Unit 1: Introduction
What are management and leadership? What is the purpose of studying how to lead a team? Aren't all leaders born and not made? If that is the truth, then millions of people are wasting their time trying to improve their leadership skills. Fortunately, trying to become a better leader is not a waste of time. While it is true that some leaders are born, most are made by studying what makes an effective leader.
In this introductory unit, you will explore the four pillars of good management: management, leadership, groups, and teams. Management and leadership are often used interchangeably; the same applies for groups and teams. Management is about allocating resources; leadership is about empowering people. A group is a collection of individuals with a similar interest. Teams have a similar goal, but teams work together. A good leader will help a group and become a team
To prepare you for this course, this unit concludes with a look at some great leaders in history. These four individuals are selected for their broad experiences and abilities to manage groups and teams. The spectrum goes from sports team management to inspiring political movements, and from brilliant corporate management to excellence in military and national leadership.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 11 hours.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- develop a working definition and a distinction between management and leadership;
- apply Kurt Lewin's leadership typology to the identification of leadership styles of contemporary leaders;
- differentiate the leadership styles of leaders from their personal traits; and
- assess the role of environment, such as athletics, business, and politics, in shaping the leadership provided by these individuals.
1.1: Definitions
One way that people become better leaders is to engage in critical self-reflection, particularly reflection about their experiences with leadership and their own practice of leadership. It will benefit you to keep a journal in this course to record these opportunities for self-reflection. Based on what you read in this article, explain whether or not you believe you are a leader or a manager and why. Write a few lines in your journal.
This article defines management and leadership. Is the difference clear to you? If not, write a few questions to clarify this important difference in your journal. Then, be on the lookout for answers to those questions in this course.
Think about at least five people who you would consider to be natural leaders. Why do you believe those people are natural leaders? Write your response in your journal.
Read this article. Do any of these leadership styles seem familiar to you? Maybe you had a manager who used an authoritarian leadership style, or maybe another took a more laissez-faire approach. Record some observations about the managers you had in prior jobs or your current position. What leadership style do you prefer to work with? What leadership style do you aspire to? Record your thoughts in your journal.
Read this article. Have you ever worked with someone who might be considered a transformational leader? What can transformational leaders accomplish with their teams that transactional leaders cannot?
1.2: Great Leaders
Thousands of leaders have graced the pages of history, and there are many more who may have crossed your own path in life. Certainly, no two leaders are exactly alike. The four leaders discussed below are well known, but they are four very different people who lived in different times and circumstances. Each has approached their role as a leader based on their personality and developed a leadership style that suited their situation. Each has been effective in his own way. While well-known and often discussed in the business world, the examples below are not the only successful leaders; certainly, others will come to mind as you read the leadership bios below. As you learn about these famous leaders, consider which of Lewin's leadership styles each leader exemplifies. You may also want to keep a running journal of their similarities and differences.
Read this chapter. If you have not yet seen Jobs' remarkable commencement address to Stanford University grads in 2005, do so now. It's an unforgettable speech. Be sure to answer the five discussion questions at the end of this short section. Last, imagine yourself as an employee at Jobs' Apple. Would you like it? Why or why not?
After you read this article, see what other documentary footage you can find about Mandela's struggle and activism in apartheid-era South Africa.
After you read this article, compare Teddy Roosevelt to leaders of today. It is unlikely that a person like Teddy Roosevelt would be elected present today. How has the image of a politician in the national spotlight changed since Roosevelt's time? How is it the same? Record some observations about how presidents' leadership has changed over time in your journal.
Read this article describes some of Teddy Roosevelt's contemporaries. In your journal, offer suggestions for at least three more leaders who you believe also reflect the traits of those profiled in this article and explain why.
Review this article and discuss whether or not Lombardi's leadership style would work in a modern organization.
Unit 1 Assessment
Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.
- This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
- You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
- You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.