Leadership Theory
660.332.02
Course Syllabus, Fall 2009
Instructor:
William Smedick; Ed.D
Contact Information:
Mattin Center 210
Office of the Dean of Student Life
smedick@jhu.edu
410-516-8208
Teaching Assistant:
Abby Duggan
Contact Information:
Whitehead 104
aduggan4@jhu.edu
jhuleadershiptheory@gmail.com
315-256-7743 (emergencies only please)
Office Hours:
TBD
Office Hours:
Tuesdays, 3 - 4 pm
Course Description:
Students will be introduced to the history of Leadership Theory from the “Great
Man” theory of born leaders to Transformational Leadership theory of non-positional
learned leadership. Transformational Leadership theory postulates that leadership can be
learned and enhanced. The course will explore the knowledge base and skills necessary to
be an effective leader in a variety of settings. Students will assess their personal
leadership qualities and develop a plan to enhance their leadership potential.
Course Meets: TTh from 12-1:15, Maryland 217
Required Materials:
Leadership, Theory and Practice, Peter G. Northouse [ISBN-10 #: 076192566X]
Leadership, James MacGregor Burns [ISBN-10 #: 0061319759]
*Additional materials, which may be required for group projects, can be found on the
attached “Group Project Resources” list.
Course Requirements:
All students are expected to attend class and to come fully prepared to participate. Up to
2 absences will be allowed, any further absences will start to severely affect your
participation grade. Additionally, there is a significant amount of reading required for this
class. Please be sure to have the assigned reading completed before class the day that it’s
due so that you can fully participate during in-class discussions. (15%)
Each week a brief reaction paper about the previous week’s assignments and/or
discussion (about 2 – 3 pages) will be due by email (sent to the class account
jhuleadershiptheory@gmail.com) each week by noon of Tuesday’s class. (Particular
reaction paper assignments are listed in the attached “due dates” document.) Papers must
be received before 12 pm on Tuesday (or the alternative date given) or else 5 points will
be taken off per day late. Two of the weekly papers will be reviewed by the instructor
with comments, sent back to student and resubmitted by student to instructor for a final
grade on the paper. Papers will be graded on a rubric evaluating the following four areas:
content and development, organization and structure, format, and grammar, punctuation
and spelling. (15%)
Midterm Exam (15%)
Group Project: Lead one class discussion on article, book or book chapter assigned.
(20%)
One ten – twelve page term paper on an assigned organizational consulting project.
(20%)
Final Exam (15% each)
Course Schedule:
Week #1
Tuesday
Week #2
Tuesday (9/8)
Discussions:  Leadership Defined
(Ways of Conceptual Leadership,
Definitions and Components) 
Leadership Described (Trait v. Process
Leadership, Assigned v. Emergent
Leadership, Leadership and Power,
Leadership and Coercion, Leadership
and Management)  Trait/Skills
Approach
Week #3
Tuesday (9/15)
 Discussion: Situational Approach to
Leadership and Contingency Theory of
Leadership
Week #4
Tuesday (9/22)
 Discussion: Transformational
Leadership; Leaders, Managers, and
Power Wielders
Week #5
Tuesday (9/29)
 In-Class Presentation, Group 3
Thursday (9/3)
 Class Introduction  Low Threat Ice
Breaker: Class Reporter  Discussion on
Icebreakers  Syllabus Review
Thursday (9/10)
 Leaderstyles Exercise  In-Class
Presentation Assignments
Thursday (9/17)
Discussions:  Path-Goal Theory of
Leadership  Leader-Member Exchange
Theory  Final Project Expectations
Discussion
Thursday (9/24)
Discussions:  Team Leadership 
Psychodynamic Approach  Women
and Leadership
Thursday (10/1)
Discussions:  Leadership and
Assessment  Micro Messaging  Role
Plays
Week #6
Tuesday (10/6)
 Guest Lecturer: Tracy Carter (Myers
Briggs Personality Inventory)
Week #7
Tuesday (10/13)
 Discussion: Cultural Leadership 
Exercise: Case Studies
Week #8
Tuesday (10/20)
Mid Term Review
Week #9
Tuesday (10/27)
 Guest Lecturer, Transformative
Action & Social Entrepreneurship 
Mid-Course Evaluations
Week #10
Tuesday (11/3)
 In-Class Presentation, Group 1
Week #11
Tuesday (11/10)
 In-Class Presentation, Group 2
Week #12
Tuesday (11/17)
 In-Class Presentation, Group 6
Thursday (10/8)
 Guest Lecturer: Tracy Carter (Myers
Briggs Personality Inventory)
Thursday (10/15)
 In-Class Presentation, Group 5
Thursday (10/22)
 MID TERM EXAM
Thursday (10/29)
 Introduction of Leadership (Burns)
Discussion: Prologue, Part I
Thursday (11/5)
Discussions:  Transforming Leadership
 Transactional Leadership
Thursday (11/12)
Discussions:  Implications, Theory and
Practice  “Systemic Leadership: The
Four New Ways of Working” 
Knowledge-Based Decision Making
Thursday (11/19)
Discussions:  Waves of Change, New
Ways of Working, New Ways of
Leading  “Integration of the Four
Ways of Knowing”
Week #13
Tuesday (11/24)
 In-Class Presentation, Group 4
Week #14
Tuesday (12/1)
 In-Class Debate: Transactional v.
Transformational Leadership
Thursday (11/26)
 Happy Thanksgiving! (no class!)
Thursday (12/3)
 Final Paper Due  Final Exam
Discussion  Take home final exam
distributed, DUE: Monday, December
14th @ 2pm
*NB: The syllabus is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion.
Course Ethics:
“The strength of the university depends on academic and personal integrity.
In this course, you must be honest and truthful. Ethical violations
include cheating on exams, plagiarism, reuse of assignments, improper
use of the Internet and electronic devices, unauthorized collaboration,
alteration of graded assignments, forgery and falsification, lying, facilitating
academic dishonesty, and unfair competition. Report any violations you witness to the
instructor. You may consult the associate dean of student affairs and/or the chairman of
the Ethics Board beforehand. See the guide on "Academic Ethics for Undergraduates"
and the Ethics Board Web site (http://ethics.jhu.edu) for more information.” [From the
JHU Honor Code]