from across Canada, who are all , and I am glad to say that I have been inspired to be part of a connects youth from around the world.” - Cinyi Haw
my leadership skills need to be perfected, I don’t know much I don’t know much about myself. This is why I’m an AIESECer.” - Alex Lee
“I am an AIESECer because being part of this great organization has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone, and discover things I never knew about myself and the many opportunities that are available for us. AIESEC has allowed me to have a clearer vision of my life, as well as allow me to help others make their visions happen. Being an AIESECer has opened my mind to the many differences we have between people, cities, countries, etc. I have truly been inspired by AIESECers from all over the world and the leaders that AIESEC has created and developed.” - Victoria Chan
I'm an AIESECer because... I get to travel, make a positive impact on the world, and meet people that turn into my AIESEC family. - Victoria Lam
“I am an AIESECer because it stands for everything I believe in: fostering leadership to others while developing your own leadership and other personal skills, having a global mindset, using your skills on an international level, and of course to simply have a lot of fun. There is so much passion and pride within this organization and these are traits I have no shame in showing when it comes to AIESEC. I have met the most incredible and inspiring people thanks to AIESEC and the best part is that once my time at AIESEC is over, we will all still remain the best of friends.” - Michael Fragiskatos 10
Leadership Credits: AIESEC UBC from Twitter
A Snapshot of Kevin Lynch, Vice-Chair of BMO Fi Leadership Development Conference 2012 in Tor More often than not, individuals are constantly bombarded with change. Whether it is an extrinsic or intrinsic change is irrelevant. What matters the most is that we accept the change and adjust to it accordingly. Leadership, for instance, has evolved over the years. However, some of the factors that make a great leader haven’t really changed— there’s just more to it now. Today’s successful leader is more than just a reflection of the conventional leadership styles you and I may have associated ourselves with. A new leadership style is emerging, with skills uniquely tailored for success in today’s environment, says Carol Tice, author of Building the 21st Century Leader for the Entrepreneur. At 11
AIESEC
Canada’s
annual
National Leadership Development Conference (NLDC), which was hosted in Toronto this year, delegates were pleased to have the honourable Dr. Kevin G. Lynch, Vice-Chair of BMO Financial Group, speak to them about Leadership during the Youth to Business Forum on May 4, 2012. Lynch stresses that there is a fine line between leadership and management. The former is crucial during times of change, when there is uncertainty and risk, while the latter is of focus during stable times. Evidently, we are nearing, if not, have already entered this period of change. Environmental and technological issues, coupled with the impending demographical shift caused by the baby boom are slowly, but
surely reshaping the world. As such, leadership is of essence. Because leaders provide a vision, and when there is no vision; the people perish, Lynch says. Lynch follows up his address with some top characteristics of a leader, which he believes are common to even those who come from a different background. Below are some of the qualities he discusses, which was partly paraphrased and transcribed from AIESEC Canada’s live stream channel. Creativity. Leaders have to be creative. People want to follow leaders who have ideas, who think differently, who creates a purpose, a sense of energy. You have to be able to answer the “why”, to “why do people want to
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” - John F. Kennedy NLDC 2012 in Toronto
inancial Group’s Keynote Address at the National ronto follow you”? Awareness. Leaders need to have superb situational awareness. They need to know what is happening around them, and being able to think ahead, not back. It is the ability to think horzontally, not vertically. Really great leaders can connect the unconnected dots, unlike their counterpart who only connects dots in a linear fashion. Leadership is about doing something that is different than what we do now. Knowledge. Whether you are coming from outside or inside the organization, if you want to change the organization, you have to understand it. You have to know its history, its structure, its dynamics. You have to know the
aspects to the organization before any changes can be implemented. Ethics. Ethics is really simple. It means you have to know the difference between right and wrong, issue by issue, day by day. It is not complicated. And in leaders, this is crucial, because someone needs to make and setup the moral compass within any organization. Communication. Communication is about repetition. You have to repeat and repeat and repeat messages overall in order to convince people—so it comes inherently in their memory. Decision Making. How do you make decisions as a leader? Arguably, you can be a poor leader because you listen too much, and
you can be a poor leader because you don’t listen enough. Leadership again is about having that innate sense of balance to know that at the end of the day a decision has to be made, and you have to be accountable for it. So again, don’t go for either or models of decision making. Enthusiasm, Energy and Confidence. Every single leader that you will ever see has enthusiasm, energy and confidence. They radiate it. They exude it. People don’t want to follow somebody who is falling asleep, who can barely stand up and move forward. They like energy. People respond to energy. - Catherine Tong
12
AIESEC’s Secret to Longevity
Neil Janin
