IT Business Leadership

95-775

Units: 6

Description

Can leadership be taught within the classroom? Can one lead without speaking? What are the differences, if any, between leadership and management? These questions and others are addressed using an eclectic mix of in-class exercises, guest lecturer presentations, and personal story-sharing. We will examine the concepts of initiative, integrity, power, control, and authority.

In today’s business world, the ability to work within – and lead – groups of all sizes becomes a prime requisite for success at the managerial and executive level. Business and technical acumen is the entry fee to professional success; the ability to lead is distinguishing.

This is an open discussion course wherein students are required to share their own stories as they listen to those of their peers. Numerous studies have identified only one trait shared by all successful leaders: failure. By sharing our failures, and being exposed to the challenges our peers and guest lecturers have faced, we learn about leadership, small group social dynamics, and ourselves.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will have gained a conceptual understanding of leadership, management, power, and the relationships between these terms. Specific learning objectives are:

Apply standards of contemporary leadership theories and models to organizational settings
Analyze a leader’s behavior and predict leadership effectiveness
Describe the fundamental concepts that enable one to understand and lead individuals and groups in a variety of settings
Understand power bases, influence tactics, and their effectiveness in work and personal life
Appreciate the myriad ethical issues that challenge leaders in today’s business world
Review the IT Infrastructure Library ® framework as it relates to business and technology management

Prerequisites Description

None.