Week 1 Discussion Questions

Respond to weekly discussion questions.

 

1.     What are some differences between leadership and management? How do these differences affect an organization? What are some decisions leaders must make? What are some decisions managers must make?

2.     Why is it important to have effective leaders and managers? When is it appropriate to lead or manage? Under what circumstances should a leader or manager take a follower role? What is the effect of each role at a departmental level?

3.     Read the Minicase: Richard Bronson Shoots for the Moon at the end of Chapter 1 in the Leadership: Enhancing the lessons of experience textbook (page 22).

·         Identify the myths of leadership development that Richard Bronson’s success helps to disprove

·         Provide a rationale for your answer.

·         Discuss and compare your responses to at least 2 other people in our class.

 

Week 1 Individual

Leadership and Management Paper

Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you select a past or present public or political figure, as long as he or she is not mentioned in the readings.

 

Address the following points in your paper:

 

·         In what ways is this person a leader? In what ways is this person a manager?

·         What different leadership roles and functions does this person fulfill? How are these roles similar? How are they different?

·         What obstacles has this person encountered as a leader?

·         Is this person an effective leader based on common measures for success?

·         Provide a rationale for your answers.

 

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Use Peer Reviewed sources from research and theoretical concepts from the assigned reading as necessary to support your assertions.

Week 2 Discussion Questions

Respond to weekly discussion questions.

1.     Review the section on generational differences in Ch. 4 of The Art and Science of Leadership. What are some generational differences in your workplace? What effect do they have on a leader’s ability to balance values and priorities? Provide examples.

2.     What examples of managerial derailment have you experienced in an organizational setting? Could they have been avoided? If so, how? If not, why not?

 

3.     There are two media clips in the UoP library on leadership development: (1)Leadership Development Needs External Perspective. (2) Developing Leadersl Use one or both of the videos to explain: What methods exist to develop leaders in an organization? What methods would you recommend your organization or an organization you are familiar with could use? Why? Have any methods been counterproductive? In what ways?

 

Week 2 Learning Team

Learning Team Weekly Reflection

Discuss this week’s learning objectives with your team. Your discussion should include the topics you feel comfortable with, any topics you struggled with, and how the weekly topics relate to application in your field.

 

Prepare a 350- to 1,050- word paper detailing the findings of your discussion.

 

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Use theoretical concepts from the assigned reading as necessary to support your assertions

Week 3 Discussion Questions

Respond to weekly discussion questions.

1.     How would you define power? How would you define influence? What are some distinctions between power and influence in an organizational setting? How may power and influence positively affect an organization? How may power and influence negatively affect an organization? Provide specific examples to support your answer.

 

2.     Identify a public or political leader. What kind of power does this leader possess? What influence tactics does this leader normally use based on his or her power? Provide a specific example of an influence tactic this person has not used. What would happen if the leader used this tactic? How would his or her power be affected?

 

3.     In The Art and Science of Leadership textbook, Nahavandi writes about the dark side of power. Provide an example. What organizational factors contributed to the leader’s behavior? What were consequences of the behavior?

 

 

Week 3 Individual

Leadership and Power Paper

Resource: The Prime Minister’s Powerful Better Half Mini Case

Review The Prime Minister’s Powerful Better Half.

Answer the questions at the end of the Mini Case.

Address the following  and Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you:

 

·         Review the Leader Motives in Ch. 5 of Leadership: Enhancing the Lessons of Experience. How would you characterize Ho Ching’s motives?

 

·         Review Highlight 5.3 in Leadership: Enhancing the Lessons of Experience. What role, if any, do managerial differences based on gender play here?

 

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Use Peer Reviewed sources from research and theoretical concepts from the assigned reading as necessary to support your assertions.

Week 3 Learning Team

Leadership Profile

Your company’s vice president of human resources has approached your team for assistance in recruiting and developing your organization’s future leaders. The vice president has asked your team to brainstorm, research, and prepare a written profile.

 

Resources: University Library, Internet, Week Three readings

Write a 1,750- to 2,450-word profile.

Select one of the following organizations to use as your company in the profile:

 

·         Apple®

·         Southwest Airlines Co.®

·         Starbucks®

·         National Football League®

·         Sony Corporation of America®

 

Include the following in your profile:

 

·         Compare-and-contrast of common leadership traits in this industry

·         Methods for developing leaders in this industry

·         Strategies for how industry leaders balance competing values and priorities

·         Proposal to avoid managerial derailment and failure

 

Format your profile consistent with APA guidelines.

