"Exemplary Leader Interview and Analysis"

Select an organizational leader whom you respect, someone whom you would seek out for advice on leadership challenges in the workplace. This assignment requires that you interview that person to learn about his or her leadership philosophy, style, perspectives, and values, how he/she developed leadership abilities and skills, and major leadership challenges faced in his/her career. You may ask this person questions about what values guided him/her, what obstacles he/she encountered, how he/she overcame these obstacles, what has been his/her greatest leadership challenge, and what he/she did to manage that challenge. As part of your analysis of this person’s leadership philosophy and perspectives, you are to apply relevant course material (leadership theories, perspectives, principles, frameworks, etc.) in developing a deep understanding of this person’s leadership effectiveness.

The product of your interview will be a 6-8-page paper reporting on your interview findings, your analysis and application of course material, and the key take-always from the interview that were most valuable to you (e.g., What did you learn about leadership? How can you apply these learnings to your own development as a leader? Which leadership models or theories (discussed in class) would help you describe this leader? Which of these findings are most critical to the challenges faced by leaders in contemporary organizations?). As an appendix to your final paper, please include your interview protocol.

1) What level of leadership is this person in?

2) How big is the organization that this person leads? How many people does the person lead?

 3) How would you describe the culture of the organization?

4) What values guided this leader?

5) How would the leader describe his/her vision?

6) How would you describe the level of alignment between the leader’s vision/values with that of the organization and employees?

7) How would the leader describe his/her role model?

8) What are some of the positive outcomes of the leader’s approach/philosophy?

9) What were some of the challenges he or she had to face and overcome?

10) Describe the biggest leadership challenge that this individual had to face relating to the course discussions (e.g. talent development, ethical concerns, misalignment in the organization)

11) Describe (3) relevant leadership theories, perspectives principles/frameworks that were described in the course materials (Please cite author, article/text, year)

12) What kinds of risks did this leader must take in his/her position?

13) What kinds of challenges/concerns does the leader have to face to continue to grow/sustain momentum?

14) Describe the leader’s top (3) approaches to talent development. Please elaborate and relate it to course materials/models.

15) Which of these interview findings are most critical to the challenges faced by leaders in contemporary organizations. Please provide examples.