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"To me, the greatest leader is one who will walk a step ahead of you, look back always to know you are right behind and extend a helping hand when bigger steps need to be taken. A leader should be able to pick you up when you fall and explain to you why you fell so that you continue with the walk more carefully. I believe if this is done, within no time, you will be able to walk beside the leader and finally ahead of them. My goal would be to finally walk without this leader. This way I will be in a position to lead others, giving them a chance like the one I got."
-Irene Jao, ICRH
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Strengthening Leaders to Face Challenges
The Virtual Leadership Development Program (VLDP) is a learning program that extends leadership development opportunities into the workplace for health managers and their teams, who seldom have the time or the resources to attend offsite leadership development programs. The program is designed for teams rather than individual managers. Each team identifies an important institutional challenge to address and develops and implements an action plan designed to help them achieve results. Teams from Ministries of Health, non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, and HIV/AIDS commissions from 30 countries (including countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East) have participated in the VLDP. The program is offered in Spanish, French, Portuguese, English, and Arabic.
A Blended Learning Model
The VLDP uses a blended-learning model, combining both face-to-face activities and distance learning. Leadership and organizational development specialists facilitate the program, (which lasts 12—16 weeks) providing support and feedback to participants via email, telephone and Web site postings throughout the program. Experts in monitoring and evaluation
assist the facilitation team when the participants are working on their leadership action plans. Participants also use a printed workbook to access materials offline. With coaching and support from the facilitators, participants work together in small teams to identify the key challenges facing their organizations and plan ways to meet these challenges, and to apply their new leading and managing skills.
Program Objectives
The VLDP develops leaders who can:
- Identify and address key leadership challenges within their organizations
- Recognize opportunities for themselves, their teams, and their institutions
- Focus on achieving challenging institutional priorities
- Align and mobilize people, systems, and resources
- Inspire personnel
"I do believe that integrity is a great virtue of a leader. The people you manage and lead need to know what you stand for and where you are taking them . You must demonstrate that you are reliable, honest and trustworthy and that you walk your talk. They need to see your values in action, that you value healthy relationships and that you have their best interests at heart. They need to see that you value openness and honesty in interpersonal transactions. They need to know that they will not be deliberately diminished by your actions. Be a leader with integrity."
-VLDP Participant
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