1. To develop a holistic approach to Leadership.
2. To understand the magnitude of leadership in the workplace and in everyday life.
3. To identify the components of any effective Leader.
4. To internalize the operative leadership principles and a set of practical tools.
5. To engage in a thoughtful dialogue about Leadership.
6. To monitor their own learning process.
7. To gain self-knowledge toward building personalized, effective Leadership strategies and skills.
AGENDA FOR THE SESSIONS: Below you can find a tentative syllabus, subject to change if needed. I believe that activity and reflection are important parts of the learning process. Therefore, every single session you will be provided with readings, take-home exercises or activities or an oral presentation for the following session.
1. What does it mean to be a leader?
2. Traits, Behaviors and Relationships
3. Contingency Approaches to Leadership
4. The Leader as an Individual
5. Leadership Mind and Heart
6. Courage and Moral Leadership
7. Followership
8. Motivation and Empowerment
9. Leadership Communication
10. Leading Teams
11. Developing Leadership Diversity
12. Leadership Power and Influence
13. Creating Vision and Strategic Direction
14. Shaping Culture and Values
15. Leading Change
Methodology
The learning experience is based on a range of teaching methods that seek to foster your understanding of the leadership concept and the development of your potential skills as a leader. A hands-on approach is crucial throughout the course with out-of-class readings, assignments and exercises; teamwork activities, assignments and exercises; individual and group presentations; in class activities, exercises and discussions.
REQUIREMENTS, EXPECTATIONS, AND ASSESSMENT
Since this class is, in effect, an attempt to practice organizational skills, I expect you to treat this course like you would a job. As the manager of this class, I assume that the people I am working with are good, hard-working and intelligent people who are capable of meeting the requirements of this job.
Additionally, I have several expectations of the people who are working with me. Specifically I expect you to:
- Attend class.
It is imperative that you are here. You CANNOT miss classes. This course is only effective if everyone participates actively. If you have more than three absences for the semester, be prepared to earn a failing final grade for the course.
- Be punctual.
Come to class ON TIME. No excuses are allowed. Late arrivals disrupt the flow of the class. In addition, tardiness at work would not be tolerated. Late arrivals will impact your grade. Anyone who arrives 5 minutes later than the starting of the session, won´t be allowed to enter the class.
- Participate.
Class participation is a must for the grade. Therefore, it is important that students come to class with the readings, exercises, activities or other stuff prepared, willing to interact and discuss them meaningfully. Some stuff will be based on home prepared materials and other stuff on brainstorming and in class activities. You will be assessed on the quality of your comments, the feedback provided to your colleagues and the way you do it.
- Be prepared for every class.
I expect you to come to class with the readings, take-home exercises, activities and assignments prepared in advance of the class devoted to them.
- Meet deadlines.
Meet due dates. This is the policy for ALL assignments, exercises, presentations, activities. Late stuff submissions are not accepted. For every piece of work not submitted when scheduled (oral presentations, in class exercises and activities, take home exercises and the portfolio)you will receive 0 points.
- Demonstrate academic integrity in all of your work.
If you are caught cheating in any form on exams, plagiarizing or rehashing in exercises, activities, assignments, presentations or handing in work you did not do, be prepared to receive a failing final grade for the course.
Be sure your work is your own. You are responsible for citing all sources on which you rely, using quotation marks when language is taken directly from others´ work, and knowing how to use your own language to paraphrase a source (hint: changing a few words is not sufficient). If you cite a direct quote, you must provide a reference with a page number for the citation.
- Final Grade.
In most organizations, employees are required to submit reports or other documents, which will prove in a way their competence to be promoted. Likewise, students to have the chance to be promoted with this subject, it is mandatory that they hand in a portfolio full of quality.
The result of somebody Not coming to class, not being prepared and not participating but handing in only the portfolio will be a failing grade; the same will happen the other way round. Failure of not doing both things, means no promotion at all.
- Follow the Cell phones & Laptops policy.
Cell-phones are off limits during class: no calls -no text messaging- no Iming. Please, turn them off. No cell-phones are allowed on the table to check the time. Your professor will inform you when it is the time to finish the class.
If you have an emergency situation that requires you to be contacted quickly during class time, let your professor know at the beginning of class and an exception may be made if the professor considers so.
Laptops. The use of laptops are only allowed under the professor´s permission and with the only purpose of taking notes. In case, the professor has the feeling they are used for other purposes; they will be strongly forbidden and the student will have to leave the class. That will mean an absence.
Those students allowed to use a laptop will have to show the professor the notes taken with it at the end of each class. Moreover, they will have to sit at the front of the class.
- Retake Exam
It consists of a written exam, and the portfolio of the course, which will be delivered the same day of the exam
EVALUATION
The Course grade will be based on the following point breakdown:
25% Quality participation, attitude, attendance, punctuality & rich feedback provided.
25% Out-of-class preparation, In class activities, exercises, readings, cases and oral presentations.
50% Portfolio to be delivered on 25th May.
Point breakdown for the retake exam:
50% Written exam
50% Portfolio
Required Textbook:
None.
Other sources:
Harvard Business Review articles, cases studies
Numerous articles from journals, current periodicals, readings from biography, literature, psychology and history