Course Description

Approaches to the nature of religion, the impact of religion on leadership, and the influence of leadership theories/ideas on religion will be discussed.  Leadership styles in religious contexts will be a major focus.

Course Objectives

This course is designed to enable students to:

• gain perspectives of various religions during modern and postmodern eras;
• understand implications of leadership and religion for organizations and society;
• gain insight into what it means for a leader to provide leadership in a religious context;
• understand the basic principles, advantages, and disadvantages of leadership theories as impacting religion and society; and
• apply the principles of leadership theories to current religious contexts using case-study analysis.

Texts Required

Bolman, L. G. and Deal, T. E. (1995). Leading with soul: An uncommon journey of the spirit. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

DePree, M. (1992). Leadership jazz. New York: Currency Doubleday.

Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership. New York: Paulist Press.

Kouzes, J. M. and Posner, B. Z. (1993). Credibility: How leaders gain and lose it, why people demand it. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Ramey, D. (1991). Empowering leaders. Kansas city: Sheed and Ward.

Course Evaluation

Grades for the course will be based on the following:

• Attendance and participation: 10%
• Case-study analyses: 30%
• Reflection paper # 1: 20%
• Reflection paper # 2: 20%
• Reflection paper # 3: 20%

Grade distribution:

• 100 – 95% = A
•   94 – 90% = A–
•   89 – 85% = B+
•   84 – 80% = B
•   79 – 75% = B-
•   74 – 70% = C+
• Below 70% is not acceptable for doctoral work.

Assignments

Case-study analyses:
Each student will choose a religious organization with its leaders, and conduct a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis regarding its current condition.  Compare and contrast this analysis with sound leadership theories.  With these analyses as a foundation, identify, assess, and recommend pro-active approaches to alter and/or augment the philosophical worldview, characteristics, and behavior of the leaders of the religious organization with the application of current leadership best practices.

Reflection papers:
Each student will write three “religious leadership” reflection papers, 5-7 pages each. More specific guidelines will be provided in class.

Outline of Class Sessions

Session 1 – Jan 16
Course introduction & overview
Leadership theories
The nature of religion
Religious leaders and the development of various religions

Session 2 – Jan 30
Reading: DePree and Ramey
Crisis in religious leadership
The religious leader and varied societal understandings of leadership
Religious leadership qualities

Session 3 – Feb 13
Reading: Greenleaf
** Reflection paper #1 due
Essential characteristics of religious leadership
Dynamics of leadership
Stages of growth in religious leaders

Session 4 – Feb 27
Reading: Current religious leadership events and Bolman & Deal
Transformational leadership
Transformative leadership

Session 5 – Mar 06
** Reflection paper #2 due
** Case studies
Support systems for religious leaders
The dark side of religious leadership
Forces against effective religious leadership

Session 6 – Mar 20
Reading: Kouzes & Posner
** Case studies
Religious trends
Working with groups
Religious organizational models

Session 7 – Apr 03
** Reflection paper #3 due
** Case studies
Qualities of contemporary religious leadership
Collaborative leadership in religious contexts
Spirituality and leadership

Session 8 – Apr 10
** Case studies
Future religious scenarios
Possible leadership responses
Course conclusion & review

Bibliography Sample

Adams, J. (Ed.) (1986). Transforming leadership:  From vision to results.  Alexandria, VI: Miles River Press.

Aikman, D. (1998). Great souls: Six who changed the century. Nashville: Word.

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Bennis, W. (1989). Why leaders can't lead: The unconscious conspiracy continues. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Bennis, W., & Nanus, B. (1985). The strategies of taking charge. New York: Harper Collins.

Bernstein, C., & Politi, M. (1996). His holiness: John Paul II and the hidden history of our time. New York: Doubleday.

Biggart, N. W. (1989). Charismatic capitalism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Block, P. (1993). Stewardship: Choosing service over self-interest. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.

Bolman, L. G., & Deal T. (1995).  Leading with soul: An uncommon journey of the spirit. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Bromley, D. G., & Shupe, A. D. (1979). Moonies in America: Cult, church, and crusade. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

Bryman, A. (1992). Charisma and leadership in organizations. London: Sage.

Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper Collins.

Callahan, K. L. (1990). Effective church leadership:  Building on the twelve keys. San Francisco; Harper and Row.

Cargas, H. J. (1992). Conversations with Elie Wiesel. South Bend, IN: Justice Books.

Cassidy, M. (1995). A witness forever. London: Hodder & Stoughton.

Chaffee, P. (1977). Accountable leadership. New York: Paulist Press.

Clark, K. E., Clark, M. B., & Campbell, D. P. (Eds.). (1992). Impact of leadership. Greensboro NC: Center for Creative Leadership.

