Theories of Leadership
Starts: TBA
Ends: TBA
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Description: This course traces the development
of the concept of leadership. Since ancient times thinkers have tried
to explain what makes certain leaders more effective than others, in
order to not only analyze leadership performance but also to predict
potential.
In practice, leadership involves facing some fundamental, obvious challenges:
motivating followers; mobilizing their knowledge, skills, and abilities;
creating and implementing an organizational vision; and managing change.
A simple universal recipe for overcoming these challenges, however,
has been elusive, and truly exceptional leaders have often assumed almost
mythic status, their decisions not entirely explainable by ordinary
folk. In response, various schools of thought have arisen as to how
leadership can be explained, and how it should be exercised, assessed,
conceptualized and even defined. Each of these theories has implications
for the understanding and practice of leadership.
The course places these theories in perspective using a reference model,
and compares them in application to an assortment of “leadership legends”
– men and women held up as exemplars of effective leadership. Through
this interplay of theory and practical application, a deeper appreciation
for the requirements, responsibilities, and consequences of effective
leadership is reached.
Topics:
The History of Leadership
Theories of Leadership
Heroes and Legends
Vision
Setting the Context
Motivating Others
Power and Influence
Managing Change
Followership
Resources Provided: Course manual, textbooks,
readers, course website, etc.
Resources Required: On-line (Web-based) course
requiring access to the Internet. The minimum requirements are: a personal
computer with a Pentium-class processor; Windows 95 or later; 32 MB
RAM (64 recommended); 10 MEGS hard disk space; SVGA Monitor; 1 MB video
card; 256 colours; CD-ROM drive (suggested); word processing software;
56k modem; Internet Explorer 5.0 or Netscape 4.7 or later (Please note
that we DO NOT recommend using Netscape 6 at this time.)
Instructor(s): Prof. Michael Cox
Sponsoring College: College
of Social and Applied Human Sciences
Tuition Fee(s): CDN $1,200 or
CDN $900 for Not For Profit or Charitable Organizations
For
more information about the content or learning objectives,
please contact Professor Michael Cox
at 519-824-4120, extension
56597 or send an email to mcox@uoguelph.ca
For all other
inquiries contact:
John Cassidy,
Manager, Distance Education and DE Learning Technologies
Phone: (519) 824-4120, Ext: 56777
FAX: (519) 824-1112
E-mail: jcassidy@open.uoguelph.ca
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Other Leadership
courses:
Theories
of Leadership
Ethics in Leadership
Role of the Leader in Improving Organizational Decision-Making