Director McKinsey & Company AIESEC was not like other student organizations that I became involved with as a business student at McGill University in the 1970s. I belonged to a few associations concerned with investment and entrepreneurship, but their focus was local. Having lived in a foreign country for the first twelve years of my life, I was drawn to AIESEC’s global operations and outlook. My family and I had immigrated to Canada from Lebanon, so I was comfortable with diversity and the idea that the world was a big place. What I didn’t realize, is that AIESEC and its powerful reach is much larger than I first thought. It was in AIESEC that I discovered for the first time my leadership style and it hasn’t changed since. After gaining some solid experience in the business community by soliciting and raising internships for the McGill local committee, I became Eastern Regional Director for AIESEC Canada. I was responsible for reviving and growing the local committees of Quebec and the Maritimes. This role pushed me to be decisive and make executive decisions while coaching, motivating and guiding members to strengthen their local teams. I was making a contribution by helping others reach their goals, and today as a seasoned
member of an international consulting firm, I am happy to be doing the same. On a personal front, AIESEC has made me realize how precious human relationships are. I made some wonderful, life-long friends such as Bob Crockett and Jim Miller who asked me to join AIESEC Canada’s Board of Advisors. I was fortunate to have gone on two summer internships, one to Neuchatel, Switzerland and the other to Stockholm, Sweden, where I met likeminded people from halfway across the world. There were about 25 foreign interns in Stockholm with me that summer and not only did we feel connected but welcome in a place other than our own home. To this day, Stockholm feels like a familiar place to me and one that is close to my heart. I have lived in Paris now for over 25 years and continue to meet people all over Europe who, at one point in their life, have been in AIESEC. I find it extraordinary that the organization has survived for five decades and has such farreaching exposure around the world. I know that for me, AIESEC provided me with a personal richness that will stay with me forever – maybe that’s the secret to its longevity! - Neil Janin
“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” - Harold R. McAlindon 13
Global Leadership
Excerpt from Ángel Cabrera: What Being Global Really Means?
Globalization. According to the Merriam-Webster 2012 online dictionary, the first known use of this word was in 1951. However, by no means does this imply globalization is a recent phenomenon. In fact, globalization has sown its seeds more than a thousand years go—the “Silk Road” is a classic example. Fueled by the rise and expansion of multinational corporations in several countries, the erosion of trade barriers through treaties (e.g. NAFTA), and etc.; globalization has become a hot topic as of late. And its implications from a business perspective are often associated with challenges leaders need to face in this continually globalized society. As Ángel Cabrera, the president of Thunderbird School of Global Management and the coauthor of Being Global: How to Think, Act, and Lead in a Transformed World, puts it, the old mantra “think global, act local” is woefully inadequate to describe the complex realities global leaders face [today]. Below is an excerpt from Cabrera’s article, What Being Global Really 1 Means? , featured on April 19, 2012 in the Harvard Business 2 Review Blog Network . Cabrera discusses the qualities of a global leader, thereby stressing the importance and need for global minded individuals in today’s day and age. The global mindset allows leaders
to connect with individuals and organizations across boundaries. Their entrepreneurial spirit equips them to create value through those connections. And their citizenship drives them to make a positive contribution to the communities they engage with. Connecting, creating, and contributing are the three core tasks that make or break a global leader. Leaders who possess a global mindset are able to interpret and decode situations from multiple, 3 even competing, points of view . They have an insatiable interest to learn about other cultures. They care to understand other people's perspectives and suspend their judgment to do so. They are knowledgeable about economic and political issues around the world and can grasp the inherent complexity of international affairs from multiple national perspectives. Finally, they nurture relationships with associates and friends around the world and have a unique ability to transcend cultural barriers and cultivate trust. Global leaders utilize their understanding of cultural and institutional nuances and their global connections to create new forms of value by bridging people and resources across boundaries in novel ways, whether to create a better or cheaper product, improve the efficiency of a key
process, access a new pool of resources, or serve a new market. Sometimes they do that by leveraging differences across boundaries, sometimes by leveraging similarities, and sometimes by building and exploiting networks or by adding reciproal value add. But true global leaders are defined not only by their worldly knowledge and connections, nor by the global opportunities they seize, but by how they contribute to the improvement of the multiple contexts in which they operate. True global leaders don't exploit one community to benefit another. They find solutions that create multi4 directional value . They don't see business as a zero-sum game, but as a mechanism to bring about prosperity to more. Globalization has brought unprecedented benefits to many, but not all. Hundreds of millions have escaped the dehumanizing effects of hunger and poverty. But hundreds of millions remain trapped in them. Our ability to build a truly sustainable and inclusive world economy will depend on how well we help new generations of leaders to become global. With that being said… are you ready to become a global leader? - Complied by Catherine Tong
1
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/04/what _being_global_really_means.html
2
http://hbr.org/
3
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/04/ho w_to_manage_confrontation_in.html
4
http://blogs.hbr.org/hbsfaculty/2012/ 02/a-new-era-for-global-leadershi.html 14
Ready for the AIESEC adventure? http://bitly.com/joinAIESECLaurier
We’d love to hear back from you! http://j.mp/ExploreAIESECFeedback
AN
PUBLICATION
AIESEC Laurier © Copyright 2012
AIESEC
The international platform for young people to explore and develop their leadership potential