MBA 595 – Leadership Project Guidelines

The
Leadership Project requires each student to lead a group of people (friends,
workers, fellow workers, fellow club members, etc.) in a project or activity
that they would not normally undertake. The only rules of the project are: (1)
students must not tell their friends or co-workers that they are doing it for a
class, and

(2)
it should take at least three weeks of contact to complete. The Leadership
Project consists of two parts, a proposal for the Project due in Module 2, and
a Final 10-page Project Paper due in Module 7.

Leadership
Project Proposal (due by the conclusion of Module 2)

The
proposal is due by the conclusion of Module 2; however, you should begin
working on it during Module 1 as it will require you to conduct initial
research on your chosen topic. Specifically, you must complete the steps below
(by the end of Module 2):

1.
Read the Journal of
Management Education article titled Personal Leadership Conundrum

(referenced in the Module). This article
is available through the Saint Leo online library. (See the syllabus and the
link in the course Resources area for more information about accessing the
online library).

2. Identify
the leadership conundrum you will look into as you lead the group (what
personal issues do you need to address, etc.) . State it in the first person
and in the form of a question. See examples of conundrum topics in the
Recommendations section below.
3. Explain
why you have chosen this conundrum: Why is it of interest to you? How does it
relate

to
your experiences? How does it relate to who you are? In other words, what about
yourself and your experience are motivating you to seek the answer to this
conundrum?

4. Create
a bibliography of at least two peer-reviewed, academic journal articles
that deal with the conundrum (see below the Recommendations section for
examples of journals that qualify as academic and peer reviewed), at least
two periodical articles (newspaper, magazine, website, etc.), and at
least two books, stories, myths, parables, movies, poems, or songs that
will help you better

understand
and gain insight into your conundrum.
5.
Identify at least two
leaders you will interview to gain their insights into your conundrum and

explain
why you have chosen them to interview regarding your conundrum as you work on
guiding your group. Provide the title and contact information for each leader.

6.
List between five and seven
interview questions you will ask to each leader (the questions should be the
same or at least partially the same). The questions should be directly related
to the personal conundrum that you are trying to solve in leading the group.

7. For
this proposal (and the Final Leadership Paper), you will use the American
Psychological Association (APA) formatting guidelines. If you have any
questions concerning proper citation procedures, then ask the instructor prior
to submitting your work.

8. Submit
the completed Project Proposal to the Dropbox no later than Sunday 11:59 PM
EST/EDT of Module 2; this Dropbox basket is linked to Turnitin and the
Final Leadership Project Paperis also (due by the conclusion of Module
7).

Students
should submit the Final Leadership Project Paper in APA-style, 10-pages,
that includes the following sections (please include the questions):

1.
An introduction of what your
leadership project encompassed (who did you lead, what did you lead them on,
etc?).

2. What
your particular leadership conundrum was all about (what did the issue focus
upon, details,etc.)?

3. A
discussion of what the leadership style you used is all about in dealing with
the group and why you think that was the style you used (document and relate to
the literature out there)?

4. How
did you deal with your particular conundrum in leading the group (list
references and ideas that might relate to how you handled it)? Did the ideas
you gained from the interviews help? Did fixing the conundrum help lead the
group or not?

5.
A discussion of available
data regarding whether the leadership approach you used worked or not (any
studies of it from research?).

6. A
discussion of how successful the project was and how you might have lead the
project more effectively.

7. A
discussion of what still needs to be learned about the style you used (studies
that might help, or other uses of it that still need to be explored).

8. A
summary of all of the above at the end of the paper.

9.
A bibliography (not included
as part of the 10-page requirement).

Again,
the Final Leadership Project Paper should be submitted to the Dropbox no
later than Sunday 11:59 PMEST/EDT of Module 7. (This Dropbox basket
is linked to Turnitin).

Recommendations

The
following are recommendations to consider as you complete your project:

1.When
necessary, please seek out advice from your instructor. Although you are
responsible for your learning, the instructor is available to help you make
this assignment meaningful and successful.

2.
You should choose a conundrum
of your own interest. In the past, students have explored such specific
conundrums as:

a. How do I balance
confidence and humility to be an effective leader? b. How do I lead,
influence, and work with negative people?

c.
How do I lead people who dont believe I should be doing the leading?

d. How will I be able to
effectively lead those who have negative stereotypes of working for/or with
females?

e. How do I institute change
in a group while maintaining high standards? f. How do I lead older, more
experienced people?

g. How can I be a role model
of hard work and dedication and also balance work and non-work domains?

