EDLD 555 Leadership and Ethics School of Leadership and Education Sciences, University of San Diego Spring 2009 Thursdays, 5:30- 8:20 p.m. SCST 129
Instructor Catherine Hands, Ph.D. Assistant professor, Leadership Studies Department Mother Rosalie Hill Hall, room 275C Phone: 619-260-4213 E-mail: chands@sandiego.edu
Purpose of the Course The ethical dimension of leadership has implications for us as persons, workers, members of society, and citizens of the world. Our family, community, social, cultural and religious traditions shape our perception of what is ethical. Ethics permeates all aspects of our lives: intellectual, emotional, spiritual, cultural and social. As leaders, our responsibility for ethics is increased because our behavior, actions and decisions are a model to, and have consequences for others. Likewise, as followers, our responsibility is shared with our leaders, as we respond to their behavior, actions and commands by making our own decisions, which often have ethical implications. Thus, having a solid grounding on ethics and its intersection with leadership and followership (this intersection will be referred to as “ethics/leadership�) is not only wise but also necessary. In this course, we will assess our values regarding ethics/leadership as workers, as persons and as members of a social group. We will become more conscious of our own ethical views, some of which may not be known to us. We will learn ethics and leadership theories and their application to our daily work and life. Most importantly, the main focus of this course will be on enhancing our ethical awareness as we learn more about ourselves and ourselves in relationship to others and our environment. In addition to being exposed to some of the main Western ethical perspectives, we will learn some tools and practical skills to address our ethics/leadership issues. Tools have to be used and skills have to be practiced to become adept at applying them to resolve ethics/leadership issues. Therefore this is mostly an interactive course in which personal reflection and problem solving, group work and class participation will be emphasized. We will have the opportunity to apply these tools and skills to address ethics/leadership problems as we build our capacity for ethical discernment through the resolution of personal ethics/leadership issues, self-assessments, readings, thoughtful writings and participation in class discussions.
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Course Objectives This course aims to provide students with the knowledge to: 1) Become more aware of their own ethical values as persons, leaders/followers 2) Have an enhanced capacity for ethical discernment and behavior 3) Have learned skills to solve day-to-day ethics/leadership problems 4) Know Western ethics theories and how to apply them to solve ethical issues 5) Appreciate some international perspectives to enrich critical thinking in ethics 6) Have learned some leadership and followership skills small groups and in class.
Textbooks/Readings Textbooks 1) Weston, A. (2008). A 21st century ethical toolbox. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press. 2) Johnson, C. E. (2005). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership. Second edition. Casting light or shadow. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. Additional materials will be available on Copley library’s e-reserves (http://copleylib.sandiego.edu/eres/ password: ethics).
Course Expectations and Assignment Descriptions Assignments must be handed in on time. Extensions will be granted only for highly valid reasons, and must be negotiated with the instructor ahead of time. Unexcused late assignments will receive lower grades (i.e., a decrease of up to one letter grade per day). Requests for Accommodation Reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be made for course participants with disabilities who require specific instructional and testing modifications. Students with such requirements must identify themselves to the University of San Diego Disability Services Office (619-260-4655, www.sandiego.edu/disability) before the beginning of the course. Every effort will be made to accommodate students’ needs, however, performance standards will not be modified in considering specific accommodations.
