Graduate School of Business
The University of Texas at Austin
MAN 385.2
Professor Fredrickson
Fall 2013
THE ART OF LEADERSHIP: LESSONS FROM THE AGES
COURSE OVERVIEW
Professor James W. Fredrickson
CBA 4.242 Telephone 471-5694
James.fredrickson@mccombs.utexas.edu
Materials:
Office Hours: by appointment
Class hours: Tuesday/Thursday 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Unique #04770
Pick up Case/Readings Packet at the University Coop
Course Description
It is not enough for a manager to exhibit specialized skill in marketing, accounting, finance,
operations, human resource management and the like. It is clear that what separates true leaders from
simple managers has more to do with such qualities as vision, communications ability, creativity, an
understanding of interpersonal behavior, and personal style. However, such concepts are all too often
neglected in traditional management writings, whereas they are the basic stuff of the liberal arts and
humanities.
This course is based on the fundamental belief that there is a lot to be learned about management
and leadership from the world's greatest texts -- books of history, biography, drama, philosophy, and
literature. Given this reality, the textual sources for this course will be drawn from works that reflect the
human condition throughout time. Specifically, we will use a unique set of case materials that are largely
excerpts from some of the great texts alluded to above. The unique value of these materials is that they
allow us to examine the role of the leader in a context that is richer than that typically offered, which in
turn will allow us to understand the essence of leadership in all its richness and complexity.
The perspective taken in this course is designed to help you better understand the myriad of
personal qualities and skills that effective leaders must possess. For example, in studying Dr. Martin
Luther King's Letter from the Birmingham Jail, you will be exposed to the role of language and vision in
leadership, while excerpts from Machiavelli's The Prince provide us with an opportunity to learn lessons
about the use and abuse of power, and its role in the success or failure of a leader. The ethical issues
involved in making decisions is only one of several themes we will address in our discussion of Twelve
Angry Men, while leadership lessons that can be drawn from a military context and strategy will emerge
in our discussions of Sun Tzu's The Art of War and the movie 12 O’clock High. Preparing one’s self for
leadership is an important theme in John Masefield’s The Bird of Dawning, and gender is among the
issues that arise in Antigone. These are just a few examples of materials and issues that we will use to
provide a uniquely useful perspective on a topic that is critically important to managers.
Although we will draw heavily from the liberal arts and humanities, it is important to emphasize
that our goal is to make this course practical in it application. Specifically, we will apply leadership
lessons that are often best illustrated in those sources to the problems of contemporary organizations. In
addition, because you will be reading excerpted portions of the original literature (not the entire original)
that have been converted into a case format, the course will be exclusively case discussion. While these
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cases are not of the kind typically seen in the Business School, you will quickly see that they are of the
same length and require similar, rigorous preparation. A typical session will involve the discussion of the
issues illustrated in the assigned humanities case (e.g. King's Letter from the Birmingham Jail) and
application of those issues to contemporary organizations, organizations which are often illustrated in the
"contemporary" case readings that form the last portion of the material, and are typically articles
published in the business press.
You will note that we will also discuss several movies –Wall Street, Twelve Angry Men and 12
O’clock High. Please note that it is your responsibility to view the movie outside of class, and then be
prepared to discuss it during our regularly scheduled class meeting. For each movie you will also be
given an assignment for a brief (one to two single-spaced pages) written assignment that is to be
submitted on the first class meeting day that we discuss that movie. During those meetings I will make
use of specific scenes from the movies that are particularly pertinent to leadership. However, it is
imperative that you view the movie in its entirety so that you understand the entire context; this is critical
to having a rich in-class discussion. You are expected to obtain a copy of the movie on your own and
view it at your convenience. Please recognize that it is best to do so (and as noted below, take notes) only
a few days before the movie is discussed in class. If you are unable or unwilling to make time to see the
movies in question, you should not take this course.
Class Format
The teaching method that we will use to assess the cases will be one of interactive discussion
that evolves out of questions and answers. My role in this interaction is that of a guide and facilitator,
inserting useful additional material at times, but seldom interpreting the readings for you, and never
lecturing about them. Instead, together we will make use of probing questions and wide-ranging
discussions to draw out and clarify your understanding of the reading excerpts.
