Leadership
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leadership.docxW1 Assignment
This week you learned about the differences between Management and Leadership. Managers and leaders are not inherently different types of people. Many managers possess abilities and qualities to be effective leaders. As well, leadership cannot replace management--it is in addition to management.
Write a 2 page paper where you compare and contrast the term Management and Leadership.
Address the following in your paper:
Provide examples of leadership versus management activities for each of the 5 areas crucial to organizational performance.
Direction
Alignment
Relationships
Personal Qualities
Outcomes
Include your own examples, thoughts and experiences in your discussion.
Please adhere to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), (6th ed. 2nd priting) when writing and submitting assignments and papers.
W2 Discussion 75-150 words
How might a leader deal with a subordinate who is perpetually rude, insensitive, and disrespectful to others?
There are five levels of subordinate participation in decision making ranging from highly autocratic (leader decides alone) to highly democratic (leader delegates to group):
Write a 2 page paper. Address the following in your paper:
How does a leader decide which of the five decision styles to use?
Explain the five styles and give an example of when it would be best for the leader to use each style.
W3 Discussion 75-150 words
Why is so hard for people to change their assumptions?
Discuss specific reasons why leaders need to be aware of their mental models.
It takes courage to lead an organization with ethics.
For instance, Leaders at AIG argued that they were obligated to pay bonuses to executives even after the company was bailed out by the U.S. Government. They stated that they had a contractual obligation to pay these bonuses. Many people argued that the Leaders at AIG acted unethically when paying those bonuses.
Others said they were justified in doing so.
Write a 2 page paper. In your paper address the following:
How does a leader find the courage to step through fear and confusion to act ethically despite the risks involved?
Give an example of a situation in business where you observed a leader acting unethically/ethically.
Knowing what you know now how would you have counseled them?
Conclude your paper by describing how you will prepare yourself to lead ethically.
W4 Discussion 75-150 words
Consider your followership habits and style as well as what you expect from your leader.
Discuss the following questions in your post:
As a leader, what would you want most from followers?
As a follower, what would you want most from your leader?
How do these differ?
How are they the same?
Why is Managing Up Important in organizations?
This week’s theory discussed four tactics that enables followers to overcome the authority-based relationship and develop an effective, respectful relationship with their leaders.
Write a 2 page paper.
Address the following in your paper:
How can you be a resource for your leader
How can you help the leader be a good leader
How can you build a relationship with the leader
How can you view the leader realistically
What strategy would you use to “Manage Up”?
W5 Discussion 75-150 words
Discuss the stages of team development.
As the leader of a virtual team, how would you facilitate the team’s development through each stage?
Strategic conversation is communication that takes place across boundaries and hierarchical levels about the group or organization’s vision, critical strategic themes, and values that can help achieve desired outcomes.
Write a 2 page paper on “Strategic Conversations” & Your Organization.
Address the following elements in your paper. Explain why each is important in achieving outcomes.
An open communication climate
Asking questions
Active listening
Dialogue
Candor
Using stories for communication
W6 Discussion 75-150 words
Lord Acton, a British historian of the late 19th century, said that “power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely,” suggesting that a person’s sense of morality lessens as his or her power increases.
Discuss this idea.
Do you agree that power corrupts? Can you provide an example?
Considering this idea, is it ethical for leaders to try to increase their power?
This week you learned about power in the workplace.
Write a 2 page paper on “Personal Power.”
Address the following in your paper:
Describe ways in which you might increase your personal power.
How would you:
Appeal to a vision or higher purpose?
Use rational persuasion?
Help people to like you?
Rely on the rule of reciprocity?
Develop allies?
Ask for what you want?
W7 Discussion 75-150 words
A management consultant said that strategic leaders are concerned with vision and mission, while strategic managers are concerned with strategy.
Discuss:
Do you agree/disagree?
This week you learned about the importance of shaping culture and how it is a critical function of leadership.
Write a 2 page paper on “Organizational Culture”.
Address the following in your paper:
What is Culture
Why is it important
Internal Integration
External Adaptation
Also include a description of a culture for an organization you are familiar with. Identify some physical artifacts—such as log, mascot, building, advertising images—associated with the company and discuss what underlying values these suggest.
W8 Discussion 75-150 words
Is the world really changing faster today, or do people just assume so?
This week you learned about the importance of helping people be more creative.
Write a 2 page paper on “Tools for Helping People Be More Creative”.
Address the following “Tools” in your paper:
Facilitating brainstorming
Promoting lateral thinking
Enabling immersion
Allowing pauses
Nurturing creative intuition
Provide an example of a “tool” that assisted you in being more creative and how that helped me organizational goals.
