Putting The "Leader" in Leadership

Putting the Leader in Leadership
Created Fall of 2016

By the Honors Leadership Development class, CCST 1535
As part of the Honors Program
Instructor: Sarah Kath
Central Lakes College, Brainerd MN
All work supplied herein is the creation of the following students:

Aydt, Elizabeth
Buehler, Greta
Charlier, Devon
Conrad-Kassa, Makayla
Crabtree, Lauren
Erfurth, Ethan
Felsheim, Emily
Garcia, Hudson
Jackson, Christopher
Loftis, Kaycee
Olander, Jaxon
Richards, Rose
Express permission to publish and use these students work was obtained December of 2016
and is available upon request.
ThisworkislicensedunderaCreativeCommons
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike4.0InternationalLicense.
Published on Scribd:
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Annotated Bibliography
-Table of Contents-
Chapter 1: Understanding Leadership

The History of Leadership Focus
Leadership Theories and Style: A Transitional Approach By MAJ Earl Russel
Emotionally Intelligent Leadership At 30 Rock: What Librarians Can Learn from a Case
Study of Comedy Writers
Effective Leadership Management: An Integration of Styles, Skills, & Character for Todays
CEOs
Chapter Two: Traits, Skills, Practices and Characteristics of a Good Leader

Leader Traits and Attributes
Leadership in Groups: Centralized vs. Shared
Heart of a soldier
Stewart, James. Heart of a soldier. Pg. 171-177. 2003
If You Will Lead
Guild-ed Advice for Leadership
Chapter Three: Ethics

Ethical Leadership and Leaders' Personalities
Ethical Fading: The Role of Self-Deception in Unethical Behavior
7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership
Understanding Ethical Leadership
EntreLeadership
Resource 6
Chapter 4: Leading With Vision

Resource 1
I Have a Dream.
First- level Leadership: Supervising in the New Organization
Ramsey, Dave. Entreleadership: 20 Years of Practical Business Wisdom from the Trenches.
New York: Howard, 2011. Print.
4 Leadership Secrets of Alexander the Great
Chapter 5: Setting goals

4
Top 4 High Impact Team & Leadership Development Activities: Transformational Exercises
Every Teamwork Facilitator Must Know
Setting Goals
Chapter 6: Building a Team

Team Building in a Health Care Setting
How To Make A Good Team
Tear Down This Wall
Summary
Evaluation
Discussion
Conclusion
John Steinbecks Team
Presidential Speech
Building a Team
Chapter 7: Making decisions

[TITLE NEEDED]
Damer T. Edward, Attacking Faulty Reasoning. Pg. 31-52 2012. Google Books
https://books.google.com/books?id=x5yY1pinC-IC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_su
mmary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-solving and Decision-making Skills
Making Decisions
Good Decision Making
Critical Thinking in Everyday Life
Discussion
Decision Making
Chapter 8: Managing Conflict

Conflict Resolution Skills
How to be a leader that people want to follow
The Walk from no to yes
Tools for Team Leadership: Delivering the X-factor in Team Excellence
Leadership for Today; Managing Conflict Within Groups
Guiding Through Conflict
Reviewed by: Emily Felsheim
Summary
Assessment
Discussion/Evaluation
Conclusion
A Tale About Conflicts

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Literature Review by: Makayla Kassa
Chapter 9: Realizing Change

Empowering Your Employees to Empower Themselves
Summary
Assessment
Discussion
Conclusion
How to Implement Change in Practice.
I Love a Protestor. You Don't Need Answers- Just Questions.
We Were Treated Like Adults
How to Motivate Individuals
Lit review by Chris Jackson
Summary
Evaluation
Discussion
Summary
Resource 6
Chapter 10: Empowering Others

Servant Leadership: Accepting and Maintaining the Call of Service
Ways to Empower Others
Literature Review by: Chris Jackson
Summary
Evaluation
Discussion
Conclusion
Four Ways Empowering Leadership Enables Empowered Employees
Summary
Evaluation
Discussion:
Conclusion
Empowering your employees to empower themselves
Literature Review by Ethan Erfurth
Summary
Assessment
Discussion
Conclusion
Empowerment
Summary

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Assessment
Conclusion
Motivation
Summary
Assessment
Discussion
Conclusion
Additional Research
Techniques for Leading Group Discussions
Assessment
Discussion
Conclusion
Case Study
Introduction
Background
Group A
Group B:
Group C
Recommendation

7
Chapter 1: Understanding Leadership
Image via flickr user: Pedro Ribeiro Simes
The History of Leadership Focus
Reviewed by Greta Buehler

8
Stone, Gregory, and Kathleen Patterson. "The History of Leadership Focus."Servant Leadership
Research Roundtable (2005): n. pag. Web. 12 Sept. 2016.
https://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/sl_proceedings/2005/stone_history.pdf
The History of Leadership Focus by Gregory Stone and Kathleen Patterson explains
how leadership studies have transformed since the Industrial Revolution. Early leadership studies
focused on organization, as most leaders at the time saw their workers as machines instead of
people. Two early leadership theories are classical management and scientific management.
Leaders who followed these theories wanted to maximize efficiency and profit. However, toward
the mid-20th century, leaders started to see their workers as people. This helped to shift the focus
of leadership theories to the satisfaction of workers needs. At this time, leaders started believing
that workers are more effective when their basic needs are met. Theory X and Theory Y became
part of leadership studies in the 1960s. Theory X includes a belief that humans dont work for
personal motives, and need someone to tell them what to do and/or give them consequences. On
the other hand, people who follow Theory Y believe that workers can have a personal motive for
working and can enjoy their work. Over a decade later, people started looking at transactional
leadership as a way to make workers more effective. Because transactional leadership was
unable to make long-term change, transformational leadership was born. In transformational
leadership, the leader has a vision to make change for the better, and the leader completely
believes in that vision. This leader then inspires others to follow their vision. Transformational
leadership is one of the most popular leadership theories today. The last leadership theory, The
History of Leadership Focus talks about is servant leadership. Servant leaders are focused on
the wellbeing of their followers. This service to others inspires the followers to do better things
in their own lives, which causes a change in society (Stone and Patterson 1-11).

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The History of Leadership Focus was written in 2005, so one could argue that it is an
outdated source. However, this source focuses on the history of leadership, making it a valid
source for that purpose. Both authors, Stone and Patterson, have PhDs and work for Regent
University. Because both authors work for the same university, there could be bias in their work
although the article seems unbiased. This is a good resource for someone interested in leadership
history and the causes of change in leadership theories throughout history. Stone and Patterson
wrote a very thorough history of popular leadership theories, but didnt include many others.
Still, it would be nearly impossible to explain every single leadership theory that exists because
there are so many. Each theory mentioned in this article is described well, so it isnt necessary to
look for other sources pertaining to these theories. However, if someone wanted to become an
expert in one of these leadership theories, they would want to look for many other sources. This
article is helpful in that is explains not only what these leadership theories are, but also what
influenced people to come up with them. For someone interested in the situations that certain
leadership theories are best suited for, this article may help by giving an understanding of the
situations that invented these theories.
One thing Stone and Patterson do very well is explain the shifts between leadership
theories throughout history. When the tendency to look at people as machines changed to a
tendency to look at people as people is a particularly interesting shift. This shift in the way
leaders thought of their followers happened in the mid-20th century, as stated earlier. This is
interesting because people were considered machines for many years, without much competition
from other viewpoints. This change happened at the same time that a wave of humanist thinkers
surfaced, such as Maslow. This new way of thinking had to have made a huge effect on society
then and todays society. This way of thinking affected more areas of life than just psychology or
other directly related fields. As one can see here, leadership studies are an example of something

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that changed indirectly because of this way of thinking. This was the first major change in the
way leaders thought of their followers. Soon after, theories in leadership studies changed rapidly
in comparison to the change that had taken place earlier: hardly any. This new way of thinking
started a reaction of new thoughts, which led to all of the leadership theories we recognize today.
Anyone looking for a straightforward history of leadership trends can find this article
beneficial. This is also a fairly fast read with easy-to-understand language, so readers dont need
to set time aside to study this text. As mentioned earlier, it isnt necessary to find other sources
on the leadership theories mentioned in this article to understand them. Overall, this article is a
good place to start studying the wide field of leadership.
Leadership Theories and Style: A Transitional Approach By MAJ Earl Russel
http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/repository/dcl_SecondPlaceEssay_1102.pdf
Literature review by: Kaycee Loftis
This essay briefly discusses some leadership theories like: The Great Man Theory, Trait
Theories, Contingency Theories, Situational Theories, Behavioral Theories, Participative
Theories, Management Theories, Relationship Theories (Transformational Theories), and their
history. It also lists some leadership styles: Autocratic Leadership, Bureaucratic Leadership,
Charismatic Leadership, Democratic/Participative Leadership, Laissez-Faire Leadership,
Task-Oriented Leadership, People-Oriented or Relations-Oriented Leadership, Servant
Leadership, Transactional Leadership, and Transformational Leadership. Though it also briefly
describes a new theory that Russell has. His new theory is to combine all types of leadership
styles and theories. He says that The challenge for the leader is to get individuals to forget
biases they may have toward a specific theory or style and be open minded to understanding how
that theory or style may be used to benefit them as a leader in a given situation. He also

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acknowledges that it will not be easy nor will it work flawlessly at times, but he believes that it
will work.
This essay (which was written for and submitted to the General Douglas MacArthur Military
Leadership Writing Competition) was written by MAJ Earl Russell, on 08 September 2011.
Sadly it did not place in the General Douglas MacArthur Military Leadership Writing
Competition though It still serves to be quite useful in understanding leadership styles and
theories.
I found Leadership Theories and Style to be rather interesting and didnt find it to get dry and
tiresome like Ive found some leadership essays to be. It definitely has a Western look at
leadership. It also gives a lot of information and breaks down leadership styles and theories. I
almost wouldnt have to look anywhere else for that information.
Emotionally Intelligent Leadership At 30 Rock: What Librarians Can Learn from a Case
Study of Comedy Writers
Literature Review by Devon Charlier
Martin, Jason. Emotionally Intelligent Leadership At 30 Rock: What Librarians Can Learn from
a Case Study of Comedy Writers. Journal of Library Administration 56.4 (2016): 345-58. Print.
Summary
This source argues for the importance of emotional intelligence as a leadership strategy. It is
formatted for and directed toward leadership in the context of libraries; however, the majority of
the points made are applicable to a much broader array of situations. First, Martin describes
emotional intelligence, which refers to an individuals capacity for regulating ones own

12
emotions as well as the emotions of other people. The author points to recent research arguing
that emotional intelligence is an increasingly essential factor in effective leadership of
organizations of many types. The author utilizes a version of a framework first presented by
Goleman to examine specific aspects of emotional intelligence, so that readers are able to
cultivate it within themselves and recognize it in others.
The framework divides emotional intelligence into 5 elements, which are defined in detail in the
context of leadership. The first element, self-awareness, is described to be ones capacity to
evaluate aspects of ones self in a rational manner. Martin describes the second element,
self-regulation, in a manner that is two-fold: 1) the ability to regulate emotions, and 2) the ability
to achieve balance in ones life, therefore creating an environment of stability and avoiding
burnout. Motivation is the third element of emotional intelligence. In this part of the article,
Martin differentiates between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is accessed
when an individual performs a task due to genuine interest. Contrastingly, extrinsic motivation is
accessed when the outcome is superficial. For example, extrinsic motivation is the type of
motivation in play when an individual enters a job purely due to the amount of compensation.
Next, one of the most important elements of emotional intelligence, according to Martin, is
empathy. In this text, empathy is defined as the ability to understand others emotions, to
actually feel them yourself, and to respond in a socially adaptive way (353). To support his
claim that cultivating empathy is imperative to good leadership, Martin cites several studies that
demonstrate that empathy is positively correlated with leadership success, which he defines as a
combination between productivity and the levels of contentedness of both leaders and followers.
Finally, Martin describes the final element of emotional intelligence, social skills, as being
centered around developing healthy relationships between leaders and followers, through
mechanisms such as building trust and communication skills (355).

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Martin ties these elements into leadership studies by asserting that those that are emotionally
intelligent have a higher chance of taking on leadership roles for several reasons such as their
increased adaptability, improved interpersonal interaction, and elevated creativity. Each element
of emotional intelligence is also placed into a realistic context by citing situations from the
popular sitcom, 30 Rock, in order to further solidify comprehension of each concept.
Assessment
In order to accurately assess the quality of this source, this review will be evaluating it
based upon its currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose. The source is current, being
published in 2016. Martin cites a range of sources that were published between 1990 and 2016.
Emotional intelligence is a fairly recent concept, so the research surrounding it is fairly
up-to-date, overall.
This texts relevance could possibly be improved. On one hand, it presents leadership from a
very narrow perspectivethrough the lens of library leadership. On the other hand, although
Martin places his argument in the context of libraries, the aspects of emotionally intelligent
leadership that he so thoroughly describes can be applied to a wide array of leadership situations.
This versatility in relevancy is supported by Martins use of a context that is not, in fact, clearly
related to libraries30 Rockin order to provide examples of emotional intelligence in action.
The sources authority, in regard to the authors credentials, its publisher, and its sponsorship is
reliable. The author is the Head of Public Services at the library at Stetson University in Florida.
His background includes a multitude of leadership positions and several of his works have been
published in well-known library-related, academic journals. This source was published in a
recent volume of the Journal of Library Administration, which is a peer-reviewed, academic
journal that clearly caters to library leaders and educators. It is sponsored by the Taylor &
Francis Group, a subdivision of the Academic Publishing Division of Informa PLC, which is a

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multidisciplinary and geographically wide-spread company that publishes academic and business
related publications. The sources authority, overall, is slightly outside of the range of typical
leadership studies sources and could be biased towards educators and librarians; however,
instead of this presenting a weakness, this could provide a helpful, more well-rounded
perspective on leadership.
The source utilizes a large quantity of peer-reviewed, credible sources; therefore, the information
presented is likely to be accurate and well-supported. Finally, the intent and purpose of the
article seems to be relevant and powerfulto provide an in-depth description of effective,
emotionally intelligent leadership so that readers may recognize such skills in others as well as
apply such skills in their own leadership roles.
Discussion
Overall, the source is well written and compelling. Martin formulates his argument in a
methodical, convincing manner. He utilizes a respected framework through which to organize his
points, which are backed up by pertinent and peer-reviewed research. Overall, Martin makes a
compelling case for incorporating emotional intelligence, in the forms of self-awareness,
self-management, motivation, empathy, and social skills, into leadership environments. Not only
does his argument hold up well theoretically, but it also has merit in the context of a wide array
of realistic leadership situations.
Martins utilization of 30 Rock as a source of examples from which to pull is one aspect
of this article that remains unsatisfying. While the examples he presented are pertinent and help
readers that are familiar with the show to make necessary, real-world connections that aid
understanding, readers that are unfamiliar with the show could begin to feel somewhat lost. The

