ADA Note:

If you require accommodations due to a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need arrangements in case the building has to be evacuated, please inform me immediately.

Purpose:

The basic purpose of this course is to help you understand leadership, develop essential skills, and, thus, enable you to become a more effective leader.

Leadership is an activity that everyone participates in on a regular basis, either as a leader or as a follower. The exact boundaries of leadership are fuzzy and arbitrary. A broad definition of leadership is the process of influencing other people’s behavior.

The process of leadership occurs in formal organizations and in informal settings. It occurs in large bureaucracies or in small groups such as families. In this class, we will discuss the process of leadership, the characteristics of leaders and leadership, and work on developing some of the communication and other skills necessary for leadership.

Writing and speaking are two of the essential skills of leadership. You will write papers and give in-class presentations. Some will be done as teams.

The choice of how the class operates is yours (the class) as to whether we will follow the following approach. Most of this approach is what the students of past semesters have recommended, but this class can change it. We want an approach that is exciting as well as providing excellent opportunities for learning. Read this carefully and come prepared the next class to ask questions, to discuss, and to make decisions as to what we will do. These decisions will include methods of assessment and other important topics. All decisions will be made by a vote of the class.

In addition to information about leadership, we must all work to improve our essential skills. Throughout the career(s) you will have, there are some skills that are essential in every profession. These are:

• The ability to communicate,
• To think critically,
• To change yourself, and
• To make decisions that are ethical.

You can change the course at any time. If you don’t like what is going on in the class, say so and if the majority of the class agrees, changes will be made, immediately! This is your class!

How this class will operate:

There are no tests (the class will discuss evaluations) and very few lectures.

This class is designed to maximize your learning. To do that, it is very important that you actively participate in all aspects of the class.

• You must come to class.
• You must fully participate in your team and in class.

A typical class session will be as follows:

1. A team will present the background information including sources on the topic for the day using visual aids;
2. the team will ask for questions and discussion;
3. the team will present discussion questions;
4. each class member (except the team presenting) will fill out an evaluation of the presentation;
5. the team will review the evaluations;
6. I will present additional information, exercises, etc. depending upon the time available.

You will have an excellent opportunity to earn an "A" in this class. There will be no curve in grading. Grades will be based upon the quality of your work. You, your classmates, and I will evaluate the work. Your grade will be a result of a combination of your, peer, and my evaluations based upon the items in your portfolio and your class attendance and participation. Final grades in this class will NOT be plus/minus. We will use plus/minus for paper grades, but we will use the straight letters at the end of the semester.

To get an "A" in the class, you must get "As" on evaluations on your portfolio. You must attend class and participate in the discussions. PAPERS CAN BE REVISED one time. You will have opportunity, but no gifts.

A major question about assessment:

What proportion of the course grade should be given to the following (the class will decide the percentages):

Part of the class sessions will be invited leaders (about 10) speaking to the class. Each team will nominate two or more names of persons they agree are important and effective leaders. The class will decide which people to invite. Based on these decisions, each team must:

• Call—make initial contact with the person to extend an invitation to speak to the class.
• Send a letter confirming the time, the date, the location, and topic and format of the class.
• Send a map of the campus and parking permit (if needed).
• Send a thank you letter expressing your appreciation for the speaker’s attendance.

Portfolios:

The largest portion of your grade will be based upon your portfolio. Your portfolio will be a manila folder in which all of your work is included (you may change this in any way you want). It will be kept in 223 Gentry. You are welcome to discuss your portfolio with us at any time. It is your responsibility to see that this portfolio is complete and of the quality you want. You should review your portfolio two or more times during the semester. Do not wait until the end of the semester to do so - that is too late.

Your completed portfolio should contain:

1. Your weekly assignments.
2. Your evaluations of other teams’ class presentations.
3. Your self-evaluation (written at the end of the semester).
4. A copy of your resume.
5. Anything else that you want to include.

Presentations:

Your job in your presentation is to help the class learn the maximum amount possible about your topic. Overheads, music, slides, films, posters, skits, handouts and guest speakers all may enhance your presentations. We encourage you to use the methods that work best for your topic.

Your team’s presentation and paper will be evaluated by:

1. The freshness and creativity of your presentation.
2. The degree of coherence and organization of the topic.
3. The degree to which your team looks in depth at the issues beyond those that appears on the surface.
4. The degree to which you present both sides of the issue or problem.
5. How well your team works together (organization, etc.).

Organization of presentation:

1. Introduce yourselves and your topic.
2. Present "facts" about your topic: give background or situational statement. Make sure you present both sides of the issue.
3. Present case study or skit or video about topic.
4. Summarize the topic.
5. Present provocative discussion questions.

Some Tips on Making Presentations:

1. Dress appropriately (make a professional appearance).
2. Stand up straight.
3. Do not stand behind the table.
4. Do not read your presentation.
5. Speak clearly and with volume enough to reach the back of the room (Imagine you are talking to the person on the back row).
6. Use gestures.
7. Make eye contact with everyone in the room. Do not talk just to me.
8. When you are not presenting, watch the person who is.
9. Use visuals, videos, etc. We strongly encourage the use of visual aids, including overhead projectors and computer-assisted presentations.
10. Make sure your visual aids are large enough to be seen clearly in the back of the room. Typewritten in 12 is NOT large enough. It takes at least 16 to 18 to be legible.
11. Rehearse your presentation together once or MORE.
12. Make the presentation informative and interesting.
13. REMEMBER, EVERYONE IN THE ROOM WANTS YOU TO SUCCEED!

