Instructor Contact Information: SMO 875-B - University of Alberta

(1)

REVISED AMENDMENT TO EXISTING SYLLABUS FOR Date Revision Shared with Students:

In response to the 2020 COVID-19 global pandemic, all courses at the University of Alberta moved to remote delivery, effective March 17, 2020. Subsequently, a decision was made to adjust the grading scheme for all University of Alberta courses for the Winter 2020 term to award one of the following grades: CR (credit) or NC (no credit) as indicated in the University Calendar.

The changes were put in place to ensure equity among students, preserve academic integrity in extraordinary circumstances, and to manage the issues presented by an uncertain future, including the impact on our students and human resources.

To ensure clarity for students, all Winter 2020 course outlines for both undergraduate and graduate courses are to be updated using this template to outline changes to exams, assessments and grading and shared with students.

Course Code:

Course Title:

Instructor Name:

Instructor Contact Information:

Revised course assessment plan (Please list all assessed assignments and weighting below) SMO 875-B1

SMO 875-B1 Leadership

Professor Gehman [email protected]

No changes have been made to the assessment plan. They remain as follows:

Course Engagement: 50%

Group Project: 50%

3/27/2020

(2)

IMPORTANT NOTES:

● If students require alterations in their approved accommodations, please contact [email protected].

● The changes with respect to the mode of delivery of instruction and assessment and the changes to grading regulations do not constitute grounds for an appeal under academic appeal policies (i.e. grade or academic standing appeals may not be advanced on the grounds of these changes).

● When Incomplete (IN) status is assigned instructors are required to communicate with students about the mechanisms and requirements that will be implemented to determine the student final grade of CR or NC. For more information, including the time to complete the remaining course work see the University Calendar.

Created March 24, 2020

(3)

1 ALBERTA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

SMO 875 LEADERSHIP WINTER 2020

Class Times: January 18 (Saturday) February 14 (Friday) March 12 (Thursday) April 16 (Thursday) Class Location: Stollery

Professor: Dr. Joel Gehman

Office: 3-40N Business Building Contact Details: [email protected]

Office Hours: By appointment

COURSE OBJECTIVES

In the Alberta School of Business course calendar, SMO 875 is described as: “Understanding the unique perspectives, tasks, and responsibilities of the executive in providing leadership to the organization; dynamic processes of organizations; and developing leadership skills. Restricted to Executive MBA students only.” Specifically, the course has the following learning goals:

1. Oral Communication Skills -- Students will have the opportunity to speak to the rest of the class and participate with others.

2. Critical Thinking -- Students will be exposed to issues and ideas from the business press and this will help to develop their ability to analyze problems, situations and issues in a clear-minded, rigorous intellectual manner.

3. Ethical Awareness -- Students will develop a high degree of awareness of ethical concepts and issues in the world of business and will begin to learn to develop strategies to both recognize and deal with ethical problems.

4. Global Awareness -- Students will develop an awareness of the global community in which business operates and how management and business operations are likely to vary between countries and cultures.

5. Information Literacy -- Students will read articles from the business press and learn to extract the key lessons from those articles.

6. Practical Experience -- Students will develop the ability to apply academic knowledge to their own real-world work situations.

7. Teamwork -- Students will have the opportunity to work in class in teams and apply group concepts and techniques of leadership and conflict resolution toward the effective

functioning of the team.

8. Leadership Skills -- Students will be encouraged to develop an understanding of leadership roles and skills and how leadership methods may change depending on organizational circumstances.

9. Written Communication Skills -- Students will have the opportunity to write receive constructive feedback on the writing.

10. Self-Awareness -- Students will have the chance to apply course concepts and discussions to their own work lives to come to a better understanding of themselves.

(4)

2

COURSE FORMAT

This is an Executive MBA course; it will be run as a seminar. The course components are

designed to encourage you to come to class, to share your thoughts with others, and to learn from a variety of sources and methods. To achieve the maximum benefits from this course the student needs an open mind, the willingness to prepare seriously for class, to attend class and participate with the objective of learning as much as possible, and to work with the professor and other students in the class as colleagues. My course activity goals are for you to: read all materials assigned before class; think about them; and come to class and actively participate and discuss the topic under consideration. eClass will be used to notify you of important information and changes in reading assignments (if any), so please check-in regularly.