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information presented is still compelling; however, Martin narrows his readership through the
use of a television show with which only a small section of the population may be familiar.
Conclusion:
This source provides several imperative pieces of information for those entering
leadership studies. Martin connects leadership theory to real-world application. He also clearly
depicts a multitude of qualities of effective leaders. Additionally, the perspective of emotional
intelligence is versatile and can be applied to leadership situations well beyond the originally
intended context of a library. The need for emotional intelligence in every interaction, especially
ones containing leadership roles, is increasing in importance as the world becomes more and
more connected. Emotionally intelligent leadership, especially with its focus on developing
empathy, is a skill set that can be applied to many perspectives within the realm of leadership
theory. Whether a perspective originates in Eastern or Western philosophy, whether it is
hierarchical or decentralized in structure, understanding emotional intelligence can enhance
leadership by cultivating effective and positive communication and interpersonal interactions.
Effective Leadership Management: An Integration of Styles, Skills, & Character for
Todays CEOs
Reviewed by : Lizzie Aydt
Adeniyi, Michael Adewale. "Chapter 3 and Chapter 4." Effective Leadership
Management: An Integration of Styles, Skills & Character for Today's CEOs. Bloomington, IN:
AuthorHouse, 2010. N. pag. Print.
Adeniyis introduction mainly discusses the definition of leadership, and explains why
we should study leadership. In the third chapter, Adeniyi discusses the different theories of

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leadership; which include: trait theorywhich says that leaders are successful when they hold
certain traits. Situational theory-- the theory that claims an individual that is suited for leadership
will arise from a group. Followership theorywhich claims that the quality of a leader can be
determined by the quality of the leaders followers--and the eclectic theory; the theory that
combines all three of the other theories that were mentioned. He also touches on theory y, theory
x, and theory z. Theory y is the integration of individual and organizational goals in leadership.
Theory x is the traditional view of direction and control; and lastly, theory zthe theory/process
of change. In chapter 4 of Adeniyis book, he starts to discuss the different styles of leadership:
authoritarian, laissez-faire, bureaucratic, charismatic, and democratic. Leaders with an
authoritarian style of leadership focus more on accomplishing tasks, less on relationships.
Laissez-faire styled leaders are leaders that do not help in making decisions. Bureaucratic styled
leaders are very organized and will use systems of files to solve problems. Charismatic leaders
seem to focus attention on themselves; and Democratic leaders make their decision based on
their groups decision.
Effective Leadership Management: An Integration of Styles, Skills & Character for
Todays CEOs was published in 2010. Dr. Michael Adewale Adeniyi is currently the president
and CEO of Wholistic Home Health Assisted Living and Adult Foster Care Inc., so he is a very
credible author of a book that is based around leadership. This book was written for
CEOswhich we can tell by the titlebut the entire book is written in a way that would be
beneficial to people who are in any leadership position, or just want to learn more about
leadership.
Adeniyi writes, Leadership is about serving, compassion, hard work, dedication, and
timeless enthusiasm for what youre doing, and for the people youre doing it with. Leaders
challenge, motivate, communicate, and inspire (Page ix). This is a very accurate description of

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the definition of leadership; it encompasses all of the aspects of leaders/leadership into one
paragraph, and it helped me remember the respect that I have for leaders in my life. If leaders
keep this quote in the back of their mind, I believe it would help them remember what they
should be doing as a leader, and why they became a leader. That is what Adeniyis quote did for
me. Adeniyi also gives the reader a very good reason for why you should study leadership. To
summarize the portion of Adeniyis introduction about the importance of studying leadership, he
explains that since we all belong to groups and organizationswhich all maintain some kind of
orderthat behind that order, there is some type of leadership. This helps us understand that
leadership is present in our everyday lives. I found it to be very helpful to have an explanation of
why we study leadership in a condensed, easy to understand sentence; many other writers
reasons to study leadership that I have read were very long and complex. The theories of
leadership that are also described in chapter three of this book are explained very deeply, in a
very easy to understand way, and thoroughly; like the definition of leadership talked about
earlier in the review.
Effective Leadership Management: An Integration of Styles, Skills & Character for
Todays CEOs would be a very beneficial book for anyone that would like to learn about the
general theories, styles, and definitions of leadership; anyone that would like to decide what kind
of leader they would like to be; and for anyone looking to discover what their
strength/weaknesses are in the leadership aspect. This book meshes well with other leadership
books, because the content is nearly identicaljust a few wording differences. Chapter three and
four specifically connect very well to our unit one research topic. They thoroughly and
accurately explain the history of leadership studies, why to study leadership, the different traits,
and the different theories.

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Chapter Two: Traits, Skills, Practices and Characteristics of
a Good Leader
Image credit via Flickr user: Picklive Footie

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Zaccaro, Stephen J. et al. "Leader Traits and Attributes." The Nature of Leadership. By John
Antonakis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2004. 101-24. Print.
https://us.corwin.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/5014_Antonakis_Chapter_5.pdf
Literature review by Devon Charlier
Summary
This resource surveys and presents the relevant literature regarding trait-focus approaches to
understanding leadership. Zaccaro et al. also proposes several premises and suggestions about how to
approach such aspects of leadership research and theory in the future. Initially, to simplify
conceptualization of future arguments, the authors define leader traits as certain characteristics of an
individual that commonly, regularly, and positively contribute to success in a leadership role.
Intriguingly, according to this source, the study of leadership traits has oscillated over
time; as perspectives change from theoretical to applicable and as interest waxes and wanes, the
research within this approach has been historically inconclusive. The situationism perspective, in
particular, has proven to be an obstacle for trait-focused researchers, as it asserts that no one
formulation of traits, qualities, or expertise within a leader can be applied to every context. Zaccaro et
al. acknowledges the validity of this argument, but they attempt to argue that, regardless, there are
some traits that are often imperative for effective leaders to utilize.
This source provides a glimpse at a wide variety of applicable research and concludes
that the most influential traits in leadership are helpful cognitive capacities, ideal personality
compositions, sustainable motives, important social capabilities, effective problem solving skills, and
competency in tacit knowledge. Again, this source encourages these competencies within the context
of flexibility determined by each individual leadership situation.

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Furthermore, Zaccaro et al. suggest that, ideally, good leaders demonstrate an equally
distributed amalgamation of the previously described traits, rather than encouraging excellence in
just one aspect. None of the capabilities exist, effectively, within a vacuum. Instead, in effective
leadership, each capability influences, and ideally enhances, any other capabilities. Throughout, the
authors propose that while, situationally, there are, in fact, specific traits that most leaders exhibit,
they are not necessarily all essential or relevant at all times, nor are they all inherent.
Evaluation
This source is fairly recent, as it was published in 2004. Dr. John Antonakiss book The Nature
of Leadership, in which this chapter can be found, is an extensively cited resource within leadership
studies. Antonakis is a respected scholar and speaker in the field. The chapters authors, especially the
main contributor, Stephen J. Zaccaro, are published, peer-reviewed academic writers and professors in
their fields. These authors are clearly qualified and invested in creating quality, credible content for
their students and other researchers to utilize. Each of the contributors also has a valuable
backgroundZaccaro and Kemp focus on the psychological perspectives while Antonakis offers
organizational behavioral perspectives and boasts a diverse range of expertise within the social
sciences. This array of perspectives lends to the credibility and versatility of the source. The books
publisher is Sage Publications, which is mainly a textbook company, whose purpose is to provide
materials to educators and students. The chapter utilizes a great deal of credible research to present
ideas; however, some conclusive claims made by the authors are not necessarily fully supported by
the research cited in this particular chapter. These conclusions are, however, helpful to conceptualize
and entirely supported by research presented in the remainder of the book.
Discussion

22
Zaccaro et al. present a thorough and expansive review of the literature available regarding
leadership traits, which provides readers a solid foundation of information regarding the subject. The
authors provide a fairly detailed description of many of the discussed perspectives; however, some
aspects of their review might be considered repetitive and lacking in flow. That being said, the
fundamental structure of the work is intuitive and conducive to reader comprehension, as the authors
move from an overall depiction of the importance of the field, to the definition of a trait, to the
historical perspectives of the field, to a massive summarization of relevant research, and, finally and
most importantly, to a presentation of a set of suggestions regarding understanding and future
research.
The summarization of the literature is lengthy. On one hand, this might be a positive attribute, as
it seems to be an almost exhaustive introduction to the material. On the other hand, the information
could have been more methodically organized and divided, so that the attention of readers, especially
those new to such research, is maintained. Additionally, this particular section is extremely
informative, rather than information that is intuitively helpful to those attempting to learn about
leadership in the context of real life situations.
There are two main aspects of the contents of this chapter that are of utmost importance for
comprehension and application of this section of leadership theory. First, Zaccaro et al. converges the
ideals of trait-focused leadership and situational leadership in a manner that allows for readers to
connect and reflect. The source persistently acknowledges the concept that while leadership is
correlated with the described traits (i.e. extroversion, intelligence, expertise, socioeconomic status),
people who do not inherently present such traits are not excluded from 1) leadership roles in general,
and 2) developing many of the traits over time.
Additionally, the most useful part of this work is the summary on pages 118 to 124. Not only do
the authors provide an elegantly composed and concise summary, which includes a visually helpful

23
chart and diagram, they also compose several proposals based upon the previously explained research,
giving advice to readers and researchers about ways to proceed within trait leadership. This section
allows for deeper comprehension and encourages valuable contemplation on the part of the reader.
Conclusion
This source, especially the summary presented from pages 118 to 124, presents an especially
holistically moderate perspective on trait leadership. Zaccaro et al. truly accurately convey the idea
that while traits can have a profound influence, individuals are not restricted from leadership by any
inherent characteristics. Additionally, while certain traits are fairly consistently associated with
successful leadership, most importantly, good leaders are adaptable, and they usually employ
strategies to fit a given situation. Traits that are associated with successful leadership, for the most
part, can be cultivated with motivation and dedication. The authors emphasis on this concept further
prompts readers to reflect, in a more substantial and complex manner, regarding their personal
leadership traits and ways that they might focus further development.
Leadership in Groups: Centralized vs. Shared
https://michiganross.umich.edu/alumni/dividend/spring2016/invisible-hand-group-leadership
Kosdrosky, Terry. "The Invisible Hand of Group Leadership." University of Michigan's Ross
School of Business. University of Michigan, Spring 2016. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.
Summary
This article talks about the effects of group leadership on the performance of the group. There
are two different things that tend to happen in groups: one to two leaders emerge and take charge

24
of the situation, or the leadership is shared. The leadership is based on the peoples opinions in
the group: if everyones opinion is that the group members are all competent then the leadership
will be shared. The effectiveness of the two styles is shared in the article, along with how to
improve the groups performance and leadership.
Studies have shown that a centralized leadership style in groups yields poorer
performance when compared to shared leadership. What decides whether the leadership is shared
or centralized? The answer is warmth and competence. Warmth is the trustworthiness, likability,
and kindness. When the group members are warm to each other, and show others that their
opinions matter, they will develop a shared leadership. When the group is more focused on the
competence of the other members, a centralized leadership will form. The leader(s) will become
the person(s) that is/are thought of as the most competent, and the members will give them the
title because they feel incompetent at leadership. Women are good with the shared method
because women tend to be more focused on the warmth and shared leadership aspect. But, they
will not be as accepted when they try to take on the leadership role in the centralized method.
To improve on the group leadership, and to help make the leadership shared, a few things
can be done. Perceptions of the group are formed at the beginning, so its important to create the
right perceptions from the start. If possible, group people together based on trustworthiness and
warmth. Team building activities are worth investing in because they increase the warmth of the
group. Make sure everyone is perceived as competent when their expertise may be in a different
area. Another way to help guide people into the shared leadership style is to have the
supervisor/teacher/overseer come right out and say that the leadership should be shared within
the group.
Discussion

25
A properly run centralized leadership keeps everyone on task. It is possible that members
in a shared-leadership group would all feel competent and able to please the rest of the group if
they work, so they will be self-motivated to do their best. However, if the leadership is shared
and a member is not motivated to take this role, the group will suffer or have to work harder to
make up for that person.
Team building activities are important because in school the students dont generally interact
enough to be naturally comfortable in sharing the leadership of a group. The article talks about
building the credibility and warmth of the group so they can mesh together as a team. Although
these team activities will help teams to work together, some people just wont be able to mesh in
with any group they get put in because they stick to their comfort zones. Also, unless teachers go
through leadership courses they do not know the best ways to supervise classroom work groups.
Overall, more teaching of how to work in and supervise groups would be useful to include in
every students curriculum.
Evaluation
This source is credible because Michigan State University is aimed at education. This source is
also quite recent, and it does not show any bias based on my reading. The article cites two main
researchers behind it- Scott DeRue and Sue Ashford. They are well-versed researchers with a lot
of experience and articles published. They have also served in many leadership positions. The
author of the article is a writer for the University of Michigan that has written many other articles
on leadership and conflicts.
Conclusion
This article is aimed at showing two different styles of leadership: centralized and shared.
The shared method of leadership means that everyone in the group has equal say and is
responsible for the group decisions. The article states that this is the most effective method of

26
leadership because everyone feels like they have an important part in the group. To have a shared
leadership, the group members must believe everyone in the group is competent, and they must
be warm towards each other. The other method, centralized, means that 1-2 people or a smaller
group controls the rest of the group. In this style of leadership, the people that feel incompetent
or uninterested in leadership are the submissive subjects and just follow the leaders decisions. It
is noted that women prefer to lead based on emotional warmth rather than competency so they
are less likely to step into the leadership role in the centralized style.
This article would be useful for improving group leadership, and performance of the group. Also,
being aware of this may increase a persons leadership skills by encouraging others to step up
and get involved in the group.
Heart of a soldier
Stewart, James. Heart of a soldier. Pg. 171-177. 2003
Reviewed by: Ethan Erfurth
Summary
This book Heart of a Soldier is on the thoughtful and heroic efforts of Rick Rescorla and
Dan Hill. This chapter and specifically pages 171-177 focus on Rick's thoughtful assessment of
the structural integrity of the towers and if any kind of attack would be able to pose a threat to
the building. This assessment was aided by Dan Hill and his military knowledge of building
weak points. They found two main weak points. One in the garage where there were several
unguarded load bearing pillars. Which they requested a security force to guard the area which

