PD2 Wk 1 Introduction & analyzing leadership style
Objectives: Gaining a broader understanding of the role of personal and cultural values
in leadership styles; understanding leadership as an intellectual and cultural activity;
identifying how cultural values influence planning and decision making; Observe
details of leadership and how they connect to more general notions of leadership styles.
Introduction: ABET outcome evaluations, syllabus & handouts
Film Guide
Film: Tape 6, “The Last Place on Earth” based on the book by Roland Huntsford
Background
Trailer on book and film: "One made it to the South Pole and was forgotten; the other
failed and became a hero"
Amundson was from a Norwegian family, lied to his backers (about which Pole he was
going to). Learned from Laplanders and Innuit about surviving in Artic conditions (e.g.,
wearing anoraks, sewing, using dogs). Prevented scurvy by eating raw meat.
Scott was from an upper class British family and was an officer in the Royal Navy, a
highly prestigious position; he was well funded by the Royal Society (a scientific
society). Had a 19th century British sense of honor and "fair play" in competition (e.g.,
rejected using sled dogs), seemliness (e.g., would not eat dogs), and appropriate
authority. Lost four men to scurvy on previous artic trip. Lost four others and his own
life on the Antarctic expedition.
Characters
Roald Amundson, leader of the Norwegian team
Robert Falcon Scott, aka “the Owner,” leader of the British team
Dr. “Bill” Wilson (the fellow drawing in his book), Scott’s best friend
Bill Lashley, on Teddy Evans team; Bill is mentioned a lot, but his significance is that
he’s a strong man, but wasn’t included in the final team
Lt. Teddy Evans (the edgy young man)
P.O. Edgar Evans (big man who cuts his hand)
“Birdie,” served Teddy Evans, but is put on Scott’s team
With two Bills and two Evans, things can get confusing. However, the story line here is
less important than observing differences in leadership style between Amundson and
Scott.
Rev. 1/01
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The film opens with the Norwegian team taking its bearings. Note the redundancy in
the measuring, the camaraderie among the men and their equipment. After the
Norwegians, the scene shifts to the British lugging their sleds uphill. There’s a voiceover
(from Scott’s diary of the trip) saying that he expected to be disappointed by the
animals, but not by his men. He’s most disappointed in Lt. (Teddy) Evans. Note to
whom Scott’s men talk to the most, and how Scott sets up Teddy Evans for failure.
Describe the differences in leadership style between Amundson and Scott. Do you think
there’s a distinction between power and authority? Do the two men differ in their
notions of fairness? Explain your answers.
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Amundson choose men who were the fastest and the strongest to accompany him on the
final leg to the South Pole. How and why did Scott choose his men? What does Scott
seem to be trying to achieve in his choice of men?
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Consider the role of planning before the expedition (which you must infer from the
instructor's comments and what you see in the film) and during the execution of the
expedition. Look for details related to planning, such as technology used by the two
teams and the decisions made en route. Briefly describe what you can learn about
planning and execution from the film. Tip: You might think about how plans are
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formed, how detailed they are, how closely you stick to plans once they're made, and
what are trade-offs in planning under what conditions.
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Other notes and reflections
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Reading Guide
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C. Wright Mills, “The sociological imagination,”
John Schumacher, “To Change the Way Things Are”
Goldberg, Ch. 1, 9
Fast Co. Leadership Kit
Debate practice: “Was Hitler a great leader?” (See the Debate Structure handout).
C. Wright Mill’s essay has one point: “Neither the life of an individual nor the history of
a society can be understood without understanding both.” To have a sociological
imagination is to be able to understand one’s own fate and experience in the larger
framework of society and history. That understanding comes from asking questions
about 1) the structure of society, 2) the place of the society in human history, and 3) what
characteristics does the society foster in its people. The sociological imagination often
works through distinctions made between “the personal” and “the public,” which may
be expressed in several ways, e.g., personal troubles and public issues. Mills expands on
the sociological imagination in Section 3 of his essay, where he discusses the
intersections of problems of leisure and problems of work. In later sections (less
important for our purposes), Mills proposes that the sociological imagination is
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becoming the common denominator of our cultural life, replacing the cultural meaning
of physical science as the common denominator. (Consider the changes in ABET criteria
discussed the first day of class.)
You’ll want to understand the idea that the individual is part of a larger historical and
cultural scene—a theme to which we return repeatedly in the class. An example of this
theme in the film is the importance of “decorum” (a feature of the cultural scene in the
19th century British military aristocracy) in Scott’s decision making.
Provide a brief summary of main points in "Sociological Imagination" and examples or
arguments the author gives to support or expand on each point.
Main Points
1.
Examples, Arguments or Expansions
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
Write a short reflection on this article. Focus on some aspect of your own experience (or
someone close to you) in the larger framework of history and society. Use more space on
the back of this sheet if necessary.
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Schumacher encourages us to search for “root questions” with the people we encounter
in our daily lives. We may not be able to answer these questions, but we want to be at
least aware that there are such questions about various parts of our lives. Our
consideration of leadership is an ongoing search for root questions about leadership,
family, sex roles, attitudes, social traps, decision making and more.
Identify and briefly describe one root question of your own:
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What three principles does Goldberg advocate in Ch. 1, and how are they related to
leadership?
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Your Leadership:
What leadership technique (Fast Co. Kit) did you practice in class this week?
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How did it go and how do you feel about it?
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