Duke University
Alma Blount Visiting Lecturer, Public Policy Studies Duke University 1241
Sanford Institute Building Box 90245 Durham, NC 27708 (919) 613-7323
(919) 681-8288 (fax) blount@pps.duke.edu almablount@ aol.com
Leading from Within: Exercising Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty
Educational Level: Undergraduate Department: Public Policy Studies Format:
For-credit Stand Alone INTRODUCTION
Groups facing the challenges of today's world need the resources of many diverse
perspectives to find solutions to their problems. Group work is often difficult and
complex, yet much significant change comes about through groups. This seminar
explores the interrelated processes of thinking systemically, developing reflective
judgment, discerning purpose, and exercising leadership by mobilizing group
resources for adaptive change. We will examine leadership as a reflective practice, a
means of expanding our collective capacity for change by getting groups,
organizations, and social Systems to learn to take action on difficult, systemic
problems.
Learning to reflect well is an essential tool for self-development and for work with
groups. A sense of purpose, whether in an individual, a group, or a larger social
system, can serve as the orienting principle for finding direction in the midst of
chaos and uncertainty. Purpose can be discerned through skillful and continual
processes of reflection. Effective groups are usually those that develop processes of
reflection at a group level so that they can understand how their actions shape their
reality and, thus, locate their power to create organizational and social change.
This course is designed as a reflective practicum. Through-out the semester, we will
weave together theoretical and experiential threads, use material from our own lives
and insights gained from each other in class as resources for our learning. Students
can learn from readings, case studies, group dynamics, small-group sessions, and
reflection exercises.
TEXTS
Heifetz, RA. (1994). Leadership without easy answers. Cambridge, MA: Belknap
Press. Parks-Daloz, L. A., Daloz-Parks, S., Keen, C. H., & Keen, J. P. (1 996).
Common fire: Lives of commitment in a complex world. Boston: Beacon Press.
Wheatley, M., & Kellner-Rogers, M. (1992). A simpler way. San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler. The other readings required for this seminar-articles and
excerpts from books-are included in the course notebook.
FORMAT
The seminar will be divided into three small groups that will meet for one hour each
week for ten weeks, beginning the third week of class. The purpose of these sessions
is to provide students an opportunity: · To apply what they are learning in the
seminar to their own life experiences. · To complete weekly group assignments. ·
To discover and reflect upon group dynamics.
REQUIREMENTS
· Punctually attend each seminar class. · Finish the reading assignments prior to
each week’s class and prepare notes. · Find creative ways to participate in seminar
discussions. · Attend each small-group session-total of ten-and participate fully in
the group assignments. · Complete an informal weekly reflection exercise, and
send it by e-mail to the instructor (total of ten brief reflection papers). · Write a
paper that integrates your learning from each part of our seminar. (Total of three
papers. The second paper is required, but not graded. Papers 1 and 3 count 15%
each.) · Prepare a brief and informal annotated bibliography during Part Two of
the course. · Attend a mid-semester evaluation meeting with the instructor. ·
Contribute to a group project, to be presented during the final
EVALUATION
Class Participation-30 % Papers-30 % Weekly Reflection Exercise~2O %
Group Project-20% OUTLINE Session Topic 1 Introduction: Learning, Reflection in Action, and
Leadership PART ONE: THE PRACTICE OF THINKING SYSTIMICALLY
2 Context Readings: Drucker, P. F. The age of social transformation. The
Atlantic Monthly, Nov.1994, pp. 53-80. Schall, E. (1995). Learning to love the
swamp. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 14(2), 202-220. Schon, D.
(1983). Reflection in action. The rtflecrive. practitioner New York Basic Books,
pp. 49-69. Vaill, P. B. (1996). An ordinary day on the river: Living in a world
of permanent white water. Learning as a way of being. San Francisco: JosseyBass. Leadership expert Ronald Heifetz, Inc. Magazine, ct.1988, pp. 37-41. 3
Chaos Reading: Flowers, J. The power of chaos: A conversation with
Margaret 'Wheatley. Healthcare Forum 1nnrnn{ Sept-Oct 1993 Un 48-55. flock,
D. (1995) The chaordic organization: Out of control and into order. World
Business Academy Perspectives, 9(1), 5-18. Wheatley, M. (1992). Change,
stability, and renewal: Th~ep~ar4d~qxe~5 ~ systems, pp. 75-99. The creative
energy of the universe-information, pp.101-119. Leadership and the new science.'
Learning about organization from an orderly universe. San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler. Handouts: "The Change Codes," "Quotations from
Chairman Kelly" Small-group meetings before next class session 4 Learning to
See Systems Reflection exercises due Readings: Wheatley,M.J., & A simpler
way. San Francisco: Reiren-KoeMer. Readings from the World Wide Web to be
announced. Key web sites include: The MIT Organizational Learning Network:
http:/ learning.mit.edu/ · Stanford Learning Organization Web:
httP:/www.leland.stanford.edu:80/groups/ SLOW/internet.html · Innovation
Associates: bttp:/~world.std.com/~ia · Whole Systems: http://www.newciv
org/worldtrans/wholehtml · The Change Project:
http://www.well.com/userlbbearl Small-group meetings before next class session
5 A simpler way
Paper 1 due Reflection exercises due Small-group meetings before next class
session
PART TWO: THE PROCESS OF LOCATING PURPOSE
6 Vision and Calling Reflection exercises due Readings: Bateson, M. C.
(1989). Emergent visions. Composing a life. New York: Penguin Books, pp.1-18.
Bellah, R. N., et al. (1985). Finding oneself. Habits of the heart: Individualism
and commit-ment in American lift. Berkeley, Los Angeles: University of
California Press, pp.55-84. Kabat-Zinn, 1(1994). 'What is my job on the planet with'
a capital I? Wherever you go, there you are. New York: Hyperion, pp.206-210.
Komfield, 1. (1993). Did I love well? A path with heart. New York: Bantam Books,
pp.11-21. Schumacker, F. F., & Wl'itmeyer, C., Eds. (1994). Good work.
Mindfijlness and meaningfiel work: Exploration in right livelihood. Los Angeles:
Parallax Press, pp.131-135. Sullivan, W. (1995). Rein venting professionalism. Work
and integrity. New York: Rarpercollins, pp.127-157. Small-group meetings
before next class session
7 Connection to the Commons Reflection exercises due Readings: ParksDaloz, L. A., Daloz-Parks, S., Keen, C. H., & Keen,!. P. (1996). Common fire: Lives
of commitment in a complex world. Boston: Beacon Press. Small-group meetings
before next class session
8 Common fire: Lives of commitment in a complex world Reflection exercises
due Small-group meetings before next class Session 9 Mentors and Models
Reflection exercises due Paper 2 due Brief annotated bibliography, chosen
by the student Small-group meetings before next class session
PART THREE: THE ART OF EXERCISING LEADERSHIP
10 Mobilizing Group Resources for Adaptive Change Reflection exercises due
Readings: Heifetz, R. A. (1994). Leadership without easy answers. Cambridge,
MA: Belknap Press. Small-group meetings before next class session
11 Leadership without easy answers Reflection exercises due Small-group
meetings before next class session
12 Leadership Without easy ansivers Reflection exercises due Handout:
Palmer, P., Leading t'rorn within. Small-group meetings before next class session
13 Peer Reflections Reflection exercises due Paper #3 due
14 Group Project