ABSTRACT
This chapter will consider effective methods for helping participants grasp a range of leadership theories and know about the evolution of leadership theory so they can make sense of disparate views of leadership and of their own experience. Additionally, this chapter will describe the action learning methods that I and others have found to be effective in helping participants strengthen their ability to help their organizations and communities tackle the challenges they face. (An overarching aim is to heighten participants’ cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioral complexity.)
Teaching Leadership Theory
In keeping with Ken Bain’s (2004) finding that the best teachers help students engage with the compelling questions in their fields, I introduce participants in my courses to the major debates in leadership studies and connect the different views to specific theories. Indeed, the debates are the central organizing themes for the modules in a semester-long, partly online, partly face-to-face version of Leadership for the Common Good, a graduate course at the Humphrey School. Via the course website, I introduce each module with an exercise or video clip that raises one or more Big Questions about leadership. Then participants are directed to readings and exercises that prepare them for the module’s face-to-face session. They use online forums to post analyses of readings and reflections on the faceto-face sessions, and in some modules, participants also are assigned to use their webcams to film and post their responses to a VoiceThread assignment. Attention to leadership skills or habits of mind is woven into the course fabric. Every module helps participants hone their capacity for reflection and self-awareness, relationship building, and written and oral communication. Additionally, I identify
particular skills-e.g., persuasive communication or appreciative inquiry-that I want to emphasize in the face-to-face sessions. Table 9.1 lists the learning outcomes and assigned readings for each module.
