Leadership G4+

This leadership course is a comprehensive 25-week program designed to cultivate essential leadership skills. From understanding the foundations of leadership to mastering communication, decision-making, and team-building, students engage in a dynamic and experiential learning journey. The course emphasizes self-awareness, ethical considerations, and inclusive leadership, preparing students to lead with vision and impact in various personal, academic, and professional contexts.

The culmination of the program is a capstone leadership project that allows students to apply their knowledge and showcase their growth as emerging leaders. This course aims to equip students with the skills and mindset necessary to lead effectively, fostering personal development and preparing them for future leadership roles.

Textbooks:

The Student Leadership Challenge: Five Practices for Becoming an Exemplary Leader

Leadership: Theory and Practice

Assignments:

Sample assignments include:

-   Completing a self-assessment on personal leadership qualities, strengths, weaknesses, and areas for development

-   Research and analyze a historic leader and their impacts

-   Create a communication portfolio

-   Develop a personal vision statement

-   Conflict resolution case study analysis

-   Respond to ethical leadership dilemmas

-   Strategic planning simulation

-   Develop a personal brand statement and visual representation of personal leadership branding

-   Design a mentorship program

-   Design and implement a capstone leadership project and present to peers

Week 1: Introduction to Leadership

• Understanding the concept of leadership

• Exploring different leadership styles

• Reflecting on personal leadership qualities

Week 2: Leadership vs. Management

• Distinguishing between leadership and management

• Analyzing the role of leaders in organizations

• Classroom activity: Leadership and management scenarios

Week 3: Historical Perspectives on Leadership

• Studying historical leaders and their impact

• Learning lessons from historical leadership successes and failures

• Classroom discussion: Key takeaways from historical leaders

Week 4: Self-Awareness and Emotional Intelligence

• Exploring the importance of self-awareness in leadership

• Introduction to emotional intelligence

• Classroom activity: Self-reflection and emotional intelligence assessment

Week 5: Effective Communication in Leadership

• Understanding the role of communication in leadership

• Developing effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills

• Classroom activity: Communication role-play scenarios

Week 6: Building Trust and Credibility

• Importance of trust in leadership

• Strategies for building trust and credibility

• Case studies on trust in leadership

Week 7: Goal Setting and Visionary Leadership

• Setting SMART goals

• Understanding visionary leadership

• Classroom activity: Creating a personal vision statement

Week 8: Decision-Making and Problem-Solving

• Analyzing decision-making processes

• Developing problem-solving skills

• Classroom activity: Decision-making simulations

Week 9: Motivation and Inspiring Others

• Understanding motivation theories

• Techniques for inspiring and motivating team members

• Classroom activity: Motivational speaker analysis

Week 10: Team Building and Collaboration

• Exploring the dynamics of effective teams

• Building collaborative skills

• Team-building exercises and challenges

Week 11: Conflict Resolution and Negotiation

• Strategies for resolving conflicts in leadership

• Introduction to negotiation skills

• Classroom activity: Conflict resolution role-play

Week 12: Leading through Change

• Understanding change management

• Techniques for leading through organizational change

• Case studies on successful change leadership

Week 13: Ethical Leadership

• Discussing the importance of ethical leadership

• Exploring ethical dilemmas in leadership

• Classroom activity: Ethical decision-making scenarios

Week 14: Inclusive Leadership

• Understanding the value of diversity and inclusion

• Strategies for promoting inclusivity in leadership

• Dialogue on inclusive leadership

Week 15: Leadership in Crisis

• Analyzing leadership during crisis situations

• Developing crisis management skills

• Case studies on effective crisis leadership

Week 16: Time Management and Productivity

• Importance of time management for leaders

• Techniques for improving personal and team productivity

• Time management exercises and tools

Week 17: Strategic Leadership

• Introduction to strategic leadership

• Developing strategic thinking skills

• Classroom activity: Strategic planning simulation

Week 18: Leadership in the Digital Age

• Exploring leadership in the era of technology

• Understanding the impact of digital communication on leadership

• Case studies on successful digital leaders

Week 19: Resilience and Stress Management

• Developing resilience as a leader

• Strategies for managing stress in leadership roles

• Classroom activity: Stress management techniques

Week 20: Leadership Presence and Branding

• Importance of leadership presence

• Developing a personal leadership brand

• Classroom activity: Personal brand-building exercises

Week 21: Mentoring and Coaching

• Understanding the role of mentoring and coaching in leadership

• Developing mentoring and coaching skills

• Classroom activity: Mentorship program kickoff

Week 22: Reflection and Personal Growth

• Reflecting on personal leadership growth

• Goal-setting for continuous improvement

• Classroom activity: Leadership journal and growth plan

Week 23-24: Leadership Project

• Capstone leadership project development

• Guidance and feedback sessions

• Peer presentations and feedback

Week 25: Leadership Showcase and Celebration

• Final presentations of leadership projects

• Reflection on the leadership development journey

• Certificate distribution and celebration