Is There a Crisis of Leadership? & Studying Leadership

1. Is There a Crisis of Leadership?&Studying Leadership

3. Outline • Class Discussion: Is There a Crisis of Leadership? • Cronin’s Top Ten List • Considering Cronin’s criticisms of leadership studies • Assignment #1

4. Discussion Questions • 1) What do each of these authors say about the existence of a crisis of leadership? • 2) To the extent such a crisis is indicated, what is the proposed solution of each? • 3) Do you agree?

5. Gardner and Burns • 1) What do each of these authors say about the existence of a crisis of leadership? • Both perceive a crisis in leadership • 2) To the extent such a crisis is indicated, what is the proposed solution of each? • Both suggest a similar solution: an enhanced understanding of leadership

6. Couto and Greenleaf • 1) What do each of these authors say about the existence of a crisis of leadership? • At one level they disagree • Couto indicates there isn’t a crisis • Greenleaf agrees to the presence of a crisis • Both authors have similar perspective on national leadership • 2) To the extent such a crisis is indicated, what is the proposed solution of each? • Both authors look to a revitalized conception of leadership that extends to all levels

7. One final question… • What are the implications of these readings for our approach to leadership in this course?

8. Studying Leadership

10. Cronin’s Top Ten • 1) Leadership cannot be taught • 2) The study of leadership is elitist • 3) Leadership training is likely to be more concerned about means than ends • 4) Leadership is vocational; it is not a proper academic subject • 5) Leadership training might produce ruthless, manipulative leaders without values. • 6) The notion of leadership is too vague • 7) The study of leadership cuts against disciplinary specialization. • 8) A liberal arts education is itself a leadership education • 9) There is no corpus of knowledge to master in leadership studies • 10) Leadership is creativity and it can’t be learned

11. Interim Summary • We have started thinking about leadership • Assessed the current status of leadership in our society and how it might be improved • Examined strengths and weaknesses of studying leadership • ….next week we’ll develop a definition…

12. Assignment • Individual writing assignment # 1: • Complete the following for the next class: • “Leadership is..”