University of Maryland
iSchool
INST 660
Leadership in the 21st Century
Spring 2013
Michael J. Kurtz, Ph.D.
4117F Hornbake
Telephone: 301-405-7907
E-mail: mkurtz1@umd.edu
Office hours: by appointment
Class time: Monday, 2-4:45 pm
Classroom: Hornbake 0108
Course Overview: Using a combination of research, current events, and literature (including
biography and autobiography) this course focuses on the key components of leadership in the
contemporary era. Topics basic to the effective exercise of leadership that will be explored
include: Becoming a leader; the nature of leadership; leading organizational change; the impact
of gender, cultural and ethnic perceptions on leaders and leadership; and developing as a high
performing leader and mentor. The course will be of interest to all students: those who aspire to
supervisory and leadership roles and those who work in organizations under the direction of
others.
Course Objectives: Upon completing the course students will:
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Be familiar with the essential traits and skills required for effective leadership.
Understand and apply sound principles required in leading organizational change.
Demonstrate understanding in how to motivate sustained superior individual and
organizational performance.
Develop and understand the role of leadership in team-based organizational
environments.
Appreciate the nature of life-long learning in developing as a high-performing leader.
Course Texts: The textbook for this course is: Warren Bennis and Joan Goldsmith, Learning to
Lead: A Workbook on Becoming a Leader, 4th edition, Basic Books, 2010. This book is
available on Amazon.com.
Course Requirements: Prerequisite: LBSC 635. Students are expected to attend classes and
actively engage in seminar discussions that integrate learning from instructor/guest lecturer
presentations, case studies presented during the course, and assigned readings and workbook
exercises. At the beginning of the course each student will select a biography or autobiography
of a leader whose experience the student will connect to the topics covered in the course either in
class discussions or in the workbook assignments. Consider diverse possibilities such as Grace
Hopper, Steve Jobs, Woodrow Wilson, or Catherine the Great. Each student should have a
different biographical subject so that many fields such as science, statesmanship, business, or the
arts can be covered.
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Each student will select a leader to interview using a questionnaire that will be developed by the
class. The individual selected to be interviewed can be a former teacher, former supervisor,
military leader, community leader or business leader, or someone the student identifies as having
strong leadership characteristics. Political candidates are not eligible for interviews. Each
student will submit a final paper based on the interview that should cover the following: the
context for the interview; the interview questions and the interviewees’ responses; a summary of
the discussion; what the student learned about leadership; and an analysis of the interviewee as a
good mentor. The paper should be typed, double-spaced, and no more than 10-12 pages in
length.
During the first several weeks of the class the students will submit interview questions which
will contribute to a questionnaire each student will then use in the individual interviews. The
instructor will provide a first draft of the questionnaire which will be supplemented by specific
questions developed by the student.
Grades: A letter grade for each segment of student performance, and for the course, will be
assigned with University and iSchool guidelines: A= Excellent (90-100); B=Satisfactory (80-89);
C= Barely adequate (70-79); D/F= Failure (<70).
Class participation: 20%
Class written assignments: 30%
Final paper (interview): 50%
Course Format: The course is divided into five core units (2-3 sessions) that focus on a
particular topic or topics. Each core unit consists of instructor-led lectures and discussions;
expert-presenter-led case studies; and a class project or discussion that analyzes and brings
together the material presented in the core unit. The core units are: Nature of Leadership;
Becoming a Leader; Leading Organizational Change; Gender, Cultural and Ethnic Perceptions;
and Developing as a High-Performing Leader/Mentor.
Attendance: Attendance in class is expected. If you are unable to attend class for reasons of
illness, religious observance, participation In University activities at the request of University
authorities, or compelling absences beyond the student’s control, please let the instructor know
prior to class for non-emergencies.
Classroom Environment: The classroom environment should be professional and respectful.
Punctual arrival at classes contributes to the smooth operation of the class and the quality of the
learning experience. Late arrivals, early departures, and wandering in and out of the classroom
are disruptive and distracting. If you know you will be unavoidably detained or must leave early,
please let the instructor know in advance. Please turn off or mute all phones and other
communication devices during each class session. If you use your laptop in the classroom, limit
the usage of the computer to course-related reasons, i.e., taking notes.
