Insegnamento a.a. 2018-2019

20523 - LEADERSHIP AND POWER

Department of Management and Technology

Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 31
M (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/10)
Course Director:
CASSANDRA RAE CHAMBERS

Classes: 31 (I sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: CASSANDRA RAE CHAMBERS


Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

What is leadership? This is a more difficult question to answer than one might think. This course takes as its fundamental premise that leadership is the exercise of power and influence over others. It explores how leadership can be exercised by anyone inside an organization, regardless of their level of formal authority. Using the case method with an emphasis on real-world examples of common challenges found in organizations, this course explores frameworks based on relational forms of leadership. Students learn different frameworks for understanding how individuals exercise power and influence over others, analyse which factors contribute to more effective leadership styles from positions at various levels of an organizational hierarchy, and apply this understanding to the analysis of real-life leaders’ strengths and weaknesses.

CONTENT SUMMARY

Leadership models of the last century have been products of top-down, bureaucratic paradigms. These models are extremely effective for an economy premised on physical production but are not well-suited for a more knowledge-oriented economy. Surely, the context is changing but so are the people. Today’s students encounter a world that demands a new level of intellectual sophistication, intercultural literacy, and social engagement from college graduates. They face technological revolution, pressing societal problems, and unparalleled opportunities. This course postulates that leadership is not self-serving, but is a responsibility of everyone in an effort to positively impact the communities within which we belong. Thus, it becomes increasingly important to understand the emerging trend in theory and practice of leadership of the 21st century. The course covers the following topics:

  1. Introduction to Leadership as the exercise of power and influence.
  2. Motivation: How do you get people to do things they might not voluntarily do otherwise?
  3. Creating and sustaining positive relationships: Emotional intelligence and social capital.
  4. Managing differences: Managing across geographic, demographic, and social distance.
  5. Managing fear: Building efficacy in speaking up and doing what is right.
  6. Managing conflict and difficult conversations: Effective feedback and conflict management.
  7. Managing organizational politics: Understanding one’s own environment.
  8. Managing crises: A leader’s role in sensemaking and persuasive communication.
  9. Managing failure: Overcoming failures and building resilience.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...

During and after successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Understand a variety of recent leadership theories, models, paradigms, and approaches.
  • Explore their leadership and/or followership identities, develop and expand awareness of diversity and social change.
  • Understand the complex underlying mechanisms of leader-follower relationships.
  • Examine leadership from a holistic, inclusive, sustainable, and ethical perspective.
  • Integrate theoretical leadership perspectives through applied and researched writing assignments.

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Develop tractable solutions for resolving conflict in organizations.
  • Diagnose and implement effective leadership styles.

Teaching methods

  • Face-to-face lectures
  • Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
  • Individual assignments
  • Group assignments

DETAILS

During the course, a variety of teaching and learning techniques are used to enable students to think critically and imaginatively about various perspectives on leadership. To realize the goal of a shared learning experience between students and the instructor, the course is aimed at integrating real challenges and practical experiences of leadership, which includes case discussions, self assessment, group projects, experiential exercises, and critical reflection on the various course materials.


Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Individual assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)
    x
  • Active class participation (virtual, attendance)
    x
  • Peer evaluation
x    

ATTENDING STUDENTS

For attending students: no final exam. Cumulative assessment (CA) constitutes 100% of the final grade, consisting of:

  • Mid-Course Surveys 10%
  • In-Class Participation 30%
  • Case Analyses 20%
  • Individual paper 40%

NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

For non-attending students: cumulative assessment of non-attending students constitutes 100% of the final grade, consisting of a final oral exam, a final essay, and weekly case analyses and surveys.


Teaching materials


ATTENDING AND NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

For attending and non-attending students: Coursepack

Last change 09/07/2018 14:27