UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT DENVER
Graduate School of Public Affairs
Leadership and Professional Ethics
PAD 5006/7006
Fall 2006
Professor: Richard Stillman
Class Times: 7:00pm – 10:00pm, Wednesday
Office Hours: Fridays 2:00pm – 5:00pm; and by appointment
GSPA Fax: 303-556-5971
GSPA Phone: 303-556-5970
Office Phone: 303-556-5982
Email: Richard.Stillman@cudenver.edu
This class will not teach you how to be ethical or a leader. Rather, its goal is much more modest,
namely to help you come to grips with your own ethical leadership values in four ways. The first,
is case analysis. Class members will be asked to prepare a two-page synopsis on each assigned
case (no late papers will be accepted). The cases will be drawn from a range of contemporary
leadership and ethical problems facing public administrators from Stillman’s Public
Administration: Concepts and Cases, 8th edition. These two-page summaries should address six
issues: 1) What are the central leadership and ethical issues in the assigned case? 2) The major
factors contributing to the development of the problem under review. 3) The alternatives for
resolving the problem. 4) Your own recommended solution as opposed to how the case was
actually resolved. 5) The criteria or rationale(s) for the proposed remedy. 6) The advantages and
disadvantages of your solution. By this exercise of repeated case analyses, class members will
increase their sensitivity to ethical problems, improve their own understanding of leadership
skills and sharpen their capacity to see the range of creative solutions available within concrete
administrative problems as well as better appreciate the various “outcomes” that are inherent in
the available options.
Second, by studying biographies of successful nonprofit or government leaders students may
discover effective role models and appropriate mentors for their careers in public service (as well
as by reading chapters from John Gardner’s On Leadership related to themes of ethical
leadership). The instructor will appoint teams of students to select one professional leader in
their chosen field and present 30-minute class discussions on this one leader (see Norma
Riccucci’s Unsung Heroes for “models” of biographical analysis). These individual stories of
effective public leaders may help us to appreciate various exemplary styles of modern ethical
leadership in the United States. The oral presentations should be critical reviews and address
specific skills that most aided his/her ethical leadership, such as 1) Political skills, 2)
Management abilities, 3) Situational factors, 4) Prior experience in public/non-profits, 5)
Technical expertise, 6) Strategic sense, 7) Personality. Reports also should draw general
lessons for improving our understanding of ethical leadership, plus evaluate the pros and cons of
that person’s particular leadership style. This segment may also give students a deeper
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appreciation of the necessity for developing a conceptual framework for thinking about ethical
leadership today—as well as into the future.
Third, the seminar will look carefully at contemporary professions in government and nonprofit
organizations. The assumption behind undertaking this exercise is that in modern public service
ethical leadership is largely defined and controlled by professions, namely their ethical codes,
associations, educational standards, etc. Every student will be asked to select one profession
ideally related to his/her chosen career interests, research with a team that one profession in
government or nonprofits in depth, and prepare an oral report on how its ethical and leadership
norms are framed: By codes of conduct? Enforcement of professional association standards?
Senior role models? Educational requirements? Legal rules? Scientific/ technical standards?
External watchdogs, such as the media, public interest groups, or elected officials? Or what?
Oral reports will be presented during the last two classes. The optional professions for study and
the topics to be addressed will be explained at the first class meeting. Topics will be assigned by
the second meeting. Students will be given time in class and guidance from the instructor for
preparing this professional study assignment. By mid-term students will orally report on their
research progress and any problems they encounter. This exercise aims to provide a better
understanding of how contemporary professions shape the content, direction and purposes of
ethics and leadership, as well as an appreciation of the complexities of fostering an
organizational culture that supports ethical leadership. By comparing the findings of these
reports at the end of the seminar, generalizations will be drawn about how professions shape
ethical leadership practices today within both the public and nonprofit sectors.
Fourth, by analyzing films as a method for integrating your own thinking on ethics and
leadership. Each student will be asked to keep a journal in which he or she records at least once
each week ideas, observations and reflections on one film relative to what that movie says about
ethics and leadership. A sample of the sort of film summary might be as follows:
The Last Emperor – Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci – 1987
John Lone – Emperor Pu Yi
Joan Chen – Empress
Peter O’Toole – Reginald Fleming – Johnson
The question which arises when looking for the development of ethical leadership in The
Last Emperor is, “What will followers do to make the child Emperor a leader?” The
answer is nothing. The boy is the last of his line. He is not to be a leader, but a symbol
of the old way. As Pu Yi becomes educated, he begins to seek responsibility and
leadership without knowing what it is. He believes he has become a leader when the
Japanese give him Manchuria to rule, only to find he is just a puppet of a different
master. The film is a sensitive portrayal of the life of a man who is kept in ignorance as
the world radically changes around him, but it has little to say about the actual reality of
superior models of leadership or ethics.