3. There
are numerous academic journals on management, leadership, psychology,
sociology, philosophy, education, and religion available through the library.
Below are a number of academic management journal titles:

a. Academy of Management
Journal b. Academy of Management Review c. Leadership

d.
Leadership Quarterly

e. Leadership and
Organizational Development Journal f. Organization
g.
International Journal of Management

h.
International Journal of Leadership Studies

i. Journal of Leadership
and Organizational Studies j. Journal of Management Inquiry
k.
Journal of Organizational Behavior

l. Journal of Management
and Organization m. Journal of Management Education

4. There
are, of course, many different leadership styles you can use in completing your
project (refer to your text and/or other sources) and there are, of course, a
number of different project you can lead people onsome of the ones that have
been done in previous classes are (organizing an office area, helping team
members to lose weight, leading a group in donating time at a Red Cross or
other social service agency, organizing a group to run a race for a particular
benefit, organizing a group to take a train ride to a particular part of the US
or elsewhere, etc.).

5. Please
schedule all interviews as early as possible and remember to respect the time
of those leaders you interview. Make sure you are prompt, courteous, formal,
and well-prepared (write out your questions before the interview). You will be
required to include an appendix which summarizes the key points of the
interviews as part of your Final Paper

Reflection
Essays

Each
of these reflection essays should focus on the questions and concepts listed,
while adhering to proper writing mechanics and APA formatting standards. Each
essay should be approximately three to five pages long. The essays are due no
later than Sunday 11:59 PM EST/EDT in the specified modules.

Module
3: Reflection Essay

6. In
the article Leadership that Gets Results, Daniel Goleman suggests that there
is a relationship between three concepts: the elements of emotional
intelligence, the six leadership styles, and an organizations climate.
Describe the way he believes that these concepts influence each other. You may
include a drawing with boxes, arrows, and the like if that helps you to explain
your thinking. Ultimately, he argues that these concepts influence
organizational performance. Do you think he makes a compelling case for his
position?

7. Goleman
uses an image of a golf bag with multiple clubs in it. What does this image
symbolize?

8. Which
leadership style is your primary style (i.e., which style do you utilize
most frequently and feel most comfortable when using), which is your least
preferred and which do you need to add to your repertoire? What is the impact
on organizational climate of your primary style?

Which
components of Emotional Intelligence do you need to develop to be more
effective at the style that youd like to add? How can you develop in those
areas?

Module
6: Reflection Essay(Please note you will need to
read theStrengths-Based Leadershipbook to complete this
assignment.)
9.
What great leaders have in
common is that each truly knows his or her strengths (Rath &

Conchie,
2008). List your top five strengths as determined by the StrengthsFinder 2.0.
Do you agree with this assessment? Why or why not? For example, which of the
five describes you best? Is there one that surprised you? Are you currently in
a job that utilizes your strengths? Explain.

10. Re-read
the section of Strengths-Based Leadership that addresses the four basic
needs of followers. Evaluate yourself on how well you provide each of these to
your followers (even better, also ask an employee or a co-worker to evaluate
you). Which come easily to you and which do you need to improve on in order to
meet your followers needs? Practically speaking, how can you do this?

11.
In the Additional Resources section of the
book, strategies for leading in a way that meets followers four basic needs
are presented. (Note: You only need to read the pages that address your top
five strengths.) Do any of these suggestions resonate with you? Which
strategies do you believe would make the biggest impact if you implemented them
at work?

12. According
to Rath and Conchie, how are team members typically selected? Why is this
problematic? What do leaders need to understand to build an effective team? Use
the chart on page 24 (How the 34 themes sort into the four domains of
leadership strength) to identify what you bring to a team. For example, do your
strengths fall primarily into one category or are they spread out over several?
Are you actively and consistently using your strengths on your team? Explain.
Is your team balanced (i.e., are all four domains covered or are everyones
strengths in the same one or two categories)? Discuss. Remember, individuals
dont need to be well-rounded, but teams do.