Use Peer Reviewed sources from research and theoretical concepts from the assigned reading as necessary to support your assertions.

Week 3 Learning Team

Learning Team Weekly Reflection

Discuss this week’s objectives with your team. Your discussion should include the topics you feel comfortable with, any topics you struggled with, and how the weekly topics relate to application in your field.

 

Prepare a 350- to 1,050- word paper detailing the findings of your discussion.

 

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Use theoretical concepts from the assigned reading as necessary to support your assertions

Week 4 Discussion Questions

Respond to weekly discussion questions.

1.     What are the most important skills a leader may possess? How may these skills be used in an organizational setting? What methods may you use to improve your skill set to become a more effective leader?

2.     How do effective leaders build relationships with superiors and peers? What specific approaches must a leader employ when interacting with superiors and peers?

3.     Read the section titled “Are Good Women Leaders hard to Find”, in the Leadership textbook.

o    Why do you think the author want us to perceive about individual leadership styles of women?

o    What obstacles exist for women leaders involved in participatory management?

o    What methods may a woman leader employ to overcome these obstacles?

 

 

Week 4 Individual

Strategies for Building Effective Relationships Paper

Your uncle owns a midsized global manufacturing business for which you worked between high school graduation and college. You were involved in many nonmanagerial operations, from distribution to manufacturing experience. As a new graduate, you seek employment.

 

Your uncle has offered you a position as the new product development project leader. If you accept this position, you must address the following concerns:

 

·         Revenue on the business’ standard products has dropped significantly in the past 3 years.

·         There are no new ideas on the horizon.

·         No one is leading project managers.

·         The last project leader left the business because of conflicts with peer managers and immediate supervisors.

 

After careful consideration, you accept the job offer.

 

Write a 1,750- to 2,450-word paper and address the following concepts:

 

·         Basic leadership skills you need to succeed

·         Methods you use to build effective relationships with superiors and peers

·         What role you will play regarding participatory management in the business

 

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Use Peer Reviewed sources from research and theoretical concepts from the assigned reading as necessary to support your assertions.

Week 4 Learning Team

Understanding Strategic Forces Paper

Resource: The Art and Science of Leadership

 

Read Exercise 7-1 in The Art and Science of Leadership.

 

Provide a written, 1,400- to 1,750-word in-depth analysis of the two candidates in the exercise and a rationale for your final recommendation.

 

Prepare answers to the Understanding Strategic Forces worksheet.

 

Review the two candidates and their qualifications in terms of environment, strategy, culture, structure, technology, and leadership.

 

Explain which leadership each candidate represents.

 

Address unique challenges of leaders in a nonprofit organization, such as the junior high school in the exercise.

 

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Use Peer Reviewed sources from research and theoretical concepts from the assigned reading as necessary to support your assertions.

Week 4 Learning Team

Learning Team Weekly Reflection

Discuss this week’s objectives with your team. Your discussion should include the topics you feel comfortable with, any topics you struggled with, and how the weekly topics relate to application in your field.

 

Prepare a 350- to 1,050- word paper detailing the findings of your discussion.

 

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Use theoretical concepts from the assigned reading as necessary to support your assertions

Week 5 Discussion Questions

Respond to weekly discussion questions.

1.     Provide an example of change that may take place in an organization. How may that change be perceived, based on a person’s position?

2.     How are problems routinely solved in organizations? As a leader, what methods would you propose for creative problem-solving?

 

 

Week 5 Individual

Final Examination

Prepare to take a final examination.

 

Week 5 Learning Team

Merger Dilemma Paper

Your consulting group has been retained to help with the merger of two midsized companies that have been competitors for years. The purpose of the merger is to acquire significant market share and compete with other companies in the industry. Concerned employees are looking for strong managerial direction.

 

Your contract requires that you address the following, regarding the organization’s blended leadership:

 

Propose methods to anticipate and adapt to necessary organizational change.

 

Identify ways to manage organizational conflict.

 

Propose methods for creative problem-solving to help mitigate the stress on employees and the blended management team.

 

Write a paper that is 1,400 to 1,750 words in length based on the scenario.

 

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Use Peer Reviewed sources from research and theoretical concepts from the assigned reading as necessary to support your assertions.

Week 5 Learning Team

Learning Team Weekly Reflection

Discuss this week’s objectives with your team. Your discussion should include the topics you feel comfortable with, any topics you struggled with, and how the weekly topics relate to application in your field.

 

Prepare a 350- to 1,050- word paper detailing the findings of your discussion.

 

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Use theoretical concepts from the assigned reading as necessary to support your assertions