Instructor: David Waldman, Ph.D. Office: FAB N-165 Office hours: 5:30 6:15 pm Wednesdays, or by appointment Telephone:

Transcription

1 ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY Syllabus MGT 591 (PM) Global Leadership David Waldman, Ph.D. Spring 2006 Administrative Information Instructor: David Waldman, Ph.D. Office: FAB N-165 Office hours: 5:30 6:15 pm Wednesdays, or by appointment Telephone: Course Description, Purpose, and Learning Outcomes Leadership has been frequently heralded by writers and executives as the key to sustained competitive advantage on the part of U.S. organizations. In addition, it is clear that the possession of leadership qualities and the display of leader behavior are requirements for individuals attempting to progress in their careers. It is important for aspiring managers to learn about the nature of effective leadership and how they can develop their own competencies in this area. Accordingly, this course will have three primary purposes. First, students will learn about the various ways to demonstrate leadership effectively. We will focus on leadership shown in dyads, in groups, and strategically across hierarchical levels, as well as beyond organizational boundaries. Traditional approaches will be highlighted, as well more emerging approaches, such as transformational and values-based leadership. Moreover, we will consider leadership in a global context, including how effective leadership practices can differ across cultures. Second, aside from simply learning about leadership, a special feature of this course will involve active student participation in leadership development activities. Specifically, we will conduct a small-scale assessment center simulation in class to enable students to obtain developmental feedback regarding specific skills relevant to leadership. The information from these simulations will be combined with data from a 360-degree feedback process, together allowing students to gain better insight regarding their leadership development needs. In addition, each student will observe and attempt to model a particular individual identified as personifying effective leadership. Third, students will practice leadership by engaging in various class exercises and coaching activities. Specifically, the coaching activity will involve the delivery of feedback to a fellow classmate based on the simulation and 360-degree feedback data mentioned above. Specific learning objectives for the course include the following: 1. to gain an understanding of traditional and emerging leadership practices, and how such practices can be applied cross-culturally; 2. to develop coaching and communication skills relevant to leadership;

2 3. to experience an assessment center simulation and 360-degree feedback processes as a participant, and to receive developmental feedback based on these activities; 4. to experience an assessment center simulation as an assessor and thus develop skills at: (a) observing and evaluating performance behavior, (b) preparing an informative feedback summary, and (c) administering a coaching session based on the simulations and 360-degree feedback data; and 5. to build leadership skills and perspective by observing and role modeling an effective leader. Learning Approach This course will be based on an adult learning model, which means that students are highly encouraged to participate and become involved in their own learning. Students should come to class well-prepared to help contribute to class discussions, having read all assigned readings. At times, students may also be requested to help lead class discussions and engage in class exercises or cases based on pre-assigned materials. The typical class will begin with lecture/discussion that summarizes the readings, especially difficult, controversial, or particularly important concepts. This portion of the class will also be used to introduce new material that goes beyond the readings. The second portion of class will typically focus on experiential activities in the form of exercises and cases. There will also be some use of videotapes and guest speakers. These speakers are demonstrated leaders who will share their perspectives, experiences, and insights. Blackboard will be used as courseware in order to facilitate communication and discussions, as well as providing information. Please examine Blackboard on a regular basis in order to keep up with announcements. Textbook, Cases, and Readings Daft, R. L The leadership experience (3rd ed.). Cincinnati, OH: South-Western. Case: Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, knight of the British empire. London, Ontario: Ivey Business School. Case: Crafting a vision at Daimler-Chrysler. London, Ontario: Ivey Business School. Case: WestJet Airlines: The culture that breeds a passion to succeed. London, Ontario: Ivey Business School. Case: WestJet Airlines: Still going strong. London, Ontario: Ivey Business School. Case: DSPD: Boarding the Zaharia Express. Cincinnati, OH: South-Western. 2