27
was ultimately rejected. And eventually was attack almost exactly as Rescorla and Hill had
predicated. After the first attack, security was finally beefed up on the ground levels. Rick and
Hill predicted that the next attempt would have to come from the air. Though all these actions
they performed, a common practice of thoughtfulness and determination becomes apparent. And
these simple practices that they did over time is what really made them such good leaders.
Evaluation
C. This book was published in 2002. Which could be a bit old, but when looking at traits
of successful leaders age doesn't really matter. R. Looking at the traits of Rick Rescorlaa very
profound leaderespecially his thoughtfulness, gives a great model for good leadership
practices and traits. This book does cover the facts quite well and in more depth than other
articles I have seen on this topic. A. The author of this book is James B. Stewart, a former page
one editor of The Wall Street Journal and a lawyer. He has won a Pulitzer Prize in 1988 for his
reporting on the stock market crash and insider trading. And he has written many award winning
books similar to this topic before. A. The information for these pages 171-177 of the book come
from The New Yorker as well as articles from Peter Caram on the responses from the port
authorities of the tower. P. The purpose of this book was to inform about the life of Rick
Rescorla and Dan Hill. It is a novel like rendition of the facts of the life of both men.
Discussion
I have myself wondered what makes a good leader. What makes them different? But as I
read through these kinds of books, I see a commonality. Good leaders are good because they
continually practice good leadership behaviors. And this whole book itself gives a large amount
of information on the practices and traits of these two leaders, but specifically in these pages,
Rick's thoughtfulness and determination was very apparent. Thoughtfulness would have to be
one of the most important traits of a leader, especially in this instance. As it was Rick's

28
observational and thoughtful practices that saved the 2,700 employees that were under his care
during the 9/11 attack. I mean really you can't be a good leader and not be thoughtful. You need
that ability to asses a situation and be able to make good decisions based on that assessment. If
anyone wants to be a good leader, they must commit to heart these fundamental principles of
ethical leadership.
Conclusion
This chapter, and this whole book in fact, presents a great model for leadership practices.
It is a novel like biography that very easy to read and understand. It presents lots of great real
world practices of leadership, particularity the importance of thought. Which is something that
all leaders should master. The book itself could be a bit plain for some people as it is just a
biography, but I think it is the men behind the book that really show the importance of being
good leaders. It brings a lot great info on improving leadership skills, and it would be great
addition to any study on the practices of great leaders.
If You Will Lead
Review by Nathan Mindermann
Morgan, Doug. If You Will Lead : Enduring Wisdom For Twenty-First-Century Leaders. Agate
Publishing, Inc. 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Wed. 21 Sept. 2016.
Summary:
If You Will Lead highlights the difficulties of becoming a great leader. Doug Morgan
describes the learning criteria of leadership as a paradox with two main components: Awareness

29
and Choice. Building leadership skills is a lifelong experience that will contain many failures.
The key to growing as a leader is to be aware of experiences and choosing to learn from them
and grow. Every decision is a test, and the end goal of these tests is not to be right; the goal is to
learn and grow. There is no such thing as a perfect leader because there will always be more
opportunity to learn.
The book is separated into four main parts: 1. Knowing who you are and what you
believe, 2. Knowing what you want, 3. Attracting and motivating others, and 4. Earning and
retaining the privilege to lead. Part one focuses on self-awareness and four essential attributes:
character, authenticity, integrity, and self-efficacy. Part two focuses on identifying wants, goals,
and objectives. When those are identified patterns form and objectives become more clear. Part
three focuses on traits and characteristics that people find attractive in a leader. People typically
look to people who are fun, interesting, positive and entertaining. Since people usually make that
assessment based on a persons first impressions, its important to build those traits. Part four
focuses on characteristics that help maintain a relationship with people once in a leadership
position. Those traits are composure, patience, enthusiasm, and accountability.
Assessment:
Doug Moran has more than thirty years of leadership experience. His experiences range
from working for Verizon and Capital One as the CIO of the financial services division, to chief
operating officer of the department of social services. If You Will Lead is very well documented,
as the bibliography is four pages long. Doug Moran's writing style is also very fluent and a better
read than I had initially expected. Agate Publishing, Inc. was founded in 2002 and has since
released about twenty books a year, with several receiving national recognitions. In summary, If
You Will Lead is a very reliable source of information and provides great insight into the study of
leadership development.

30
Discussion:
If You Will Lead is an excellent source of information for individuals looking to learn
about leadership. There is one element in particular that provides a good amount of guidance
towards becoming a better leader, and is actually the foundation for the rest of the book. That
element is Rudyard Kipling's IF-, which is a poem that was published at the turn of the twentieth
century as a guide for young men of that time period. The poem describes a perfection thats
actually unrealistic, since there is no such thing as a perfect leader. However, the characteristics
outlined in the poem in combination with the knowledge that leadership is a skill thats improved
upon only through learning from decisions previously made provide a very solid foundation for
further study.
Rudyard Kipling's IF- breaks leadership down into sixteen major attributes of a good
leader. These attributes are: Character, which is the idea that leaders must know themselves
before leading others; Authenticity, the need for leaders to be themselves regardless of the
situation; Integrity, which encourages leaders to have the wisdom to learn the truth and the
fortitude to defend it; Self-Efficacy, which is the ability to learn from both triumphs and
disasters; Ambition, which defines how big we want our impact to be; Vision, which explores
what we believe and what we want to accomplish; Boldness, which is the willingness to seize
opportunities not seen by others; Resilience, which is the ability to bounce back from setbacks;
Inspiration, which is the ability to connect and motivate others; Courage, which examines how
risks are dealt with; Selflessness, which is putting our cause and our people ahead of our own
interests; Stamina, which focuses on the exhausting nature of leadership; Composure, which
focuses on how a leader is able to improve upon a situation by staying focused; Patience, which
defines the ability to know when to holdem, know when to foldem, know when to walk away
and know when to run; Enthusiasm, which defines how passion affects innovation; and

31
Accountability, the importance of choosing to take responsibility no matter how things turn out.
Breaking down the poem in such a way as to define the most important characteristics of
leadership makes it easier on an individual level to identify which aspects the reader might want
to learn more about. The examples of leaders that personify each characteristic within each
chapter also provide more detail than simply describing how somebody should act.
One of the best aspects of If You Will Lead is that for each of the sixteen characteristics of
leadership there are examples of well-known leaders that personify these traits. One of the best
examples is Winston Churchills self-efficacy. Churchill had some of the most extreme career
highs and lows the world has ever seen and still never lost confidence in his own abilities. In
1911, he was named first lord of the admiralty. In 1915, he resigned in disgrace. In 1924, he was
appointed chancellor of the exchequer where he was blamed for economic collapse and lost his
post in 1929. For the next ten years, Churchill remained in political obscurity. In 1940, he
became prime minister and led Great Britain to win World War II, but was ousted in the election
of 1945, the same year the war ended. He returned to office in 1951. The fact that someone could
stay motivated in the face of such adversity is nothing short of amazing.
Conclusion:
If You Will Lead is an excellent source of information. A vast majority of the book is
about famous leaders from Mother Teresa to Winston Churchill and their struggles with
leadership. Since the book is based off real life examples of leadership, its mostly based in fact
and not overly populated with emotional topics that frequently dont have much credibility.
Being able to study the examples themselves makes it easier to interpret the information in a way
that is more useful than simply being told what to think about each chapter.

32
Zaccaro, Stephen J. et al. "Leader Traits and Attributes." The Nature of Leadership. By John
Antonakis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2004. 101-24. Print.
https://us.corwin.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/5014_Antonakis_Chapter_5.pdf
Summary
This resource surveys and presents the relevant literature regarding trait-focus approaches to
understanding leadership. Zaccaro et al. also proposes several premises and suggestions about how to
approach such aspects of leadership research and theory in the future. Initially, to simplify
conceptualization of future arguments, the authors define leader traits as certain characteristics of an
individual that commonly, regularly, and positively contribute to success in a leadership role.
Intriguingly, according to this source, the study of leadership traits has oscillated over
time; as perspectives change from theoretical to applicable and as interest waxes and wanes, the
research within this approach has been historically inconclusive. The situationism perspective, in
particular, has proven to be an obstacle for trait-focused researchers, as it asserts that no one
formulation of traits, qualities, or expertise within a leader can be applied to every context. Zaccaro et
al. acknowledges the validity of this argument, but they attempt to argue that, regardless, there are
some traits that are often imperative for effective leaders to utilize.
This source provides a glimpse at a wide variety of applicable research and concludes
that the most influential traits in leadership are helpful cognitive capacities, ideal personality
compositions, sustainable motives, important social capabilities, effective problem solving skills, and

33
competency in tacit knowledge. Again, this source encourages these competencies within the context
of flexibility determined by each individual leadership situation.
Furthermore, Zaccaro et al. suggest that, ideally, good leaders demonstrate an equally
distributed amalgamation of the previously described traits, rather than encouraging excellence in
just one aspect. None of the capabilities exist, effectively, within a vacuum. Instead, in effective
leadership, each capability influences, and ideally enhances, any other capabilities. Throughout, the
authors propose that while, situationally, there are, in fact, specific traits that most leaders exhibit,
they are not necessarily all essential or relevant at all times, nor are they all inherent.
Evaluation
This source is fairly recent, as it was published in 2004. Dr. John Antonakiss book The Nature
of Leadership, in which this chapter can be found, is an extensively cited resource within leadership
studies. Antonakis is a respected scholar and speaker in the field. The chapters authors, especially the
main contributor, Stephen J. Zaccaro, are published, peer-reviewed academic writers and professors in
their fields. These authors are clearly qualified and invested in creating quality, credible content for
their students and other researchers to utilize. Each of the contributors also has a valuable
backgroundZaccaro and Kemp focus on the psychological perspectives while Antonakis offers
organizational behavioral perspectives and boasts a diverse range of expertise within the social
sciences. This array of perspectives lends to the credibility and versatility of the source. The books
publisher is Sage Publications, which is mainly a textbook company, whose purpose is to provide
materials to educators and students. The chapter utilizes a great deal of credible research to present
ideas; however, some conclusive claims made by the authors are not necessarily fully supported by
the research cited in this particular chapter. These conclusions are, however, helpful to conceptualize
and entirely supported by research presented in the remainder of the book.

34
Discussion
Zaccaro et al. present a thorough and expansive review of the literature available regarding
leadership traits, which provides readers a solid foundation of information regarding the subject. The
authors provide a fairly detailed description of many of the discussed perspectives; however, some
aspects of their review might be considered repetitive and lacking in flow. That being said, the
fundamental structure of the work is intuitive and conducive to reader comprehension, as the authors
move from an overall depiction of the importance of the field, to the definition of a trait, to the
historical perspectives of the field, to a massive summarization of relevant research, and, finally and
most importantly, to a presentation of a set of suggestions regarding understanding and future
research.
The summarization of the literature is lengthy. On one hand, this might be a positive attribute, as
it seems to be an almost exhaustive introduction to the material. On the other hand, the information
could have been more methodically organized and divided, so that the attention of readers, especially
those new to such research, is maintained. Additionally, this particular section is extremely
informative, rather than information that is intuitively helpful to those attempting to learn about
leadership in the context of real life situations.
There are two main aspects of the contents of this chapter that are of utmost importance for
comprehension and application of this section of leadership theory. First, Zaccaro et al. converges the
ideals of trait-focused leadership and situational leadership in a manner that allows for readers to
connect and reflect. The source persistently acknowledges the concept that while leadership is
correlated with the described traits (i.e. extraversion, intelligence, expertise, socioeconomic status),
people who do not inherently present such traits are not excluded from 1) leadership roles in general,
and 2) developing many of the traits over time.

35
Additionally, the most useful part of this work is the summary on pages 118 to 124. Not only do
the authors provide an elegantly composed and concise summary, which includes a visually helpful
chart and diagram, they also compose several proposals based upon the previously explained research,
giving advice to readers and researchers about ways to proceed within trait leadership. This section
allows for deeper comprehension and encourages valuable contemplation on the part of the reader.
Conclusion
This source, especially the summary presented from pages 118 to 124, presents an especially
holistically moderate perspective on trait leadership. Zaccaro et al. truly accurately convey the idea
that while traits can have a profound influence, individuals are not restricted from leadership by any
inherent characteristics. Additionally, while certain traits are fairly consistently associated with
successful leadership, most importantly, good leaders are adaptable, and they usually employ
strategies to fit a given situation. Traits that are associated with successful leadership, for the most
part, can be cultivated with motivation and dedication. The authors emphasis on this concept further
prompts readers to reflect, in a more substantial and complex manner, regarding their personal
leadership traits and ways that they might focus further development.
Guild-ed Advice for Leadership
Literature Review by: Hudson Garcia
Bryan, Karen. The Guild Counsel: What do you need to be a guild leader? 20 Feb. 2014

36
Engadget,
https://www.engadget.com/2014/02/20/the-guild-counsel-what-do-you-need-to-be-a-guild-leader
Summary
As part of a weekly periodical on the subject of managing and leading a guild (A group of like
minded players who cooperate and play together) on an online game, this publication takes into
consideration the unique struggles afforded to managing a group of this nature. In this particular
piece, Bryan addresses the traits viewed as beneficial to have as an effective leader of a guild.
These traits are as follows:
Having a vision; she states that a leader should have a destination in mind for their group so they
dont get lost along the way, being a good motivator; saying that good guild leaders are fully able
to inspire the participation of other members, being able to effectively coordinate the group as a
whole; while stating the importance of not micromanaging members Bryan still stresses the
crucial nature of a leader to keep people on track towards their common goals, Being an
arbitrator should disagreements occur, when managing anywhere from 10-200+ people there are
bound to be disagreements and even fights may ensue. A good leader should be able to mediate
this according to her, being a good listener; this section paints the ability to listen to other
members as an especially important trait, being as fair as possible while being able to explain to
dissenters your position should it prove unpopular; not everyone is bound to agree with your
every decision as a leader, so being able to believe in your choices and explain them to others is
an important trait, and lastly she emphasizes the importance of being comfortable making
mistakes because not every choice will always turn out perfect.

37
Discussion / Assessment
Overall, as someone who has managed a guild before, Id say I tend to agree with the points
Bryan made and most of the traits given. The most important in my eyes being the abilities to
coordinate such a large group, being able to arbitrate, and having a vision for your guild.
By nature, A guild tends to have many players from different walks of life all together for an
extended period of time. This means that many things have to be considered, possibly more so
than in a traditional group setting. Some of the things Ive had to deal with include, language
barriers, time zone differences, familial issues, deaths of both members and their families, petty
squabbles between siblings, relationship drama, and the list goes on. Knowing this wide variety
of issues could develop at anytime tends to test the guild leaders skills in those three areas very
effectively.
I do wish that the article itself addressed in more detail specific examples of each trait coming
in handy, though I feel the lack thereof is due in part to it being a periodical article and those
examples may have been present in earlier publications which may have caused bryan to
overlook these things.
While the article itself is moderately brief in nature and of a non traditional topic, I believe it
adequately addresses the traits of a leader in a more modern way while appealing to a specific
demographic who otherwise may not have cared one bit about leadership qualities. As a member
of this fringe group, I feel qualified in endorsing the usage of these articles for the reason stated,

38
as articles of this nature are the most beneficial in keeping my interest piqued on topics I might
otherwise find irrelevant.
Conclusion
I feel that even pieces such as this should not be overlooked when looking for resources on any
topic because their unique application of traditional theories might prove invaluable in educating
an otherwise indifferent group of individuals.

39
Chapter Three: Ethics
Image credit via Flickr user: Pamela Carls
Ethical Leadership and Leaders' Personalities
XIAOYONG, XU, YU FEN, and SHI JIANNONG. "Ethical Leadership And Leaders'
Personalities." Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal 39.3 (2011): 361-368.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.

