EDLD 579
Contemporary Thought Leaders in Leadership Studies
Instructor: George E. Reed, Ph.D. george.reed@sandiego.edu 619-260-4893
3 Units
Course Location: MRH 139, Executive Classroom
Course Objectives: 1. Critically analyze book-length works on leadership to assess their implications for study and practice. 2. Develop and understanding of some of the important segments of the literature of leadership studies. 3. Comprehend some of the emerging thoughts and concepts associated with the study and practice of leadership through discussions with contemporary authors and researchers. 4. Apply a multiple perspectives approach to the study of leadership that leads to a synthesis of course material. Course Description Contemporary Thought Leaders in Leadership Studies takes a great books approach to the study of leadership by exposing students to contemporary books on the subject followed by facilitated discussions with the authors. Authors will be invited to the university to discuss their work with students, and when campus visits are not possible video teleconferencing technology will be used to permit the discussion. The course fosters a multiple perspectives approach to leadership studies by exposing participants to a variety of notable authors and researchers. The course will focus on six books determined by the instructor to be of value when considering the phenomenon of leadership. While the authors will change with each course offering, a sample listing follows: Required Texts and Readings Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational leadership (2nd. edition). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Lipman-Blumen, J. (2005). The allure of toxic leaders. New York: Oxford. Clampitt, P.G. & DeKoch, R.J. (2001). Embracing uncertainty: The essence of leadership. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe.
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Eagley, A. (2007). Through the labyrinth: The truth about how women become leaders. Boston: Harvard University Press. Bell, E. L. J. and Nkomo, S. M. (2001). Our Separate Ways: Black and white women and the struggle for professional identity. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Burns, J.M. & Sorenson, G. (1999). Dead center. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Candidate Outcomes and Evaluation Most of the time in seminar will be spent in dialogue, and discussion of books with the authors. Class participation is important to individual and class learning and thus participants will be graded on their preparation, participation, and contributions to seminar learning. Student preparation and participation in discussion is assessed by attendance record and instructor judgment In addition to the reading assignments, there will be a requirement to develop questions and prepare for dialogue with the invited authors. The final written assignment will consist of a book review of publishable quality not to exceed 5,000 words. The book review also serves the secondary purpose as an evaluation of a work for subsequent iterations of this course. The contents of a book review often vary, but as a rule of thumb it should introduce the author, summarize the author's theme or thesis, his or her purpose for writing the book, and arguments in support of the thesis. The review should also include an evaluation of the author's style, unique perspectives, and contributions to the field. The review should not only summarize the book, but it should also demonstrate good habits of critical thinking. Therefore it should analyze the author's point of view and underlying assumptions, and it should consider the implications and consequences for leadership study and practice. It should apply universal intellectual standards of clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, and logic (See Paul R. & Elder L. The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking). All written work (book review and online entries) will be assessed on the quality, appropriateness and comprehensiveness of the ideas expressed, how well the ideas are supported with reasoning, evidence, and appropriate references to the course readings, the clarity of the paper or entry's organization; and whether the writing is free of grammatical and other technical errors. Participants are expected to attend class prepared to discuss in-depth, the assigned books. Class participation is important to individual and class learning and thus students will be graded on their active engagement in the seminar.
