BUS 119- Week 1 -Discussion 1

BUS 119 – Principles of Personal & Organizational Leadership

Overview – Suggested and Required Actions for this week

• Post your introduction – What would you like us to know about you?

• Read Chapters 1 & 2 in your text book

• 2 Discussion Questions – Original Posts – Due by Thursday, 11:59 pm

• Respond to at least 2 classmates for each question – Due by Monday 11:59 pm

• Leadership Journal

Northouse, P. G. (2018). Introduction to leadership: Concepts and practice (4 ed.).

Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

This textbook is a ConstellationTM

Course digital materials (CDM) title.

This week students will

1. Define leadership.

2. Identify key characteristics associated with effective practice of leadership.

3. Explore the impact of definitions and traits on the study of leadership.

Activity Due Date Format Grading Percent

Read Chapters 1 & 2

Post Your Introduction Day 1 Discussion 2

Conceptualizing Leadership Questionnaire

Day 3 (1st post)

Discussion 3

Respond to at least 2 classmates’ posts

Day 7 Discussion Part of 3 above

Leadership Lessons Day 3 (1st post) Discussion 3

Respond to at least 2 classmates’ posts

Day 7 Discussion Part of 3 above

Leadership Journal Day 6 500 to 1,000 words

6

“Leadership is a process of social influence which maximizes efforts of others towards achievement of a goal” (Kruse, 2013, para. 1).

What is leadership? Leadership has nothing to do with seniority or one’s position in the hierarchy of a company.

Leadership has nothing to do with titles.

Leadership has nothing to do with personal attributes.

KEY LEADERSHIP PARADIGMS Just as every other field of study changes with time so too is the field of leadership study changing. Consider the following changes in thinking regarding leadership:

Traditional Contemporary

Departments System

Fragmented, Specialized Connected, Flexible

Authority, Decision Level Empower, Facilitation

Control Envision

Permanent, Growing Temporary, Trimmed

Pyramid Flat

Cost Cutting Social Sensitivity

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP? Ask 20 people the question “What is leadership?” and you may get 30 different answers. If we examine the differences we receive, we may be able to identify a few themes, from which we may be able to construct a rough definition.

Here are the themes we receive back: leading – setting direction, pace, and rhythm toward a vision leader – one who is setting the direction, pace, and rhythm toward a vision

So then leadership – the ability to set direction, pace, and rhythm, and organize and

motivate supporters, subordinates, and/or populations toward achieving the vision.

So leadership is a term that is somewhat difficult to set in fixed terms. We may often hear people say, “I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it.”

If we can agree that leadership is the ability to help individuals achieve a goal, then we can set some fixed aspects of leadership. Here are some items to remember throughout this class that will help frame our study of leadership:

1. Leadership must excite movement toward a goal or vision. 2. The approach and methods used by the leader are the leader’s leadership

style. 3. Leadership style is influenced by the leader’s personality. 4. A leader may and probably will use more than one style to lead. 5. A leader’s leadership style often reflects how they feel about their followers.

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP? (CONTINUED)

KEY TERMS

You may be asked to use these terms in Discussion Board responses or your assignment for the week.

Term Definition

Authentic Leadership An emerging leadership approach that looks at the authenticity of leaders and their leadership

Behavior Approach an approach to leadership research that focuses on behavior and examines what leaders do and how they act

Contingency Theory a leadership theory that focuses on the match between the leader’s style and specific situational variables

“Great Man” Theories early trait theories of leadership that focused on identifying the innate qualities and characteristics possessed by great social, political, and military leaders

(Northouse, 2018)

KEY TERMS (CONTINUED)

Term Definition

Leadership a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal

Path-goal Theory a leadership theory that examines how leaders use employee motivation to enhance performance and satisfaction

Relational Approach an approach to leadership research that examines the nature of relations between leaders and followers

Servant Leadership an emerging leadership approach that emphasizes the “caring principle” with leaders as “servants” who focus on their followers’ needs in order to help these followers become more autonomous, knowledgeable, and like servants themselves

(Northouse, 2018)

Term Definition

Situational Approach an approach to leadership research based on the premise that different situations demand different kinds of leadership

Spiritual Leadership an emerging leadership approach that examines how leaders use values, a sense of “calling,” and membership to motivate followers

Task Behaviors behaviors used by leaders to get the job done

Trait a distinguishing personal quality that is often inherited (e.g., intelligence, confidence, charisma, determination, sociability, or integrity)

Trait Approach an approach to leadership research that focuses on identifying the innate qualities and characteristics possessed by individuals (see also “Great Man” theories)

KEY TERMS (CONTINUED)

(Northouse, 2018)

FSB APA GUIDANCE Please use the FSB APA Guidance located in your classroom.

REFERENCES Kruse, K. (2013, April 9th). What is leadership? Forbes.com. Retrieved from

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/04/09/what-is-leadership

Northouse, P. G. (2018). Introduction to leadership: Concepts and practice (4 ed.). Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu

RECOMMENDED READINGS Chapter 1 What is Leadership? Behavior Approach Situational Approach Leadership is a Skill Courage

Chapter 2 Quality Traits of Good Leaders Sociability Benefits

RECOMMENDED VIEWINGS Great leadership starts with self-leadership | Lars Sudmann | TEDxUCLouvain

Start with why -- how great leaders inspire action | Simon Sinek | TEDxPugetSound

The psychology of self-motivation | Scott Geller |

Emotional Intelligence: How Good Leaders Become Great -- UC Davis Executive Leadership Program

RECOMMENDED VIEWINGS FROM THE TEXT Chapter 1

Top 10 Characteristics of a Leader Teamwork and Collaboration Leadership Defined CNN: Pepsico CEO Indra Nooyi

RECOMMENDED VIEWINGS Chapter 2

Connie Podesta Determination Integrity George Washington Mother Teresa Nelson Mandela

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS ON ACADEMIC WRITING OR APA FORMATTING? https://awc.ashford.edu/Index.html

ANY QUESTIONS?

Please post your questions in the Ask the instructor thread or email me