Project -

Summary -

For this project, you are to choose a leader from any field (e.g., business, education, religion, military). The leader may be alive or dead. The leader may also be from any "level" (e.g., international, national, state, community). Your task in Project 1 is to study the leader and describe them from the perspective of the first 8 chapters of your textbook. In other words, you will describe the leader's development (how did they get to be a leader?), the leader's methods of influencing others, the leader's values, traits, and behavior.

Details -

You may organize your analysis in any manner you wish. You will be graded on the extent to which you use course concepts to describe your leader. I'll be looking for these components:

1. Definition of Leadership

a. Who are the members of the organized group being influenced?

b. How is the leader's influence evident in the followers (i.e., what changes are observable)?

c. What are the group's goals (i.e., their direction and purpose)?

d. How is the process of influence observable as enacted by the leader?

2. Setting

a. Give a brief description of the followers and environment in which the leader acts.

3. Leadership Development

a. What is the leader's educational background and work history?

b. How did this history influence their development as a leader?

c. How does the leader demonstrate an ability to learn from experience?

4. Assessing Leadership

a. How did this person end up in a leadership role? How were the criteria by which they were selected (formally or informally)?

b. How is leadership success defined around this person?

5. Power and Influence

a. What are the primary sources of power used by this leader?

b. What are the primary types of influence tactics used by this leader?

6. Values

a. What are the primary values driving the leader?

b. How has the leader confronted tough ethical dilemmas?

c. Has the leader made any sort of effort to include people of different backgrounds in the group's progress?

7. Traits

a. What are the leader's personality characteristics (use the Five Factor Model or OCEAN as a framework)?

b. How would you describe the leader's intelligence (use the triarchic approach as well as the emotional approach)?

8. Behavior

a. Where does the leader fall on "The Leadership Grid".

b. Does the leader engage in any self-defeating behavior (or does he/she specifically avoid them)?

c. Is there any evidence that the leader changes his/her behavior (e.g., according to the situation or according to the followers)? Note that this final issue sets up Project 2.

You shouldn't simply rely on your "impressions" as you answer these questions. You should have evidence or specific examples whenever possible. Remember that you have access to an extensive collection of resources through the TBR Virtual Library. I am also willing (and even eager) to help you. If you have problems or questions, feel free to ask.