Academic Integrity: The University of Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized
Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student Honor Society. This Code sets
standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all undergraduate and graduate students. As a
student, you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course. The Code of
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Academic Integrity prohibits students from cheating on exams, plagiarizing, submitting
fraudulent documents, forging signatures, submitting the same paper for credit in two courses
without authorization, and buying papers. It is very important for you to be aware of the
consequences of academic dishonesty. Instances of any suspected academic dishonesty will be
reported and handled according to University policy and procedures. For more information on
the Code, visit http://www.shc.umd.edu.
Plagiarism is of particular concern in the networked digital environment. Students must write
their essays and assignments in their own words. Whenever students take an idea or a passage of
text from another author, they must acknowledge their source both by using quotation marks
where appropriate and by proper referencing using footnotes or in-text citations. For further
information about proper citation of sources, consult the UMD Libraries website at
http://www.lib.umd.edu/guides/honesty.html and
http://www.lib.umd.edu/PUBSERV/citations/index.html.
Extensions: Late submissions of written assignments, including the final exam, will carry a
penalty unless prior arrangements are made with the instructor. If an extension is granted, the
work must be submitted within the extension period to avoid grade penalties. Unexcused delays
in submission of the assignment will result in a reduction of the grade by one category for each
day the paper is late; for example, a paper that would have received a B+ if submitted on time
will receive a B if it is submitted a day late, a B- if it is two days late, and so on.
Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who require academic accommodations
must inform the instructor of their needs and provide written documentation about the
appropriate academic accommodations from Disability Support Services
(http://www.counseling.umd.edu/DSS) at the beginning of the term.
Course Units
SESSIONS 1-3: Nature of Leadership
Session Focus: These three sessions focus on the nature of leadership, leadership’s role in the
management of work, leadership traits and skills, styles of leadership, and leadership in the
organizational context. Course instructors and outside experts/practitioners will present case
studies that engage students in active debate and discussion involving the core elements of
effective leadership, and the various ways that leaders set the tone for their organization and
represent its values and direction.
Readings:
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Warren Bennis and Joan Goldsmith, Learning to Lead: A Workbook on Becoming a
Leader, 4th edition, Basic Books, pp. ix-xxxiii, 1-48.
Daniel Goleman, “What Makes a Leader,” Harvard Business Review, January 2004, pp.
1-11.
Ronald Heifetz, et al, “Leadership in a (Permanent) Crisis,” Harvard Business Review,
87(July/August 2009) pp. 62-69.
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John P. Kotter, “What Leaders Really Do,” Harvard Business Review, 79(December
2001), pp. 85-96.
James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, Credibility: How Leaders Lose and Gain It,
Why People Demand It, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1993, pp. 1-26.
Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, “The Making of a Corporate Athlete,” 67(January 2001),
pp. 120-128.
Ann E. Prentice, Managing in the Information Age, Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press,
2005, pp. 104-123.
David Snowdon and Mary E. Boone, “A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making,”
Harvard Business Review 85:11 (November 2007), pp. 69-76.
SESSIONS 4-6: Becoming a Leader
Session Focus: These sessions focus on the work of leaders, how leadership roles are assumed,
and the organizational and societal contexts in which leaders emerge. Core issues such as
integrity, trust, vision, and effective communications are evaluated as key to becoming a
successful leader. Case studies will highlight the challenges in successfully transitioning to
leadership in information-based cultural institutions including libraries, archives, and museums.
Readings:
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Joseph L. Badaracco, Jr., Questions of Character: Illuminating the Heart of
Leadership Through Literature, Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 2006, pp. 99118.
Warren Bennis and Joan Goldsmith, Learning to Lead, pp. 49-100.
Ben Heineman, Jr., “Avoiding Integrity Landmines,” Harvard Business Review 85:4
(April 2007), pp. 100-108.
