Course 2021-2022 a.y.

Course Description and Learning Objectives
What is leadership? It’s a more difficult question to answer than one might think. This course takes as its fundamental premise that leadership is the exercise of power and influence over others. This broad view on the topic of leadership means that leadership is not restricted to individuals who have formal authority, but rather that leadership can be exercised by anyone, regardless of their position in organizations (or outside them). Leadership can thus be exercised from individuals at many levels. Managing “downward” is the most common way we think about leadership: an individual with official authority over others’ resources or outcomes, getting others to do things. Yet individuals can also manage “up”: influencing one’s superiors into courses of action or decisions they might not ot

1. Recall and understand frameworks for understanding how individuals exercise power and influence over others, (2) understand several evidence-based ways to exercise power and influence more effectively, as a function of the common challenges that individuals face in organizations such as managing across difficult conversations, through crises, or after failure, (3) to apply this understanding to analyses of real-life leaders’ strengths and weaknesses, including themselves, and 4) distinguish between which techniques are more effective in virtual environments. 

• Deliver feedback and negotiate more effectively
• Negotiate in virtual environments 
• Undestand different techniques for managing employees in virtual environments 

• Online lectures
• Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
• Individual assignments
• Interactive class activities (role playing, business game, simulation, online forum, instant polls)

During the course, a variety of teaching and learning techniques are used to enable students to think critically and imaginatively about various perspectives on leadership. To realize the goal of a shared learning experience between students and the instructor, the course is aimed at integraiting real challenges and practical experiences of leadership, which includes case discussions, self assessment, group projects, experiential exercies, and critical reflection on the various course materials.  

There is no final exam for attending students. Cumulative assessment (CA) constitutes 100% of the final grade, consisting of:

1. Required assessments/surveys 10%
2. Session reading memos 20%
3. Case Analysis Take-Home Written Assignment 30%
4. Group Leadership Presentation 40%

100% of the final grade is based on a final exam for non-attending students. This final exam will include 40 multiple choice and true-false questions based on the textbook assigned for non-attending students. All sections of the book are assigned for the class and are "fair game" for the test.

Online readings and cases 

The book:

Leadership for Organizations by David A. Waldman and Charles O’Reilly. Published in Sage Publications, Inc. 2019. ISBN: 9781544332727. The book is available at Amazon.it if you search under the ISBN number only.