LEADERSHIP FOR THE COMMON GOOD:

Transforming Ourselves, Our Organizations & Our Communities

School of Public Policy

 

PUAF 201, Fall 2006

Mondays, 10:00 – 11:50am

CORE Interdisciplinary Education

 

Discussion Sections

0101, Wednesday, 10:00 – 10:50am

0201, Wednesday, 11:00 – 11:50am

0301, Friday, 10:00 – 10:50am

 

Syllabus:

 

Office Hours:             Mondays, 1:00 – 5:00pm; (in 1212 Centreville Hall)

                                    and by appointment

 

Instructor:                  Adam Luecking, MPM

                                    Assistant Director, CPS Public Leadership Program

                                    Assistant Director, Results Leadership Program

                                    1112 Preinkert Hall

                                    301-405-4174

                                    awlueck@umd.edu

 

Graduate Asst:           TBD

 

Introduction: 

This course is designed to inspire, teach and engage students in the process of public leadership as it relates to the psychological, political, organizational, moral and ethical dimensions student development.  Through leadership in the public sector, students can and will change the face of our nation and our world.  This course will introduce students to the concept of leadership as a relational process and public leadership as a responsibility of each individual.  Students will learn leadership theory and come to understand their role in public leadership on campus and within our larger society to help create a greater “common good.”  Students will develop skills necessary to be effective in the leadership process and practice these skills within the campus environment.  The course will be highly interactive with student participation and outside class involvement critical elements of success in the course.  It is only through their full participation that students will begin to transform themselves, their organizations and their communities.

 

Learning Outcomes:  

As a result of this course, students will:

  • Increase an awareness of the behavioral and social dimensions of leadership;
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the interconnections of leadership within and across academic disciplines;
  • Gain an understanding of historical and contemporary leadership theory;
  • Appreciate how leadership theory is connected to past events or findings and recent developments;
  • Learn the basics of interest based negotiation and collaborative leadership;
  • Draw from a set of leadership theories and practical skills to analyze and solve problems;
  • Using the “Ladder of Inference” and skills of advocacy and inquiry, demonstrate critical analysis of arguments, their underlying assumptions and data used to make those assumptions,
  • Develop basic skills to lead groups effectively and to evaluate success; and
  • Appreciate and articulate the morale component of transformational leadership

 

ASSIGNMENTS:

 

Autobiography:  Write about the first time you realized your leadership potential.  What is your purpose in life and what is the significance of that purpose?  What is your personal philosophy of leadership?  What and who has influenced or shaped your values (can be both positive and negative experiences) and philosophy of leadership?  Think about your experiences as a follower engaged in a leadership process and describe the dynamics of being a follower.  Discuss critical incidents that have occurred in your life and how they transformed you.  Students should also integrate core course concepts covered by due date of assignment. This paper should be typed, double-spaced, and 6-8 pages in length, and is due on October 9.

 

Transforming Leader Interview Paper:  The purpose of this assignment is to interview a leader who may be in career or academic field related to your own.  You should identify an individual who you believe practices transforming leadership.  The interview should focus on the leader’s experiences, challenges, change processes, philosophy of leadership, ethics, theory of accountability, and advice he or she would give to aspiring leaders.  Students should also integrate core course concepts covered by due date of assignment.  The paper should be typed, double spaced, and 5-6 pages in length, and is due on November 27.

 

Leadership Literature Discussion:

All students will be asked to choose a leadership book from any discipline (business management, political, psychology, sociology, environmental, etc.) from a list provided in class on the first day (see Appendix A for a sample list).  Each student will identify and examine leadership themes in the book.  Through the semester in their discussion section (see Appendix A for outline of discussion sections), each member of the group will have the opportunity to lead a discussion about the book focusing on how the book relates to material covered in the course.  As part of the Leadership and Literature discussions, each student will keep a journal (due in your discussion section) about the book integrating their insights about the text, knowledge gained and/or impact of the previous class and corresponding reading, and the collaborative process you are engaging in with your peers.  They are not a summary of the class or event.  Journals are approximately 1-2 pages per entry.  Your complete journal compilation will be due in your last discussion section.

Required Texts and Readings (readings are to be completed PRIOR to the class for which they are assigned:

  • Getting to Yes, Fisher, Ury, Patton, 1991
  • Trying Hard is Not Good Enough, Friedman, 2005
  • Exploring Leadership, Komives, Lucas, McMahon, 1998
  • Results Based Facilitation Workbook, Pillsbury, 2006
  • Goleman (“What Makes a Leader?”) Article and Finding Your Voice Chapter to be handed out in class
  • Another book you choose that is approved by instructor. Annotated list of approved books is attached to this syllabus.

 

Grading:                                                                                                         DUE DATE

Class Participation                                                                    20%                 Ongoing

Autobiography                                                              15%                 October 9

Transforming Leader Interview                                      20%                 November 27

Leadership and Literature Journals                                            15%                 Weekly, 12/11

Discussion Quizzes                                                                   10%                 Three TBD

Final Exam                                                                               20%                 TBD

 

Writing Guidelines:

For all writing assignments, including Journals and Transforming Leader Interview, you will be paraphrasing and/or quoting from the text in the process of writing your response.  Please be knowledgeable on APA style (http://www.apastyle.org) or see your instructor for assistance.  All original thoughts and quotations that come from other people or sources must be properly cited and referenced in your papers.  Your papers should show integration of course information and demonstrate your understanding of leadership concepts in a clear, precise manner.