Class attendance 30% 2
Course contributions to dialogue 30% Book review 40% NOTE: STUDENTS WHO FAIL TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS COURSE WILL RECEIVE AN “INCOMPLETE.” THE REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET BY THE END OF THE TENTH WEEK OF THE NEXT REGULAR SEMESTER; OTHERWISE, THE “I” GRADE WILL BE COUNTED AS AN “F.” Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in the class are encouraged to contact Disability Services in Serra 300 (tel. 260-4655) as soon as possible to better ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Course Schedule/Activities Session 1
Course Overview
26 January 2009
In this session we will discuss the course content and expectations. We will discuss course deliverables, especially the final paper and the online discussion entries required after each presentation. In addition, we will discuss good habits of critical thinking and the means by which we can evaluate written works. Session 2
Preparation for Book 1 Dialogue
2 February 2009
Session 3
Book 1
9 February 2009
Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational leadership (2nd edition). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Session 4
Preparation for Book 2 & 3 Dialogue
16 February 2009
Session 5
Book 2
23 February 2009
Clampitt, P.G. & DeKoch, R.J. (2001). Embracing uncertainty: The essence of leadership. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. Session 6
Book 3
2 March 2009
Lipman-Blumen, J. (2004). The Allure of toxic leaders: Why we follow toxic bosses and civilians—and how we survive them. New York: Oxford University Press. NO CLASS ON 9 MARCH 2009 DUE TO SPRING BREAK Session 7
Preparation for Book 4 Dialogue
16 March 2009
Session 8
Book 4
23 March 2009
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Eagley, A. (2007). Through the labyrinth: The truth about how women become leaders. Boston: Harvard University Press. Session 9
Preparation for Book 5 Dialogue
6 April 2009
Session 10
Book 5
20 April 2009
Bell, E. L. J. and Nkomo, S. M. (2001). Our Separate Ways: Black and white women and the struggle for professional identity. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Session 11
Preparation for Book 6 Dialogue
27 April 2009
Session 12
Book 6
4 May 2009
Burns, J.M. & Sorenson, G. (1999). Dead center. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Session 13
Presentation of book reviews
11 May 2009
The last sessions of the course are dedicated to discussing the book reviews that serve, in part, as a recommendation for books and authors for the next iteration of the course. No handouts or PowerPoint slides are necessary. Your goal is to discuss the case and its implications. Try to avoid reading your case word for word. See the rubric at Appendix A. Book Reviews are Due on 11 May
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Appendix A: Rubric for Evaluating Written Products Needs Improvement C
Meets Standards B
Exceeds Standards A
Style
Written awkwardly with apparent stylistic problems. Contains distracting errors. Difficult to read. Uneven in clarity and tense. Does not conform to APA style.
Clearly written without distracting errors. Presentable. Appropriate if not compelling. Uses appropriate vocabulary. Conforms to APA style.
Reflects a high level of scholarship and expertise. Suitable for publication. Clearly above standards. Free of error. Fluent and expressive. Adept at using APA style.
Organization
Lack of logical relationship between parts of the discourse. Avoids the topic. Written haphazardly with repetition. Topic, approach and pattern are not readily apparent.
Thesis is clear and unambiguous. Focuses on the topic and sticks to it. Plan and approach are clear. Paper is arranged in a logical manner. Clear sense of beginning and close.
Organization contributes to persuasiveness of the paper. Tightly organized with clear sense of beginning and end facilitated with the use of transitions.
Content
Lack of convincing analysis. Serious flaws in logic. Ambivalent, lacks insight into the issues involved. Uneven in clarity, lacking in unity, sparse in evidence. Generalizes exclusively or uses profuse detail in support of very little. Disconnected from course concepts and materials. Insufficient or
Displays a mature ability to think issues through, gather information and express ideas. Offers adequate analysis and communicates clearly. Source material clearly acknowledged. Contains a persuasive argument linked to course concepts and materials.
Work exhibits clarity of thought and expression. High level of scholarship and expertise. Analyzes convincingly and communicates clearly. Exhibits critical thinking skills. Wellreasoned work with good evidence. Persuasive argument clearly linked to course concepts and materials.
5
excessive length.
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Appendix B: Avoiding Plagiarism Hugo Bedau wrote in Thinking and Writing About Philosophy (p. 141) that "Writers plagiarize when they use another's words or ideas without suitable acknowledgement. Plagiarism amounts to theft--theft of language and thought. Plagiarism also involves deception…. [Plagiarism] wrongs the person from whom the words or thoughts were taken and to whom no credit was given; and it wrongs the reader by fraudulently misrepresenting the words or thoughts as though they are the writer's own." Finally, although it sounds like a cliché, when you plagiarize you cheat yourself: first, by not developing the discipline and diligence to research, write, and edit well; second, because taking credit for other people's ideas will induce outrage and resentment against you; and third, because a habit of plagiarism can end your career and destroy your reputation. If you are unfamiliar with the University of San Diego’s policy, please read it. The code of academic integrity is not just rhetoric; forms of academic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, or facilitating academic dishonesty, may result in suspension or expulsion from the university. To avoid plagiarism, you must cite your sources everywhere in your paper where you use the ideas of others, and not only when you quote them directly, but also where you paraphrase their points in your own words. In general, you should only use direct quotes when you find the author’s wording to be especially effective. Your paraphrasing or summaries of author’s points should be thorough. It is not fair to an author to change only a couple of words in a paragraph and then imply (by not using direct quotes) that the paragraph is entirely your own prose. It might help to imagine the author reading over your shoulder. You are certainly encouraged to work and learn collaboratively, both within and outside the seminar. The work you submit, however, should reflect your own thoughts and ideas, expressed in your own words unless you cite whose words you are using. You must cite references you use in completing your work using the format of the APA 5th Edition Style Manual. If you are unsure of what this means, please check with me before completing an assignment.
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