3 Two additional readings (articles) and two additional cases will be put on electronic reserve. Other cases and exercises will be handed out in class. Leadership Residency Projects There are two projects required for this course. Each of these projects involves applications of course topics and learning. Project 1. The 1st project relates to class activities and discussions that will be conducted on Feb. 22, Mar. 1, and Mar. 29. Assessment center (AC) methods will be among the topics covered on these dates. An AC entails the use of multiple measurement devices typically administered in an intensive (e.g., day-long) manner. For example, many organizations select or promote managers on the basis of scores obtained in a one or two-day AC. During the AC, candidates participate in experiential exercises, largely designed to assess leadership and related dimensions of managerial work. Candidates are then scored in terms of their performance, and selection/promotion decisions are made accordingly. Alternatively, an AC can be used to simply provide performance feedback to individuals to help them develop their leadership and managerial potential. On Feb. 22, you will receive explanations regarding AC methodology and specific information on the mini AC and coaching session that we will proceed to conduct in class that day. For project 1, you will be evaluating the performance of one of your classmates with whom you will be paired. In turn, that person will evaluate your performance. Performance will be recorded on in-basket and leaderless group discussion exercises in the AC simulation. In addition, you will also have 360-degree feedback information on your paired classmate. These data will be discussed the first day of class, as well as on Mar. 1. In essence, you will be asked to identify 5-10 individuals who could evaluate you in terms of interpersonal, teamwork, and leadership behavior. They could be individuals (e.g., peers and subordinates) from your current or former work setting(s), or alternatively, they could be fellow students in the MBA program. During the early portion of the semester, you will send these individuals an request directing them to the web site containing the 360-degree survey for this course. That request should identify the purpose of the survey (i.e., developmental activity for MGT 591) and specify the anonymity of their returned data. You will also complete a self-report survey so that your self-ratings can be compared to those by others. The instructor will sort the returned data and send respective data to your paired classmate by March 8. All returned data will remain confidential. Your paired classmate should not reveal your data to others. The web links for the peer/subordinate and self-surveys, respectively, are: On Mar. 29, you will deliver a 4-7 page (excluding any appendices that might be included), double-spaced feedback report to your partner regarding his/her performance in the: (1) AC simulation in class, and (2) 360-degree feedback data. You should come to class on Mar. 29 with 3

4 two copies of the report: one copy for the person being coached; one copy for the instructor. That report should be easy to read and understand, and it should be professional in appearance. As much as possible, you should try to integrate or consolidate the multiple sources of information mentioned above. You may have engaged in a 360-degree feedback process in MGT502. If so, you should produce a 1-page summary of your development plan and subsequent actions that you have taken in accordance with the plan. That summary should be supplied to the person with whom you will be paired who, in turn, should incorporate it into the feedback/coaching process accompanying Project 1 for this class. You will engage in a one-on-one coaching session on Mar. 29 during which you can refer to the written report. Your feedback should be behaviorally-based and carefully formed as demonstrated through your explanations. In other words, it should follow the principles of good coaching as outlined in class on Mar. 1. Two other classmates will observe the one-on-one session. In order to help maintain confidentiality, you will have some input into who serves as your partner, as well as your observers. Grades for project 1 will be based on the following criteria: (1) quality of the written feedback report, and (2) quality of the coaching session (as reported by the assessee and the observers). Alternative Option. For various reasons, students may not be able to participate in Project 2 as it is structured above. For example, your participation hinges on being at class on Feb. 22 and Mar. 29. As an alternative project, you will be allowed to complete a paper on the integration of AC and 360-degree feedback data for leadership development purposes. That paper should be based on a review of pertinent literature (i.e., approximately 5-10 sources from the literature). It should be approximately 12 double-spaced pages in length (using a 12-point font). If you pursue this option, the instructor will need to know no later than Feb. 1. Project 2. One of the best ways to develop leadership is to find and emulate a role model. This project involves the shadowing of an individual in a leadership position who might provide a good role model for effective leadership behavior. This individual could be someone of your own choosing, but s/he should not be a member of your current line organization. Alternatively, the instructor will help find an appropriate person. You will be expected to spend approximately 20 hours observing this individual as s/he engages in their day-to-day activities, including interactions with followers, peers, customers, and superiors. If recommended by this individual, some of the 20 hours could be spent shadowing one or more other people in leadership positions. As part of your shadowing, you will ask questions of your role model(s), take notes, and so forth. As noted above, it is preferable for the person who you shadow to not be in your line organization (e.g., your boss or second-level superior). Instead, it is desirable for the individual to be outside of your immediate organization. If for job reasons, this is not possible, please confer with the instructor. The project will culminate in a 5-7 page, double-spaced paper in which you will summarize the experience of shadowing your role model. A key aspect of the paper will be the integration of material from your course textbook, cases, and readings, as well as at least one pertinent article or book from the popular leadership literature. That is, you will compare your role model s behaviors and beliefs pertaining to leadership to the models and prescriptions that you have experienced in 4

