Course: BUSOR-UH 1011 FOUNDATIONS OF LEADERSHIP

Credits (4)
Professor: Alicja Reuben, PhD
Term: Spring 2024
Lecture Days: Tbc
Lecture Times: Tbc
Lecture Locations: Tbc
Prerequisites: None
Cross-lists: SRPP – Institutions and Public Policy
SRPP – Society and Culture
Political Science - Political Theory and Institutions
BOS - Social Impact Electives
BOS - General Business Electives

Contact Details:

Name: Alicja Reuben

Office: none
Email: Alicja.reuben@nyu.edu
Office Hours: 10am-11am MW
Location: East Admin (A4-006)
Time: 11:20 AM to 12:35 PM
Days: Monday & Wednesday

Course Description:

This course is an introduction to leadership theory and practice. Students will examine several aspects of
the literature, and apply historical and contemporary theories and concepts to advance their knowledge
and develop skills. These tools are necessary for analyzing complex issues facing organizations and
society, and developing effective courses of action. Students will be able to identify key principles,
develop understanding of the behaviors, as well as characteristics of leaders through the lenses of
various models. Students will engage in self-reflection, use various perspectives of leadership, translate
theory into practice, and examine the role of leadership in effecting social change. The culmination of
these activities will build a foundation for learning and practices that facilitate leadership.

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs):

Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:

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 1. Apply critical thinking to leadership theories and models
2. Demonstrate aptitude for translating leadership theory into practice
3. Identify key components of effective leadership,
4. Describe how leadership affect organizational stakeholders, and performance
5. Recognize the complex nature of leadership, the relevance of context, and the role of leadership
in addressing societal issues.
6. Formulate own leadership philosophy and capacity for leadership

Program Learning Objectives Course Learning Objectives

Examine the development of markets and state systems with --
reference to key historical and cultural phenomenon
Apply quantitative reasoning and data analysis to questions --
concerning market developments, trends, and forecasts
Demonstrate mastery of social science theories and 1, 2, 3, 6
approaches for acquiring knowledge
Demonstrate understanding of functional areas of business 2, 3, 5
and apply business practices
Demonstrate and apply ethical reasoning to social, political 1, 2, 4, 5, 6
and business dilemmas
Collaborate and cooperate on project-based work simulating 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
real-world strategic decisions and communication.

Teaching and Learning Methodologies

• Student-centered teaching methods are used in this class through the use of case studies. The
course will consist of extensive discussion of leadership-centered cases. Cases provide
opportunities to elucidate theories and build competencies that are often acquired through
years of experience. Cases used in this course will highlight challenges and dilemmas within
organizations and society, and the extent to which leadership can ameliorate processes and
outcomes.
• The design of the course requires active engagement in discussions, in-class experiential
activities, and presentations.
• Brief lectures will serve as a way to elaborate on key concepts and theories.
• These approaches are supplemented by reflection-based assignments and peer-to-peer
knowledge exchange opportunities. These activities will foster learning of concepts, and
translation of concepts into practice.

Course Materials

Textbook (Required):

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Northouse, P. G. (2019). Leadership: Theory and Practice, 8th Ed. Sage Publications. Thousand Oaks, CA.

Cases, Articles and Reports (Required) will be posted on Brightspace in advance.

Course material should not be uploaded to any third-party sites due to copyright restrictions.

Assignments:

Course Contribution (15%)

Your course contribution grade will be based on the following elements: arrival on time to class,
timely submission of pre-class assignments, engagement and participation in the classroom.

All class sessions involve active discussion. If you are reading this, please email me the name of your
High School. You should be prepared to share your ideas and to listen to the issues presented by
your peers. Most participation in class will be voluntary; however, to ensure that everyone has the
opportunity to be involved, individuals will also be called upon. Our goal is to create a culture where
all students can learn from each other. The sooner you participate, the easier it will be for you to do
so later in the course. Importantly, the course contribution grade is affected by more than just the
quantity of your contributions. It is also affected by the quality of your comments. Quality
discussion comments possess one or more of the following attributes:

* Offer a relevant perspective on the issue.