MBA595
discussions

MBA595
discussions

Module
1

Module 1
Discussion

Based on your
readings of Chapters 1-3, discuss your philosophy regarding how
a leader should behave. Second, list two of your favorite leaders
(either those in the public eye or whom you might know personally), and
describe how they embody the Saint Leo Core Value of Excellence.
Module
2

Module 2
Discussion

Have you ever seen (or
been involved in) a situation in which a participative approach to
leadership has gone bad? What were the conditions of this situation and why did
you feel that it went bad? What should the leader have done differently? Are there
any warnings in your text or other readings where they mention that this type
of problem might occur with a participative approach?
Module
3

M3 Discussion

What are the
characteristics of leaders who derailed (failed to perform successfully)
and were either dismissed, transferred, opted for early retirement, or simply
plateaued with no chance for promotion (according to the Center for Creative
Leadership studies, 1983, 1985, 1995)? How do you think your co-workers view
you in regard to these characteristics? Be honest in your self-assessment.
Module
4

Module 4
Discussion

What are the key
similarities and differences of charismatic and transformational leadership?
What do you think are the impacts on followers of each?
Module
5

Module
5 Discussion

Choose one of
the following contingency theories:

Houses Path Goal Theory (1971)Hersey and Blanchards Situational Leadership Theory
(1977)Kerr and Jermiers Leadership Substitute Ideas
(1978)Yukls Multiple-Linkage Model (1989)Fiedler and Garcias Cognitive Resource Theory
(1987)
Discuss what is
known about the theory from a research perspective. Do we know whether the
ideas work or not? Are there any practical “strategic”
recommendations for leaders based on that theory? Be sure to cite your sources
using APA style.
Module
6

Module
6 Discussion

Have you ever
been on a cross-functional team in which the members were at odds with
each other? What types of problems can members have? What are some of the ways
that leaders can help to work out these difficulties?
Module
7

Module
7 Discussion

Based on your
reading of the article “Leading Change” by John Kotter
(1995), discuss three ideas, suggestions, or sections of the article that
you found interesting. For example, in Error 1, Kotter argues that it is
extremely difficult to get people to change because it means they must move out
of their comfortable routines and into the unknown. Leaders often fail to
create a great enough sense of urgency around the change to make people want to
do things differently. If your organization has gone through a change recently,
then you might want to discuss whether or not a sense of urgency was
established. What was the response? Feel free to use Chapter 4 of your
text to supplement your points.
Module
8

Module
8 Discussion

So what should
you look like as a leader? Your textbook lists a number of factors that
comprise the “essence of effective leadership” (Yukl, 2013, P.
421). Briefly discuss what these mean and rate how well you perform in
regard to each factor.