The effectiveness of this approach depends on the kinds of questions we pose, and we will learn
most from those that are primarily interpretive in nature (i.e. you bringing your interpretation to a
statement, description, or reading). Experience suggests that the textual evidence supports more than one
valid answer to such questions; there is no right answer. Therefore, you should immerse yourself in the
richness of the texts. We will proceed at a thoughtful pace that allows us to consider the subtleties of the
assigned material, so there is no need to rush to conclusions as we work to develop a clear understanding
of the pertinent leadership themes.
It is important to understand that in this class the primary responsibility for analyzing the case
belongs to you, not me. Therefore, substantial emphasis is placed on your in-class participation. At a
minimum, you must exhibit a clear understanding of the text as well as a similar understanding of the
leadership issues and principles embedded in that work. More importantly, you should strive to apply the
ideas and lessons to yourself. As a result, for those that excel in this class, the study of these materials
should be something of a journey in self-discovery.
The core of each case we will use is the excerpted classic that is preceded by a brief contextual
statement and several questions. It is in reading this material that inductively derived leadership
principles will emerge. You should read it very carefully -- hopefully three times -- making extensive
notes. Ask yourself what you have learned about leadership from the case. Force yourself to discover
what the writer might be trying to tell you about yourself and your ability to lead. Only when you have
mastered the classic text should you proceed to the contemporary materials (typically articles from the
business press) which follow. There you should see mirrored many of the dynamics of the classic case.
My hope is that you will discover that much of contemporary leadership behavior is richly illuminated by
the actions portrayed in the classics. Finally, each case ends with a summary of leadership themes and
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theories which may help to explain the behaviors of the main actors in both the classic case and the
contemporary readings. Regarding the movies, your case materials will provide you with background on
the movie and precise dialogue from select scenes that are deemed particularly pertinent to leadership.
You should read those materials closely before viewing the movie, and you should take notes while you
do so. Only then will you be prepared to contribute to a substantive discussion from which we will all
learn something.
We will typically take two class sessions to deal with each case. During these sessions, we will
move back and forth between discussing the classic case, the contemporary material, application to you,
and development of the key leadership themes.
Class Performance
Your performance will be assessed using two sources -- in-class participation and a written paper.
Because in-class participation is such an important part of this course, it seems worthwhile to provide
some guidance as to what constitutes good classroom contribution. In addition to being well-prepared
and having thought about the preparation questions before hand, the following questions are the kinds I
will ask myself in judging your in-class contribution:
1.
Is the student a good listener?
2.
Are the points that are made relevant to the discussion? Are they linked to the
comments of others?
3.
Do the comments add to our understanding of the materials and leadership?
4.
Do the comments show evidence of thoughtful analysis of the materials?
5.
Does the participant distinguish among different kinds of data (that is, facts,
opinions, beliefs, concepts, and so on)?
6.
Is there a willingness to share?
7.
Is there a willingness to test new ideas, or are all comments "safe"? (for
example, repetition of case facts without analysis and conclusions, or a comment already
made by a colleague.)
8.
Is the participant willing to interact with other class members?
9.
Do comments clarify and highlight the important aspects of earlier comments
and lead to a clearer statement of the issues/concepts being covered?
It is important to note that the questions summarized above deal with both the process of class
participation and (and of equal or greater concern) the content of what you say. My primary concern is
with the quality of your contribution, not the quantity. However, it should be clear that in the absence of
participation, I cannot judge either.
Primary Written Assignment
There will be one major written assignment for this course, and students have considerable
flexibility in deciding what it will be. Specifically, students may write any paper of their choosing as
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long as it satisfies two criteria -- (1) it is consistent with the spirit of the course (i.e. it is about leadership)
and (2) it uses as source material the cases and lessons of this course. All proposed papers must have my
prior approval, but I am open to anything that satisfies the above criteria. A few examples, but certainly
not an exhaustive list are (1) to develop a leadership case from some classic, written source similar to that
used in class, (2) compare and contrast alternative (at least two) views of leadership presented in the
cases, (3) pick a leadership task (e.g. goal setting, decision-making) and illustrate what can be learned
from the cases about effectively performing this task, (4) identify a major theme illustrated in the cases
(e.g., ethics) and write a paper that discusses its role in leadership, (5) identify a dilemma faced by a
contemporary organization (i.e. most likely one faced by a company discussed in the business press) and
diagnose the situation and make recommendations based on the material discussed in the course, or (6)
use the source material to diagnose a dilemma you have previously faced/seen in your professional career;
this might require you to write a brief case description and then draw on the source material to provide
your diagnoses/explanation of the outcome. Again, the alternatives identified here are in no way
exhaustive, and are merely meant to be illustrative of what you might do, and to get you thinking. I am
open to most anything that satisfies the two criteria, but it must have prior approval. As to expected
length, I hesitate to give you specifics, but experience in the course indicate that it is very difficult to a
satisfactory job in less than 12 to 15 pages. Similarly, it is likely not necessary to go over 20 pages.