5 course material and the external article/book. Note that it is always possible that the person who you are shadowing might end up displaying some problematic, as well as appropriate, leadership behavior. You should maintain an open mind with regard to such possibilities. The paper will be due on April 12. Also note that the paper will remain confidential with the instructor. It is up to you as to whether the paper will be shared with the individual who you shadow. Class Involvement Class involvement is included in the grading scheme shown below and is considered to be an essential element of the course. Effective performance can be demonstrated by: 1. showing up to class (mandatory for a high class involvement grade); 2. demonstrating that you are keeping up with the assigned readings (e.g., by asking questions or making comments about the readings); 3. showing enthusiasm for course material (e.g., contributing to discussions pertaining to class exercises); and 4. showing courtesy and respect to fellow classmates and the instructor (e.g., arriving to class on time, leaving class only during scheduled breaks and when the instructor dismisses class, turning off one s cell phone prior to entering class, constructive [as opposed to destructive, rude, or cynical] critique, avoidance of chit-chat during class, and so forth). As shown above, attendance is the building block for effective class involvement. If you cannot attend a class, you are expected to make up material by meeting with fellow classmates and sharing notes. Exams and Grading Scheme Two exams will be administered in this course. Each will involve short answer and essay questions, and each will be based upon both class discussion and reading materials. The second exam is take-home, and it is not cumulative. Exams are open-book and open-notes. You should notify the instructor in advance if, due to work, health, or other constraints, you cannot take an exam at the scheduled time. The grading scheme for this course is as follows: % of Grade Exam 1 25 Exam 2 25 Project 1 20 Project 2 20 Class Involvement 10 Total 100 5

6 SCHEDULE Date Reading Topic Jan. 18 Ch. 1 Course introduction and overview of leadership Jan. 25 Ch. 2 Early trait and behavioral approaches to leadership; leader-member exchange (LMX) Feb. 1 Ch. 3 Contingency and situational leadership Feb. 8 Ch. 4, 5 (pp ); Personal characteristics of leaders: Personality, Giuliani case values & charisma, emotional intelligence Feb. 15 Ch. 6 Moral/ethical leadership; showing courage as a leader Feb Leadership development, Part I: Assessment center methods and simulation Mar. 1 Chapter 9; Reading 1 The practice of leadership through communication and coaching; Leadership development, Part II: 360-degree feedback processes Mar EXAM 1 Mar. 22 Ch. 10 & 11 Team-oriented leadership; leadership challenges in a diverse environment Mar Coaching sessions for Project 1 and debriefing (Project 1 reports due) Apr. 5 Ch. 13, Reading 2; Strategic leadership and vision formation Daimler/Chrysler case Apr. 12 Ch. 14; Westjet case Shaping culture through strategic leadership (Project 2 Reports due) Apr. 19 Ch. 16; DSPD case Generating organizational change through strategic leadership Apr. 26 Reading 3 Global versus culture-specific leadership EXAM 2 (take home) 6