USD Magazine, Winter 1995

nyone who has older brothers or sisters has experienced first– hand the sheer power of leader– ship. Purely by instinct, older

siblings personify a leadership model our nation has revered for centuries - one based on a single authoritarian leader and loyal followers. But the School of Education's leadership program is chang– ing ideas about effective leadership today. Gone are the "great man" theories that espouse one person with a vision directing a group of supporters, replaced by new collaborative theories being explored by the education professors and students. Our cover story, "Blueprint for the Future: USO Brings Leadership into the 21st Century," examines those theories of team-building and shows how they differ from the popular management development programs many businesses are embracing today. The story also highlights graduates of the program who have introduced these new leadership concepts in a number of fields, including business, education and non-profit administration. As one professor noted, "Management is election to an office, leadership is how you conduct yourself once you get into that office." Also in this issue, "At Center Stage" puts the spotlight on USO alumni who are making names for themselves in film, theater and music. One parlayed his talent for stunts into a marriage and a career, another shares his traveling stage with everyone from prisoners to schoolchildren, and two others get their audiences dancing in the aisles, whether they are playing their version of "The Sesame Street Song" or one of their orig– inal tunes like "My Carphone's on the Pill." Finally, "Dear Mr. O'Brien" illustrates the powerful effect a chance encounter can have on a person's life. At last May's undergraduate commencement, Sherri Bliss had a lot of ques– tions about her future. Jack O'Brien, the commencement speaker, had the answers. And though the two have never met face-to-face, it's not likely that they will forget each other soon.