LDR 495: Organizational Leadership Capstone

Course Description

This is the capstone course for the Organizational Leadership concentration and should be taken in the student's last semester. Students must have completed thirty credits of their concentration courses prior to taking the course. The goal of the course is two-pronged: 1) Students will integrate and apply the knowledge gained in the Organizational Leadership concentration courses. 2) Students will assess and work on honing their leadership skills. The course must be taken at Charter Oak State College.

Prerequisites

  • This is the required capstone course in the Charter Oak Organizational Leadership concentration and should be taken in your final semseter.
  • ENG 101: English Composition 1
  • ENG 102: English Composition 2

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  1. Distinguish between leadership and management.
  2. Examine various aspects of leadership and assess one's leadership abilities.
  3. Identify leadership strategies and techniques for handling resistance to change.
  4. Discuss the major conflict management styles and significant mediation and resolution strategies.
  5. Differentiate between criticism and coaching feedback.
  6. Interpret the role of crisis leadership skills in a learning organization.
  7. Conduct an interview with a leader and perform a comprehensive analysis from a multidisciplinary perspective.

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Students who graduate with a concentration in Organizational Leadership will be able to:

  1. explain the major elements that comprise successful leadership;
  2. apply organizational processes;
  3. apply practical skills essential for success in their chosen professions and in their personal lives, including interpersonal relations, problem solving, team building, collaboration, motivation, and communication;
  4. think creatively, ethically, and logically;
  5. explain globalization's effects and opportunities;
  6. integrate organizational and management theory with interpersonal competence;
  7. assess leadership effectiveness using a coherent leader/follower model; and
  8. apply ethical principles in implementing leadership decisions.

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeight

Discussions

20%

Written Assignments

25%

Midterm Quiz

10%

Midterm Project (Week 5)

20%

Capstone Project (Week 8)

25%

Total

100%

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle

  • Bass, Bernard M. The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research and Managerial Application. 4th ed. Free Press: New York, NY, 2009. ISBN-13: 978-0-7432-1552-7
  • Owen, Jo. The Leadership Skills Handbook: 50 Essential Skills You Need To Be A Leader. 4th ed. Kogan Page, 2017. ISBN-13: 9780749480332

Additional Resources

Students must choose one of the following films:

  • Video: The Last Castle. 2001. (This film can be rented from video source or borrowed from your local library.)*

*Students may use an alternate film, but must receive prior approval by Professor.

Course Schedule

WeekSLOsReadings and ExercisesAssignments

1

1,2

Topic: Mindset Skills

  • Readings:
    • Bass Handbook of Leadership (Bass): Chapter 28 (pp.812-839) Stress Effects
    • Leadership Skills Handbook (Owen): Part One (pp. 7-30)
  • Podcast:
    • Sharon Melnick on Success Under Stress
  • Read  assigned material
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Listen to podcast
  • Submit Written Assessment - Quiz Analysis Paper

2

2

Topic: Career Skills

  • Readings:
    • Bass Handbook of Leadership (Bass): Chapter 34 (pp.1051-1091) Training and Development
    • Leadership Skills Handbook (Owen): Part Two (pp. 33-70)
  • Podcast:
    • John Beeson on the Unwritten Rules of Getting Ahead
  • Read  assigned material
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Listen to podcast
  • Submit Written Assessment - Action Plan

3

2,5

Topic: People Skills

  • Readings:
    • Bass Handbook of Leadership (Bass): Chapter 5 (pp.103-135) Traits of Leadership
    • Leadership Skills Handbook (Owen): Part Three (pp. 73-116)
  • Podcast:
    • J.P. Flaum and Becky Winkler on Hiring For Emotional Intelligence
  • Read  assigned material
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Listen to podcast
  • Submit Written Assessment - "Consolidated Products"

4

4,5,6

Topic: Relationship Handling Skills

  • Readings:
    • Bass Handbook of Leadership (Bass): Chapter 13 (pp. 319-352) Resolution of Conflict
    • Leadership Skills Handbook (Owen): Part Four (pp. 119-160)
  • Podcast:
    • Doug Conant on Making Connections From Top to Bottom Teams (pp. 276-320)
  • Read  assigned material
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Listen to podcast
  • Complete Quiz

5

1,2

Topic: Daily Skills

  • Readings:
    • Leadership Skills Handbook (Owen): Part Five (pp. 163-194)
  • Read  assigned material
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Submit Midterm Project - Leadership Expert

6

2

Topic: Organization Skills

  • Readings:
    • Bass Handbook of Leadership (Bass): Chapter 18 - (pp. 458-468) Directive vs Participative Leadership and Chapter 22 - (pp. 618-648) Transformational Leadership
    • Leadership Skills Handbook (Owen): Part 6 (pp. 197-246 )
  • Podcast:
    • Cleve Stevens on Transformational, Not Transactional Leadership
  • Read  assigned material
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Listen to podcast
  • Submit Written Assessment - "Ursula Burns"

7

2

Topics: Values and Behavior

  • Readings:
    • Bass Handbook of Leadership (Bass): Chapter 8 (pp.167-197) Values, Self-Esteem and Chapter 16 - (pp. 400-418) Well-being and Followership
    • Leadership Skills Handbook (Owen): Part 7 (pp. 249-270)
  • Podcast:
    • Bill George on Leadership Values
  • Read assigned material
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Listen to podcast
  • Submit Written Assessment - "W.L. Gore & Associates"

8

7

Topics: Conclusion and Wrap-Up

  • Readings:
    • None
  • Participate in Discussions
  • Submit Capstone Project
  • Complete Course Evaluation

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.