Using your favorite search engine, conduct research on a well-known leader of a corporation. You might be interested in researching formers leaders such as Lee Iacocca of Chrysler, Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines, Jack Welch of General Electric, or Ray Kroc of McDonald's. Alternatively, you could research present-day corporate leaders such as Indra Nooyi of PepsiCo, Mary Barra of GM, etc. Remember, the leader you choose to research doesn't have to be on this list -- pick a leader who piques your curiosity! Some students have chosen the CEO of their own employers. The choice is yours.
Review articles and biographical information that is available on the Internet. You should have a minimum of two (2) sources in addition to your textbook. The goal of your research is to answer the following questions about the leader you chose:
- Based upon your research, what type of behavioral leadership style does/did the individual practice? Task-oriented, people-oriented, or a combination of the two? Explain.
- How would this individual's leadership style be characterized in terms of the path-goal theory of leadership? Explain.
- Would you describe this individual as a transactional or transformational leader? Explain.
- In what specific ways do you feel this individual was an effective leader?
- In what specific ways do you feel this individual's leadership could be improved?
Keep in mind that, while there are no "absolutely correct" answers for these questions, this is not an opportunity for opinion alone. Grading will reflect your reasoning and critical thinking skills, your ability to integrate what you have assimilated from material presented in lecture, the textbook and other learning materials, the clarity of your response and its appearance. This report should be a minimum of 3 full pages (excluding cover page, references, attachments, etc.), double-spaced, using a 12-point font and 1-inch margins. Please see the rubric posted in the "Additional Resources" folder under the Course Syllabus tab for further details on grading.
If you use any outside sources, integrate information from published sources, and/or build on the work of others in the preparation of this paper, you must cite your sources. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism and is considered academic theft. You can find information about plagiarism at the Plagiarism.org website at http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/overview