40
"Ethical Leadership and Leaders' Personalities" by Xiaoyong Xu, Fen Yu, and Jiannong
Shi is a study that was done in China to assess whether or not a leader's personality was
connected to a leader's use of ethical leadership. Xu, Yu, and Shi decided to study this
relationship because of the corruption that had become common among leaders. The results of
this study were intended to help people choose more ethical leaders based on their personality
traits. To assess personality, these researchers used the Big Five Personality Traits: neuroticism,
agreeableness, openness to experience, extraversion, and conscientious. The Big Five Personality
Traits are common in the field of psychology. Xu, Yu, and Shi started their study with a
literature review, and they found that, while a lot of research had been done on the relationship
between personality and leadership, not a lot of research had been done on the relationship
between personality and ethical leadership. The studies these researchers did find on the
relationship between personality and ethical leadership were inconsistent. Xu, Yu, and Shi then
created four hypotheses; they created one for each of the Big Five Personality Traits, but they
left out openness to experience. The authors hypothesized that neuroticism would be negatively
related to ethical leadership, and that extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness would
be positively related to ethical leadership. The results of this study proved these hypotheses to be
true. The participants in this study were of different genders, ages, and educational background
although the researchers controlled this in their final analysis. To conduct the study, the
researchers had leaders take personality tests, and their subordinates rate them on ethical
leadership using a tool designed in the United States. Xu, Yu, and Shi explain that a tool
designed in the Chinese context and larger sample would be better in further studies (Xu, et al.
361-368).
Ethical Leadership and Leaders Personalities comes from a journal called From
Social Behavior & Personality: an international journal that was published in 2011. This source

41
is technically not outdated, but all of the sources the Xu, Yu, and Shi referenced are outdated.
However, this was a unique study. Xu, Yu, and Shi were the first researchers to study the relation
between personality and ethical leadership in China (Xu, et al.367). Because this study was a
first, it can still be considered as relevant and useful information. Xiaoyong Xu, Fen Yu, and
Jiannong Shi are from the Institute of Psychology and Graduate University, which is a part of the
Chinese Academy of Sciences, where Xu works as an Assistant Professor and Shi works as a
professor. This study was also peer reviewed and accepted as credible.
Its interesting that the researchers hypotheses were all accurate. This shows that Xu,
Yu, and Shi completed a comprehensive literature review and were thoughtful and educated in
this topic before starting their study. This also may show that the average person could have the
capacity to tell who will be an ethical leader, and who will not, based on the leaders personality.
Xu, Yu, and Shi hypothesized and found that neuroticism is negatively related to ethical
leadership. This makes sense, most people dont want a neurotic person to lead them if they want
to be treated ethically. The rest of the traits, except for openness to experience, were
hypothesized and found to be related positively to ethical leadership. Any person, who wishes to
be treated ethically, would also agree that they want a leader who is agreeable, conscientious,
and extraverted. Therefore, this study could be used as proof to something that the majority of
people already know; people tend to like leaders with these personality traits. It would also be
interesting to learn about how other personality traits relate to ethical leadership. The Big Five
Personality Traits are widely used, but they arent the only method of assessing personality.
More studies should be done using and comparing other personality assessments.
This study can be useful to anyone deciding who they want to pick as their leader. In an
election, it may be helpful to know a candidates personality in order to try and figure out if they
would act ethically. This study also relates personality traits of leaders to ethical leadership,

42
making it relevant and useful to anyone studying the different aspects of leadership. If one
wishes to become an ethical leader, they may look to their own personality traits. Even if ones
personality traits dont line up with the ones associated with ethical leadership, it is possible to
work towards ethical leadership. We may not be able to change who we innately are, but we can
influence our traits through everyday actions and daily reflection.
Ethical Fading: The Role of Self-Deception in Unethical Behavior
Rose Richards
Messick, D. and Tenbrunsel A. Ethical Fading: The Role of Self-Deception in Unethical
Behavior. Social Justice Research, Vol. 17, No. 2, June 2004. Retrieved from
https://business.illinois.edu/files/responsibility/docs/ethical-fading-2004.pdf, on Sept. 26th,
2016.
Summary
Ethical Fading uses a psychological lens to examine why business leaders fail at using
ethics. Self-deception, along with its varied enablers, are the cause of this unethical trend. This
allows one to act in self-interest while simultaneously believing that ones ethical code was
enacted, thus the ethical decision fades to a less morally risky business, personal, or religious
decision. The aforementioned enablers comprise of language euphemisms, the processes to
immoral decision making, misconceptions concerning moral responsibility, and the restricting
representation of our self. Language euphemism is how we use language to edit ethics out of a
situation; e.g collateral damage used for civilian casualties, or right sizing used for layoffs. Two
processes lead to immoral decision: psychological numbing and the induction mechanism.
When one is repeatedly exposed to ethical dilemmas one becomes desensitized to the ethics of
that dilemma, leading that person to be less reflective and have more unethical behavior. The

43
downward spiral continues as one thinks less and less of the issue, often becoming ignorant to
the fact that what they are doing might be wrong. The induction mechanism describes the way
businesses test new practices and can be stated as an if-then statement: if the past practices were
ethical, then today's nearly identical practices are as well. However, small changes in practice
add up over time, ending with unethical (and in some cases, illegal) actions. Humans make a
number of errors in judging who or what has the moral responsibility. These errors incorporate
focusing on people instead of systems, self-interest and designation of blame, and moral
responsibility sliding away with acts of omission. All of these incorporate some form of a this is
not my fault, thus I dont have to deal with it mentality. Individuals are restricted by how one is
shaped by the world they live in, and thus can never truly have an objectified comprehension of
the world; i.e. people will never have completely unbiased or ethical views of the world. Ones
view of the world is restrained by who they are. Individuals are in a different space in regards to
ones social surroundings than others- this is a logical fact. Therefore, one fails when they try to
estimate the effect of their behavior on others, for one can only try to imagine what the other
would experience from ones own perspective and thusly become an act of self-deception.
The authors then go a step further and argue the repercussions of self-deception and how
it ties in with unethical behavior. Self-deception leads to disguising a decision so one can
remove negative ethical characteristics or alter them into positive ones. An ethical decision can
be framed as a business, legal, or personal decisions, Effectively taking the ethics out of the
situation. This perpetuates the if I dont see it, it's not happening mentality, so if one cant see
how ones actions are unethical, then one will continue to behave in a selfish and unethical
pattern. The repercussions of self-deception show up in the frame one chooses for the decision
one believes they face: if one changes it to a legal frame one could face legal charges, or a
personal frame could lead to the degradation of a relationship. The authors conclude with

44
offering ways to identify and restrain self-deception for organizations and individuals, such as
being able to identify when one is acting in self interest, or in other words, being more self aware
about your actions and motives.
Assessment
The article was written in 2004 and has not been revised since its publication; also
psychology is an ever changing field, so parts of the article may be outdated and inaccurate, such
as the logical reasonings or theories. Therefore, this article is better suited as a framework for
further research and studies. Ethical Fading ties directly into ethical leadership; the article
explains common self-deception tricks the mind plays on itself, e.g. their leadership, along with
recommendations for correcting the resulting unethical behavior. Ann E. Tenbrunsel and David
M. Messick are the co-authors. Mrs. Tenbrunsel is exceptionally well-versed in business ethics,
an author/co-author/co-editor of six books, and author to over fifty research articles and chapters
pertaining to why people-employees, leaders, students-behave unethically. Her authority on the
topic is respected and deserved. Mr. Messick is similarly well-versed in the field of ethical and
social aspects of decision making and information processing. Both authors bring unique areas of
expertise to this article, and the quality shows. The language is unbiased, while, in a
roundabout-way addresses that the article will have a bias. This article achieves this by stating
that no truth is objective or unbiased. Thus the reader can infer that the article itself cannot be
biased free. This inclusion lends more credibility towards the article. As a starting point, it is
accurate. The purpose of this article is to inform readers of ethical pitfalls and ways to better
ones self and organization.
Discussion
The predominant principle of this article circles around the idea that self-deception is a
faulty self-defense mechanism. When self-deception blurs the ethics out of a situation one can

45
act in a self-interest manner, while simultaneously believing they are upholding their ethical
code. For if there is no ethical decision, then ones ethics cannot be broken. Thus protecting
ones self from negative emotionsguilt, remorse, and anxietythat occur when ethics are
broken. Additionally, if one is in a leadership position, one can influence followers to fade out
their own ethics. Which, in turn, influences followers to be less likely to search for due
compensation; for themselves or for others. The article gave an example of this happening.
Mr. Bradstreet was a co-CEO of Kurzweil Applied Intelligence, a high-tech producer of
voice-recognition computers. Mr. Bradstreet told sales representatives to originally post sales
that hadnt been signed a couple of days in advance to meet financial goals. Eventually, those
few days stretched into a few months. Additionally, sales reps were forging clients signatures on
sales that hadnt happened yet. Auditors showed up to confirm everything was legal, and sent out
letters to the alleged customers to confirm the sales. The sales rep forged the response letters.
Mr. Bradstreet was caught and charged, however he maintained that his actions were appropriate.
Nothing further was mentioned concerning the unethical sales reps.
The four enablers of self-deception used to fade ethics out of a situation have real world
examples. Language euphemism is used to put ones self or organization in a better light.
Extreme cases can change these descriptions of events to explanations of events. Leading
unethical behavior to become justifiable because the public has been deceived. Therefore
changing the unethical behavior into socially accepted behavior: e.g. ethnic cleansing (genocide),
collateral damage (accidental deaths), and relocation center (prison camp).
The error in humanity's ability to correctly assign blame has three parts. The first is
outdated. It talks about how one focuses on people instead of technology and systems. In todays
world, people are more likely to focus on the technology instead of the people. This is because
technology has become more commonplace. The public has realized that most tech is only as

46
smart as the people who made it, so they assign blame equally. Learning AIs exist outside of that
norm. The second reason deals with self-interest affecting how blame is assigned. When one has
a self-interested motive to avoid blame, one sees the other factors as more fluctuating. Thus, one
can deflect blame that rightfully should fall onto them, towards those factors. For example, Nora
stacks pop boxes in those cool designs. However, she messed up and the whole structure fell
down, spilling pop everywhere. The boss wants to know why. To save her job, Nora says that it
really wasnt her fault; a customer pulled the wrong box out. Truthfully, a customer had
wandered past and poked the structure. The store had no cameras and the customer was long
gone; her boss had no choice but to believe Nora. She twisted a variable factor, the customer,
into wrongly taking the blame for something she did because she wanted to save her job. The
final reason involves acts of omission. These acts are the mentality of if no one asks me, I dont
have to tell them. This shifts the blame onto another; for they didnt ask about it, its no ones
fault but their own. This also allows one to separate oneself from the ethical implications of
ones actions.
Conclusion
Ethical Fading: The Role of Self-Deception in Unethical Behavior is extremely relevant
to our world today. It can be used to explain how a language euphemism can negatively affect an
entire culture. When leaders follow the theory of ethical fading, of self-deception and its four
enablers, they compound the negative effect. In a brighter setting, self-deception can be
considered a faulty self-defense mechanism designed to protect one from the consequences of
breaking one's ethical rules. The two authors have a more knowledgeable insight into their
respected fields, granting this article credibility. The vary article itself revolves around how
leaders bleach ethics out of ethical decision, and the results of that removal. The article explains
four common ways self-deception removes ethics from a situation, and how to change such an

47
ingrained habit. Therefore, people who are interested in leadership will gain knowledge
involving self-deception and leading ethical.
7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership
Reviewed by: Lizzie Aydt
Thornton, Linda Fisher. 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership.
N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
In 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership, Thornton
discusses fourteen principleswhich Thornton says to be based on a blend of the standards for
responsible business, emerging global values, and the wisdom of classical and modern ethicists
(31). The fourteen principles that Thornton discusses are: demonstrate personal congruence, be
morally aware, stay competent, model expected performance and leadership, respect others,
respect boundaries, trust and be trustworthy, communicate openly, generate effective and ethical
performance, think like an ethical leader, do good without harm, work for mutually beneficial
solutions, protect our planet for future generations, and improve our global society for future
generations. Thornton then breaks down each principle further and explains the definition of
each oneas well as give real life examples of the principle being put to use in leadership.
7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership was published in
2013, which makes it a fairly recent publication, and it was published by Leading in Context
LLC, which is an entire business based on leadership, and they publish many leadership based
books; it is a credible publication for a book around the topic of leadership to be published
through. The author, Linda Fisher Thornton, is CEO of Leadership in Context LLC and Adjunct
Assistant Professor of Leadership for the University of Richmond. Thornton has a blog called

48
Leading in Context, which was voted in the top 100 Most Social Shared Blogs in 2014. Thornton
was also voted into the top 100 Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behavior in 2015. With all of
Thorntons successful leadership positions and the publication of 7 Senses, Thornton is one of
the most qualified people to write a leadership book.
The principles that are discussed in 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of
Ethical Leadership are closely related to the study of ethics and ethical leadership. From taking
an ethics class myself, I noticed a similarity in quite a few of the principles to how I learned to
think ethically throughout my class. The principles are laid out in an easy to understand way, and
are thoroughly explained and defined. The case studies that Thornton provided were very helpful
for giving the reader real life ethical leadership situations in which they were used. After reading
the fourteen principles of ethical leadership, I now have a better understanding of what leading
ethically means, and it will be useful in helping me become a greater ethical leader.
7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership is very relevant to
ethical leadership, and would be helpful for new leaders that want to learn how to lead ethically,
or just for leaders looking to improve their ethical leading skills. The fourteen principles that are
discussed will help in both daily leadership action and long term leadership impact. Ethical
leaders are important and a necessity for successful decisions, implications, and ideas.
Understanding Ethical Leadership
Reviewed by: Makayla Conrad-Kassa
Byrd, Monika and Susan Edwards. "Understanding Ethical Leadership." Leadership
Development Studies A Humanities Approach. Mississippi: Hayden-McNeil Publishing,
2014. 113-180. Print.

