Leadership Credo Due June 5, 2005 at midnight
MBA 602-2 — Professor Melissa Koerner
Description
and Purpose
In this one-page document your goal is to summarize the values and principles underlying your
leadership approach. A leadership credo typically serves two main purposes. First, it helps you
clarify what you believe in and stand for as a leader, and second, it helps you communicate your
leadership beliefs to others. You can achieve these purposes most effectively if you thoughtfully
consider your values and principles, and if you describe them in sufficient detail to allow others (e.g.,
peers or subordinates) to clearly understand what is most important to you. Please note that this
assignment is a little different than the “Credo Memo” and the “Vision Statement” discussed in The
Leadership Challenge.
Guidelines
This credo is yours and yours alone, so be sure to keep the focus squarely on you. For example, you
should write it in the first person and focus on what you personally believe in, rather than what you
think all leaders should do or feel. Similarly, you should focus on what you believe will make you a
great leader, rather than describing your views on the characteristics that all great leaders share.
Finally, since this is your leadership credo, be sure to focus on your beliefs as they pertain to the type
of leader you aspire to be. Your credo will be most useful if you choose a limited number of values
and principles and describe them in depth.
The quality of your writing reflects directly on your professionalism, so your writing in this document
should be clear and professional. Use complete sentences rather than pithy phrases, choose your
words carefully, and organize the paper logically. In addition, strive to make your credo coherent; all
of the parts should fit together into one cohesive whole. Finally, your credo should be elegant,
meaning that you should describe your beliefs precisely, but also show restraint, rather than trying to
include every leadership belief you have. Undoubtedly, there are many values and principles you feel
are important, but you should choose only the most important ideas.
Submission
Instructions
Please submit your leadership credo on WebCT using the Assignment Dropbox feature.
Grading
Criteria
The Leadership Credo is worth 15% of your grade in MBA 602. It will be graded according to the
following criteria.
Writing quality
 The paper is logically organized and effectively designed.
 The writing in the paper is clear, professional and concise.
 The document is free of errors in grammar and mechanics.
Uniqueness, thoughtfulness and depth
 The values and principles included in the paper are unique, thoughtfully chosen, and tailored to
the author’s personal situation, rather than being superficial and generic.
 Ideas are described in sufficient depth.
Coherence and elegance
 The elements of the paper join to make a coherent whole, rather than being loosely connected or
unconnected.
 The parts are tied together through logical or aesthetic consistency.
 Values and beliefs are described precisely, but the author also shows restraint.