Grading Scale (based on total %) The following scale will be used to determine final letter grades:
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93-100% 90 - 92% 87 – 89% 83 – 86% 80 – 82% 77 – 79%
A AB+ B BC+
73 – 76% 70 –72 % 67 – 69% 63 – 66% 60 – 62% less than 60%
C CD+ D DF
NOTE: Grade of Incomplete The grade of incomplete (“I”) may be recorded to indicate (1) that the requirements of a course have been substantially completed but, for a legitimate reason, a small fraction of the work remains to be completed, and (2) that the record of the student in the course justifies the expectation that he or she will complete the work and obtain the passing grade by the deadline. It is the student’s responsibility to explain to the instructor the reasons for noncompletion of work and to request an incomplete grade prior to the posting of final grades. Students who receive a grade of incomplete must submit all missing work no later than the end of the tenth week of the next regular semester, otherwise the “I” grade will become a permanent “F”. Attendance and Participation Personal mission statement and action plan Book review Final paper Retrospective reflection/self-evaluation
20 points 20 points 20 points 25 points 15 points
Attendance and Participation (20 points) One of the major aims of class participation is to develop a community of inquiry, where the participants care about the issues discussed and the persons in the group. The success and meaningfulness of the discussions will greatly depend on your preparation and participation. Due to this course being discussion-based, attendance is required and expected. Your attendance will contribute to both your learning and the learning of the other students in the class. Similar to attending class, arrival to class on time is expected. Arriving to class tardy (or leaving early) for three class periods will count as an absence. If you are not able to attend a class, please notify the instructor by e-mail or telephone ahead of the session if at all possible. You are responsible for covering the course material whether or not you are in class. If you feel you may have difficulty attending class meetings, please discuss this with the instructor. Missing more than one session of this course will result in a lowered grade in this category, and will also likely result in a lowered grade for other aspects of this course as well, given that everything we cover in class is critical to your success. Course readings should be carried out carefully and reflectively, and students are expected to arrive in class ready to discuss the main ideas and observations drawn from the readings. You may want to consider: • what questions arose upon careful engagement with the readings
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what strengths were evident in each reading, as well as any weaknesses in how the issues were addressed • the one or two most interesting ideas or points raised by the reading in your opinion and why • what opinion you hold and why, using reasoned arguments based on the literature (including previous readings as well as the current ones) • how each week’s readings relate to previous readings and discussions. Also, some small assignments related to the readings will be assigned periodically, and should be completed by the beginning of the class for which they are due. Throughout the semester, we will be working very closely together and may be discussing sensitive subjects. It is expected that each member of the class treat the other members with dignity and respect. Individuals’ opinions should be respected and valued, even if they are not in line with your own opinions. Participation and attendance will be graded on the following criteria: • Timely arrival to class and staying for the duration of class sessions as required • Preparation for class, including the completion of all readings and small assignments by the start of the class for which they are assigned • Engagement with peers as required, contributions to class discussions • Demonstrated respect for peers and instructor as expressed through comments, disposition, eagerness to learn, and tolerance for different opinions
Personal Mission Statement (20 points) – First submission due March 19, second submission due April 30th This statement is to be handed once during the course and again at the end of the course. The final version will include a specific action plan. For March 19th, submit your personal mission statement based on your values, life experience, aspirations and work. Resources: Johnson pp. 86-93, and Steven Covey’s “7 Habits of highly effective people,” pp. 106-109 & 292-294 and “The 8th habit,” pp. 156-159 available on e-reserves Between March 19th and April 30th, revisit your mission statement in light of what you have learned so far and modify it accordingly. Add an “action plan” with at least four specific actions you will take within the next year. Submit your mission statement and action plan on April 30th. Book review and discussion (20 points) – Due April 13th - 16th This assignment is carried out on-line as an assignment of one week’s duration in lieu of a regular in-class meeting. Each student is expected to select a book from a list of titles prepared by the instructor. They will read this book and then prepare a written book review. Many of the books are modern novels that explore values themes. Past experience suggests that students really enjoy this course assignment. Books other than the ones on the instructor’s