COURSE MATERIALS

There is a required textbook: Level Three Leadership: Getting Below the Surface, 5th edition, by James G. Clawson, Prentice Hall, 2012.

Although not required, you may find it useful to read and complete The Discover Your True North Fieldbook, 2nd edition. A PDF copy of this book can be accessed at no cost through the University of Alberta Library using your CCID: https://onlinelibrary-wiley-

com.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/doi/pdf/10.1002/9781119193289

COURSE GRADING

Your grade in SMO 875 will be based on both your absolute and relative performance in the class. Differences in absolute marks between the top of the class and the bottom can be small because EMBA students are talented and generally perform well. Below are the components that will determine your course grade in SMO 875.

1. Course Engagement (50% of your grade)

Your engagement in the course comprises 50% of your course grade. Your overall course engagement mark will be a product of: (a) your engagement and participation during our four class sessions; and (b) your mark on “The Purpose of My Leadership” assignment.

Engagement During Our Class Sessions

Discussion and debate are ubiquitous features of contemporary organizations. Likewise,

classroom discussions are an opportunity for you to discover what you think and feel, in part, by seeing what you and others say. Participation also provides you with a platform for improving your communication skills. Accordingly, everyone’s participation is essential, especially when perspectives differ. To foster this kind of learning environment, I am counting on each of you to engage in the following ways. To start, participation is physically being in class with enough energy to contribute positively. Participation also entails being prepared for class by having done the readings in a thorough and comprehensive way. Third, participation is being mentally present by focusing on what is happening with the professor and your class colleagues. In practice, this means single-tasking where the task is the class and what is happening there. Fourth,

participation entails having a positive approach, demeanour, and mindset. Finally, participation is seeking to drive forward both your own learning and that of your classmates. This is non- trivial, as from the total class point of view, it is not just your own learning that matters but the

(5)

3 sum of all the learning of you and your classmates. The course aim is to maximize the total class learning. Below average class performance will bring your overall course engagement mark down, above average class performance will bring your mark up.

Although it is expected that you will attend class, if for some reason you cannot attend, please notify me in advance via email. It is your responsibility to catch up on any material you missed.

Should you find yourself delayed for class, please come in late as it will not be a distraction.

Similarly, should you need to leave early for an appointment or if something comes up, that is fine. You will find retention of course material is easier and more effective if you stay off email, Facebook, Internet games, online shopping and the like. In fact, you are likely to retain the most information from the course if you stay off your computer to the extent possible.¹ If you do find it necessary to use your laptop, please be considerate of those behind you who will be looking at your laptop screen. Also, there will be ample breaks throughout each day of class so that you may check work emails, texts, and other communiques. If it is possible to turn off your keyboard’s clicks I would appreciate you doing so, as it can be distracting.

“The Purpose of My Leadership” Assignment

At the end of the course, you will write an essay of approximately 2,000 words (plus or minus 10%) describing the purpose of your leadership and the principles and values that inform your leadership.² Your essay should identify what you are passionate about and how that influences your thinking about the purpose of your leadership. You may find it useful to articulate what kind of legacy you want to leave at the end of your days. Please also discuss the areas of your leadership development that you plan to focus on in the years ahead and the steps you plan to take to become a more effective and impactful leader. The course includes a number of readings, concepts, and exercises that will help you in approaching this assignment. For instance, the HBR reading “From Purpose to Impact” and the related in-class exercise you completed on your leadership purpose are germane. You also may find it helpful to work through some of the

reflective exercises in the Level Three Leadership textbook and/or in the The Discover Your True North Fieldbook. For instance, Chapter 10 in the Fieldbook is one good starting point for this assignment. Your essay is due by midnight on Sunday, April 19, 2019.

