One of the keynote presenters for this year's Pegasus Conference is Juana Bordas, the president of Mestiza Leadership International, a company that focuses on leadership, diversity, and organizational change. She has worked with leaders from communities of color for over 40 years, and recently wrote the book Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age. She spoke with Leverage Points about how some of the core leadership principles found in these traditions are gaining prominence through the work of outstanding leaders of color, including the new American president.

Some years ago, in her capacity as an advisor to the Kellogg Foundation, Juana Bordas went to the Jemez Pueblo in New Mexico to visit with Benny Shendo, Jr., a tribal leader and Kellogg Fellow. During a tour of the charter school that Benny had co-founded, Juana noticed a large group of kids clamoring around a man who was cleaning the floor. When she asked Benny what was going on, he said, "Oh, the kids love him. They talk to him. He gives them good counsel." That night, at a dinner Juana hosted for the tribal elders, she asked for someone to give a blessing. She said, "In your tradition, who would you like to give the prayer?" They all looked at the janitor because he was so respected in the tribe. He gave the prayer.

The story is emblematic of "The Leader as Equal," a principle that Juana has identified as being essential to communities of color and clearly visible in President Obama's emerging leadership style. When partnered with "The Leader as Guardian of Public Values" and "The Leader as Community Steward," these principles hold the possibility for a fundamental transformation in prevailing models of leadership--and a promising new direction for our country.

The Leader as Guardian of Public Values
The Leader as Guardian of Public Values principle comes out of a very old tradition. It was seminal to the civil rights movement, where the focus was on creating the good society. In this tradition, effective leaders identify desirable public values like pluralism, equity, justice, and the common good. They live those values themselves, and they understand that it is their job to create a society that reflects those values.

Juana notes that Dr. Jim Joseph, the former president of the National Council on Foundations and former ambassador to South Africa, is a leader who really understands this concept. Joseph has said that leaders must address the barriers that perpetuate inequity and economic disparity. He talks about how, as a young boy, he wondered why people always thought about right and wrong as what individuals should do. He writes, "Yet, as I grew up in the segregated South, where the doors of political institutions and social organizations were closed to Black people, I began to question why ethics concerned itself with individual behaviors, but not with how institutions acted."

How can you be sure that your conference learnings will make it back to the office with you? Consider bringing some of your office into the conference!

Pegasus Conference veterans Nalani Linder and Stephen Byers will lead a team of experienced consultants offering in-conference coaching to intact teams attending together. At no extra charge, this program enables you to define your shared learning goals, stay focused during the conference, and start applying new ideas even before you return to work.

Beginning with an orientation session Sunday evening, your team will be paired with a coach who will help you establish your team's conference learning plan and post-conference goals. Then, throughout the event, you will reconvene as a group, if desired, to check your progress, re-evaluate your learning plan, and share your learnings. Finally, at the end of the conference, you have the opportunity meet together and design a practical take-home plan for implementing your new skills and identifying next steps.

Teams who have participated in the past have appreciated the opportunity to take the conceptual underpinnings of the conference and put them into practice immediately.

Significant team discounts are available for groups of 4 or more. Call us at 1-800-272-0945 to talk about how the teams program at this year's Pegasus Conference can work for you.

Individual conference registrations are just $995 through February 28! (a savings of $700 off the full conference price). Register now to secure your seat at these low rates.