Application to East-West Center Advanced Leadership Program

Planning for Success

The purpose of theAdvanced Leadership Program (ALP) is to provide an opportunity for professionals to reflect on personal and organizational development and to plan and act on future possibilities. The required application document as outlined below is the first stage in this process. The process of mapping and charting will continue in the Advanced Leadership Program (ALP) through visioning exercises and a Personal Action Plan. You will be given the space, support, and instruction to engage in this process, but ultimately it is you who must navigate the waters.

Please provide answers to the questions below on a separate sheet of paper. Limit your answers to a maximum of three (3) pages total, and submit the final document along with your ALP application forms.

Question #1: Where am I now?

An essential part of leadership is the ability to look within and see one’s self. When you are comfortable seeing yourself, you understand what strengths you can draw upon to lead change, as well as your role within a wider community.

  • What are the key ways in which you define yourself? For example: Do you define yourself by your work, play, family, community, relationships, or resources?
  • What makes you happy? Why?
  • What arethe catalysts, both internal and external, that motivated you to apply to the ALP?

Question #2: What’s your one year plan and beyond?

Visioning the Future

It may seem early to talk about life after the East-West Center, but it is essential to do so now. Imagine yourself as an alumnus of the Center, part of a vibrant and growing network of leaders from all walks of life in the Asia Pacific region. This is where you should begin. Things will invariably change, but having a clear vision of success is key to moving forward. Using that vision, you can work backwards to decide what you need to do, how you need to do it, and who you need to connect with while at the East-West Center.

  • Imagine your future: Who are you?Where are you? What are you doing one year from the start of this program (October 1, 2015)? Be specific and provide details. Think of your ideal scenario.

Now push yourself as far as possible into your imagined future. What are you doing in 5 years? As you do this, ask yourself: What is my time frame, or time horizon, for planning? Various components of the Advanced Leadership Program (ALP) will be guided by your individual and collective interests. Starting now, you are asked to identify, communicate, and co-develop your goals and desired program outcomes within the EWC community.

Question #3: What are your goals?

Develop at least two specific goals for each level.

  • Individual: What do you want to strengthen, learn or accomplish during the ALP? What do you want the ‘snapshot’ of yourself to look like at the end of the program?
  • Action:How will you use your individual strengths and your community network to create, contribute, and enable positive change in the Asia Pacific region? What actions will you take?

During the Advanced Leadership Program (ALP) you will be asked to assess your progress on each of these goals. You will create your own yardsticks for success and be accountable to yourself and the EWC community.

Question #4: Who’s your model leader?

How do you know what you know about leadership? Write about a leader you know personally (ie, you must have met the person). It could be a family member, friend, colleague, boss, etc.

Question #5: How do you learn best?

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to one another.” – John F. Kennedy

Learning how to learn is a lifelong process. In the ALP, participants consciously engage in the learning process, which involves deep awareness of personal learning styles and biases. You will be building a learning plan and together we will track your progress as you move through the ALP experience. Please answer the following questions:

• How would you describe your most effective learning style? For example, do you prefer studying (reading, writing, memorizing) to interaction?Working individually or in groups? Textbooks or classrooms? Lectures or debate?

• Do you focus more on content, process, or outcomes? Content is knowledge

acquisition. Process is the experience you go through while learning and how you go about it. Outcomes are what you know and take away at the end – what survives and what has changed.

Question #6: Who will you add to your network while in Hawaii?

A core tenet of the Advanced Leadership Program (ALP) is the importance and effectiveness of building strong relationships of support and information.

Research and explore the EWC community, the University of Hawaii community, especially in Asia Pacific Studies, and the larger Honolulu community. You may be surprised what you find – Hawai’i is home to over two dozen think-tanks, higher education institutions and community development organizations.

Then:

  • Identify three (3) people in Hawaii you would like to have a conversation with regardingyour personal or professional interests. You will arrange these meetings shortly after arrival in Hawaii.
  • Now look worldwide. Find three (3)people in your field that you would like to contact and talk to about your personal or professional goals and interests.

SUBMISSION AND DEADLINE

Signature / Date
Name (print)

Please submit this form to the Award Services Office by July 1st, 2014*.

Attention: Advanced Leadership Program (ALP)

1601 East-West Road

Honolulu, HI 96848-1601, USA

*ALP application documents may be emailed to . Please note all application documents submitted via email must include handwritten signatures (electronic or typed signatures are not accepted).