BA 628

Executive Leadership

Spring 2007

Concept and Approach

This course focuses on the highest level of leadership in organizations.  This is the level at which the organization’s mission is defined, goals are set, strategies are chosen, and fundamental implementation plans developed.  Executive-level leaders shape the direction and culture of the organization, both consciously and by example.  Much of their time is spent on the relationships between their organization and the external environment.

The approach in this course is to explore executive-level leadership through free flowing discussions with visiting executives,  each of whom will spend one evening with the class, and through a program of individual reading.

Executives invited to meet with the class are normally either chief executives in their organizations, or vice-presidents, or their equivalent.  Each guest executive will meet with the class from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.  Executives are asked to briefly summarize their careers and give a capsule overview of their current responsibilities.  This is followed by a question-and-answer period.

Typical of the issues of interest are the executive’s concept of leadership, management style, choice of subordinates, development and maintenance of professional relationships, motivating others, sources of information, planning and goal setting, balancing professional responsibilities with personal and family interests, etc.  The bottom line is “What can the student learn from the visiting executive that would help the student’s development as a manager and leader?”

Individual Student Assignments and Grading Evaluation will be based on the following:

1)     The most significant learning in this course will occur through direct interaction with guest executives.  You are expected to contribute to the dialogue with the executives through thoughtful questions and comments.  Class participation is thus a major grading component!

2)     In the class sessions when there are o guests, we will reflect on what we have learned and try to put it into a broader context.  Discussion will focus on what we have learned from previous guests and how this relates to what you have personally experienced and/or read, as well as to what you may have encountered in other courses.  To create a more concrete basis for this discussion, each student is required to prepare a brief “reflection paper” on what each guest executive said and the lesions for executive leadership.  There is no specific format for these papers.  In general, these papers should be 2-3 pages in length, and should be submitted by email to me (tcase@cbpp.uaa.alaska.edu ).  Normally, these will be due on the Wednesday class immediately following the respective guest executive’s visit.  For grade determination purposes, your lowest two papers will be dropped from consideration.  If you miss a class, and thus cannot prepare a reflection paper, this will count as a dropped paper.

3)     The remaining learning and grading component is an individual student program that mey take one of the following forms:

Option A:  A major book review focusing on executive-level leadership and management.  Your choice must be approved by the instructor.

Option B:  A substantive biography or autobiography review about or by a major executive.  The executive may be a business leader, or a leader in some other field, such as government or the military.  Your choice must be approved by the instructor.

Option C:  A series of substantive articles dealing with executive-level leadership.  The total number of articles should be about 20.  Your choice of articles must be approved by the instructor.

Option D:  A reading/research program different from the above, but of equal effort and significance, proposed to and approved by the instructor.

The end product of your individual reading program must be a briefing paper summarizing and evaluating what is to be learned from the experience and concepts in the materials you read.  Assume in effect that you are preparing a substantive lecture based on your research, and the briefing paper is the detailed outline for the lecture.  Two copies must be turned in on or before Class Session 13.  You should prepare a brief presentation of your research results to be presented informally to the class during one of the last three sessions.

There are no examinations in this course.  In evaluating work both content and style will be considered.  Work not meeting professional standards may be rejected without being graded, and must be re-submitted.

Instructor:

This course is taught by Dean Thomas R. (Tom) Case,

Rasmuson Hall, Room 303

Phone:  786-4126 (office) and 332-5249 (home)

Administrative Assistant:  Dawn Lowery 786-4122

Office fax:  786-4131

tcase@cbpp.uaa.alaska.edu

BA 628  Executive Leadership                                              Spring 2007

Individual Program Report Guidelines

First, clearly identify the book or list of substantive articles (title, author, date of publication, etc.

Then, address as many of the points on the “Insights about Leadership from Your Reading” list (attached) as seem appropriate, and any others that occur to you.  Focus on the most important aspects, not just an item by item list.

Then, in a few paragraphs, summarize the lessons for executive leadership.

A ballpark guideline for overall length is about ten pages.

All reports are due on the last day of class, which is May 27, 2007.

The presentation is informal, meaning you are talking from your seat.  We will do all the presentations during the last two class periods.  Each presentation slot is 20 minutes.  Plan on talking for about ten minutes.  Leave ten minutes to respond to comments and questions.

Please prepare a one-page summary to be handed out to everyone in class.  Bring 15 copies to class.

If you want to react to an early draft, I am willing to do so.  I will use the attached evaluation form in grading this, so consider the form as providing additional guidelines.

BA 628 Evaluation of

Executive Leadership Report by ____________________________________

Note to the student:  The evaluation structure below is designed to aid the instructor in grading your report and to provide feedback.  However, it is not a computation of your report grade.

COMMENTS:

BA 628 Executive Leadership                       Instructor:  Tom Case, tcase@cbpp.uaa.alaska.edu

Student Name: _______________________________________________

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP EXERCISE

Complete the sentence:

“In the future an effective leader in my organization must ………”

From your experience, summarize what successful leaders do: