Spring 2013 - 62585 - PA325 - Topics in Policy

Advanced Seminar in Ethical Leadership

Whether you realize it or not, you probably have above average potential for leadership.  And, as a well educated citizen in a free society, you will have many opportunities, indeed even obligations, to participate in leadership as both a leader and a follower.  Whether you can participate effectively in leadership situations as a leader or a follower depends on your knowledge of leadership concepts, your ability to put what you know into practice, and your willingness to take responsibility.  So how much do you really know about leadership?  Do you believe leaders are born or made?  Do you believe leadership is all just common sense and can’t really be taught?  Do you believe that followers are like sheep, that they just follow the flock?  Do you think leadership is just influencing other people to do what you want them to do?  How do you imagine leadership and ethics come together in everyday life?  How do leaders under 35 years old view what leadership is compared to leaders who are over 65 years old?  How is leadership changing as a result of the Internet and other information technology?  How could you develop yourself to be a more effective leader and follower during your college years and even after you graduate? These are just some of the questions we will explore in this undergraduate leadership seminar.
 
This course is limited to students who have upper-division standing.  The class meets once a week for three hours every Thursday afternoon so your schedule must be able to fit this course into that time slot.
 
Though there are no formal prerequisites, it will help to have an interest in developing yourself to be a better leader and follower, some curiosity about the nature of leadership and followership, and a willingness to participate in classroom discussions with your peers and the instructor.  We will learn by reading a couple of books that are not too long and by watching lots of leaders and followers in action in different kinds of situations.  I will select several feature-length movies available on DVD and you and the other members of a team you will join as part of the class also will choose a movie to teach the class about leadership.