* Present careful analysis.
* Apply the theory and concepts offered in the readings and lectures.
* Move the discussion forward by building on previous contributions with new
insights; do not repeat points already made by others.
* Ask good questions that signal critical thinking.

If you are not in class, you cannot participate, so unexcused absences will affect your course
contribution grade. Any unexcused absence will deduct 2% from your grade.
Leadership Philosophy (25%)

Your leadership philosophy will be a synthesis of what you have learned from the course, by the
midpoint of the term. Your draft paper (no more than two single-spaced pages) should serve as your

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personal philosophy of leadership, and should represent a summary of your experience in the course,
your lived experience, how it shaped your perception and understanding of leadership. Your reflection
should also be grounded on course materials, i.e., leadership theories and models, and include an
assessment of your capacity to exhibit leadership. You must present a structured paper (e.g., not a
personal journal format, or free writing), which is clear and concise, with your main points supported
with evidence. Students must submit an updated leadership philosophy (no more than eight double-
spaced pages) in Week 13. The final leadership philosophy paper should reflect revisions to your initial
submission, as needed, and thoughtful integration of material covered in the course, since the
submission of the initial write-up.

The paper should include:

• your definition of leadership, which is well-developed and informed by theory/concepts

from the course
• comprehensive discussion of theory and concepts that are in line with, or contradict your
personal philosophy
• thorough discussion of your experiences, personal and/or professional (e.g., upbringing,
culture, personality), that have influenced your leadership philosophy. Make these points
salient and directly link them to what you learned.
• your approach to leadership, from a philosophical perspective, with key elements
articulated
• What about the challenges that you face, from a leadership perspective?
• your plan for continual development of your understanding and practice of leadership

The paper should also include some reflections on the course and your learning

• What was the most valuable thing that you learned, with references to concepts and
frameworks discussed in the course that informed your learning
• How did you learn what you learned in the course? What could you have done to further
enhance your learning?
• Why does what you learned in the course matter, from a personal and/or professional
perspectives?
• How do you intend to use what you learned from the class, in the short and longer term?

Lead Case Team Analysis (20%)

A key part of the learning process in this course is to take the lessons you are learning and apply
them to real organizational situations. This will help to ensure that you are prepared to apply these
tools within your own professional career. To facilitate this, you will be asked to complete the
Learning Team Case Analysis (LTCA) focusing on particular levers that leaders can use to achieve
success. The assignment will require you to use the concepts presented in the course to analyze a
business case. The specific question will be posted on Brightspace. The LTCA will include a
presentation and additional information on the presentation will be provided in class.

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This assignment will be completed by groups of 3-4 that you select yourselves. You will be
graded as a team.
Final Exam (40%)

The final exam will be open-book and will consist of short essay questions as well as multiple
choice/short answer questions based on the course material. Your final exam will be an individual
effort. The exam will be a timed, 1 hour and 15 minute exam that will take place within a 24-hour
period.

Grades (grading will take place on a curve):

1. Course Contribution 15%

2. Lead Case Team Analysis 20%
3. Leadership Philosophy Paper 25%
4. Final Exam 40%

Jan 22nd Course Introduction and Overview

& • Read: “Managers and Leaders: Are they Different?” (Zaleznik)
Jan 24th • Read: Northouse, Ch. 1 (e-book)
• Read: Syllabus
• DUE: Online decision-making survey
Jan 29th Decision-making
& • Read: Reading: Beshears, J. & Gino, F. (2015). Leaders as Decision Architects. Harvard
Jan 31st Business Review, 93(5), 52-62.
• Read & Prepare: Mount Everest
Feb 5th Are Leaders born or made?
& • Read: “What leaders really do?” (Kotter)
Feb 7th • Read: Northouse, Ch. 2 (e-book)
• Read: “Why introverts make better leaders” (Grant)
Feb 12th Leading with Ethics
& • Read: Cialdini, R. B. Harnessing the Science of Persuasion. Harvard Business Review, 72
<3 Feb 14th • Read & Prepare: Kidney case

Feb 19th Leadership Styles

& • Read: Northouse, Ch. 3 & 4 (e-book)
Feb 21st • Read and Prepare: Terry Tesco’s Long Shelf Life Case

