Discussion 1
Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:
• Textbook: Chapter 9, 11, 12
• Minimum of 1 library resource for initial post
Introduction
The Charismatic leader and the transformational leader can have many similarities. A charismatic leader may be transformational. A charismatic leader may come to the fore during a crisis. An example is when 9/11 happened, leaders rose to the occasion. New York City's Mayor Giulianni, who up to that point, was not always seen in a positive light, emerged as an insightful, smart, compassionate and powerful leader in the days, weeks, and months that followed. NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly led New York City in counterterrorism and the counterterrorism unit became a sought after model for law enforcement operations throughout the country and in many other countries.
Can just anyone emerge is a charismatic and transformational leader? We see people emerge as leaders all the time in response to crisis. Firefighters race into burning buildings. Someone will jump into a raging river to save a dog. The need and the goal are usually time-sensitive and inspire action from someone. Not everyone can respond. Being prepared to respond is one of the key elements. Training and practice lead to preparedness to respond to situations. Effective charismatic and transformational leaders have an ability to share a vision to a group of people using a strong presence and an ability to communicate that is above the norm.
Political leaders who lack an ability to communicate in a strong way, even though they may have great ideas, have a difficult time climbing to the top because they are not able to communicate in a strong and powerful way. Charismatic leaders have a strong bond with their followers. Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Mother Theresa are examples of leaders who were both charismatic and transformational. Those who have a natural charisma tend to have an activist mind-set and we find them involved in political and social causes. Transformational leaders usually follow a career-path that brings them to a point of leadership where their transformational abilities come to the fore. Examples of transformational leaders are Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandella, Sigmund Freud, Benjamin Franklin, Adolf Hitler, and Samuel Goldwyn.
Initial Post Instructions
Different types of power and influencing tactics were discussed in your reading. Think about the characteristics of a charismatic leader and of a transformational leader. What type of power is the charismatic leader and the transformational leader most likely to be associated with? Explain why.
Secondary Post Instructions
Read and respond to posts made by at least two peers. Respond in one of the following ways:
• Ask a probing question.
• Share an insight from having read your peer's post.
• Offer and support an opinion.
• Validate an idea with your own experience.
• Make a suggestion.
Writing Requirements
• In addition to one initial post, respond to at least two peers.
• Initial Post Length: minimum of 250 words
• Secondary Post Length: minimum of 200 words per post
• Use APA format for in-text citations and list of references.
Discussion 2
Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:
• Textbook: Chapters 9, 11, 12
• Minimum of 1 library resource for initial post
Initial Post Instructions
For your initial post, address the following:
• Diversity is often associated with either gender or ethnicity. Referencing specific organizations/cases that you know about, what other forms of diversity can be visible in the organizations/cases you cite? Provide examples.
• What does diversity mean in the context of each?
Secondary Post Instructions
Read and respond to posts made by at least two peers. Respond in one of the following ways:
• Ask a probing question.
• Share an insight from having read your peer's post.
• Offer and support an opinion.
• Validate an idea with your own experience.
• Make a suggestion.
Writing Requirements
• In addition to one initial post, respond to at least two peers.
• Initial Post Length: minimum of 250 words
• Secondary Post Length: minimum of 200 words per post
• Use APA format for in-text citations and list of references.
Assignment: Course Project
Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:
• Textbook: Chapter 9, 11, 12; Review Chapter 1-8, 10
• Minimum of 2 library resources
Introduction
Being prepared for the real world and your role as a leader takes introspection and careful thought. If you have taken advantage of some of the self-assessments in the textbook, you may have found a personal baseline and have identified some of your natural strengths and also areas that you would like to develop. The first commandment of leadership is "Know Thyself" so the first step is to understand your leadership potential. During the course have you thought about how you have used leadership skills in your professional and home life. You may have naturally applied negotiating skills with family members or in asking for a pay raise. Identifying personal strengths can be an important way to give yourself a pat on the back for your leadership skills. You have been using leadership skills during your life that you may not have identified as such.
During this course you may have identified with some of the theories and techniques; and others you may want to learn more about. If you are in a leadership position you may have learned some techniques that will make you a better leader. Developing your philosophy of leadership is a good start to becoming a leader or a better leader. As you progress in your career and apply leadership theories and techniques, your philosophy can mature. The real-life case studies and the stories presented in the textbook and the movie about a leader that your analyzed can be a powerful way to understand leadership and make a lasting impact on your and those who are affected by your actions.
Activity Instructions
Now that you have completed this course on different theories of leadership and the application of those theories, you are ready to write a philosophy statement about your own personal understanding of leadership, informed by the theories and cases discussed this semester, and how it applies to you. Developing a philosophy of leadership is a dynamic process, as it grows and matures as the leader grows and matures. However, articulating a philosophy statement at any stage in a leadership program is essential as it makes a leader's development planning much more effective.
In your philosophy statement, you must reflect on the following, applying concepts discussed in class:
• Describe what leadership means to you.
• Describe how your view and understanding of leadership has evolved throughout this semester.
• Describe the theories and skills discussed in this course that are most helpful to you and that you already practice/possess (in other words, what you bring to the table).
• Identify those skills that you do not possess or that you would like to focus on developing in the future.
• Describe what you plan to do in the future with the knowledge and skills you have acquired this semester.
Writing Requirements (APA format)
• 8-10 pages (approx. 300 words per page), not including cover page or references page
• 1-inch margins
• Double spaced
• 12-point Times New Roman font
• Cover page with name of paper, name of student, course name and number, name of professor, and date submitted
• References page (minimum of 2 resources).