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list may be nominated by students for instructor approval. A written book review will be prepared (approximately 5 to 7 double-spaced pages) and posted to our course website by Monday, April 13th. Samples from previous courses will be posted on-line as examples. Students will read and discuss the submitted book reviews on-line. See list of approved titles provided by instructor. Final Paper (25 points) – First submission due April 2nd, second submission due May 7th Students will select an ethics/leadership personal or work-related problem of interest to them and with enough scope and complexity to require the use of the theories, tools and skills learned in class to address it. This is an in-depth analysis of a theme or issue relating to ethics in leadership. While the description of the ethics problem is submitted on-line for a discussion, the final paper is submitted to the instructor as a hard copy by mail or courier, not as an on-line assignment. The execution of this assignment will be carried out in steps during the course. The paper will be progressively written throughout the course, as new ethics/leadership approaches and tools are learned and will be reviewed twice during the semester by the instructor. Students are advised to write the paper iteratively to avoid an accumulation of pending assignments at the end of the course. The evaluation will be 10% for the mid-course review and 15% for the final paper. The paper should be based on a review and careful reading of the relevant literature, including course readings and any additional academic sources. By the first submission you should have begun to apply the tools you have learned up to that point. These include at least stating your view and the contrasting view(s) and what each side is right about, applying integrative thinking, creative problem-solving and reframing (Weston, Ch 11-16). For the second submission, you will need to at least include the application of ethical theories of the person, relationship, service, care and happiness (Weston, Ch. 5, 7, 8, 9 10), normative leadership theories and ethical decision making formats (Johnson, Ch 6 & 7). Use additional tools and materials that are applicable to your individual issue. The format and references of the final paper must be in APA style. Also, you will share issues of interest about your topic in the final class. Expectations will be reviewed in sessions prior to the last class. The evaluation of your paper will be based on: • the extent to which your response is thoughtful, well organized, clearly written, and • the extent to which you engage readings and concepts from the course. The criteria will include: • A clear statement of purpose. • A rationale or reason for choosing the topic. • A logical argument, which includes the effective use of evidence or sources to support your rationale and argument. • A conclusion that effectively sums up your case. • Effective use of style. This includes the organization of your paper, the writing style and other features like continuity or flow.
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Suggested length of the final paper: 13-15 pages (between 3250 and 3750 words, 12 point type, and double-spaced). Final papers that are less than 12 pages in length will not be accepted. Please provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you wish to have your paper mailed to you at the conclusion of the course. Retrospective Reflection/Self-evaluation (15 points) – Due May 14th It is a difficult task for anyone to write a self-evaluation. The following is a series of questions to guide your reflection and for you to answer honestly and in some detail: (i) How did I participate in class? (ii) How have I prepared for the discussions? (iii) Was I patient with the views with which I disagreed? Was I open to considering new and different views? (iv) Did I consider why I (dis)agreed with the views expressed? (v) What are some of the things I learned that made a difference in my thinking and in my practice? How have my assumptions and understandings been challenged and how has this affected me? These last two questions should guide and inform responses to the others. This process invites us to offer clear, thoughtful reasons for the responses that we make and to ask ourselves whether we need to rethink the self-evaluation we have made. I do not ask that you be unduly self-critical; rather that you reflect explicitly upon your growth as a critical and compassionate thinker and educator in terms of your knowledge, beliefs, skills and dispositions. The evaluation of your paper will be based on the extent to which your response is thoughtful, well organized, clearly written. You have: • Given serious consideration of issues arising from readings and issues arising from our discussions; • Demonstrated that you have looked at alternative points of views, given support for your views, clarified assumptions, avoided fallacies, identified contradictions, and connected ideas and views; and • Contributed to the community of inquiry. Suggested length: 5 pages (12-point type, double spaced)
Written Work: The major basis for evaluation in the course is written work. In a graduate level course, it is assumed that papers will conform to professional standards. The recommended writing style and conventions conform to the American Psychological Association publication manual, 5th edition. This is the standard style used in our field. Copies of the manual should be available in the reference section of the Copley library. Academic Integrity: You are expected to maintain university policies on academic honesty. All work that you turn in should be yours. Proper credit must be given to the ideas and work borrowed from or influenced by others. Failure to do so will result in automatic failure and other disciplinary actions according to university policy. The definitions, expectations and policies pertaining to Academic Integrity applicable to this course are published in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences’ Graduate Student Policies 2008-2009.