I will grade this assignment on a 20-point scale:

• 20 = outstanding;

• 18 = excellent;

• 16 = very good;

• 14 = good;

• 12 = fair;

• 10 and below = poor.

1 https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/pen-and-paper-beats-computers-retaining-knowledge

2 This assignment is adapted from The Discover Your True North Fieldbook.

(6)

4 2. Group Project (50% of grade)

The group project is worth 50% of your course grade and will be determined based on my evaluation using the criteria in Appendix 3, as well as a 360-degree evaluation of your group by your group’s members and your classmates. You have two options for completing this

assignment: (a) a movie-based leadership case study; or (b) a real-world leadership case study.

Option 1: Movie-Based Leadership Case Study

Your EMBA group will choose a movie or TV series to analyze using course concepts. Treat the movie as a video case. Show clips of your movie in class and then use concepts from the course (textbook, articles, class discussions and activities) to analyze and describe the elements of leading and managing related to the characters in the movie or TV series.

Option 2: Real-World Leadership Case Study

Your EMBA group will choose a real-world leader to analyze using course concepts. Using firsthand knowledge and/or media accounts, treat the leader as a case study. Summarize the leadership situation being faced and then use concepts from the course (textbook, articles, class discussions and activities) to analyze her/his/their performance.

Requirements Common to Both Options

Regardless of which option you choose, the most important part of your presentation should be your analysis of the situation and the application of concepts from the course. The goal is to teach your colleagues something interesting and valuable about leadership in organizations. I am looking for understanding and correct application of SMO 875 course concepts, an interesting and clear presentation, and useful and important take-away points for your classmates. When selecting concepts to foreground, stay within the bounds of the course.

Your group will be allocated six minutes per group member. In other words, if you have a 4- person group, you will have 24 minutes; if you have a 5-person group, you will have 30 minutes.

You may allocate the time across group members as you see fit, but each member of your group should present some material. However, as this is a group project, I will not be timing or grading you individually. Instead, all members of your group will receive the same score.³ A live practice of your presentation will help you stay close to your assigned total presentation time.

3 Note: Any free-rider problems with a particular group member will be accounted for as needed.

(7)

5

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First, I wish to thank Dr. Richard Field. Dr. Field taught this course for many years and was kind enough to share his course syllabus and other materials with me. In preparing this course I also have drawn on suggestions and materials from other colleagues, including Forrest Briscoe (Pennsylvania State University), James Detert (University of Virginia), Jennifer Howard- Grenville (University of Cambridge), Jocelyn Leitzinger (University of Illinois-Chicago), and Anastasiya Zavyalova (Rice University).

COURSE POLICIES

1. Policy about course outlines can be found in Section 23.4(2) of the University Calendar.

2. The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behavior and avoid any behavior which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts, and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.

3. All content in this course is the copyright of the instructor. Audio or video recording of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching environment by students is allowed only with the prior written consent of the instructor or as a part of an approved accommodation plan. Recorded material is to be used solely for personal study and is not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the instructor.

4. If you have a disability that may require some modification of seating, testing or other class requirements, please notify me so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

5. Any case study assignment that is late will have 10% percent of the grade deducted for each day that assignment is late up to a maximum of seven days. No assignments will be accepted more than seven days after the deadline.

This course is Copyright © 2020 Joel Gehman. All rights reserved. Any copyrighted material contained herein is reproduced under ss. 29-29.4 of the Canadian Copyright Act. Course materials are available for your individual use; further distribution is prohibited.

(8)

6

CLASS SCHEDULE

(subject to change)

Use your CCID to access the HBR articles at no charge via the University of Alberta Library:

https://search.library.ualberta.ca/catalog/954921344187

Session Date Time Required Preparation

1 Saturday Jan 18

8:30 am to 12:00 pm

• Textbook – Chapters 1, 2, 3

• HBR – How Managers Become Leaders, June 2012

• SMR – The Mindsets of a Leader, Summer 2018 2 Saturday

Jan 18

1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

• Textbook – Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7

• HBR – From Purpose to Impact, May 2014

3 Friday Feb 14

8:30 am to 12:00 pm

• HBR – Making Yourself Indispensable, October 2011

• HBR – Getting the Boss to Buy In, January 2015

4 Friday Feb 14

1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

• SMR – What Every CEO Needs to Know about Nonmarket Strategy, Spring 2010

• Optional – Leaders Can Get Stuck in the Past with Company Culture

5 Thursday Mar 12

8:30 am to 12:00 pm

• HBR – The Real Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobs, April 2012

