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Schedule

The schedule below outlines the topics we will be covering in this course, along with the associated time frames and assignments.

Note that all dates reflect North American eastern time (ET). This ensures that all students have the same deadlines regardless of where they live. All lesson assignments must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the last day of the timeframe indicated below for the lesson unless otherwise stated.

Lesson 1: Course Overview and Welcome
Readings:
  • None
Assignments:
  • Complete the Academic Integrity Tutorial and submit certificate of achievement
  • Complete the Introduce Yourself discussion (Video)
  • Complete Personal Leadership discussion
  • Complete Class Profiles activity
Lesson 2: The Importance of Leadership and Motivation
Readings:

Textbook

  • Chapter 1:Understanding behaviors for effective leadership: Leadership and its importance

Other Readings

  • Between Venus and Mars
  • The best motivators in business
  • Review the Nonprofit Strategy Diagnostic and the Nonprofit Leadership Project (in lesson module)
Assignments:
  • Complete Career Goals and Competencies discussion
  • Complete Leadership Self-Evaluation activity
  • Begin the Nonprofit Leadership activity
Lesson 3: Leadership Behaviors and Processes, Branding
Readings:

Textbook

  • Chapter 2: Understanding behaviors for effective leadership: Leadership behaviors and processes

Other Readings

  • A guide to branding in the public sector and not-for-profit sectors
  • 11 Simple Steps for a Successful Brand Building Process (online article)
  • What are the top non-profit U.S. brands? (Note: cancel out of the dialog box by clicking the "X" in the bottom corner to bypass the login.)

​Optional Resources

  • Brand Building Process (Youtube video)
  • This old brand
  • A brief history of national service (part 2, page 252)
Assignments:
  • Complete the Guide to Branding discussion
  • Continue the Non-Profit Leadership activity
Lesson 4: Contingency Models of Leadership
Readings:

Textbook

  • Chapter 3: Understanding behaviors for effective leadership: Contingency models of leadership

HBR (see the Materials section in the Course Syllabus)

  • The Leadership Lessons of Mt. Everest
Assignments:
  • Complete the Mount Everest discussion
  • Complete the Current Event on Leadership discussion
  • Complete the Non-Profit Progressive Update #1 discussion
Lesson 5: Directive Leadership Behavior
Readings:

Textbook

  • Chapter 5: Understanding behaviors for effective leadership: Directive leadership behavior

Other Readings

  • Quotations from General Colin Powell: A Leadership Primer
  • Introduction to Final Self-Assessment Paper (also available in lesson module)
Assignments:
  • Complete the Colin Powell Quotations discussion
  • Complete the Powell McChrystal Comparison activity
Lesson 6: Supportive and Participative Leadership Behavior
Readings:

Textbook

  • Chapter 4: Understanding behaviors for effective leadership: Supportive leadership behavior
  • Chapter 6: Understanding behaviors for effective leadership: Participative leadership behavior

HBR (see the Materials section in Course Syllabus)

  • Blue ocean leadership
  • Your scarcest resource
  • Getting your team to do what it says it's going to do
Assignments:
  • Complete the Top Ten Leaderhip Values discussion
  • Complete the Non-Profit Progressive Update #2 
  • Complete the Non-Profit Progressive Update #2 discussion
Lesson 7: Leadership Development and Motivational Change
Readings:

Other Readings

  • Leader to leader, Energizing the organization by Rajeev Peshawaria  (December 2011)
  • Jarrod Spencer's The 5 hurdles:  How leaders fall & rise again
  • Eight types of mentors: Which ones do you need?
Assignments:
  • Complete the Jarrod Spencer discussion
  • Complete the Energy activity
Lesson 8: Decision Traps
Readings:

Textbook

  • Chapter 4: Winning decisions: Avoiding distortion bias
Assignments:
  • Complete the Decision Traps activity
  • Complete the Non-Profit Progressive Update #3 discussion
Lesson 9: Decision Analysis
Readings:

Textbook

  • Chapter 3: Winning decisions: Creating winning frames
Assignments:
  • Complete the Decision Analysis quiz
  • Complete the Decision Analysis discussion
  • Complete the Final Assessment Paper (one page outline) activity
Lesson 10: Group Decision Making
Readings:

Textbook

  • Chapter 7: Winning decisions: Managing group decisions
Assignments:
  • Complete the Group Decision Making discussion
  • Complete the Group activity
  • Complete the Nonprofit Leadership Final Project activity
Lesson 11: Leadership for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Readings:

Textbook

  • Chapter 7: Understanding behaviors for effective leadership: Leadership reward and punishment behaviors
  • Chapter 8: Understanding behaviors for effective leadership: Charismatic leadership behavior

HBR (see the Materials section in the Course Syllabus)

  • Blue Ocean Strategy

​Other Readings

  • Kauffman: Educating the next wave of entrepreneurs (executive summary AND education report) 
  • Starbucks:  The art of endless transformation
  • Starbucks college achievement plan: A lifetime of opportunity

​Optional Readings

  • Excellent career advice from LinkedIn's billionaire founder Reid Hoffman: The 3 secrets of highly successful graduates
Assignments:
  • Complete the Blue Ocean discussion
  • Complete the Educational Experience discussion
Lesson 12: Boundary Spanning, Understanding and Building Social Networks
Readings:

Textbook

  • Chapter 9: Understanding behaviors for effective leadership: Boundary spanning and team leadership
  • Chapter 10: Understanding behaviors for effective leadership: Building social exchanges and fairness

Other Readings

  • Millennials: A portrait of generation next - confident, connected, open to change
  • Office 'influencers' are in high demand
Assignments:
  • Complete the Millennials discussion
  • Complete the Office Influencers activity
Lesson 13: What Makes and Excellent Leader or Organization?
Readings:

Textbook

  • Chapter 14: Understanding behaviors for effective leadership: Integration and conclusions

HBR (see the Materials section in the Course Syllabus)

  • Collective Genius
Assignments:
  • Complete the Daniel Pink and Tom Friedman assignment
  • Complete the Leadership and Motivation Mantra discussion
  • Continue working on the Final Self-Assessment Paper activity - The Final Paper will be due by 11:59 PM (ET).
Final Exam Period
Readings:
  • None
Assignments:
  • Submit the Final Self-Assessment Paper activity

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