 

ADA:

Please contact your instructor of this course as soon as possible if you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations.

 

Code of Academic Integrity:

All students are expected to observe and honor the provisions of the University’s Code of Academic Integrity.  The Code of Academic Integrity defines academic dishonesty as “cheating,” “plagiarism,” “fabrication,” or “facilitating academic dishonesty.”  Academic dishonesty is a serious offense that may result in suspension or expulsion from the University.  The Public Leadership faculty expect high academic standards and work.  Faculty and students together will model the highest possible standards using the course as another laboratory to practice effective leadership.

 

Course Schedule:

 

If you want to move people, it has to be toward a vision that’s positive for them, that taps into important values, that gets them something they desire, and it has to be presented in a compelling way that they feel inspired to follow.

-         Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have a Dream”

 

September 11         Welcome and Orientation to the “Leadership for the Common Monday                Good” Course

                              Review of faculty and student expectations, discussion of learning                                        assignments, summary of the syllabus, and class assignments

 

September 18         Personal Leadership: Values and Passions

Monday                 How do leader’s values influence the leadership process?

·        Values Auction Exercise

·        Personal Values and self awareness

·        Movie Clips on Values in Leadership

                                    Reading Assignment:  Finding Your Voice, Chapter 4

 

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

-         Eleanor Roosevelt

 

September 25         Historical Views of Leadership and Leadership Theory

                              Guest Scholar:  Dr. Georgia Sorenson

·        Are leaders born or made?

·        Overview of leadership theories and definitions

·        Trait, Behavioral, and Causal Contingency Theories

                              Reading Due: Exploring Leadership, Chapters 1-2

 

October 2              Contemporary and Transforming Leadership Theory

·        Difference between management and leadership

·        Leadership Definitions

·        Transactional and Transformational Leadership

·        The Social Change Model of Leadership

·        Followership, Servant Leadership

                              Reading Due:  Exploring Leadership, Chapter 3

 

October 9              The Psychology of Leadership: Emotional Intelligence as a Hallmark of Success

                              Reading Due:  What Makes a Leader

                              Assignment Due:  Leadership Autobiography

 

October 16            The Psychology of Leadership: Understanding Yourself and Others

                              Assignments Due:  Complete the free online MBTI assessments at                                       http://www.my-pub.net/mbti/ and                                                                                        http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm.  Hand in                                       stapled print outs of both assessments in class.

                              Reading Due:  Exploring Leadership, Chapter 4 - 5

 

The main thing in life is not to be afraid to be human.

-         Pablo Casals

 

October 23                        Collaborative Leadership Part I:  Introduction to Interest                                           Based Negotiation

·        Community Simulation

·        The Seven Elements of IBN

                              Readings Due:  Getting to Yes, Chapters 1-2

 

October 30                        Collaborative Leadership Part II:  Getting the Most Out of                                        Your Agreements

·        Business Case Study and Personal Application

·        The Ladder of Inference and Circle Chart

                                    Reading Due:  Getting To Yes, Chapters 3-4

 

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.

-         Indira Ghandhi

 

November 6           The Theory of Organizational Development and Group Dynamics

                              Guest Scholar: Dr. Jolie Bain Pillsbury

·        The theory of Results Based Facilitation

·        Developing key skills to run successful meetings

·        Assessing group dynamics

                              Reading Due:  RBF Workbook, Pages 1-67

                                                      Exploring Leadership, Chapter 6

 

November 13         The Theory and Practice of Leading Groups

·        Developing key skills and behaviors in a facilitator

·        Using Appreciative Listening as a leadership tool

                              Reading Due:  RBF Workbook, Pages 67-113

                                                      Exploring Leadership, Chapter 7

 

In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice.

But, in practice, there is.
- Jan L.A. van de Snepscheut

 

November 20         Performance Accountability:  Achieving results in your                                                Organization

·   Assessing how organizations of any kind can maximize intended impact

                              Reading Due:  Trying Hard is Not Good Enough, Chapters 1-4

 

November 27         Population Accountability: Achieving Results for Children, Families and Communities

·   Health and Environment “Turn the Curve” Exercises

·   Assessing how indicators on conditions of community well-being should drive decision making in the public policy arena

Reading Due: Trying Hard is not Good Enough, Chapters 5-7

Assignment Due:  Transforming Leader Interview Paper

 

If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.

-         Unknown

 

December 4           Moral Leadership

                              Guest Scholar:  Dr. Verna Gehring

·        Do the ends justify the means?

·        Moral and ethical theories

·        Ethical Dimensions of Leadership

                              Reading Due:  Exploring Leadership, Chapter 9

 

December 11         Tying it all Together and Final Review

                              Reading Due:  Exploring Leadership, Chapter 10-11

 

December 20         Final Exam; 8-10 a.m.