Papers:

There will be two papers due for the class. The first paper is a group paper on the topic of your presentation. This paper should be a minimum of 10 pages and is due on the day of the presentation. This paper CANNOT be written in first person; it is a formal research paper. You must present both sides of the issue in this paper. One revision will be accepted from the date that the original paper is returned. With your revision you must have the original copy of the paper.

The second paper is an individual position paper. This paper can be written in first person. It should be a minimum of 5 pages and written on a subject of your choicepertaining to leadership.

Each paper must include a list of sources (at least 3-5), including at least one from the internet. Do these papers well. They are an important part of your grade.

These are some writing guidelines for your paper. You are expected to follow ALL of these; failure to do so ensures a bad grade on the paper.

• All papers must be WELL WRITTEN. This includes proper grammar, correct spelling, correct usage of vocabulary, and a style that is both interesting and intelligent.
• Your papers should have neither spelling nor grammar errors. While spell check is a wonderful invention, it is not infallible. In other words, PROOFREAD everything you write. Spell check will not catch typos that happen to be words (form instead of from).
• Organization is extremely important. Your paper must have an introduction, several body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Your introduction must include a thesis statement, and each paragraph should have a topic sentence. The paper should flow smoothly from one paragraph to the next with well written transition sentences.
• Make sure you write in complete paragraphs. In other words, one or two sentences do not a paragraph make. But also make sure you don’t write in paragraphs that run on too long (a page or more).
• Proper documentation of your sources is a MUST. If you do not document your materials properly, that is considered to be plagiarism; that is grounds for dismissal from both this class and the University. If in doubt as to whether or not a fact should be documented, cite it. Most forms of documentation are acceptable, although the MLA works cited format is preferable. Use in-text citations instead of footnotes or endnotes, and you must have a works cited page. If you have any questions, the MLA Handbook of Style is an invaluable resource.
• Your first papers must be a group effort. This means that every member of the group should contribute equally to the research and construction of your paper. However this does not mean that we want four separate sections. It is a single paper, and each member’s work must be incorporated into a single, final copy. If necessary, delegate a one member of the group to revise the paper to ensure a unified tone. Everyone should be involved in proofreading.
• All papers should be written in a 12 point standard font, double-spaced with standard margins (1 inch all around). Do not include a blank space between paragraphs or at the beginning of the paper. It is acceptable to print on both sides of the paper.
• All papers should have a separate title page, including the title of the paper, the group members’ names, the group number, and the class and section.
• When turning in the paper, STAPLE the paper in the upper left corner. Do not use plastic binders, paper clips, or origami.

Daily evaluations of presentations:

Each member of the class (except those presenting) will do an evaluation of the presentation. We will bring forms for you to complete. The evaluations should be detailed and thoughtful (we have observed that the number and quality of these daily evaluations are important factors in peer evaluations. This fact suggests that you should make sure to come to class every day and make good, detailed comments). Make sure you put your name on all evaluations.

Resume:

Every student must have a current copy of his/her resume available to bring in class by mid-semester. If you do not currently have a resume you should begin working on the style and format immediately. These will be evaluated by me and the class.

Self-evaluation:

You will give yourself a grade and justify it by describing what you have learned in a short paper; about 2-3 pages for most people. Both your peers and I will read this paper, and it will be a factor in your grade. You will have the opportunity to revise it, if you turn in a preliminary version.

How to work in teams:

It can be a little threatening at first to work in a group because your grade is depending, in part, upon other people. There are skills you can develop to encourage other people to do their parts. For example, have clear-cut responsibilities and time-lines. Also, do not hesitate to take action about a member who is not carrying his/her fair share.

Some tips on effective teamwork:

1. Meet at least once just to get acquainted. Find out about your fellow team members. Who are they? Where are they from? Majors? Etc.
2. Share telephone number, email addresses, and class/work schedules so as to make contacts easier.
3. Be patient and supportive of each other. Each of use has a different style and way of doing things.
4. Most importantly, live up to your statements. If you say you are going to do something, do it. If you say you will be to a meeting, be there. No excuses about "I overslept" or "I forgot".

One of the most important topics for discussion in your group’s initial meeting is the establishment of guidelines for the behavior of group members. It is a reality of life that some team members will offer excuses as to why they missed or cannot attend a team meeting. While everyone is busy, coordinating a convenient meeting time is part of teamwork. It is not advisable to "carry" a team member who is not productive to the team. Take the initiative and drop from the team any members who do not cooperate. To drop a team member the rest of the group has to agree and notify me. Then the person will have to join another group or form one of his/her own.

Team member evaluations:

You will give grades to your team members after each presentation. These evaluations are CONFIDENTIAL—only I will see them. Your team members will never know what you gave them, so it is beneficial to you to be candid. However, they are a very important part of grades. You must be prepared to defend the grades you give.

Peer evaluations:

At the end of the semester you will evaluate 10 of your classmates. These evaluations will be seen only by me, so be honest—give people what they really deserve, not what you want to get.