At the end of the film journal, each class member should sum up how this “journaling
experience” served to define their own ethical leadership values, precisely what those values are,
and the pros/cons of using films to develop their own thinking about ethical leadership. Again,
the purpose of this journal project ultimately is to clarify and integrate individual ethical
leadership values. Sample films for possible review are listed on pp. 5-7 of this syllabus.
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Grading:
There will be no mid-term or final exams. Grades will be based on:
25% - Written one or two page case summaries
25% - Oral presentations on biography and Gardner reading
25% - Oral report on a profession in government or non-profit sector
25% - Film journal on ethical leadership
Required Books:
John W. Gardner, On Leadership (NY: Free Press, 1990), paper
Martin Gilbert, Winston Churchill’s War Leadership (NY. Vintage Books, 2003), paper
Nicolo Machiavelli, The Prince (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1985), paper
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, The Federalist Papers (NY: Mentor,
1961 edition), paper
Norma M. Riccucci, Unsung Heroes (Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press,
1995), paper
Richard Stillman, Public Administration: Concepts and Cases, 8th ed. (Boston: Houghton
Mifflin Co., 2005), paper
“Tough at the Top,” The Economist (handout)
“Order of March”
Aug23rd Introductions, assignments, etc. By the second week, please hand in a one-page
resume with your name, address, phone, e-mail, etc., so that you can be reached, if
necessary. Note: If you take this class as PAD 7006, please see the instructor for
additional assignments.
Aug 30th Assignment of Teams: Also Skim Winston Churchill’s War Leadership for
discussion.
Sept 6th The Great Western Debate over Ethical Leadership: Alternative Ethical Leadership
Models for Public Service
Readings:
1)
Dwight Waldo’s “Public Administration and Ethics” in Stillman’s
Public Administration, chapter 16.
2)
Machiavelli’s Prince, skim entire book.
3)
Madison, Hamilton and Jay’s Federalist Papers, nos. 10, 23, 37, 39, 47,
48, 51, 67-70.
4)
Norma Riccucci, Unsung Heroes, chapter 1 and 8
5)
“Tough at the Top” The Economist (handout)
Sept 20th
Progress Reports on Professional Research Assignments (each student team will
present a brief “overview” plan of their research including outlines, interviews,
primary sources used, issues and problems involved in completing the study).
Sept 27th
Readings: John Gardner’s On Leadership and Oral Report on 1st Biography
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Ethical Leadership Dilemmas from Administrative Non-Action
Case: “The Blast in Centralia No. 5”, in Stillman, chapter 1
Oct 4th
Readings: Gardner and Oral Report on 2nd Biography
Ethical Leadership Dilemmas from Political Micromanagement
Case: “The Columbia Accident”, in Stillman, chapter 4
Oct 11th
Readings: Gardner and Oral Report on 3rd Biography
Ethical Leadership Dilemmas from Conflicting with Organizational Values
Case: “Who brought Bernadine Healy Down?” in Stillman, chapter 11
Oct 18th
Readings: Gardner and Oral Report on 4th Biography
Ethical Leadership Dilemmas from Failures to Manage Communications
Case: “Shootings at Columbine High School” in Stillman, chapter 9
Progress Reports on Professional Research and Journaling Assignment
Oct 25th
Readings: Gardner and Oral Report on 5th Biography
Ethical Leadership Dilemmas from Divided Personal Values
Case: “The Move Disaster”, in Stillman, chapter 8
Nov 1st
Readings: Gardner and Oral Report on 6th Biography
Ethical Leadership Dilemmas From Failure to Include All Stakeholders
Case: “Reinventing School Lunch”, in Stillman, chapter 14
Nov8th
Readings: Gardner and Riccucci, Chapter 8—Summary of Key Points. Gardner
Reading and Oral Report on 7th Biography.
Ethical Leadership Dilemmas from Widely Dispersed Administrative
Responsibilities.
Case: “The Case of the Butterfly Ballot”, in Stillman, chapter 16
Nov 15th and Professional Study Reports Oral Presentations of Assigned Professional Studies.
Nov 29th
thirty-minute summaries and findings from this field research exercise. Note:
Personal Film Journals will be due in the Instructor’s Office no later than 11/29
Nov 22nd
Thanksgiving Holiday—No Class!
Dec 6th
Evaluation of class performance, review of oral and written work, “journaling”
experiences, and grades assigned during student meetings with the instructor.