Clark, K. E., & Clark, M. B. (Eds.). (1990). Measures of leadership. West Orange, NJ: Leadership Library of America.

Conger, J. A., & Kanungo, R. N. (Eds.). (1988). Charismatic leadership: The elusive factor in organizational effectiveness. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Covey, S. (1990). The seven habits of highly effective people. New York: Simon & Schuster.

De Pree, M. (1992). Leadership jazz. New York: Currency Doubleday.

DePree, M. (1989). Leadership is an art. New York: Doubleday.

Drucker, P. (1989). The new realities. New York: Harper & Row.

Egan, E. (1985). Such a vision of the street: Mother Teresa – The spirit and the work. Garden City, NY: Doubleday.

Ericson, Jr., E. (1993). Solzhenitsyn and the modern world. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Gateway.

Frankl, V. (1959). Man's search for meaning. Boston: Beacon press.

Gardner, J. (1990). On leadership. New York: Free Press.

Gergen, D. (2000). Eyewitness to power: The essence of leadership, Nixon to Clinton. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Goldstein, I. L. (1992).  Training and development in organizations. Monterey, CA: Brooks-Cole.

Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership. New York: Paulist Press.

Habermas, J. (1990). Moral consciousness and communicative action. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Helgesen, S. (1990). The female advantage, women's ways of leadership. New York: Doubleday.

Hickman, C. F. (1990). Mind of a manager, soul of a leader. New York: John Wiley.

Hunt, J. G. (1991). Leadership: A new synthesis. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Kolb, D. A. (1990). Postmodern sophistications: Philosophy, architecture, and tradition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990.

Kolb, D. A. (1987). The critique of pure modernity: Hegel, Heidegger, and after. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Kotter, J. P. (1988). The leadership factor. New York: Free Press.

Kouses, J. M., & Posner B. Z. (1993). Credibility:  How leaders gain and lose It,  why people demand it. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (1988). The leadership challenge:  How to get  extraordinary things done in organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Lord, R. G., & Maher, K. L. (1991). Leadership and information processing: Linking perceptions and performance. Boston: Unwin-Hyman.

Manz, C. C., & Sims H. P. (1989). Super leadership:  Leading others to lead themselves. New York: Prentice Hall.

Marcic, D. (1997). Managing with the wisdom of love. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Mandela, N. (1994). Long walk to freedom. New York: Brown.

Martin, W. (1991). A prophet with honor: The Billy Graham story. New York: William Morrow.

Meer, F. (1990). Higher than hope: The authorized biography of Nelson Mandella. New York: Harper & Row.

Mother Teresa (1985). My life for the poor. New York: Ballantine.

Misumi, J. (1985). The behavioral science of leadership: An interdisciplinary Japanese research program. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of Michigan Press.

Muggeridge, M. (1971). Something beautiful for God: Mother Teresa of Calcutta. San Francisco: Harper & Row.

Netanyahu, B. (1993). A place among the nations: Israel and the world. New York: Bantam Books.

Ornstein, S., & Ehrlich, P. (1990). New world, new mind. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Peters, T. J., & Austin, N. (1985). A passion for excellence: the leadership difference. New York: Random House.

Pfeffer, J. (1992). Managing with power: Politics and influence in organizations. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Pollock, J. (1985). To all nations: The Billy Graham story. New York: Harper & Row.

Pope John Paul II, (1993). The splendor of truth. Boston: Pauline Books & Media.

Pulley, M. (1997). Losing your job - reclaiming your soul. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Ramey, D. (1991). Empowering leaders. Kansas City: Sheed and Ward.

Rheingold, H. (1993). The virtual community: Homesteading on the electronic frontier. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

Scammell, M. 1984). Solzhenitsyn: A biography. New York: W. W. Norton.

Schein, E. H. (1992). Organizational culture and leadership, (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning  organization. New York: Doubleday.

Senge, P. M., Kleiner, A., Roberets, C., Ross, R. B., & Smith, B. J. (1994). The fifth discipline fieldbook: Strategies and tools for building a learning organization. New York: Currency Doubleday.

Sergiovanni, T. J. (1992). Moral leadership: Getting to know the heart of school  improvement. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Solzhenitsyn, A. (1976). Warning to the west. New York: Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.

Stacey, R. D. (1992). Managing the unknowable. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Szulc, T. (1995). Pope John Paul II: The biography. New York: Scribner's.

Weber, M. (1958). The protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Welch, J. (2001). Straight from the gut. New York: Warner Books.

Wheatley, M. J. (1994). Leadership and the new science. San Francisco: Berrett- Koehler.

Wiesel, E. (1985). Against silence: The voice and vision of Elie Wiesel. New York, Holocaust Library.

Yukl, G. (1994). Leadership in organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Yukl, G. (1990). Skills for manager and leaders. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.