Grading Policies
Your grade for this course will be based on your performance in three areas, as follows:
In-class contribution
Movie write-ups
Final paper
45%
10%
45%
100%
Administrative Issues
Since faculty members tend to have somewhat different expectations as to class behavior and
course norms, I'd like to outline a few of my expectations concerning such matters.
1.
I plan to be prepared for every class and I hope that you will do the same. Since I
frequently call on individuals whose hands are not raised, you should let me know before
the start of class if some emergency has made it impossible for you to be adequately
prepared for that class.
2.
I consider attendance in every class to be very important. Therefore, please schedule
other activities (e.g. job interviews) at times other than when this class meets. In the
event that you do have to miss a class during the semester, I would appreciate it if you
would let me know in advance of that class. Also, if you miss a class, it is your
responsibility to find out from your classmates what materials were covered, what
additional assignments were made, and what items may have been distributed in class.
3.
Given the importance of in-class participation, I will strive to learn your names as quickly
as possible. To facilitate that, I will bring name plates to class for each of you. They will
be placed on the table in the front of the classroom at the beginning of each class, and
you can pick them up. At the end of class please return them to the same table, and I will
bring them to the next class.
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4.
I will be happy to discuss the course, your progress, or any other issues of interest to you
on an individual basis. Please see me in class or call to set up an appointment.
5.
I will do everything that I can to use class time effectively, and I ask that you do the
same. This will include arriving, starting, and ending on time.
6.
Group work is acceptable and encouraged for purposes of weekly session/case
preparation. I encourage you to form study groups and use them extensively for all class
work except the final, written paper. The written paper must be exclusively your work.
Do not use study groups to prepare or discuss this paper in any way prior to turning it in.
7.
Please do not eat during class. Also, if you are wearing a hat, I would appreciate it if you
would remove it before the start of class.
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SESSION SUMMARY ***
1.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Introduction to the Course
2.
Tuesday and Thursday, September 3 & 5, 2013
Case:
3.
Tuesday and Thursday, September 10 & 12, 2013
Case:
4.
Machiavelli's The Prince
Tuesday and Thursday, October 15 & 17, 2013
Movie:
9.
Wall Street (watch it outside of class; discussed in class)
Tuesday and Thursday, October 8 & 10, 2013
Case:
8.
Antigone: A Woman Challenges Authority
Tuesday and Thursday, October 1 & 3, 2013
Movie:
7.
Winston Churchill
Tuesday and Thursday, September 24 & 26, 2013
Case:
6.
Plato’s The Republic
Tuesday and Thursday, September 17 & 19, 2013
Case:
5.
Abraham Lincoln
Twelve Angry Men (watch it outside of class; discussed in class)
Tuesday and Thursday, October 22 & 24, 2013
Case:
John Masefield's The Bird of Dawning
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10.
Tuesday and Thursday, October 29 & 31, 2013
Case:
11.
Saint Joan
Tuesday and Thursday, November 5 & 7, 2013
Case: Sun Tzu's The Art of War
12.
Tuesday and Thursday, November 12 & 14, 2013
Movie: 12 O’clock High (watch it outside of class; discussed in class)
13.
Tuesday November 19, 2013
Case:
14.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Case:
15.
Autobiography of Malcolm X
Martin Luther King Jr’s Letter from Birmingham Jail
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Case: Martin Luther King, Jr’s Letter from Birmingham Jail
16.
Tuesday and Thursday, December 3 & 5, 2013
Paper Discussions and Wrap-up
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