POLS 1500 - Leadership Development

Credit Hours: 3.00

Objectives:

1. Identify the needs of diverse community members
2. Analyze the factors of community change
3. Explain the impact of change on various communities, and analyze the complex impacts of past changes on vulnerable communities.

Outcome 2: Students will be able to explain the relationship between leadership theories and the effect of those theories on various groups.

Objectives:

1. Identify theories of leadership.
2. Analyze past and current leaders and the context(s) in which they acted.
3. Analyze case studies of leadership practices and their impact.

Outcome 3: Students will be able to explain modern leadership skills rooted in community service, diversity, and accountability.

1. Develop effective leadership skills for community organizations
2. Practice various leadership skills and strategies
3. Analyze the elements and processes involved in decision making

Outcome 4: Students will be able to analyze the dynamics of conflict and its resolution.

Objectives:

1. Explain the processes of negotiation, mediation, facilitation, and consensus.
2. Analyze theories of conflict resolution
3. Practice self-reflection, self-awareness, empathy, and communication techniques in conflict scenarios.

Outcome 5: Students will be able to distinguish the differences in value, power and resources that impede or facilitate effective leadership.

Objectives:

1. Analyze leadership dynamics in relation to political, economic, and social power.
2. Explain the role of a leader in initiating change and helping others adapt to change
3. Practice leadership roles and strategies.
4. Analyze empowerment, delegation, and building trust as effective leadership skills.

Outcome 6: Students will be able to formulate a reflection and analysis of leadership within the local community.

Objectives:

1. Document student/group work experience during the semester
2. Analyze student/group work experience in the context of class goals and materials.
3. Evaluate student/group learning and skill development.

• Communication: The graduate can communicate effectively for the intended purpose and audience.
• Critical Thinking: The graduate can make informed decisions after analyzing information or evidence related to the issue.
• Global Literacy: The graduate can analyze human behavior or experiences through cultural, social, political, or economic perspectives.
• Information Literacy: The graduate can responsibly use information gathered from a variety of formats in order to complete a task.
• Quantitative Reasoning: The graduate can apply quantitative methods or evidence to solve problems or make judgments.
• Scientific Literacy: The graduate can produce or interpret scientific information presented in a variety of formats.

1. What is leadership?
   1. Identifying various definitions of leadership as it relates to different institutional and organizing models.
   2. Traditional understandings of leadership
   3. Identifying and practicing cultural/ethnic competency as a core value of leadership.
2. What is the value of leadership?
   1. Understanding the impact of leadership on social movements and interest groups in the US
   2. Identifying and analyzing social, political, and economic power dynamics (historical/present; global/local)
   3. Understanding diversity in the context of leadership.
3. What is the purpose of leadership?
   1. Effective administration
   2. Visionary leadership
   3. Accountability
4. Leadership and power dynamics
   1. Understanding power dynamics in society, institutions, groups and communities;
   2. Analyze and identify larger social/political/economic power dynamics and their impact (advantageous/discriminatory) on various communities.
   3. Review various power dynamics related to leadership within organizations
   4. Autocratic versus Democratic leadership; benefits and drawbacks of each
5. Which leadership practices lead to change?
   1. Critically examining past and current leadership examples
   2. Exploring theories, techniques and strategies for successful organizing
   3. How do leaders assess their own success or failure?
   4. Individual leadership versus interdependent leadership versus shared leadership (“we are all leaders”)
   5. “The leader always eats last.”
6. Demographic Characteristics of Leaders
   1. Value System, Ethics and Culture
   2. Generational Differences
   3. Abilities and Skills
   4. Intelligence: Practical and Emotional
   5. Creativity and Divergent Thinking
   6. Relevant Personality Traits
   7. Characteristics of Leaders Who Fail
7. Leadership and Communication
   1. Transformational and Charismatic leadership
   2. Reinforcing vision and mission through communication
8. Public and private models of leadership
   1. Goals of public institutions versus private institutions
   2. How organizational goals shape leadership style
9. Leadership and Diversity
   1. The complexity of “diversity”
   2. Diversity or Inclusion?
   3. “Nothing about us without us”: understanding the limitations of organizations and leadership structures lacking diversity
   4. What is the value of diversity in the decision-making process?
   5. What is the value of diversity in executing leadership and organizational goals
10. Ethical Leadership
    1. “If the President does it, it’s not illegal”: understanding the limitations of power
    2. Abuse and corruption
    3. The concept of institutional ethics
    4. The elements of ethical leadership
    5. Organizational accountability
    6. The complexities inherent in ethical leadership
    7. Modeling leadership for others
11. Leadership Development
    1. Preparing the next generation
    2. Identifying and uplifting leadership qualities throughout the organization
    3. Understanding and encouraging mentorship
    4. Seeing leadership in all places: how time, events, and needs shape leadership and how we understand it