6 Thursday Mar 12

1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

• HBR – Being the Boss in Brussels, Boston, and Beijing, July 2017

• Group Presentations 7 Thursday

Apr 16

8:30 am to 12:00 pm

• Group Presentations

• HBR – How Netflix Reinvented HR, January 2014

8 Thursday Apr 16

1:00 pm to 4:30 pm

• HBR – Triple-Strength Leadership, September 2013

• Optional – Why Managers Can Be the Last to Learn about Problems

Additionally, the Appendix to the text (starting on page 402) offers a brief description of several leadership theories. I would encourage you to familiarize yourself with this content.

(9)

7

APPENDIX 1: LINKS TO READINGS

Supplemental Text

• The Discover Your True North Fieldbook, 2nd edition https://onlinelibrary-wiley-

com.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/doi/pdf/10.1002/9781119193289 Day 1

• HBR – How Managers Become Leaders, June 2012

http://login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx

?direct=true&db=bth&AN=75369463&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• HBR – From Purpose to Impact, May 2014

?direct=true&db=bth&AN=95639034&site=ehost-live&scope=site Day 2

• HBR – Making Yourself Indispensable, October 2011

• HBR – Getting the Boss to Buy In, January 2015

• AOM – Leaders Can Get Stuck in the Past with Company Culture https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/amj.2016.1322.summary

Day 3

• HBR – The Real Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobs, April 2012

• HBR – Being the Boss in Brussels, Boston, and Beijing, July 2017

?direct=true&db=bth&AN=123738571&site=ehost-live&scope=site Day 4

• HBR – How Netflix Reinvented HR, January 2014

• HBR – Triple-Strength Leadership, September 2013

• AOM – Why Managers Can Be the Last to Learn about Problems https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/amj.2017.0245.summary

(10)

8

APPENDIX 2: TEXTBOOK EXCERCISES

The back of the text has a number of exercises which can be done on an individual basis. I particularly suggest you look at the following:

• Survey of Managerial Style, starting on page 352;

• Balancing Your Life, starting on page 373; and

• Leadership Steps Assessment, starting on page 381.

Regarding the Survey of Managerial Style:

In Step 1 of Scoring Your Data (page 356) it mentions the following: “On the Scoring Form that follows, you will see values that are associated with each point on the scale used in Section II of the survey.” Score your responses as shown below:

• Strongly Agree = 6

• Moderately Agree = 5

• Slightly Agree = 4

• Slightly Disagree = 3

• Moderately Disagree = 2

• Strongly Disagree = 1

In Step 6 it mentions the following: “…draw a solid line from the center of the profile diagram out to the circle corresponding with your total score (A, B, C, D, or E).” The values

corresponding to (A, B, C, D, or E) are not in the text. They are:

• A = 15 - 29

• B = 30 - 44

• C = 45 - 59

• D = 60 - 74

• E = 75 - 90

(11)

9

APPENDIX 3: GROUP PROJECT EVALUATION CRITERIA

All work will be evaluated on the basis of the following considerations:

THEORY: How well does the written material reflect your understanding and application of the conceptual constructs presented in class? Are you using terminology appropriately?

DATA: How well do you use data to justify your analyses, to make appropriate inferences and to support your arguments?

WRITING: How effectively are you communicating your analyses? Is the writing clear? Are the arguments logical? Is the data presented clearly? Is the communication style appropriate for the intended audience?

CREATIVITY: Is this analysis a routine or generic application of concepts to data or does the analysis customize existing knowledge of strategic management to create a unique solution for this specific firm? Does the analysis integrate knowledge from a variety of disciplines?