2024/05/25　第210回例会TOPIC

TOPIC1　Animal on the Red List

   Many kinds of animals are in danger of extinction.  Today they are facing many challenges, such as climate change and human activities.  It is difficult for endangered animals to survive in these conditions.  It is important for us to understand this.

  Have you ever heard of the IUCN Red List?  The Red List gives us information about endangered animals, birds, plants, and so on.  For example, pandas, cheetahs, and gorillas are on the list.

 Some animals and birds in Japan are also on it.  One example is the crested ibis, or toki in Japanese.  Up until the Meiji era, we could see many ibises around this country.

However, the population of ibises in Japan rapidly decreased.  People hunted them for their beautiful feathers, and development destroyed their environment.  It was difficult for them to survive.

In 1981, five ibises were captured on Sado Island for breeding.  People tried to help them live safely, but they died one by one.  The last one died in 2003. 

However, we still had some Chinese-born ibises on the island.  They were a gift from the Chinese government in the 1990s.  Since then, people have been breeding these ibises.  We have lost all of the original Japanese ibises, but someday ibises may fly over Japan like before.

Some gorillas are also on the Red List.  According to a study, the largest gorillas in the Congo may die out soon.  There are many reasons, such as hunting, logging, and mining.  Surprisingly, our electronic devices are one of these reasons.

To make these devices, we need some special metals.  Some of these metals come from the gorillas’ habitat.  If we use more devices, more of their habitat may be destroyed.  These gorillas may not survive.  We have to understand this.

Why do we have to protect these animals?  Each animal has its own role in the ecosystem.  If we lose one species, it affects many others.  Human beings are also part of this ecosystem.  We are all related to each other.  So it is important for us to take action now.  Let’s help the animals survive.

TOPIC2　The Various Leadership Styles and the Future of Japan

The reason for choosing the theme: the year 2024 is called the election year. The countries that are holding/held national elections in 2024 include Taiwan, India, Russia, EU, and the US. Since we are choosing the leaders of nations around the world, I thought it would be a good idea to deepen our understandings of leadership styles in order to examine the future path of the world.

Discussion material

Do you consider yourself a good leader? Whether you work for a company, run your own business, or engage in communal activities, we constantly encounter a situation where leadership is needed. We humans are commonly referred to as social animals, i.e., we lead our lives as a part of social groups. In any given social groups, knowing how to apply appropriate leadership is a key to successfully navigate through situations that call for decision-making.

Goleman’s Six Leadership Styles

According to Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist known for his work in emotional intelligence and leadership, there are six basic styles of leadership; they are 1. Coercive Leadership Style, 2. Authoritative Leadership Style, 3. Affiliative Leadership Style, 4. Democratic Leadership Style, 5. Pacesetting Leadership Style, and 6. Coaching Leadership Style. He claims that “successful leaders don’t just stick to one leadership style; they’re well-versed in multiple styles and know-how — and when — to alternate between them depending on their circumstances.” In other words, there’s no one-size-fits-all leadership style for various situations presented. Now, let’s take a look at the various leadership styles.

The Various Leadership Styles

Here’s a list of the various leadership styles.

• Coercive: Leaders who demand immediate compliance. The leaders with this style are likely to say “My way or the highway.”

• Authoritative: Visionary leaders who mobilize people toward a vision. The leaders with this style are likely to say “Let us all achieve this Grand Vision. Together, we can.”

• Affiliative: Leaders who create emotional bonds and harmony. The leaders with this vision are likely to say “Let’s all get along and work together as a team.”

• Democratic: Leaders who build consensus through participation. The leaders with this style are likely to say “Let me hear your voices. We are all created as equals.”

• Pacesetting: Leaders who expect excellence and self-direction. The leaders with this style are likely to say “Let me tell you what you need to achieve next.”

• Coaching: Leaders who develop people for the future. The leaders with this style are likely to say “Let me teach you how to achieve your goals. I’m here to help.”

(The following three styles are not included in the Goleman’s Leadership Styles, but provided for your reference.)

• Transformational: Leaders who inspire with a vision of the future and motivate their followers to achieve it. The leaders with this style are likely to say “We need a revolution. Now!”

• Transactional: Leaders who focus on supervision, organization, and performance; reward or discipline is based on performance. The leaders with this style are likely to say “You do the work. I’ll check and review the process.”

• Servant: Leaders who prioritize the growth and well-being of their teams and the communities to which they belong. The leaders with this style are likely to say “Let me dedicate my life for the nation.”

(Lavery, 2011) *The reference is used only for the definitions of the leadership styles. The lines that these leaders are likely to say are written by the Material Maker as examples.

Discussion Questions

Now, in your group, please discuss the following 5 questions. At the end of the session, please share what you’ve discussed on question #4 and #5 to the other groups.

Question 1:

What is your definition of “leadership?” Who is a good example of an effective leader?

Question 2:

Discuss some situations that are fit for some of the various leadership styles. (Ex. Coercive leadership style is appropriate for emergency situations where decisions need to be made quickly.) Where applicable, discuss how different leadership styles could complement each other. (Ex. Coaching leadership styles can be applied in combination with Coercive leadership to provide more support for the future leaders.)

Question 3:

If you could choose one person to be a leader of Japan, who would that be?

*It doesn’t have to be a political figure, but could be a celebrity, an athlete, a writer, etc.

Question 4:

If you were a leader (leaders) of Japan, what agenda would you choose as the most important one, and why?

Question 5:

How would you communicate the agenda to the citizens? Please pick one leadership style and act it out.

*If you don’t feel comfortable acting it out, you can explain why you’d choose the leadership style.

Enjoy your discussion.

This material has been assisted by ChatGPT 4.

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