49
In the book, Leadership Development Studies a Humanities Approach, particularly Unit Three,
offers us some insight in ethical leadership. First, simply, it explains ethics as a set of guidelines
of human conduct or the right way of things to later on describe a cultural shift of
perspective; meaning one culture does not view ethics like another would, which raises the
question: What is ethical? Such dilemmas emerge from this simple question; luckily, this unit
explains and discusses related topics to make it not so scary. Using Victor Hugos novel, Les
Miserables, it allows the authors to show and explain two ethical courses from two different
conflicting perspectives. With The Analects of Confucius, it gives the viewer an opportunity to
see how human standards change throughout time and place and give thought to the question of
whether there are any universal ethical principles. It can be agreed upon that our surroundings
like family, peers, values, and experiences have an impact on our application of ethics (p
114). We decide what we interpret to change our perspective. As individuals, we can bring forth
these applications into our actions. It is still, as individuals, that we determine our ethical
standings. These points are brought by Gandhi as he tells the difficult story of how one person
had to uphold and maintain a groups ethical position. In The Argumentative Indian, it brings the
question, What extent are we bound by duty to promote a just cause and in the process ignore
the potentially negative consequences for others? (p 114). It brings up the struggle that ethical
leaders have making decisions with many ethical choices surrounding the given situation. With
the position of leadership, and understanding that their actions affect the ethical environment,
they can be helped with the framework of decision making. It may not measure up to everyones
standing but at least it does to you.
This text was published by Hayden-McNeil Publishing. Written by editors Monika Byrd, Dean
of Leadership Development and Service Learning, and Susan Edwards, Dean of Academic
Affairs and Honors Programs, it was published in 2014. This text was written with the Phi Theta

50
Kappa group people dedicated in providing leadership opportunities. In publishing this text,
they hope their mission can help beginning leaders or those interested in learning the history,
pursuit, and concepts that surrounds leadership.
A lot of people have told me Id be good at ethics. I told them absolutely not. I have a lot of
opinions and my mindset can be very simple-minded or black-and-white. In this, it can seem like
law in my mind but I have learned ethics is beyond law. It is objective. It is learned. I am
learning to make ethical interpretations for reasons such as enjoyment, developing my
individuality as I am at the age of exploring such, and not wanting to get overly emotional over
situations so I may actually analyze and make an ethical choice then act on it. In this reading, the
authors once described values can be unconsciously made, that theres this need to articulate
our ethical priorities and be aware of the values on which we base our actions (p 114). They
then use the word clarity to describe something else, but I can see how utilizing the decision
making method offers clarity for yourself to see where your morals or values may lay. Learn the
facts, analyze what you gather, interpret or see solutions, then decide and act. Its a simple yet
intriguing process.
In conclusion, this text offers insight on ethical leadership. From different readings focusing on
varying perspectives, different times and places, a person in position of an ethical standing,
questions surrounding the topic, decision making framework and other related topics. It also
gives you, the reader, and the opportunity to interpret and decide what to do with the information
learned.
EntreLeadership

51
Ramsey, Dave. Entreleadership: 20 Years of Practical Business Wisdom from the Trenches. New
York: Howard, 2011. Print.
Summary
Ethical decisions are an exceptionally important part of life but sometimes people need help in
making them. If that is you then you need to read Dave Ramseys EntreLeadership. In Dave
Ramseys intriguing book EntreLeadership, he has a section titled Elements of Good Decision
Making. In this section, Ramsey describes how great leaders do not let other factors affect their
judgments and decisions. He says that factors such as emotions and bias should be left out of
decision making completely and that your options are endless, so you need to be open to new
ideas. Another great idea Ramsey has is setting a deadline for your decisions. You want to be
able to make thoughtful and rational decisions so giving yourself a set deadline will help you
make the most ethical decision possible. The last thing that is a great tip for ethical decision
making would be to think of the worst-case scenario. You should always think of the worst
possible thing that could happen when you make your decisions and who it will affect.
Assessment
This book was published in 2011. Since it is only five years old, the information has not been
updated or revised. The book is current, up to date, and relevant in a way that you can connect
with. This book is relevant to the topic at hand because it describes the basic characteristics you
will need on your pathway to becoming a great leader. Dave Ramsey is The author of the book
EntreLeadership. Ramsey is a very credible person, due to the successful business he owned for
over 20 years, he has extensive leadership experience. Ramsey has authored three New York
Times bestselling books and he has received stellar reviews from respected people within higher
leadership roles. A few of the people who have given him positive reviews are: Mike Huckabee
(former governor), Max Lucado (New York Times bestselling author), and Glenn Beck (number

52
one New York Times bestselling author). The information in the book is edited well without any
grammatical errors and seems to be free of any bias.
In this amazing book Ramsey does a great job explaining how to make ethical decisions
and has some good pointers in his book. One example he uses specifically sticks out and is
interesting to think about. He starts out by making a point that you need to gather as much
information as possible before making a decision and then he uses teenagers buying cell phones
as an example. Teenagers ask around, sample their friends phones, and do research on the
internet. He says they do extreme research before they buy a phone because it is their social
umbilical cord and thus it is a huge decision. Dave then compares teenagers extensive phone
research to the little research adults do when making decisions such as who to hire and which
buildings to lease for their business. Ramsey thinks some adults put as much thought into big
decisions as they would the simple decision of what to have for dinner. Some leaders definitely
need to put more effort into researching things and be ethical before they make their decisions,
for example teenagers putting more effort into which phone they choose than adults making
business decisions is mind blowing.
Conclusion
Overall, this book is relevant to the topic because it provides the reader with excellent
tips, information, and examples of how to become an ethical decision maker. I recommend this
book to anyone seeking the skills to become a great leader.

53
Resource 6

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Chapter 4: Leading With Vision
Image credit via Flickr user: Mlanie Plante
Resource 1
Reviewed by: Lauren Crabtree
Moran, Caitlin. Introductionor: I Try to Be Good. Moranthology. HarperCollins, 2012.
Caitlin Moran has been in the journalism business for over twenty-five years and is so
well-known that her Twitter feed is included in the British A-Level exams, but she is not afraid
to demonstrate that no matter how clear your vision is or how much experience you have in your

55
field of study, there is always room for improvement. The introduction to Moranthology covers
her writing career from her first job at fifteen to her current one, showing what she learned along
the way. While Moran's viewpoint on establishing specific goals and improving oneself is only
one in a sea of opinions, it is definitely one to consider. Faced with a difficult living situation and
little, if any, chances of getting a college education, Moran was able to find success in the field
of journalism despite her circumstances, which says a lot about her genuine credibility on this
topic given that she didn't have anything handed to her.
Having grown up in the housing projects of Wolverhampton and being homeschooled
since age ten, Moran had few realistic career options aside from working at the local
supermarket, so at age fifteen, she turned to writing as a source of income for her and her family.
Upon winning The Observer's Young Reporter of the Year contest, she was asked to write three
articles only to discover that, while she had an urge to write intensely, she had no idea what to
write intensely about. Following short-lived jobs at The Observer and The Guardian where she
wrote articles in a way comparable to a high school student writing an essay at the last minute
and a job as a music reviewer at Melody Maker that culminated in her writing a review so
negative and pointlessly demeaning that it mortifies her to this day, she realized that not only did
she have plenty of life experiences worth writing about, she also had another specialty- finding
things that were interesting and pointing them out to others. She had been trying to accentuate
the negative in her writing for so long, only to find that she could accomplish (and enjoy) more
in her career by being the "pointing cheerful person".
Moran's viewpoint on having a vision is set apart from others primarily because of its
treatment of setbacks. While many people address this topic in their statements about having a

56
vision, Moran talks about it in a slightly more realistic fashion, saying that she "usually leave[s
her writing] for at least another three hours of pissing around on the Topshop website, attacking
in-growing hairs on [her] leg with tweezers, and looking at dream apartments in New York,
before panicking and beginning to hammer at stuff a scanty hour and thirty-seven minutes before
[the] deadline". She acknowledges that even people who seem like they have everything together
still struggle and that having a vision never really stops because there's always something new to
look forward to, which we as a population, with our concept of one big "success" that can be
reached, have yet to grasp.
I Have a Dream.
King, Martin Luther, Jr. "I Have a Dream." The March on Washington. Washington D.C. 28
Aug. 1963. Stanford University. Web. 5 Oct. 2016.
<https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/i-have-dream-address-delivered-march
-washington-jobs-and-freedom>.
Most people know about Martin Luther King Jr.s speech, I Have a Dream. Even so,
there are some that havent listened to or read the whole thing. Dr. King started his famous
speech by mentioning the Emancipation Proclamation, and he stated that, while African
Americans should be free, they are still held back and denied some constitutional rights. Dr.
King then stated that he refuses to accept this fact, and that action must be taken immediately. He
also demands that all of this action be done on a high moral standard, stating, we must rise to
the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. (Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a
Dream). Dr. King then goes on to state that the African American Civil Rights Movement will

57
not give up until their goal is accomplished. He also realizes that many African Americans had
come to the capital from bad situations, but he encourages them to go back with hope and make
change; Dr. King stated that he himself would do exactly that. Martin Luther King Jr. also listed
many examples of what his dream of equality would achieve such as, the sons of former
slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of
brotherhood. (Martin Luther King Jr. I Have a Dream). Dr. King ends his speech with
inclusion of all people, not just African Americans, in his call for freedom.
Martin Luther King Jr. is known for his part in the African American Civil Rights
Movement. He received a PhD from Boston University, and he is a transformative leader who
used civil disobedience to make a difference. Dr. King won the Nobel Peace Prize, and most
Americans learn about him and admire him for his leadership. Unfortunately, Dr. King was
assassinated on April 4, 1968. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed every year on the third
Monday of January.
I Have a Dream is a good example of a leader-created vision. In his speech, Dr. King
gives many examples of what kind of society his vision, or dream, would create. While many of
Dr. Kings hopes, or goals, were unrealistic on a short time-frame, he also provided more
realistic steps that could lead to achieving his vision. These steps include going back home,
staying hopeful, and maintaining high moral standards throughout the movement. Dr. King was
charismatic; he used many beautiful words to inspire while, in this way, gathering followers for
his cause. His way of speaking is something and anyone can admire. Dr. King included many
people in his dream of equality, which would also influence others to join him. This way, he was
able to have so much support as a leader.
Anyone with goals who is unsure about how to portray them to a group can learn from
Martin Luther King, Jr. Providing a vision along with a few goals to start achieving that vision

58
can help to inspire people, as they know the bigger picture their leader has in mind. It is also
helpful to elaborate on ones vision. Providing specific examples, and showing ones passion and
hopefulness for their own vision will help others to believe in that vision as well.
First- level Leadership: Supervising in the New Organization
Payne, Vivette. First-level Leadership: Supervising in the New Organization. New York, NY:
American Management Association, 2005. Print.
Summary
In First- level Leadership: Supervising in the New Organization, Payne dedicates a
section of her book to discuss how leaders canand whythey communicate their visions.
Payne defines vision as an ideal or unique image of a desired future state (54). Specifically, for
leaders, Payne explains, Vision is critical because it enables first-level leaders to think
strategically, set a future direction, and help those they lead understand where the team is going.
(54). Payne focuses on giving leaders a step-by-step process on how to communicate their vision
through six different steps: gathering information, processing and thinking, determining
importance, write a vision statement, engaging others, and communicating your want for others
ideas. For each step in Paynes process, she provides information on how to incorporate those
steps. For gathering information, Payne says you need to be aware of the direction that your
businessor teamis going. For processing and thinking, you need to think, and process, the
information you learned from thinking about the direction that your business and team would

59
like to go. For the third step, determining importance, Payne says that you should create a list of
what you would like to achieve, and then ask yourself questions to clarify/prioritize your
thoughts. For creating a vision statement, you should condense the information on your list from
step three to about twenty words; making sure that your vision statement matches with your
teams or organizations vision. When engaging others, you should share your vision with your
team members. Lastly, for step six, you need to let your team members know that you want their
ideas to improve your vision; then provide your vision to customers, peers, and others.
Evaluation
The author of First-level Leadership: Supervising in the New Organization, Vivette
Payne, is the creator and President of the Avery Payne Groupa group that provides training for
small businesses and leaders. Vivette Paynes expertises are in leadership, coaching, and team
building; she has also written two other books based on team building and leadership: Coaching
for High Performance and The Team-Building Workshop. With all of the background and
experience that Payne has with leadership, it makes her a credible author for a leadership based
book (s). The book itself, First-level Leadership: Supervising in the New Organization, was
published in 2005. It is the second edition, so it is the most revised and recent editionwhich
makes the book credible for the information included in it.
Discussion
The six steps that Payne discusses in First-level Leadership: Supervising in the New
Organization are stated in a very simple, and easy to understand way. The information that is
provided on how to incorporate each step into communicating your own leadership visions are
helpful because it shows versus just tells you the six steps discussed. After the six steps are

60
discussed, Payne provides exercises to practice creating your vision and creating a vision
statement. This was helpfulespecially for leaders that understand information on a deeper level
if they are provided in a way to practice the information that they are being taught.
Conclusion
Paynes section on communicating a leadership vision in First-level Leadership:
Supervising in the New Organization would be helpful if you are in a leadership position where
you need to create a vision for your team or organization. The information provided in Paynes
section in her book are written in a way that is easy to understand for new, or experienced
leaders, and I will implement these six steps into my own leadership positions. The book is
focused around leading in a business, but can be applied to any leadership position successfully.
Leading with Goals
Summary
In Dave Ramseys chapter on goals he has three main points: goals must have a time limit, dont
ask your team to set goals when you have none, and shared goals create unity.
When he presents his first point, that goals must have time limits, he is telling the readers that if
you do not put a timeline on the goal it will never happen and you will regret it. People get lazy
and if there is no time limit they do not feel a push or urgency to get things done. The reason

61
why you need a time limit is because things will get done in a timely manner and you will feel
accomplished. If you do not set a time limit then you will get nothing done and regret it.
The second point Ramsey has is about how you should not ask others to set goals when you do
not have your own. You want to have your own goal and talk about it with your group so they
can get excited, involved, and see themselves having a part in the goal. When they are excited
they will get pulled into your goal rather than you telling them to go out and do something and
pushing them into a goal they have no connection with. If you set a goal and pull people into it
they will be more involved and excited about achieving the goal, but if you dont have a goal
yourself and say here go do this they will not have any interest in the goal and more than likely it
will not be achieved.
The third and final main point Dave makes is that shared goals create unity. According to
Ramsey, unity is created when everyone agrees on the goal and fights together to reach the goal.
When you understand how linked your team members success is to your own success and the
success of your group then it inspires you to reach not only your own goals but help your group
members reach their goals too. It is important to share your goals and have unity because when
leaders or team members can help other team member hit their personal goals, it is like a
Christmas tree of their mind and spirit gets lit up.
Assessment
This book was published in 2011. Since it is only five years old, the information has not been
updated or revised. The book is current, up to date, and relevant in a way that you can connect
with. This book is relevant to the topic at hand because it describes the basic characteristics you
will need on your pathway to becoming a great leader. Dave Ramsey is The author of the book
EntreLeadership. Ramsey is a very credible person, due to the successful business he owned for
over 20 years, he has extensive leadership experience. Ramsey has authored three New York

62
Times bestselling books and he has received stellar reviews from respected people within higher
leadership roles. A few of the people who have given him positive reviews are: Mike Huckabee
(former governor), Max Lucado (New York Times bestselling author), and Glenn Beck (number
one New York Times bestselling author). The information in the book is edited well without any
grammatical errors and seems to be free of any bias.
The part of the book that talks about goals having a time limit sticks out to me. People talk
about how they are going to do things but they never actually do them because they do not set
time limits for themselves. If you say I am going to write a book, then that raises the question
of when. If you dont have a deadline to have the book written by, you as a human being will just
drag it on until you eventually forget about it. An issue of deadlines for me is with homework
assignments. If teachers have soft deadlines (assignment is suggested to be done but is not due)
and then one hard deadline (assignment is due) I will wait until the hard deadline to get all of my
work done. Another reason why you want your goal to have a deadline is because if you are in a
group all of the members are going to need to know the importance of having the task done so
that they can prioritize it into their schedule. People (including me) definitely need to work on
setting time limits and becoming more organized. In my opinion one section in the book was not
correct and that was: goals must be in writing. Writing goals down may help some reach their
goals but if you are a determined person who wants more than anything to get something done
they will, whether it is written down or not.
Conclusion
In order for people to become good at goal setting they need to: focus on having time
limits which will help them stay on task and feel accomplished, make sure they have goals first if

63
they are going to tell others to have goals which will make everyone feel more connected and
pull people into making the goal happen (not push), and create unity by sharing goals which will
help everyone in the group reach their goals.
4 Leadership Secrets of Alexander the Great
Joe Scherrer 4 Leadership Secrets of Alexander the Great Skip Prichard Leadership Insights
March 19, 2014
http://www.skipprichard.com/4-leadership-secrets-of-alexander-the-great/
Reviewed by: Kaycee Loftis
Summary
This article discusses four lessons from Alexander the Greats remarkable leadership
career. The first lesson is to seek out the best mentors and then learn from them. Alexander had
the benefit of being educated in political, military, and cultural matters by excellent tutors,
including Aristotle.
The second lesson says that if you want to increase your decision-making flexibility you
should question everything. Alexander reduced his risks, increased his flexibility, and enabled
himself to operate with speed and decisiveness because he planned and analyzed every piece of
information and formulated as many alternatives as he could.
The third lesson says that a winning strategy is both efficient and innovative.Alexander
managed to build his empire with an army that numbered no more than forty thousand men.
The fourth lesson talks about the perils of professional excess and personal dissipation. You have
the choice though to be a leader of integrity who does the right thing.

