ALDR 3900 Syllabus Fall 2011
Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communication
Leadership and Service
Agricultural Leadership 3900
Tuesday & Thursday 2:00am – 3:15 pm
601 Aderhold
The Course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary.
Description
This course serves as an opportunity for students to have a greater understanding of leadership as it pertains to their lives. We will explore leadership models, roles of leaders and followers, concepts of effective leadership, and ethical issues, with special focus on leadership as service in teams, organizations, communities, and society. The course is also intended to assist students in identifying and defining leadership on a personal level. Students will learn through reading, observing, applying, creating, and evaluating leadership in an organizational context.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
1. Define leadership in the context of organizations and individuals
2. Identify leadership abilities and talents or strengths in self and others
3. Identify, define and develop a personal vision
4. Lead by example
5. Apply leadership theory and practice in a volunteer/service capacity
6. Identify and apply the five practices to personal experiences
7. Explain strengths-based leadership development.
Policies
Absence policy: Students who miss class for any reason assume complete responsibility for all information missed. Further, absence is not an excuse for not submitting assignments on time.
Please note that attendance is taken each class period and is factored in to your overall class participation grade. Also, arriving late to class without prior approval of the instructor will result in a deduction of participation points for that class period.
Late assignments: All assignments not received by the instructor on the specified date (as noted on the syllabus or in class), will be deducted 5 points from the student’s total score for each day past the assignment due date.
Policy for missed assignments and exams: For missed assignments and exams without studentinitiated communication to the instructor, the assignment will receive a grade of zero; exceptions may be made in cases of demonstrated, appropriate, and verifiable emergencies or tragedies or where the student has prior approval from or communicated in a timely manner with the instructor. In cases of missed exams excused by the instructor, a make-up exam will be rescheduled at the convenience of the instructor.
Technology: Cell phones should be turned to silent for the duration of the class period. If you are expecting a call during class that you must take, please notify the instructor prior to class and sit near the exit with your phone on vibrate to take the call in the hallway. Laptop use during class is permissible, provided a word processor is the sole function opened during lecture. If notes are

being taken via a laptop, students must email the instructor a copy of the notes taken following the class period.
University Honor Code and Academic Honest Policy : All academic work must meet the standards contained in “A Culture of Honesty.” Each student is responsible to inform themselves about those standards before performing any academic work. Further information is at: http://www.uga.edu/honesty/ahpd/culture_honesty.htm
Academic Support: Any student who feels that they may need an accommodation because of a disability (learning disability, attention deficit disorder, physical, etc.) please make an appointment to see us as soon as possible or contact the Disability of Center at 542-8719 or http://www.dissvcs.uga.edu/
Faculty Supervisor
Dr. Dennis Duncan, Associate Professor
142-A Four Towers
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Phone: 706-542-8913
Email: dwd@uga.edu
Sarah Kane
141 Four Towers Email: kane325@gmail.edu
Office Hours : By appointment. If we are out of the office see Christy (542-8913 or christyf@uga.edu
) to make an appointment.
Required Texts - The Leadership Challenge, 4 th
Edition Paperback (2008) by Kouzes, James
M. & Posner, Barry Z.
StrengthsQuest: Discover and develop your strengths in academics, career, and beyond (2006) by Clifton, Donald O. & Anderson, Edward (ISBN # 1595620117)
Calvin and Hobbes is copyright © Bill Watterson and Universal Press Syndicate. Calvin and Hobbes are registered trademarks of Bill Watterson and Universal Press Syndicate – Comic Source: Accessed January 9, 2009 from http://www.lovine.com/hobbes/wonderland.html
.
“ There are no speed limits on the road to excellence.”

Course Evaluation : (see Course Schedule for due dates)
Assignment Assignment Description
Class Participation &
Expectations
Group Project
Points will be awarded based on class participation via a variety of methods
Group contact information, service objectives
& plan
Group portfolio
Group presentation
Individual Project
Leadership
Development Papers
Personal leadership vision ( midterm )
Personal leadership philosophy
Personal leadership instruments
Points Weight
200 20%
50
100
50
20%
200 20%
50
100
15%
Final exam TBD 250 25%
Total 1000 100%
Grading
Grades will be calculated based on points earned and assigned based on the following scale:
A 94% - 100% A 90% - 93%
B+ 86% - 89% B 83% - 85% B 80% - 82%
C+ 76% - 79% C 73% - 75% C 70% - 72%
D 60% - 69%
F Below 60%
Assignments and Expectations
Class Participation and Expectations
This course is designed to provide you with a sound conceptual and personal understanding of leadership. Be aware that we have high expectations of you and that this course will require you to be an active participant. We expect you to come to class prepared for the day. Class begins where your preparation for the day (reading, writing, and thinking) ends. Please be prepared to be personally challenged by the course and rewarded by your effort! Quizzes, class activities, case analyses and personal assessments will be included in this part of the grade.
For this course to be valuable it is important that each student be an active participant in the class discussions and exercises. We understand that emergencies will occur; therefore, if you must miss class please let us know as soon as possible via email and/or phone.
Group Project
This activity will be team based and allow you to actively provide service for an organization, group or “cause” to which you can apply personal leadership skills to improve a real situation in