MBA 595 – Leadership Project GuidelinesThe
Leadership Project requires each student to lead a group of people (friends,
workers, fellow workers, fellow club members, etc.) in a project or activity
that they would not normally undertake. The only rules of the project are: (1)
students must not tell their friends or co-workers that they are doing it for a
class, and(2)
it should take at least three weeks of contact to complete. The Leadership
Project consists of two parts, a proposal for the Project due in Module 2, and
a Final 10-page Project Paper due in Module 7.Leadership
Project Proposal (due by the conclusion of Module 2)The
proposal is due by the conclusion of Module 2; however, you should begin
working on it during Module 1 as it will require you to conduct initial
research on your chosen topic. Specifically, you must complete the steps below
(by the end of Module 2):1.
Read the Journal of
Management Education article titled Personal Leadership Conundrum(referenced in the Module). This article
is available through the Saint Leo online library. (See the syllabus and the
link in the course Resources area for more information about accessing the
online library).2. Identify
the leadership conundrum you will look into as you lead the group (what
personal issues do you need to address, etc.) . State it in the first person
and in the form of a question. See examples of conundrum topics in the
Recommendations section below.3. Explain
why you have chosen this conundrum: Why is it of interest to you? How does it
relateto
your experiences? How does it relate to who you are? In other words, what about
yourself and your experience are motivating you to seek the answer to this
conundrum?4. Create
a bibliography of at least two peer-reviewed, academic journal articles
that deal with the conundrum (see below the Recommendations section for
examples of journals that qualify as academic and peer reviewed), at least
two periodical articles (newspaper, magazine, website, etc.), and at
least two books, stories, myths, parables, movies, poems, or songs that
will help you betterunderstand
and gain insight into your conundrum.5.
Identify at least two
leaders you will interview to gain their insights into your conundrum andexplain
why you have chosen them to interview regarding your conundrum as you work on
guiding your group. Provide the title and contact information for each leader.6.
List between five and seven
interview questions you will ask to each leader (the questions should be the
same or at least partially the same). The questions should be directly related
to the personal conundrum that you are trying to solve in leading the group.7. For
this proposal (and the Final Leadership Paper), you will use the American
Psychological Association (APA) formatting guidelines. If you have any
questions concerning proper citation procedures, then ask the instructor prior
to submitting your work.8. Submit
the completed Project Proposal to the Dropbox no later than Sunday 11:59 PM
EST/EDT of Module 2; this Dropbox basket is linked to Turnitin and the
Final Leadership Project Paperis also (due by the conclusion of Module
7).Students
should submit the Final Leadership Project Paper in APA-style, 10-pages,
that includes the following sections (please include the questions):1.
An introduction of what your
leadership project encompassed (who did you lead, what did you lead them on,
etc?).2. What
your particular leadership conundrum was all about (what did the issue focus
upon, details,etc.)?3. A
discussion of what the leadership style you used is all about in dealing with
the group and why you think that was the style you used (document and relate to
the literature out there)?4. How
did you deal with your particular conundrum in leading the group (list
references and ideas that might relate to how you handled it)? Did the ideas
you gained from the interviews help? Did fixing the conundrum help lead the
group or not?5.
A discussion of available
data regarding whether the leadership approach you used worked or not (any
studies of it from research?).6. A
discussion of how successful the project was and how you might have lead the
project more effectively.7. A
discussion of what still needs to be learned about the style you used (studies
that might help, or other uses of it that still need to be explored).8. A
summary of all of the above at the end of the paper.9.
A bibliography (not included
as part of the 10-page requirement).Again,
the Final Leadership Project Paper should be submitted to the Dropbox no
later than Sunday 11:59 PMEST/EDT of Module 7. (This Dropbox basket
is linked to Turnitin).RecommendationsThe
following are recommendations to consider as you complete your project:1.When
necessary, please seek out advice from your instructor. Although you are
responsible for your learning, the instructor is available to help you make
this assignment meaningful and successful.2.
You should choose a conundrum
of your own interest. In the past, students have explored such specific
conundrums as:a. How do I balance
confidence and humility to be an effective leader? b. How do I lead,
influence, and work with negative people?c.
How do I lead people who dont believe I should be doing the leading?d. How will I be able to
effectively lead those who have negative stereotypes of working for/or with
females?e. How do I institute change
in a group while maintaining high standards? f. How do I lead older, more
experienced people?g. How can I be a role model
of hard work and dedication and also balance work and non-work domains?3. There
are numerous academic journals on management, leadership, psychology,
sociology, philosophy, education, and religion available through the library.
Below are a number of academic management journal titles:a. Academy of Management
Journal b. Academy of Management Review c. Leadershipd.
Leadership Quarterlye. Leadership and
Organizational Development Journal f. Organizationg.
International Journal of Managementh.
International Journal of Leadership Studiesi. Journal of Leadership
and Organizational Studies j. Journal of Management Inquiryk.
Journal of Organizational Behaviorl. Journal of Management
and Organization m. Journal of Management Education4. There
are, of course, many different leadership styles you can use in completing your
project (refer to your text and/or other sources) and there are, of course, a
number of different project you can lead people onsome of the ones that have
been done in previous classes are (organizing an office area, helping team
members to lose weight, leading a group in donating time at a Red Cross or