Robert F. Hurley, “The Decision to Trust,” Harvard Business Review 84:9 (September
2006), pp. 55-62.
James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It,
Why People Demand It, pp. 88-118.
John Erwin Mroz, “Leadership Over Fear,” in Frances Hesselbein and Marshall
Goldsmith, ed. The Leader of the Future 2, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2006, pp. 113120.
SESSIONS 7-8: Gender, Cultural, and Ethnic Perceptions: The Impact on Leaders and
Leadership
Session Focus: These two sessions explore assumptions about leadership ability based on
gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and cultural affiliation. Discussions and case studies
will evaluate different approaches to leadership and the impact that a diverse society has on
expectations for leadership.
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Readings:
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Warren Bennis and Joan Goldsmith, Learning to Lead, pp. 101-146.
Alice H. Eagly and Linda L. Carli, “Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership,” Harvard
Business Review, 85:9 (September 2007), pp. 63-71.
Sally Helgelsen, The Female Advantage: Women’s Ways of Leadership, New York:
Currency Doubleday, 1990, pp. xxxiii-60.
Rosabeth Moss Kanter, “How Cosmopolitan Leaders Inspire Confidence: A Profile of the
Future,” in The Leader of the Future 2, pp. 61-70.
Jan Masaoka, “Ten Things I Learned about Leadership from Women Executive Directors
of Color,” in The Leader of the Future 2, pp. 55-60.
R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., “Diversity Management: An Essential Craft for Future
Leaders,” in The Leader of the Future 2, pp. 47-54.
Kirk Snyder, The G Quotient: Why Gay Executives are Winning the Leadership
Race: What Every Manager Needs to Know, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2006, pp. xixxxiii, 47-72.
SESSIONS 9-10: Leading Organizational Change
Session Focus: These sessions focus on the essential leadership elements needed to produce
organizational change and to encourage innovation. Included is leadership behavior that inspires
and motivates. Case studies will focus on the impact of success and failure in achieving
organizational change. The role of work place dynamics and politics will be highlighted as aids
or impediments to organizational change, as well as the impact of external factors including
technological change, constituent demands, and uncertain funding.
Readings:
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Warren Bennis and Joan Goldsmith, Learning to Lead, pp. 147-178.
Gerry Brokaw and John Pickering, “Building the High Performance Organization,” in
Terry Newell, Grant Reeher, Peter Ronayne, eds. The Trusted Leader: Building the
Relationships that Make Government Work, Washington: CQ Press, 2011, chapter 6.
Ivan Gaetz, “Collaborative Librarianship: “ New Light on a Brilliant Concept,”
Collaborative Librarianship (2009), pp. 1-12.
Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey, “The Real Reason People Won’t Change,”
Harvard Business Review, (November 2001), pp. 85-92.
John Zenger and Joseph Folkman, The Extraordinary Leader: Turning Good
Managers into Great Leaders, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009, chapters 1-2, pp. 107129.
SESSIONS 11-12: Becoming a High Performing Leader
Session Focus: These sessions deal with identifying strategies to foster leadership development.
This includes the role of aptitude and personality-preference evaluations, training and
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educational programs, and life-long learning. Case studies will focus on how to form a
mentoring relationship to aid in growth as a leader, and how to become a mentor for others.
Readings:
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John Beeson, “Indispensable,” Harvard Business Review, 84:9 (September 2006), pp.
37-42.
Warren Bennis and Joan Goldsmith, Learning to Lead, pp. 179-212.
Ken Blanchard and Dennis Carey, “Regaining Public Trust: A Leadership Challenge,” in
The Leaders of the Future 2, pp. 153-161.
Frances Hesselbein and Marshall Goldsmith, ed. “The Quality and Character of the
Leaders of the Future,” Part 5 of The Leader of the Future 2, pp. 215-302.
Roger Martin, “How Successful Leaders Think,” Harvard Business Review, 85:6 (June
2007), pp. 60-67.
Ponchetta Pierce, “Leading in a Constantly Changing World,” in The Leader of the
Future 2, pp. 113-120.
SESSIONS 13-14: Final Paper Presentations
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