a community. As a group you will be responsible for identifying a need (with the assistance of the organization), developing alternative solutions to meet the need, selecting an alternative to implement, implement the solution, evaluate the results of the activity and make recommendations for future endeavors related to the situation you addressed. Your primary goal is to make a lasting contribution to the people you are working with . Throughout this process you will apply your leadership skills, observe the leadership skills of fellow members, and observe how your team utilizes each other’s talents to accomplish the task. More information will be provided.
Personal Leadership Philosophy
Throughout the semester we will discuss, observe, and participate in leadership. But if you had to tell someone else about leadership, how would you articulate that? This will be your opportunity to prepare a response to that interview question: What is your philosophy of leadership? A detailed description is available on eLC and will be discussed in class.
Personal Leadership Vision (Midterm)
What type of leader do you want to be? What career do you desire? Where do you see yourself in
5 years? Ten years? How do you want to be remembered? This assignment will allow you to address these questions and others in a creative manner. A detailed description is available on eLC and will be discussed in class.
Group Contribution Evaluation
Now that you’ve worked with your group members for the past few months, what do you think?
How did they perform? What were their talents and how were they used for the benefit of the team? If you had the opportunity to assign a grade to their performance, what would it be?
Finally, provide constructive feedback with a plan for improvement. Include yourself in this assessment. A detailed description is available on eLC and will be discussed in class.
Leadership Inspiration
Many employers desire employees with well honed communication and presentation skills, and who can blame them? Whether you’re selling yourself to an interviewer, unveiling a new idea to the board of directors, or describing an innovative concept to your colleagues, communication and presentation skills are important. This will be your opportunity to practice these skills in a safe environment while discovering a leadership tidbit with a fellow classmate.

Tentative Course Schedule
Date Topic
Aug. 16 Course Overview & Defining Leadership
Aug. 18 Leadership 101
Aug. 23 Groups & Teams
Aug. 25 Strengths 101
Aug. 30 Leadership & Service
Sept. 1 Your SQ Signature Themes
Sept. 6
Sept. 8
Group Work Day
Introduction to the Five Practices
Sept. 13 Model the Way - Values
Reminders
Read SQ p. 1-17
Personal Leadership
Philosophy Due
Read SQ p. 21-23
Online assessment & printed themes due
Read LC p. 3 - 26
Read LC p. 45 - 72

Oct. 13
Oct. 18
Oct. 20
Oct. 25
Sept. 15 Model the Way – Set The Example
Sept. 20 Strengths with your Personality & Values
Sept. 22 Inspire a Shared Vision - what is a vision?
Sept. 27 Inspire a Shared Vision
Sept. 29 Challenge the Process
Oct. 4 Challenge the Process – Take Risks
Oct. 6
Oct. 11
Developing Academic Strengths
Midterm Personal Vision Presentations & group time
Personal Vision Presentations & group time
Enable Others to Act – collaboration
Group Work Day
Enable Others to Act – strengthen others
Read LC p. 73 - 102
Read SQ p. 73-94
Read LC p. 103 - 129
Read LC p. 130 - 160
Read LC p. 161 - 187
Read LC p. 188 - 220
Read SQ p. 149-224
Personal Vision Due
Read LC p. 221 - 247
Read LC p. 248 - 278

Oct. 27
Nov. 1
Nov. 3
Nov. 8
Encourage the Heart
Strengths Quest and Careers
Leadership is Everyone’s Business
Ethics in Leadership
Nov. 10 Group Work Day
Nov. 15 Group Presentations
Nov. 17 Group Presentations
Nov. 29 Mystery Lesson
Dec. 1 Semester Shake Down-Last Day
Dec. 6 Friday class schedule in effect (NO CLASS)
Read LC p. 279 – 336
Read SQ p. 233-287
Read LC p 337 - end
Group Portfolio Due
Group member evaluation due

Assignment Due Dates
Personal leadership philosophy (bring to class) August 30 th
StrengthsQuest™ Assessment with Signature Themes (bring to class) September 1 st
Group contact information, service objectives & plan (bring to class) September 13 th
Personal leadership vision
Group presentations
October 11 th & 13 th
November 15 th & 17 th
November 15 th
Group portfolio
Group member evaluation November 17 th
Personal Leadership Portfolio December 8 th
Plan of Work
1.
Heading: Provide group member names and email addresses.
2.
Overview: Explain what you plan to do for your service project and which organization you plan to work with.
3.
Goals: What do you want to accomplish? Be specific. Outline goals in two ways:
3.1.
What do you want to accomplish in terms of a project (activities, results) and
3.2.
What do you want to learn or what skills do you want to develop as a result of carrying out your project?
4.
Timeline: What steps do you need to take to reach your goals and when do you plan to complete each?
5.
Evaluation of the project: How do you plan to evaluate your project
6.
Contact Information: Please provide the name, address, telephone number, and email address of an individual or agency that you are working with to carry out your project.