other social service agency, organizing a group to run a race for a particular
benefit, organizing a group to take a train ride to a particular part of the US
or elsewhere, etc.).5. Please
schedule all interviews as early as possible and remember to respect the time
of those leaders you interview. Make sure you are prompt, courteous, formal,
and well-prepared (write out your questions before the interview). You will be
required to include an appendix which summarizes the key points of the
interviews as part of your Final PaperReflection
EssaysEach
of these reflection essays should focus on the questions and concepts listed,
while adhering to proper writing mechanics and APA formatting standards. Each
essay should be approximately three to five pages long. The essays are due no
later than Sunday 11:59 PM EST/EDT in the specified modules.Module
3: Reflection Essay6. In
the article Leadership that Gets Results, Daniel Goleman suggests that there
is a relationship between three concepts: the elements of emotional
intelligence, the six leadership styles, and an organizations climate.
Describe the way he believes that these concepts influence each other. You may
include a drawing with boxes, arrows, and the like if that helps you to explain
your thinking. Ultimately, he argues that these concepts influence
organizational performance. Do you think he makes a compelling case for his
position?7. Goleman
uses an image of a golf bag with multiple clubs in it. What does this image
symbolize?8. Which
leadership style is your primary style (i.e., which style do you utilize
most frequently and feel most comfortable when using), which is your least
preferred and which do you need to add to your repertoire? What is the impact
on organizational climate of your primary style?Which
components of Emotional Intelligence do you need to develop to be more
effective at the style that youd like to add? How can you develop in those
areas?Module
6: Reflection Essay(Please note you will need to
read theStrengths-Based Leadershipbook to complete this
assignment.)9.
What great leaders have in
common is that each truly knows his or her strengths (Rath &Conchie,
2008). List your top five strengths as determined by the StrengthsFinder 2.0.
Do you agree with this assessment? Why or why not? For example, which of the
five describes you best? Is there one that surprised you? Are you currently in
a job that utilizes your strengths? Explain.10. Re-read
the section of Strengths-Based Leadership that addresses the four basic
needs of followers. Evaluate yourself on how well you provide each of these to
your followers (even better, also ask an employee or a co-worker to evaluate
you). Which come easily to you and which do you need to improve on in order to
meet your followers needs? Practically speaking, how can you do this?11.
In the Additional Resources section of the
book, strategies for leading in a way that meets followers four basic needs
are presented. (Note: You only need to read the pages that address your top
five strengths.) Do any of these suggestions resonate with you? Which
strategies do you believe would make the biggest impact if you implemented them
at work?12. According
to Rath and Conchie, how are team members typically selected? Why is this
problematic? What do leaders need to understand to build an effective team? Use
the chart on page 24 (How the 34 themes sort into the four domains of
leadership strength) to identify what you bring to a team. For example, do your
strengths fall primarily into one category or are they spread out over several?
Are you actively and consistently using your strengths on your team? Explain.
Is your team balanced (i.e., are all four domains covered or are everyones
strengths in the same one or two categories)? Discuss. Remember, individuals
dont need to be well-rounded, but teams do.MBA595
discussionsMBA595
discussionsModule
1Module 1
DiscussionBased on your
readings of Chapters 1-3, discuss your philosophy regarding how
a leader should behave. Second, list two of your favorite leaders
(either those in the public eye or whom you might know personally), and
describe how they embody the Saint Leo Core Value of Excellence.Module
2Module 2
DiscussionHave you ever seen (or
been involved in) a situation in which a participative approach to
leadership has gone bad? What were the conditions of this situation and why did
you feel that it went bad? What should the leader have done differently? Are there
any warnings in your text or other readings where they mention that this type
of problem might occur with a participative approach?Module
3M3 DiscussionWhat are the
characteristics of leaders who derailed (failed to perform successfully)
and were either dismissed, transferred, opted for early retirement, or simply
plateaued with no chance for promotion (according to the Center for Creative
Leadership studies, 1983, 1985, 1995)? How do you think your co-workers view
you in regard to these characteristics? Be honest in your self-assessment.Module
4Module 4
DiscussionWhat are the key
similarities and differences of charismatic and transformational leadership?
What do you think are the impacts on followers of each?Module
5Choose one of
the following contingency theories:

Discuss what is
known about the theory from a research perspective. Do we know whether the
ideas work or not? Are there any practical “strategic”
recommendations for leaders based on that theory? Be sure to cite your sources
using APA style.Module
6Have you ever
been on a cross-functional team in which the members were at odds with
each other? What types of problems can members have? What are some of the ways
that leaders can help to work out these difficulties?Module
7Based on your
reading of the article “Leading Change” by John Kotter
(1995), discuss three ideas, suggestions, or sections of the article that
you found interesting. For example, in Error 1, Kotter argues that it is
extremely difficult to get people to change because it means they must move out
of their comfortable routines and into the unknown. Leaders often fail to
create a great enough sense of urgency around the change to make people want to
do things differently. If your organization has gone through a change recently,
then you might want to discuss whether or not a sense of urgency was
established. What was the response? Feel free to use Chapter 4 of your
text to supplement your points.Module
8So what should
you look like as a leader? Your textbook lists a number of factors that
comprise the “essence of effective leadership” (Yukl, 2013, P.
421). Briefly discuss what these mean and rate how well you perform in
regard to each factor.