64
Evaluation
4 Leadership Secrets of Alexander the Great is written by Joe Scherrer and was posted on
March 19th, 2014. Its still a relatively new article, and leadership and Alexander the Great
havent changed much. Joe is an author his ebook includes lessons from eighty-two of historys
greatest leaders. He is also a speaker, a coach, and a decorated Air Force veteran. By being
great, you can change your part of the world for the better. -Joe Scherrer
Alexander the Great is a wonderful example of articulating a vision and leading with goals. At
the age of eighteen he took charge of the Companion Cavalry and aided his father, King Philip
II, in defeating the Athenian and Theban armies at Chaeronea. He was a cavalry commander at
age eighteen, king at twenty, conqueror of the Persian Empire at twenty-six, explorer of the
Indian frontier at thirty; unfortunately, he died before his thirty-third birthday. His kingdom
ranged from the Mediterranean to the border of India. He is regarded as one of historys best
military leaders and most powerful rulers. We lack sufficient details about his character, but he
was undoubtedly an inspiring leader and extraordinary soldier. What we do know is that he was
ruthless toward those who opposed him, but fair and honest toward those who exhibited courage
and skill. He more than likely suffered from overwhelming ambition and an uncontrollable
temper, especially when wine was around.

65
Discussion
Alexander the Great was one of the world's best military leaders. Once he had a goal in
mind, he would stop at nothing to achieve it. To call him an ambitious man would be an
understatement. In this article the author gives four leadership secrets that Alexander the Great
used. His first lesson was to seek out the best mentors and learn from them. What you can learn
from this is to prepare yourself by being open to what others can teach you. Alexander had the
benefit of being educated in political, military, and cultural matters by excellent tutors, including
Aristotle. He also accompanied his father on several military campaigns.
The second lesson says that if you want to increase your decision making flexibility you
should question everything. By remaining flexible it allows you to change your strategy
depending on the situation and environment you face. Alexander reduced his risks, increased his
flexibility, and enabled himself to operate with speed and decisiveness because he planned and
analyzed every piece of information and formulated as many alternatives as he could. He
questioned everything.
The third lesson says that a winning strategy is both efficient and innovative. You can focus on
your core capabilities that you need to get the job done and use those capabilities to your
advantage and be innovative. Alexander managed to build his empire with an army that
numbered no more than forty thousand men. He used charm and sympathy to he was able to
recruit ingenious professionals into his governmental structure and leverage their skill and
expertise.
The fourth lesson talks about the perils of professional excess and personal dissipation.
As a leader in a position of power, you are vulnerable to physical strains, psychological stress,
and an oversized ego. You have the choice, however, to be a leader of integrity who does the
right thing. This is where Alexander failedin the end he became a drunken, mercurial mess.

66
I think that we can all learn a thing or two from Alexander, not only as leaders but in our
everyday life. He was a courageous man with unsatisfiable ambition, but those ambitions must
be realistic. In the end he ultimately lost all that he had worked for.
Conclusion
Alexander the Great, with all his faults in mind, was an exceptional leader and visionary.
His conquests are the stuff of legends. He was an ambitious and driven man whofor good or
badwas born into a position of power. When he was my age, he was crowned king; I have just
started college. When I look at it that way, it absolutely blows my mind. Alexanders career as a
metaphor for achievement has reached even into modern times.

67
Chapter 5: Setting goals
Image credit via Flickr user: Alan Levine

68
Top 4 High Impact Team & Leadership Development Activities: Transformational
Exercises Every Teamwork Facilitator Must Know
Heck, Tom. Top 4 High Impact Team & Leadership Development Activities: Transformational
Exercises Every Teamwork Facilitator Must Know. Asheville, NC: International Association of
Teamwork Facilitators, n.d. The Australian Camps Association. Web. 4 Oct. 2016.
https://www.auscamps.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/top-4-doc.compressed.pdf
Summary
Hecks e-book complies four self-proclaimed impactful goal-setting and group-enhancing
activities. Heck begins by introducing the affiliated and publishing organization, the
International Association of Teamwork Facilitators, and explaining their leadership development
offerings. He also advocates for his activities by explaining that in his experience, as well as that
of his peers and colleagues, the four activities depicted are adaptable and effective at producing a
positive growing experience for groups.
Heck also provides advice for those facilitating such group experiences, including
encouraging communication within the group and utilizing a debriefing or reflection period
following each activity. The four activities described vary in group size, appropriate age range,
intensity, space required, time required, and materials required. Photos, objectives, set-up, steps,
facilitation tips, adaptations, and debriefing suggestions are provided for each activity. The
activities are as follows: 1) Mouse Trap Trust, 2) Minefield, 3) Helium Stick, and 4) Caterpillar

69
Traverse. Mouse Trap Trust requires building coaching skills, trust, and communication between
pairs. Minefield similarly encourages planning, goal-setting, communication skills, and trust
between pairs. The Helium Stick activity requires and builds planning, communication, problem
solving, focus, and leadership skills amidst a larger group. Finally, Caterpillar Traverse requires
resource utilization, goal-setting, patience, trust, and communication skills within a team.
Assessment
This sources author, Tom Heck, is the president of the for-profit company International
Association of Teamwork Facilitators. He evidently boasts a large array of leadership and group
facilitation experience in the nation and worldwide; however, his background and credentials are
unclear. This source in particular, while useful, is not academically supported nor peer reviewed.
Hecks experience combined with the experience of the cofounders and his colleagues within the
International Association of Teamwork Facilitators make up the majority of the basis for the
depicted activities. Additionally, throughout the e-book, there are several marketing strategies
employed in the form of phrases encouraging further research and purchasing through the
companys website. Overall, the credibility of this source relies heavily on the leadership
concepts supported by a few individuals that, according to their for-profit website, have an
abundance of experience backed by somewhat little formal training.
Discussion
This e-book serves as a helpful guide for individuals hoping to lead a group through
transformative team-building activities. The step-by-step instructions provided by Heck are
comprehensive and easy to understand. Additionally, the facilitation notes and debriefing
suggestions are helpful, in that they allow the reader to more fully understand the desired effect

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of each activity. This source is lacking in robust explanations, optimally based in peer reviewed
research, clearly and accurately demonstrating the effects of these activities. The sole basis for
Hecks arguments advocating for the power of each activity is his personal experience. While
this is valuable, it causes the source to be somewhat superficial and informal.
The most helpful aspects of this source are the instructions for the activities that focus on
strengthening an entire group, rather than just pairs within a team. It is clear, based upon the
description and photos provided by the author that the activities Helium Stick and Caterpillar
Traverse would serve as impressive and practical tools to facilitate communication, goal-setting,
and problem-solving skills within any group. These activities, in particular, are accessible to use
with almost any audience and require few materials. Overall, these would provide unique,
effective options for leaders to utilize when their teams display any number of weaknesses
related to goal-setting and plan-executing.
Conclusion
An integral component of leadership is the ability to encourage positive collaboration and
productive communication within a group. This process ideally allows the group to move toward
and, ultimately, accomplish a common goal. Activities that challenge groups to organize together
to formulate and execute a solution, by identifying and overcoming obstacles are imperative to
building an effective team. Such activities can be complex and difficult to plan without extensive
knowledge and experience. The activities compiled by Heck in this source can serve as powerful
tools for leaders with any amount of experience and expertise.

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Setting Goals
Ramsey, Dave. "Setting Goals." EntreLeadership. Nashville: Howard, 2011. N. pag. Print.
Summary
In Dave Ramseys chapter on goals, he has three main points: goals must have a time
limit, dont ask your team to set goals when you have none, and shared goals create unity.
When he presents his first point, that goals must have time limits, he is telling the readers that if
you do not put a timeline on the goal it will never happen and you will regret it. People get lazy,
and if there is no time limit, they do not feel a push or urgency to get things done. The reason
why you need a time limit is because things will get done in a timely manner and you will feel
accomplished. If you do not set a time limit then you will get nothing done and regret it.
The second point Ramsey has is about how you should not ask others to set goals when you do
not have your own. You want to have your own goal and talk about it with your group so they
can get excited, involved, and see themselves having a part in the goal. When they are excited
they will get pulled into your goal rather than you telling them to go out and do something and
pushing them into a goal they have no connection with. If you set a goal and pull people into it
they will be more involved and excited about achieving the goal, but if you dont have a goal
yourself and say here go do this they will not have any interest in the goal and more than likely it
will not be achieved.

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Ramsey states that unity is created when everyone agrees on the goal and fights together
to reach the goal. When you understand how linked your team members success is to your own
success and the success of your group then it inspires you to reach not only your own goals but
help your group members reach their goals too. It is important to share your goals and have unity
because when leaders or team members can help other team member hit their personal goals, it is
like a Christmas tree of their mind and spirit that gets lit up.
Assessment
This book was published in 2011. Since it is only five years old, the information has not
been updated or revised. The book is current, up to date, and relevant in a way that you can
connect with. This book is relevant to the topic at hand because it describes the basic
characteristics you will need on your pathway to becoming a great leader. Dave Ramsey is the
author of the book EntreLeadership. Ramsey is a very credible person, due to the successful
business he owned for over 20 years, he has extensive leadership experience. Ramsey has
authored three New York Times bestselling books and he has received stellar reviews from
respected people within higher leadership roles. A few of the people who have given him
positive reviews are: Mike Huckabee (former governor), Max Lucado (New York Times
bestselling author), and Glenn Beck (number one New York Times bestselling author). The
information in the book is edited well without any grammatical errors and seems to be free of
any bias.
The part of the book that talks about goals having a time limit sticks out to me. People
talk about how they are going to do things but they never actually do them because they do not

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set time limits for themselves. When assignments have deadlines most people get them done on
time because they know if they dont their grade will slip. If teachers have soft deadlines
(assignment is suggested to be done but is not due) and then one hard deadline (assignment is
due) most people will wait until the hard deadline to get all of their work done. People (including
me) definitely need to work on setting time limits and becoming more organized. In my opinion
one section in the book was not correct and that was: goals must be in writing. Writing goals
down may help some reach their goals but if you are a determined person who wants more than
anything to get something done they will, whether it is written down or not.
Conclusion
In order for people to become good at goal setting they need to: focus on having time
limits which will help them stay on task and feel accomplished, make sure they have goals first if
they are going to tell others to have goals which will make everyone feel more connected and
pull people into making the goal happen (not push), and create unity by sharing goals which will
help everyone in the group reach their goals.

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Chapter 6: Building a Team
Image credit via Flickr user: Dan Ox

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Team Building in a Health Care Setting
Antai-Otong, Deborah. "Team Building in a Health Care Setting." The American Journal of
Nursing 97.7 (1997): 48-51. Web.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3465461
Summary
In this source, Antai-Otong places team dynamics within the context of health care by
examining, explaining, and suggesting mechanisms for building teams of nurses or other health
care professionals. First, she argues that the most important aspects of a successful team are
positive communication, a high level of investment for individual team members, effective group
goals, and trust. Then, Antai-Otong uses a framework, from the psychological perspective, for
group development that defines a teams growth by four stepsforming, storming, norming, and
performing. She details each of these stages by their defining characteristics, especially the
important ways in which any given team tends to be strong and weak. The author also addresses
prevalent barriers to healthy team development, including opposition to change due to
long-standing cultural norms, people who are not acting as team player[s], and the existence of
unclear goals and undefined functions of individual team members (p. 50). Furthermore, she
defines characteristics, strategies, and functions of competent leaders.
Finally, Antai-Otong presents a case study regarding a dysfunctional team of professionals in a
hospital outpatient clinic. She explains strategies implemented by a psychiatric clinical nurse

76
specialist (CNS) that were not effective and the results of those changes, and then, the strategies
implemented by a different CNS that were, in fact, effective to create a more functional and
productive team. Ultimately, the author emphasized the importance of addressing the weaknesses
of the current leaders, which, in this case, was the department head. According to Antai-Otong,
the openness of the department head to the suggestions of the CNS was the key to the success
that the team saw in the future. Also important was the alteration of strategies utilized in order to
fit the teams unique needs. The author argues that 1) thoughtfully building a team is crucial to
the success of health care institutions, and therefore the outcomes of patients; 2) one of the most
important aspects of an effective team is its leader; 3) there are specific strategies to address
weaknesses within a team; and 4) those strategies ultimately result in team success that can be
measured by the effectiveness of group communication, involvement, goals, and trust.
Assessment
Antai-Otong holds a Master of Science (MS) degree in psychiatric mental health nursing,
is a registered nurse (RN), and is a board certified clinical nurse specialist. She is also a
well-regarded educational, organizational and legal consultant, as well as a motivational speaker
that focuses on leadership skills like conflict resolution and assertiveness. Furthermore, she
offers a great deal of clinical experience within the nursing and healthcare field and currently
works with patients as a psychotherapist. Additionally, Antai-Otong has written a great deal of
published, peer-reviewed, and highly cited works, in the form of books, book chapters, and
articles in highly-regarded scholarly journals. Her credentialing and experience, as well as the
relevance and reputation of its publishing journal, The American Journal of Nursing, lend to the
credibility of this source.