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Course Outline
Date
Topic
Th, Jan. 29
Course introduction
Th, Feb. 5
*Ethics as a personal growth experience *Learning by talking/listening *Relativism, absolutism, pluralism
Ethics/leadership knowledge Weston chapters 1 & 2 Johnson chapters 1 & 2
*Ethical practice *Ethical small groups
Self-knowledge Argumentativeness scale (Johnson, p. 252)
Th, Feb. 12
Reading / Assignment Due
Self-knowledge *Ethical self-awareness instrument (Johnson, p. 51) Select a book for your review
Skills/tools Weston, Chapters 11 & 12 Johnson Chapter 8 Th, Feb. 19
Engaging in ethical dialogue
Skills/tools Weston Chapters 4, 13 & 14
Th, Feb. 26
*Conscience, character and values *You can change your life *Working from a vision *Personal mission statements
Ethics/leadership knowledge Johnson Chapter 3 Weston Ch 6, 17 & 18 (chapter will not be discussed in class)
On-line class: individual ethical issues
Submit your individual issue to the course website on Monday March 2nd, read each class member’s submission, and be prepared to respond to others’ submissions by March 5th.
Th, Mar. 5
Self-knowledge Instrumental and terminal values (Johnson, pp. 92-93)
Enhance your individual issue paper by applying material learned so far. Take into consideration any feedback you receive from colleagues and the instructor. Be prepared to discuss potential solutions to your issue (and others’ issues) with your small/large groups at the next meeting.
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Th, Mar. 12 Spring Break – NO CLASSES Th, Mar. 19 *Reframing and solving problems creatively.
Skills/tools Weston Chapter 15 & 16 (pp. 323-336) In class: *Be prepared to discuss potential solutions to your issue with your small/large groups DUE: Your personal mission statement is to be handed in today (and at the end of the course). This submission will not be graded, but grade will be affected if assignment is late.
Th, Mar. 26 *The ethics of the person. *Kant and the ethics of duty/rights. *The ethics of justice/fairness.
Ethics/leadership knowledge Weston Chapter 7 Johnson Chapter 5 (pp. 137-147);
Th, Apr. 2
Ethics/leadership knowledge Weston Chapter 10
*The ethics of relationship. *Ethical decision making formats I: Kidder and Nash
Skills/tools Johnson Chapter 7 (pp. 199-216) DUE: First submission (hard copy) of the Final Paper in class to the instructor.
Th, Apr. 9
Easter break – USD is closed
Th, Apr. 16
On-line class: book Submit your 5- to 7- page, double spaced book review to reviews and the course website on Monday April 13th, read each class discussion member’s submission, and be prepared to respond to others’ submissions by April 16th.
Th, Apr. 23
*Servant leadership. *Service and
Ethics/leadership knowledge Weston Chapter 5 Johnson Chapter 6
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Th, Apr. 30
Th, May 7
service learning *Normative leadership theories *You can change the world *Making change together
Servant-Leadership website: http://www.leadersdirect.com/servant.html
*The ethics of happiness *The ethics of virtue *Ethical decision making formats II: The SAD formula, Cooper’s active process model and the case study method
Ethics/leadership knowledge Weston Chapters 8 & 9 Johnson Chapter 7 (pp. 216-225).
*Creating an ethical organizational climate. *Meeting the ethical challenges of cultural diversity
Ethics/leadership knowledge Johnson Chapter 5 (pp. 149-158), Chapters 9 & 10
Skills/tools Weston Chapters 19 & 20
DUE: Final Personal Mission Statement (15 points)
Self-knowledge Perceived leader integrity scale (Johnson, pp. 172-173) DUE: A hard copy of the Final Paper (second submission) is due in class.
Th, May 14
*Instructor evaluation *Reflections and comments about our ethical journey
Discussion of mission statement, individual ethical/leadership issue, and/or some of the main learnings from the course. DUE: Retrospective reflection/self-evaluation
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