HTM 491 – Leadership and Self Development
Spring 2014
Instructor:
Lori J. Sipe, MBA, PhD
Go ahead and be yourself.
Everyone else is taken.
Office Hours:
Tuesday/Thursday 12:30-1:45 p.m. PSFA 446
E-mail: lsipe@mail.sdsu.edu
Course Description
This course is designed to help hospitality and tourism management students integrate
leadership theory, leader development, and leadership development. It is the
complement to the Kaleidoscope course students take as sophomores. The course
covers the historical evolution of leadership theories while engaging the students in selfreflection. Students will develop the professionalism/authenticity, self - development,
time management/priorities, and spirit of optimism competencies while examining trait
based, behavior based, contingency, transformational, and contemporary leadership
theories. Reflecting on the differences between your leadership perspective in the
Kaleidoscope class vs. your leadership perspective now (sophomore vs. senior) is
central to the course learning. How have I changed and why? will guide self learning.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:

Define the major schools of thought in leadership theory

Read and critique trait, behavior, contingency, transformational, and contemporary
leadership theories

Dialogue with hospitality industry executives and peers about leadership practices

Respond to prompts about leadership in an online forum in a way that
communicates the student’s point of view

Reflect on personal values, roles and archetypes in relation to hospitality leadership

Develop and maintain a leadership blog integrating self, theory, and context

Demonstrate the ability to use a variety of contemporary communication methods to
convey a personal leadership philosophy – culminating in your online portfolio
Competencies
Business Savvy
Planning
Strategic Decision Making
People Savvy
Interpersonal Communication
Self Savvy
Professionalism
Self Development
Time Management/Priorities
Readings
The required text for the course is Good to Great, by Jim Collins. You can purchase it
for less than fifteen dollars at most online sites. Articles related to each leadership
theory will be posted on Blackboard or distributed in class. These articles and the book
will inform our discussions and provide opportunity for students to form their own
connection to leadership theory. A mid-term will assess mastery of the article/book
content but it is expected that weekly blog assignments will also make reference to the
course content. Occasional quizzes, unscheduled, will assess your preparation on the
content.
Blackboard
Computer-based learning, using Blackboard, will be a part of the class. All students
should get a Blackboard account and visit the HTM 491 course site before every
Tuesday class. Visit http://courses.sdsu.edu. Students will obtain weekly
announcements, download materials, and turn in online assignments here.
Structure and Assessment
The class is structured to maximize student opportunity to integrate theory with selfsavvy. Course objectives will be accomplished through industry leader dialogues, blog
posts, a mid-term exam and a final digital portfolio that each student compiles to convey
their personal leadership philosophy based on what they have learned about leadership
and
self throughout the HTM program. As this class is about finding
and communicating one’s individual voice, all of the assignments
are individually graded. There will be ample opportunity to join
Theory
in conversation, though, through dialogue in class, on the
Blackboard discussion board, and by interacting with peer
blogs.
Self
Context
Grading
Blog Assignments
Participation (In class activities/quizzes)
Mid-Term Exam
Case Study
Final Leadership Portfolio
94 & above = A
90-93 = A-
87-89 = B+
20% (100 points)
20% (100 points)
20% (100 points)
20% (100 points)
20% (100 points)
84-86 = B
80-83 = B-
77-79 = C+
74-76 = C
70-73 = C60-69 = D
Summary of Graded Assignments
Each graded assignment will have an assignment explanation and grading rubric
document posted under the assignments tab. Refer to the course schedule for due
dates. Individual feedback will be provided throughout the course. It is expected that
every student will contribute meaningfully and according to his/her strengths and desire
to stretch/grow as future hospitality leaders.
Blog Assignments
The blog is a way for you to keep an online journal of what you are learning about
leadership and yourself. There will be weekly prompts, and a minimum of two postings
is required each week as indicated in the course schedule. Other assignments related
to the blog will be posted every other week to enhance the online journaling. These will
include things like finding other leadership blogs you are interested in, finding ways to
communicate one’s voice through visuals, and reflecting on assessments and activities
we discuss during class sessions.
Participation
Attendance is important on the days we meet live in class as indicated in the course
schedule. Your participation in activities and scores on unscheduled quizzes, as well as
attendance on live class days will be included in the participation points. Missing more
than one class will affect your points for participation, regardless of the reason.
Leadership in the Memories Business Case Study
You will visit and learn about exemplary hospitality organizations and their leaders. A
collection of activities will be distributed that requires you to examine the unique
characteristics about leadership in the memories business. You will develop a case
study of an exemplary hospitality organization from the customer, leadership, and
employee perspectives.
Midterm Exam
The midterm exam will assess your understanding of and ability to apply historical
leadership theories to film. The list of films and the midterm requirements will be
distributed two weeks prior to the due date. The midterm is a take-home format.
Senior Leadership Portfolio
The final project is an online portfolio that conveys your personal leadership philosophy
and communicates the journey you have taken in the HTM program related to selfdevelopment and leadership. As this is expected to be a very personal type of
assignment much effort will be spent to provide an environment and climate conducive
to authentic dialogue.
You might consider this class the bookend to the Kaleidoscope course most students
take during the sophomore year of the degree program. I encourage you to embrace
the unique opportunity to spend time with yourself, your thoughts, your dreams, your
confusion, and your contribution to the ongoing leadership conversation.
Remember, HTM is all about exceeding expectations!
Day
Date
Topic
Course Introduction
What is Leadership?
Getting Started Blogging
Online
Assignment Due
Kaleidoscope Reflection (in class)
Thur
1/23
Thur
1/30
Thur
2/6
Getting Started Blogging
Thur
2/13
Trait Based Theories
Thur
2/20
Behavior Based Theories
Blog Assignment #1
 Blog Components (in class)
Blog Assignment #2
 Site Customized
Good to Great – Chapters 1-4
Trait Based Theory Articles
Blog Assignment #3
 Trait Based Theories Then and
Now
 Good to Great Connection
Good to Great – Chapter 5
Behavior Based Theory Article
Blog Assignment #4
 Competencies and 360s
 Good to Great Connection
Thur
2/27
Introduction to the Case Study
Contingency Theories
Contingency Articles
Good to Great – Chapter 6
Blog Assignment #5
 Personal Experience
 Mismatches
Thur
3/6
Transformational Leadership
Midterm Overview
Pdf Deck on Transformational
Leadership
Good to Great – Finish Book
Blog Assignment #6
 Seduction and Critiques
 Good to Great Connection
Thur
3/13
Midterm
Take Home – No Live Class
Thur
3/20
Contemporary Leadership
Introduction to the Case Study
Thur
3/27
Hospitality Leadership in the
Memories Business
Case Study Progress
Sign Up for WordPress
Set up Preliminary Site
Contemporary Leadership Articles
Presentations
Blog Assignment #7
 My Contemporary Theory
Leadership in the Memories Business
Article
Blog Assignment #8
 My Experience
Thur
4/10
Thur
4/17
Thur
4/24
Case Study Final
In the Field
Case Study Roundtable
The Final Portfolio
Portfolio Presentations
Th
5/1
Portfolio Presentations
Blog Assignment #10
My Portfolio and Blog Wrap Up
Final Portfolios Due – All Groups
Groups 1 and 2 Present
Groups 3 and 4 Present
T
5/8
Portfolio Presentations
Groups 5 and 6 Present
Blog Assignment #9
 My Case Organization
Case Study Due