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Discussion
This source is comprehensive in that presents both theoretical ideas regarding team
building and a helpful application for such ideas in action. The way in which Antai-Otong
formulates her argument, by first using the formula for team success, then explaining the stages
of team development, then presenting and addressing common obstacles preventing team
success, and, finally, applying the concepts to a real health care situation, is truly conducive to
reader understanding. Possibly most helpfully, Antai-Otong explains a situation where a team
was disfunctional, a consultant tried one method to help and failed, and then, another consultant
took a different approach, catering it to the individual needs of the team, and the team was
successful. Additionally, she includes a visual aida chartwhich provides potential solutions
for four common issues that prevent team success. These aspects of the source allow it to be 1) a
concise resource of reliable information and 2) a guide for future reference.
It has been established that collaborative styles of health care are often extremely effective and
beneficial to patients, so it is understandable that such a resource might be rooted in this field.
While this source would be extremely helpful to those working in or familiar with the health care
field, its content, especially conceptually, can easily be transferred and applied to other
situations. The article is somewhat lacking in encouragement for reader reflection or suggestions
for the future in the field. Antai-Otong makes it easy to connect to the material but leaves it up to
the reader to reflect on it.
Antai-Otong effectively argues for the implementation of team-building and leadership
development within health care situations and elegantly formulates her article in order to
enhance reader comprehension.

78
Conclusion
Ultimately, this source presents a wealth of information and applicability. It depicts, in
detail, the ideal aspects of a working team and the problems that may arise, as well as a variety
of solutions to such problems. Potentially most valuably, especially for those interested in or
involved in health care work, Antai-Otong introduces an example of a team that failed to work
cohesively, and through the implementation of a variety of strategies that catered to the needs of
the team, they eventually became successful at their goals. This article offers an opportunity for
both leaders and team members to understand more fully the aspects of a healthy group setting.
Furthermore, while it doesnt actively seem to promote reflection on the part of the reader, its
comprehensive content serves as a solid foundation on which to base such reflection. It is an
impressive source for utilization by anyone seeking to learn more about teamwork, specifically
in health care or in general, and the cultivation of powerful leadership within teams.

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How To Make A Good Team
By Acknowledging Successes, Team Members Can Develop an Increasing Trust in Their
Teammates and the Team as a Whole. "Learning & Development." HR at MIT. Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
http://hrweb.mit.edu/learning-development/learning-topics/teams/articles/new-team#top
Literature Review by Chris Jackson
Summary
According to this article, the six main points that make a good team are: mission, goals,
roles and responsibilities, ground rules, decision making, and effective group process.
The first important thing to have for a successful team is a mission. The article states that
a commitment to a mission helps define the team and guides them in the direction they want to
go. This mission may be developed by the team or given to them from higher management. The
group needs to understand that they need to follow the mission to get where they would like to
go, otherwise they will be less productive.
Goals are targets for the groups activities, based on their mission. The goals need to be
Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time bound (S.M.A.R.T.). The goals give the
group members something to strive for. To meet all these requirements, the goal should be quite
specific otherwise members may not feel they are making progress.
When team members all know what is expected of them, they build trust in each other
and build mutual accountability. This is why a team needs to establish roles and responsibilities.

80
The article calls trust and a sense of belonging byproducts of clear expectations that are met or
exceeded by the members. The authors of this article believe that teams need a designated leader,
and a facilitator to guide the group. These two roles can be filled by the same person. The leaders
are held accountable for the team's results and may act as the spokesperson while they also
coordinate the teams work. The facilitator is in charge of guiding the teamsetting agendas for
meetings, etc.
Ground rules are guidelines for behaviors in the group. Not many ground rules should be
necessary, but the rules should agree to follow all of them. These can be as simple as Be
Respectful, and as complex as the appropriate way to update your teammates on your progress.
The fifth main point of teamwork is decision making. Many models of decision making
exist, but the main thing is that all the team members understand it. The model should describe
who makes the decisions and how the other members will be involved. Will the decisions be
made by popular vote? Will the leader make the decision by themselves? Will the leader take
input from the members before the final decision is made? The good decisions made from the
model have two characteristics: quality and commitment. They should also be logical and
supported by reasoning.
The final point is to have an effective group process. This involves communication,
mutual accountability, and self-evaluation. The communication between the group should be
respectful and follow the ground rules set earlier. Communication is also necessary to bring out
and resolve conflicts. Mutual accountability means that all the members are stronger as a team
than they are as individuals. Working together will then produce the most efficient results.
Self-evaluation is also critical to effective group processes because the team members to reflect
on what theyre doing is working great or needs to be changed.

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Evaluation
Massachusetts Institute of Technology is dedicated to research. The Institute has been
around for over 150 years developing engineering and scientific studies to produce advancement
of the knowledge. According to NICHE Colleges, MIT is the second best college in the United
States. This college also hosts workshops and leadership events. This article leans toward a
centralized leadership style instead of shared group leadership. It is written in an academic tone
without bias to any sponsor. Within the text are links to certain topics that they have written
deeper content on. This article lacks a resources portion, so the origin of it is unclear.
Discussion
All of the main points go hand in hand, one doesnt rise to the top as more important.
This is a showcase of teamwork because the points all work together to achieve the same goal of
creating an efficient team. Another thing to have an efficient team is to have the right members.
The smaller groups of up to ten are ideal because communication and a high level of
interdependence is exhibited at this size. I have struggled in groups for classes because the
instructor doesnt guide us to go through the six main points talked about in the article. As a
result, some members dont pull their weight. A recent measure taken in one of my classes was
to conduct a peer review of the other members in the group and give them tips on how they can
improve in the group. I expect this to yield good results because the article talks about evaluation
as a useful tool for teams.
Team building exercises emphasize communication and trust. I have been in many
groups and a couple organizations that struggle because of these components to good teamwork.
People need to make sure their voice is heard and that others know that they are contributing to

82
the mission and goal, or if they need help in achieving this. The article includes that members
should be able to freely share ideas even if they are undeveloped ideas or just concepts.
Conclusion
Massachusetts Institute of Technology states that six items are necessary for a team to be
efficient. These items are interconnected like a team and they are all of equal value. 1) Have a
mission that everyone agrees on to guide the members through the project. 2) Set S.M.A.R.T
goals that are specific and that result in visible progress. 3) Everyone in the group needs a clearly
defined role so they know what is expected of them and hold themselves accountable for it. 4)
Establish a set of Ground Rules to make sure team members behave appropriately. These should
be agreed upon by all the members and it is not necessary to have a long list of them. 5) A
decision making model should be chosen and understood by all the members. This model should
include who makes the decisions and if the members have a say in the decisions. 6) Effective
group process is the final main item of efficient teams. This is where the communication method
is established, everyone is held accountable for the success of the team, and evaluations are
conducted to make sure the group is operating efficiently.
This article is good for established teams that need guidance to help them become
efficient. It is applicable to all. Although this article is written by a well-known source and the
content feels up to date, no date or outside references were cited.

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Tear Down This Wall
Philip Gavin Ronald Reagan Tear Down This Wall The History Place Great Speeches
Collection
http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/reagan-tear-down.htm
Literature Review by Kaycee Loftis
Summary
There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance
dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if
you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Easter Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come
here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! President
Ronald Reagan hastening the fall of Communism while speaking at the Berlin Wall, June 12th,
1987. In his speech Reagan is addressing the Soviet Union General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev
to tear down the wall, both the physical barrier between West and East Germany, as well as the
symbolic barrier between two political ideologies: democracy and communism. He wanted to
break down barriers that separate people, to create a safe, freer world. Two years later, at
midnight on November 9th of 1989, citizens of the GDR were free to cross the country's
borders.

84
Evaluation
The History Place was established on July 4th, 1996. The site was founded, owned and
published by Philip Gavin, who has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northeastern
University and a Master of Science degree from Boston University. Except where noted, the
articles and text appearing throughout The History Place Web site were written by Gavin. The
History Place is advertiser supported, but over fifty percent of the Web site is commercial free.
Philip Gavin has authored a couple of historical books: World War II in Europe and The Fall of
Vietnam. The History Place is a private, independent, Internet-only publication and is not
affiliated with any political group or organization. It has received 33 awards and
recommendations ranging from November of 1996 up until July of 2012.
Discussion
The "tear down this wall" speech was not the first time Reagan had addressed the issue of
the Berlin Wall and the speech was also a source of considerable controversy within the Reagan
administration itself. Later on in his speech, President Reagan said, "As I looked out a moment
ago from the Reichstag, that embodiment of German unity, I noticed words crudely
spray-painted upon the wall, perhaps by a young Berliner, 'This wall will fall. Beliefs become
reality.' Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand
truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom." The speech itself received relatively little media
coverage, East German Politburo member Guenter Schabowski considered the speech to be
"absurd", and the Soviet press agency TASS accused Reagan of giving an "openly provocative,
warmongering speech." Needless to say the reactions Reagan got from his speech wasnt very
positive. Nevertheless Reagan did not hesitate to call out and challenge Mikhail Gorbachev, then

85
the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and request that he tare down
the wall that day. While Reagan may not have literally built a team to help take down the Berlin
Wall but he did so metaphorically. In Gorbachev he found a business partner; but in the people
of Eastern Europe, including those gathered at the Brandenburg Gate that day in June, he found
an audience ready to take history into their hands. And became one of the many factors that
eventually led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. For anyone that
saw the wall their first thought was to tear it down, It was just something that shouldn't be there.
On the flip side he did bring together a completely different group of people. The day before
Reagan's 1987 visit, 50,000 people had demonstrated against the presence of the American
president in Berlin. Wide swaths of Berlin were closed off to prevent further anti-Reagan
protests.
Conclusion
Ronald Reagan believed that the Berlin Wall was not only wrong but cruel and wasnt
afraid to express those feelings. While he didnt form a literal group to help tear down the wall,
he asked his fellow people a very simple question; why was the wall was even there? He called
upon those responsible to tear down the wall that day, despite his cabinet telling him not to. He
didnt hesitate to challenge their humanity and make them take a look at themselves. One way or
another his speech brought different groups of people together and eventually he got his wish.

86

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John Steinbecks Team
Byrd, Monika and Susan Edwards. "Leadership Development Studies A Humanities Approach."
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. Hayden-McNeil Publishing, 2014. 224-229. Print.
Literature Review by Makayla Conrad-Kassa
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck tells the story of the Joad family migrating out of
their Oklahoma dust-bowl home to the work attraction of California. It depicts hardships that
were endured, pacing change, growing as individuals and into a collectivist group, then
discovery. In Steinbecks words, he describes the story as a formation of worldswhen an
individualistic world becomes a collectivist one. Using a crafted language, Steinbeck showed his
readers a glimpse into a migrant workers idealized society in which a team was formed. These
group of people cooperated to accomplish a goal, continuing to develop as they surrounded
themselves with common and shared purposes, values, and then agreed upon rules and
regulations. This helped them grow and strengthen as a team. Families became seen as one unit,
one dream, then with time, leaders emerged and skills developedthere was improvement and
growth. Soon, through socializing, joys and sorrows were shared along with triumphs; this was
important to the effectiveness as a unit. Now they could share their vulnerabilities, allowing
everyone to come together and face their adversities. These contributions are the making of a
societal teamall in which John Steinbeck wanted his readers to see and him to explain through
his perception.

88
Leadership Development Studies A Humanities Approach is a collaborative work filled
with articles, characters, and related readings and films to help discover and learn about the
different concepts relating to the term leadership. Put together by Monika Byrd and Susan
Edwards, two professors in position of teaching leadership and serving through leadership, they
had full support of the Phi Theta Kappa group whose mission is to inform and encourage
students who seek leadership opportunities. John Steinbecks novel, The Grapes of Wrath, was
including in text. John Steinbeck studied at Stanford University with intention of graduating with
a degree in literature and writing; he, however, dropped out of school without any degrees. He
became a laborer, journalist, and a caretaker through the years before becoming an American
novelist. He was an experimenter and studied realistic settings, providing material for his novels.
In terms of studying leadership or embracing the concept, John Steinbeck is not tied into the
world of leadership. I, however, find this his book useful simply because it is one mans
perspective on how a team is built and maintain unification. Steinbeck tells stories and studies
the realism of a situation because he feels an authentic story will shed light on a reality not faced
yet.
There is drama in everyday life. It is an unfortunate and unavoidable part of growing with
someone. Here is what I discovered: as a team, you managed through. As a team, there is a
common ground, a want to accomplish a shared goal so the drama may be irrelevant. For
example, my siblings and I managed to create a team. Growing up, my siblings raised me. I had
no authority over them nor them over me. We managed to learn limits and compromise through
our many, many different experiments. Once my sister realized scratching my eyes out wont get
me to listen to her and I sitting on her to get the TV remote, we changed tactics. We put aside our
differences and came together, as a weirdly formed team, to accomplish our shared goal: keep
the TV remote from our other siblings. It worked for two hours. In our defense, though, we were

89
seven at the time. As we grew into our characters and our perspectives changed, we realized we
never stopped being a team; as sisters, we always came together to accomplish our goal of being
a family supporter, of surviving living together, and whenever needed. In Steinbecks story,
these migrant families came together as they travel to a whole new place so unfamiliar. Through
the travels, they discovered that everything could be better as a unit instead of continuing on as
individuals. They found what was common and shared, discovered, grew, and then changed.
Whether for the best is up to someones opinion. To me, these are like the foundations set forth
to build a team.
In my conclusion, I am glad my seven-year-old-self thought it wise to team up with a
five-year-old so we didnt have to watch Elmo anymore to appease our little siblings who were
obviously blinded by an annoying red puppet. It taught me two things: first, my sister really did
not like Elmo; and second, you can really build a team on any concept and then learn someth
Presidential Speech
Devlin, D. Independence Day. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. 1996, Retrieved from,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoLywiaM6PA
Literature Review by Rose Richards
Summary
The movie centers around mankinds will to survive. Independence Day unfolds when
aliens attack around the world over the Fourth of July weekend. Major cities are completely
annihilated, and survivors are scattered. The president of the USA, President Whitmore, has to

90
boost morale among his troops, along with creating a team that will take down the alien
mothership. He does this by giving a spontaneous speech.
Assessment
Independence Day was released in 1996, however it still remains a great example of
leadership twenty years later. This is because the main components of aligning a group with a
certain cause remains the same. President Whitmores speech is relevant today because he
manages to unite his countrymen with others from around the world in a last line of defence
against the aliens. The producers and actors dont have official authority in leadership fields, but
the movie writers made something that emotionally resonated with millions of people. Thus, the
writers know what they are doing. The speech was not reviewed by leadership peers, however a
vast majority of people state that this speech is one of the best movie speeches. One of the
connecting reasons is because with this speech President Whitmore is able to involve a diverse
set of people with one goal and get them to complete it. The purpose of this movie and speech is
to entertain. Its not a scholarly source, however this speech is a credible example of a leader
building a team.
Discussion
President Whitmore, and the scriptwriter, present a great example of building a team
through speeches. Even though, this speech is short it summarizes the goal, acknowledges
previous challenges, gives the listeners motivation, and unites them all in a sweeping final
statement.
The Independence Day speech starts off with with President Whitmore stating that his
pilots will be meeting with others from around the world. Together the two groups will form one