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Feb 26th Situational Leadership
& • Military CEOs (Groysberg)
Feb 28th • Read: Northouse, Ch. 5 (e-book)

Mar 4th Guest Speaker: Pablo Pacareu, Alphasights

Mar 6th Followership

• Good follower (Peters & Haslam)
• Read: Northouse, Ch. 13 (e-book)

Mar 10th NO CLASS – SPRING BREAK

To Mar 19th

Mar 20th Teams

• Read & Prepare: Grogan Air
• Read: Lesson From Everest (Useem)
• Read: Northouse, Ch. 6 (e-book)
• DUE: Leadership philosophy (Draft)

Mar 25th Power & Leadership

& • Read: Sterling rhetoric
Mar 27th • Read: Trump’s rhetoric (NY times)
• Read & prepare: Iron Lady case
• DUE: Iron Lady HW

Apr 1st Social Networks & Servant Leadership

& • Read: Bank of America and Merrill Lynch Merger
Apr 3rd • Read: Northouse, Ch. 10 (e-book)
• Read & prepare: The Story of Mandela

Apr 8th Transformational Leadership

& • Read: Learning Charisma (Antonakis)
Apr 15th • Read: Northouse, Ch. 7 & 8 (e-book)
• Read & Prepare: Martin Luther King, Jr

Apr 17th Leadership and Negotiations

& • Read: Galinsky, A. D., Maddux, W. W., & Ku, G. The View from the Other Side of the Table.
Apr 22nd Negotiation.
• Read: Northouse, Ch. 9

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 Apr 24th Leadership Strategy
& • Read: Good Vs Great Leaders (Bailey)
Apr 29th • Read & Prepare: Indra Nooyi

May 1st Lead Team Case Analysis Presentations and Course Wrap-up
&
May 6th

May 8th Final Exam

Academic Integrity:

Compliance with and respect for academic integrity as defined by NYU and NYUAD policy is expected and
enforced. Note NYUAD’s community commitment to integrity:

At NYU Abu Dhabi, a commitment to excellence, fairness, honesty, and respect within and outside the
classroom is essential to maintaining the integrity of our community. By accepting membership in this
community, students, faculty, and staff take responsibility for demonstrating these values in their own
conduct and for recognizing and supporting these values in others. In turn, these values create a
campus climate that encourages the free exchange of ideas, promotes scholarly excellence through
active and creative thought, and allows community members to achieve and be recognized for
achieving their highest potential. As part of the NYU global network, NYUAD students are also subject
to NYU’s all-school policy on Academic Integrity for Students at NYU.

Alleged integrity violations are resolved using NYUAD’s Academic Integrity Procedure:
https://students.nyuad.nyu.edu/campus-life/student-policies/community-standards-policies/academic-
integrity/

Moses Center for Student Accessibility (CSA):

New York University is committed to providing equal educational opportunity and participation for
students with disabilities. CSA works with NYU students to determine appropriate and reasonable
accommodations that support equal access to a world-class education. Confidentiality is of the utmost
importance. Disability-related information is never disclosed without student permission.

If you have any questions or would like to have further information about this, please visit the following
link:
• https://www.nyu.edu/students/communities-and-groups/student-accessibility.html
• Contact: mosescsd@nyu.edu

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Mental Health Resources

As a University student, you may experience a range of issues that can interfere with your ability to
perform academically or impact your daily functioning, such as: heightened stress; anxiety; difficulty
concentrating; sleep disturbance; strained relationships; grief and loss; personal struggles. If you have
any well-being or mental health concerns please visit the Counseling Center on the ground floor of the
campus center from 9am-5pm Sunday - Thursday, or schedule an appointment to meet with a counselor
by calling: 02-628-8100, or emailing: nyuad.healthcenter@nyu.edu. If you require mental health support
outside of these hours call NYU's Wellness Exchange hotline at 02-628-5555, which is available 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week. You can also utilize the Wellness Exchange mobile chat feature, details of which
you can find on the student portal. If you need help connecting to these supports please contact me
directly.

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