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Possible Film Choices
In Teaching
From Business
The Beautiful Blond from Bashful Bend
The Aviator
Blackboard Jungle
Better Luck Tomorrow
Copenhagen
Cheaper by the Dozen
Dead Poets Society
Enron
Efficiency Expert
Millions
Elephant
Overnight
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Roger and Me
Mona Lisa Smile
Sideways
In Politics
Abe Lincoln in Illinois
All the Kings Men
The Assassination of Richard Nixon
Bon Voyage
Journey with George
Ladder 49
Luther
The Quiet American
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years
With All Deliberate Speed
In Sports
The Babe
Bang the Drum Slowly
Bend It Like Beckham
Bobby Jones
Breaking Away
Bull Durham
Chariots of Fire
Coach Carter
The Company
The Contender
Eight Men Out
Friday Night Lights
The Hustler
Down Hill Racer
Hoop Dreams
NorthDallas Forty
Radio
Riding Giants
Jerry Maguire
The Rookie
Seabiscuit
About Minorities
Angela’s Ashes
Barber Shop
Bonhoeffer
Born into Brothers
City of God
The Color Purple
Crash
Divided We Fall
The Human Stain
Hotel Rwanda
In America
The Murder of Emmit Till
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Passage to India
Philadelphia
The Pianist
Tarnation
Turtles Can Fly
Viva Zabata
Whale Rider
Courts, Crime, Prisons
And Justice For All
12 Angry Men
Bad Education
Bus 174
Capturing the Friedmans
The Count
Collateral Damage
The Company
Crime Story
The Detective
The Good Thief
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Slap Shot
Raging Bull
Requiem for a Heavy Weight
About Women
African Queen
Close Contact
Moonade
Million Dollar Baby
North Country
Vera Drake
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf
Hollywood Homicide
The Lady Vanishes
Layer Cake le Cercle Rouge
Mystic River
No Good Deed
Prime Suspect
Rear Window
The Terminal
Vertigo
From Westerns
Brokeback Mountain
The Cheyenne Social Club
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence
Open Range
Stage Coach
In Science Fiction
The Andromeda Syndrome
Armageddon
Blade Runner
Close Contact
In War
The Disk
All Quiet on the Western Front
Donnie Darko
Band of Brothers
The Emperor and the Assassin
The Beauty
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Casualties of War
Encounters of the Third Kind
The Great Escape
Fahrenheit 451
The Change of the Light Brigade
The Fifth Element
Cross of Iron
Finding Nemo
Changi
The Flight of the Phoenix
Downfall
The Incredibles
The Fog of War
Independence Day
From Here to Eternity
Lost in Space
Gunner Palace Hero
The Matrix (also Matrix Reloaded)
Hunt for the Red October
Polar Express
The Lost Battalion
1984
Master and Commander
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow Napoleon
Space Odyssey 2001
Ran
Rules of Engagement
Saving Private Ryan
From Media, Arts, and Film
Stalig 13
The Big
Under Fire
Bowling for Columbine
The Wannsee Conference
Bullworth
Call Northside 777
A Face in the Crowd
Great Stories
Fahrenheit 9/11
Alexander
Foreign Correspondent
Billy Bud
His Girl Friday
Cleopatra
Goodnight, Good luck
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Ray
Dog Town and Z-Boys
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Safe Conduct
Sleep
Don Quixote
The Endless Summer
The Girl with a Pearl Earring
Lewis and Clark
Gone with the Wind
House of Flying Daggers
House of Sand and Fog
The Great Gadsby
Kingdom of Heaven
The Last Tycoon
Lewis and Clark
Malcolm X
Moses
Moby Dick
The Naked And The Dead
Nicholas Nickleby
Ten Commandments
Touching the Void
War and Peace
Wild River
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A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
Richard J. Stillman II is a Professor of Public Administration at the Graduate School of Public
Affairs, University of Colorado at Denver. He taught on the faculties of George Mason
University and California State University-Bakersfield and is the author or editor of several
books including: The Integration of Negro in the U.S. Armed Forces, The Rise of the City
Manager, A Search for Public Administration (with Brack Brown), Professions in Government
(with Frederick C. Mosher), Results – Oriented Budgeting, The American Bureaucracy, The
American Constitution and Administrative State, The Effective Local Government Manager
(with Wayne Anderson and Chester Newland), Preface to Public Administration, The Modern
State and its Study (with Walter Kickert), Creating the American State, and Basic Documents of
American Public Administration Since 1950. He is an elected fellow of the National Academy
of Public Administration and his textbook, Public Administration: Concepts and Cases, 8th
edition is used at over 400 universities and colleges. His books have been translated into
Chinese, Korean, and Hungarian and he received Mosher Award from PAR for distinguished
scholarship. Currently he serves as the 18th editor-in-chief of Public Administration Review.
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