Head and Heart of Everyday Leadership
In Module 1, the conceptual videos consider why everyday leadership represents a challenge, what the core tasks of being an everyday leader are (making and implementing decisions), and what levers an everyday leader has available to accomplish the core tasks (the management of information and the management of motivation). The conceptual videos also consider why inclusiveness is a key skill in a leader’s toolbox, and how representative inclusiveness can obtain the benefits of being inclusive without begging some of the logistical concerns of being too inclusive.
Lesson 1-1 concludes with a supplemental video focused on the informational and motivational challenges of everyday leadership in a virtual world. The supplemental video (an interview with an expert on virtual management) focuses on how to lead effectively when others are not or cannot be physically present.
The Module 1 Case Study Activity is a short case that will provide an opportunity to explore the importance of inclusiveness in the context of a real organization’s attempt to implement a major change initiative.
Goals and Objectives
Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to:
- Learn the importance of leadership skills in fostering organizational agility.
- Learn the role of managing information and managing motivation as key skills for effective leadership.
- Learn the importance of inclusiveness to effectively managing information and motivation.
Key Phrases/Concepts
Keep your eyes open for the following key terms or phrases as you interact with the lectures and complete the activities.
- Agility
- Representative inclusiveness
- Management of information
- Management of motivation
Time Estimate
The activities in this module should take you approximately 7 hours to complete.
Instructional Activities
We suggest that you complete all activities in the order listed in the table below.
Individual Decision Making
In Module 2, the conceptual videos explore the management of information (head) side of everyday leadership through the process of individual decision making. The conceptual videos also address the strengths of decision analysis as a systematic approach to using information to make decisions – integrating action options, outcomes and their value, and probabilities of those outcomes occurring – as well as the weaknesses and limitations of decision analysis.
Lesson 2-1 concludes with a supplemental video focused on why creativity is important to everyday leadership, why creativity is often difficult to achieve, and what leaders can do to be more creative.
The Module 2 Case Study Activity presents a decision dilemma – a hiring decision – that decision analysis can be used to address. Application of decision analysis to this decision dilemma will help reveal both the strengths and limitations of using decision analysis to assist an everyday leader’s decision making.
Goals and Objectives
Upon successful completion of this module, you will:
- Learn the critical elements of making decisions under uncertainty.
- Learn how to use decision analysis as a framework for making decisions under uncertainty.
- Learn how to estimate uncertainty in decision analysis.
Key Phrases/Concepts
Keep your eyes open for the following key terms or phrases as you interact with the lectures and complete the activities.
- Decision analysis
- Uncertainty
- Actions
- Outcomes
- Decision heuristics
Time Estimate
The activities in this module should take you approximately 3 hours to complete.
Instructional Activities
We suggest that you complete all activities in the order listed in the table below.
Group Decision Making
Overview
In this module, the conceptual videos focus on group decision making as a vehicle for inclusiveness and on how group decision making can help an everyday leader address some of the limitations of individual decision making. The conceptual videos also consider three key determinants of process loss in group decision making – composition, participation, and influence – any one of which can limit the value of a leader using groups to make decisions. The conceptual videos also consider how leaders can overcome these three key determinants of process loss.
Lesson 3-1 concludes with a supplemental video focused on the issue of diversity. This supplemental video (an interview with a diversity expert) considers what diversity is, why diversity is important to everyday leadership, and how leaders can manage diversity more effectively.
The Module 3 Case Study Activity simulates a crisis decision-making situation. Working in groups to solve the problem presented by the crisis will provide an opportunity to examine how composition, participation, and influence can affect process loss, and in doing so determine the quality of a group’s decision.
Goals and Objectives
Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to:
- Explain the role of diversity in effective group decision making.
- Explain why process loss decreases the quality of group decision making.
- Describe three critical causes of process loss and how to overcome them.
Key Phrases/Concepts
Keep your eyes open for the following key terms or phrases as you interact with the lectures and complete the activities. For definitions of the terms, please see the Glossary.
- Triangulation
- Process loss
- Composition problem
- Participation problem
- Influence problem
- Devil’s advocate
Time Estimate
The activities in this module should take you approximately 4 hours to complete.
Instructional Activities
We suggest that you complete all activities in the order listed in the table below.
Managing Motivation
Overview
In this module, the conceptual videos consider the managing motivation (heart) side of everyday leadership. The conceptual videos also examine the Law of Effect as a basic framework for understanding how leaders can manage motivation, and how expectancy theory can improve a leader’s understanding of motivation. The conceptual videos also consider how interdependence creates social dilemmas – because other individuals disrupt the perception of behavior controlling access to desired outcomes – and the importance of a leader’s management of social dilemmas for individual motivation. The case study activity for this module presents a conflict among four companies (airlines) about the pricing of their product.
Lesson 4-1 concludes with a supplemental video focused on how and why groups may fail to realize the benefits of effective cooperation, how process revolutions can occur during a group’s work to improve cooperation, and how leaders can encourage process revolutions earlier so that groups can more quickly gain the benefits of working together effectively.
The Module 4 Case Study Activity represents a social dilemma that participants must manage – including how to work together effectively (cooperate) in order to create rather than destroy value. The case study activity highlights the importance of trust to effective cooperation and everyday leadership.
Goals and Objectives
Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to:
- Understand the role of alignment in effective motivation.
- Learn how the perception of contingencies and consequences is key to effective motivational alignment.
- Learn how interdependencies in groups create social dilemmas that influence motivation.
Key Phrases/Concepts
Keep your eyes open for the following key terms or phrases as you interact with the lectures and complete the activities. For definitions of the terms, please see the Glossary.
- Consequences
- Contingencies
- Expectancy
- Instrumentality
- Valence
- Self-efficacy
- Social dilemma
Time Estimate
The activities in this module should take you approximately 4 hours to complete.
Instructional Activities
We suggest that you complete all activities in the order listed in the table below.