Published April 2010<\/SPAN> When Major Doug Crandall introduced his Leadership Fellows program at Columbia Basin College, along with CBC President Rich Cummins, he sought to bring to the Tri-Cities the sort of course that he saw in other cities.<\/P> He envisioned a training ground where management professionals could work out their difficulties, learn new methods and network. Now well into the nine-month program, with a crew of 24 students that were brought into the program by sponsoring companies, Crandall sees his Leadership Fellows Program courses as an instant success.<\/P> High-quality guest speakers have come for lectures, students are giving him positive feedback, hopeful future students look to overload next year\u0092s course and Crandall couldn\u0092t be happier.<\/P> All this success, and Crandall has a new book coming out later this year.<\/P> \u0093I think we feel pretty confident that by June a lot of people will have gotten something substantial out of it, but it will be different things,\u0094 Crandall said.<\/P> In class, Crandall encourages students to open up about their own failings and understand the underlying causes for their shortcomings. What makes otherwise great managers bad at delegation, for instance? Why do managers fall prey to bad decision-making? Or why do these quality leaders have difficulty giving constructive feedback to their employees?<\/P> Crandall\u0092s classes attempt to encourage students to open up, address these issues and correct them.<\/P> He said at least one of his students, who credits skills learned in the Leadership Fellows Program, received a job promotion. Other students are showing signs of becoming more confident and effective leaders, Crandall said.<\/P> \u0093Our goal is to impact the Tri-Cities and have people come away from the class with a rally solid experience,\u0094 Crandall said.<\/P> This is not because the Tri-Cities is particularly desperate for quality leadership. Far from it, said Crandall, a Stanford Graduate School of Business alum and West Point graduate and former teacher, believes that the Tri-Cities is rich in leadership.<\/P> But like anything else, improvement is possible, and he means to provide opportunities for already great leaders to become even better.<\/P> \u0093You can\u0092t force people to become better leaders. You can give them a guide to go for readings and sources on how to become a better leader,\u0094 Crandall said. One of those sources for learning better leadership has been his highly-credentialed guest speakers, who have come to the Leadership Fellows Program from military and academic sectors.<\/P> In May, Scott Snook, who also taught at West Point but now teaches at Harvard Business School, will give a lecture. And in June, the class will take a trip to Infinia and Gesa to speak with the CEO\u0092s of those companies.<\/P> Crandall also hopes to plan public events that bring his Leadership Fellows guest speakers to an open audience, so that more people can benefit. People wanting a taste of what Crandall has to offer sooner, however, may turn to his literary output.<\/P> Crandall edited 2007\u0092s book \u0093Leadership Lessons from West Point,\u0094 which he uses in his class. Among other topics, the book addresses morality, urgency, charisma and a people-centered approach to leadership.<\/P> He has also worked on \u0093Hope Unseen\u0094 with Scott Smiley. The book, which comes out November 14, tells Smiley\u0092s story of living through wartime horrors, being blinded in Iraq and returning from war to achieve a life-affirming, accomplished existence.<\/P>
By Erick Peterson, Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business<\/P>
And this is what he means to do.<\/P>