DRAFT Outline 3 February 2009

INFO 560 – Special Topic: Developing Leadership Potential

Course prescription

This course provides an opportunity for practitioners and students to focus on leadership in the information professions from both theoretical and practical perspectives. The course employs theoretical concepts and models, coupled with case studies based on the experiences of leaders within the profession to understand how to develop leadership potential in oneself and others.

Course Outline

Theory and practice will be explored together throughout the course. Leadership theories in general will be covered, with an emphasis on their relevance to the information services context. A case study will be used each week to provide an opportunity for in depth application, reflection and review.

An integrated approach to theory and practice will be taken throughout.

Course Content

Week 1 Context and challenges in leadership

Relationship between leadership and management theories

Leadership theories overview

Challenges for leadership in the information services professions

Case Study

At the end of week one you should be able to:

·  Understand the relationship between leadership and management theories

·  Understand the key leadership theories explored

·  Critically reflect on, and identify, the challenges for leadership in the information services professions

Week 2 Knowing yourself as a leader

Self-assessment tools and approaches

Leadership traits and styles (theory and application)

Emotional intelligence

Gender and leadership

Case Study

At the end of week two you should be able to:

·  Understand a range of self-assessment tools and how to apply them

·  Understand and be able to apply the concepts of leadership traits and styles

·  Appreciate the role of emotional intelligence in leadership

·  Engage in the debate around gender and leadership

·  Describe and reflect on your leadership style

Week 3 Leading people

Understanding and leading individuals

Coaching, mentoring and facilitating

Creating and leading teams

Case Study

At the end of week three you should be able to:

·  Appreciate the complexity and challenges associated with leading individuals

·  Understand the concepts of coaching, mentoring and facilitating and debate their value in an information services context

·  Understand approaches to creating and leading teams

·  Critically Reflect on your own experience within a team and its leadership

Week 4 Direction and strategy

Strategic focus and direction

Shaping values and cultures

Change leadership

Case Study

At the end of week four you should be able to:

·  Understand the role of leaders in setting strategic focus and direction

·  Appreciate the role of leaders in shaping values and culture in an information services context

·  Understand the concept of change leadership

·  Appreciate people’s experience and response to change

Week 5 Developing leaders

Models and theories of leadership development

Leadership development for yourself

Leadership development for others

Case Study

At the end of week five you should be able to:

·  Understand the different models and theories associated with leadership development

·  Critically assess leadership development approaches for the information professions

·  Demonstrate knowledge of development approaches for yourself and for others

Week 6 Influential leadership

Influence and persuasion

Working with politics and power

Leadership beyond the information services context

Case Study

At the end of week six you should be able to:

·  Demonstrate knowledge of theories associated with influence and persuasion

·  Critically reflect on the impact of working with politics and power in the information services context

·  Consider and demonstrate the importance of leadership beyond the information services context

·  Reflect on your own approach to influencing

Assessment:

Weekly reflective journal entries relating to the case discussed in the synchronous class.

A plan to develop one’s own leadership potential based on the theory and practical examples examined during the course.

Course textbook:

Roberts, S. and Rowley, J. (2008). Leadership: The challenge for the information profession. London: Facet Publishing.

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