This course serves as an introduction to leadership theory and practice. The course will examine the research and literature regarding organizational leadership and provide an opportunity for examining and developing personal leadership skills. The course features relevant readings, case studies, projects, and class discussions. The purpose of this course is to identify the fundamental leadership behaviors that enable people to excel in their careers and to help students apply these behaviors to personal and professional success. The course builds from the basic premise that leadership is learned. It looks at the theory and practice of leadership at the individual and organizational levels. The course will explore definitions of leadership, the importance of leadership, leadership styles, the role of vision and integrity, the importance of giving and receiving feedback, how to lead change and solve problems, effective teamwork, and communication strategies.

The goals of this course are to:
• Analyze different forms of value (economic, meaning, and social) and the role value, experience, and research play in effective leadership.
• Identify the theoretical foundations for successful leadership in today's organizations.
• Compare and contrast the major leadership theories and discuss the key points and application methods of each theory in the workplace.
• Discuss the context and outcome of applied leadership in selected situations.
• Analyze and interpret a particular performance-based organizational issue, develop a solution to the issue at hand, and apply appropriate leadership theories in the given situation.
• Given different organizational scenarios, discuss and analyze the responsibility, privilege, value, culture, ethical considerations, and the appropriate use of authority and power.
• Synthesize best practices to create a plan for engaging, implementing, and sustaining planned organizational change.
• Identify principles by which successful leaders operate.
• Identify your personal philosophy and style and expand this for interpersonal influence in your organization.

Northouse, P.G. (2009). Leadership: Theory and practice (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
[ISBN-13: 978-1412974882]

Harvard Business Review on Leadership (eBook)

Harvard Business Review on Change (eBook)

Greeny, J., et. Als. (2008). How to Have Influence. Sloan Management Review

Theoharis, G. (2008). Woven in deeply: Identity and leadership of urban social justice principals.

Education and Urban Society, 41: 3–24.

Drodge, E. N. and Murphy, S. A. (2002). Interrogating emotions in police leadership. Human Resource Development Review, 1, 420–438.

Harnessing the Science of Persuasion, Robert Cialdini, Harvard Business Review, October 2001.
Tactics of Influence: Three Ways to Project Influence, Excerpt from Power, Influence & Persuasion, Harvard Business School Press, 2005.

Reflections about what a manager does

My Leadership Knowledge Card Deck

My Leadership Philosophy