91
to commence an attack on the mothership. The first two lines introduce the idea that his people
will work with others from around the world. That the pilots will be working as one group, not as
individual groups working together.
The next couple of line further this point by stating that they must let go of
inconsequential differences and unite under a common interest. Namely the survival of mankind.
This is important because President Whitmore is eliminating the personal bias from his speech.
President Whitmore gave the parameters, we can't be consumed by our petty differences
anymore and we will be united in our common interests, while letting the individual listening
to him fill in the blanks. Those blanks include what the petty differences were, and leaves room
for other people to add in more personal reasons for fighting. He is being specific without being
personal, or without introducing a bias.
The final part of the speech connects an important American holiday to the rest of the
world. The final battle and the morning hes giving his speech occurs on July fourth,
Independence Day. He links it with once again fighting for freedom, but from something far
more deadly than anything they have faced in the past. Fighting for freedom from annihilation.
This is where he makes it personal, for everyone, because having the right to live resonates with
everyone.
Additionally, he also switches from singular phrases to inclusive ones. In the speech he
uses you and American suggesting that he is talking only to one group. President Whitmore
quickly switches to using we and our, using inclusive terms to highlight that they need to
work together to survive this annihilation attempt.
Conclusion

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This speech is a relevant example of building a team for several reasons. President
Whitmores speech touches on four main points of building a team: identifying the goal, listing
challenges, connecting with followers, motivating and uniting them. Additionally, this piece has
been watched and studied for over twenty years, and has a majority of positive reviews. Thus,
President Whitmores speech from Independence Day is an adequate example of building a team
through speeches.
Building a Team
Literature Review by Emily Felsheim
Summary
In the book Entreleadership Ramsey presents three main characteristics of leaders that
people are willing to follow, those include: having integrity, being passionate, and being a good
listener. People want to follow those with integrity because everyone wants an honest truthful
leader. No one wants a leader full of lies because then they would not know if the leader has their
team's best interest at heart. If a leader is truly passionate about something, then other people
who feel the same way will come forward and will listen and follow that leader. Regarding
leaders who are good listeners, people want to follow them because everyone wants their ideas,
concerns, and issues to be listened to. If leaders are willing to listen, then group members are
willing to follow.

93
Assessment
characteristics you will need on your pathway to becoming a great leader. Dave Ramsey is The
any bias.
The characteristics that the book gives are very good and true. People want their perfect
leader to follow and the examples given hit the mark for just about everyone. While the
characteristics are true and good they picked the most stereotypical characteristics a person can
think of. It was really lacking originality and could be improved a bit. Particularly one thing that
is not helpful is the lack of description, the book lists off all of these words but does not explain
them whatsoever. Many people struggle when things do not have good explanations and
examples because they cant connect with the topic. If they cant connect with the topic they

94
cant make it personal and then it will just be information they wont care about or remember.
Overall, this was not the best section of Ramseys book.
Conclusion
Overall, this chapter in the book could use some revision, but does have a good list of
characteristics that leaders with a great following have. Leaders need to have a good following
otherwise they would have no one to lead. It could help others trying to learn how to become a
great leader by giving them a good list of characteristics that they can work on achieving.

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Chapter 7: Making decisions
Image credit via Flickr user: totemisottapa
[TITLE NEEDED]
Damer T. Edward, Attacking Faulty Reasoning. Pg. 31-52 2012. Google Books
https://books.google.com/books?id=x5yY1pinC-IC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_s
ummary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
Literature Reviewed by Ethan Erfurth

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Summary
In this chapter of Damers book Attacking Faulty Reasoning Damer he shows what
makes up a good argument. He explains this by laying out five simple criteria. The first criterion
is form. A good argument must have good premises that support a conclusion, and they are laid
out in valid form. The second criterion is relevance. The premises and supporting facts must be
relevant to the conclusion. Because it doesnt matter how solid and true a premise is unless it has
something to do with the conclusion. The third criterion is making sure that the premises are
acceptable to a rational person. You should make sure that all your premises are easily
defendable and believable. A good argument must be based on logical premises and concrete
facts or observationsor at least based on the best information available. The fourth criterion is
to make sure after the premises are proved, relevant, are of a sufficient quantity that they make
up a strong basis for the conclusion. This is different from the acceptability criterion because it
focuses on the all the premises together and not each premise individually. And finally the fifth
criterion is that the argument has a sufficient rebuttal to all criticisms. You must judge where the
weakest points in your argument are and strengthen them. Also when looking for weaknesses in
others arguments we must always acknowledge the strongest points as well; so as to not throw
out the baby with the bath water. Then in that processes we can try to come up with an even
stronger more refined view in the end. These skills are very important to decision making as
every decision we make has, or should have, some sort of argument to prove its validity.
Assessment
Currency. This book is the last of seven revisions published in 2012. The textbook that
this chapter comes from is still used for many logic and critical thinking classes to this day.

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Relevance. This chapter and the whole book in fact are on critical thinking and logic, this
chapter specifically it is focused more on critical thinking and how to formulate a good
argument. Which formulating a good argument is essential to leading in any circumstance
because leaders need to be able to formulate premises on available information to make our
decisions.
Authority. T. Edward Damer is a professor of philosophy and chair of the Division
Visual and Performing Arts at Emory and Henry College in Emory, Virginia. But unfortunately
the links on the Wikipedia article on Damer lead to a non-existent page on the Emory and Henry
College website. So his current employment cannot be confirmed, but the page did exist at some
point so he was a professor at the college at some point.
Accuracy. This article is very straightforward and unemotional, and all the text seems
congruent and truthful.
Purpose. The purpose of this text is to educate college student on reasoning and critical
thinking skills, and is focusing a lot on locating and avoiding logical fallacies.
Discussion
This source comprehensively explains the right way to make an argument. Laying out
five very basic criteria to make sure your argument and others arguments are valid and logical.
This is extremely valuable to the decision making and critical thinking skills of leaders as it helps
steer clear of faulty claims and incorrectly inferred conclusions. When we can start making and
testing the arguments that we use to support our decisions we will overall make better decisions
as leaders. Every good leader is faced with tough decisions every day and it is up to them to
infer, from sometimes limited information, what the best action is. These tough decisions make it

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essential for a leader to be able to infer correctly. Also argument making in general is extremely
important as it helps us efficiently communicate our visions to others.
The actual text itself is very helpful in these areas, but it does have a somewhat
sophisticated and academic tone which is very informative and straightforward, but could be a
bit dry and hard to understand in some parts. It does present many sources to not only support its
own conclusions but also to give material for further study. It is also used by many schools as a
textbook for the topic of logic and critical thinking. Overall the text seemed to be a very unbiased
and comprehensive guide to making better arguments and decisions.
Conclusion
Ultimately, this chapter presents a plethora of skills and criteria for making sound valid
arguments. This helps a lot with decision making and critical thinking as well as other leadership
traits. The chapter comes from a textbook titled Attacking faulty reasoning written for critical
thinking and other like-type philosophy classes. Thought the text is a bit dry it presents all of its
information concisely and unemotionally. It offers a great way of thinking that can easily be used
in almost any leadership situation. I will definitely use these skills; especially criterion number
four as it has already improved my critical thinking skills, and I hope that other leaders may use
this text to strengthening their thinking and decision making skills as well.
Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-solving and Decision-making Skills
Kallet, Mike. Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-solving and
Decision-making Skills. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2014. Print.

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Literature Review by Lizzie Aydt
Summary
In Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-solving and Decision-making
skills, Kallet defines critical thinking as a method for enhancing your thoughts beyond your
automatic, everyday way of thinking. Its a process that uses a framework and tool set (Kallat
9). Kallet then goes on to describe situations when thinking critically is beneficial; those
situations include: employee leadership development, task coordination, setting goals, and when
situations are unclear. To describe the critical thinking process, Kallet breaks down the thinking
style into three components: clarity, conclusions, and decisions. These three components are
described as the components for critical thinkingversus an automatic way of
thinkingbecause we spend little time there but usually move to conclusions and decisions as
quickly as possible, often spending plenty of time thrashing around (Kallat 18); we spend little
time on clarity in our thinking. Kallat provides reasoning for why we do not spend very much
time on claritywhich is what mainly makes our thinking critical versus automatic: We are not
taught to think too much, by our educational system through the multiple choice tests we are
given, and they teach us to do rather than think. There are four possible answers, and only one is
right, so quickly figure out which of the four questions is correct. The second reason is that were
not paid to think. Our employers pay us to get things done, not to think. The third reason is that
we get more satisfaction from doing, not thinking; Kallat uses the example that we do not get
satisfaction from putting items on our to-do lists, but we get satisfaction from crossing them off
of our to-do list. The fourthand finalreason that we do not spend much time on clarity in our
day-to-day thinking, is because we discover many things we dont know. Many people do not
like feeling ignorant, or showing others the things that they do not know.

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Assessment
Mike Kallat, the author of Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-solving
and Decision Making, has a 30 year long career in problem solving, leadership, and
innovationall career qualities that make Kallat a credible author for a book about critical
thinking and decision makingand Kallat is an expert in the critical thinking field; he is a trainer
and coach for critical thinking. To help train other business leaders, Kallat created
HeadScratchers. HeadScratchers was created by Kallat toyou guessed ithelp business
leaders become better headscratchers; better at critically thinking and problem solving.
HeadScratchers goal is to train, excite, and coach business leaders in critical thinking. For the
book itself, it was published in 2014making it a very recent and updated publication. It was
published by John Wiley and Sons, Inc, which publishes books focused on connecting people,
building a better future, and enabling success; those are qualities that are present in Kallats
book. He focuses on connecting business leaders with problems in their businesses, he wants the
business leaders to improve their future with their businesses, and he wants the business leaders
to succeed. John Wiley and Sons, Inc is a credible publisher for Kallats book because they both
follow many of the same goals.
Kallet defines and explains critical thinking and its role in decision making very well in
his book. He defines critical thinking in an easy to understand way, and the situations where
Kallat says we should use critical thinking are relevant to leadership positions/roles. The three
components of critical thinking that he describes are easy to understand as well, and they make
for a broad understanding of the critical thinking process; which helps the thought of learning to
think critically less intimidating for some. When Kallat discusses the three main components that
critical thinking involve, he mentions the automatic way of thinking, and the reasons people tend

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to have more of an automatic way of thinking. I agree with all four of the reasons that Kallat
states. We are shaped by our education system, our employers, and ourselves into doing rather
than thinking; I notice it in my personal thinking process, and I notice it in others as well.
Discussion
Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-solving and Decision Making
portion on critical thinking and decision making is very helpful for leaders that want to change
their way of thinking from automatic to critical. Changing your way of thinking to critical will
help you better understand the aspects of decisions that you need to make as a leader, and the
decisions will end up being more successful being made from a leader who critically things,
versus automatically thinks. I know that I personally have more of an automatic way of thinking,
and I know that will not help me in making successful decisions in my leadership positions.
After reading Kallats definition of critical thinking, components, and reasons for automatic
ways of thinking, I know will be able to start changing my way of thinking from automatic to
critical, and that will allow me to make successful decisions in my leadership positions.
Making Decisions
Nagy, Jenette. "Section 9. Making Decisions." Chapter 14. Core Functions in Leadership.
Community Tool Box, n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.
<http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/leadership-functions/make-decisions/main>.
http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/leadership-functions/make-decisions/main\

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Literature Review by Greta Buehler
Summary
In the Community Tool Boxs Chapter 14: Section 9, Making Decisions, Jenette Nagy
outlines the steps to making an important decision; this is a skill thats critical in a leadership
position. Nagy first explains that decision making is important because it affects others,
demonstrates personal values, sets examples for others, and shows ones willingness to lead.
When in a group setting, and faced with a decision, its important to choose who should be in
charge of making the decision. A single person can make the decision, or a group can make the
decision by consensus or by vote. Small decisions are best left to a single person. As a leader, its
important to know how to delegate. In order to not micromanage, open communication should be
encouraged, leaders should know the skills of their employees, and opportunity should be given
based on experience.
If a decision is important to many, is allowed a large time span, and doesnt require
expertise, its best to involve the whole group in the decision. Groups can reach a decision by
consensus or by voting. In a larger group, its more difficult to reach consensus so voting would
be the better option. Its also possible to use a combination of these methods. When making an
important decision, a leader should create a comfortable environment so all group members feel
that they can share their opinions and ideas. A group should also be aware of how this decision
will affect their main goal.

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Once it is known who will make a decision, it becomes their job to be informed about the
topic. When making a decision, one needs to find out probable and possible outcomes, side
effects, and solutions. Asking others their opinions and ideas about the topic can assist this
process. While one shouldnt spend too little time learning before making a decision, it also
shouldnt be a delayed process. After finding all of the essential information, its time to move
on. When informed, its time to make a list of all the possible options the decision-maker could
choose. Evaluation follows, taking into consideration time, money, missing info, reactions of
others, etc. After this process, Nagy believes that the choice should be clear.
Assessment
Founded in 1993, the Community Tool Box is an international public service dedicated to
providing health and development in communities, and its a part of the University of Kansas. Its
partners include the World Health Organization, Charter for Compassion, the CDC Community
Health Improvement Navigator, the Society for Community Research and Action, and more.
Discussion
Overall, this decision making process involves a lot of communication. As a leader,
communication with followers is already important. By allowing followers in a group to share
and contribute, a leader can gain respect, gain followers, create a better product, and make better
decisions. It turns out that leadership becomes more and more connected to good communication
the more one learns about it.

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At the end of this section, Nagy mentioned that the scale for this decision-making process
could be shortened for smaller decisions. Its good to know that we arent making bad decisions
if we dont go through this lengthy process every time. For example, if a group of people is
picking where to eat, it probably wouldnt be necessary to call everyone the group members
know to ask their opinions on various restaurants, write them all down, and evaluate every single
one. While this could be done on a smaller scale, such as looking up reviews for a local
restaurant online, the majority of these steps in the decision-making process could be skipped.
Even if you dont follow every step when deciding where to eat, a decision could still be made
that all or most of the group is happy with. Even though this process was intended for business
and community leaders, it could also be used for important decisions in ones personal life, such
as deciding as a family which new house to move into.
Conclusion
As Nagy first wrote in this section, decision-making is an important part of a leaders job.
Still, this text not only provides a clear process for making important decisions, but it also gives
general advice for leaders such as encouraging communication and using strategic delegation.
This is a good read for new, established, and prospective leaders, as it could help develop skills
and strategies in leadership, especially around decision-making.
Good Decision Making

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Literature Review by Emily Felshim
Summary
Dave Ramsey has two main points when it comes to decision making: take time
proportionate to the size of the decision and when decision making take small bites. When
Dave presents his idea that you should take time proportionate to the size of the decision he is
telling the reader that big decisions should take a lot of time while little decisions should be done
almost instantly. If there are a lot of people involved and if the decision involves your health or
future, you should take your time on deciding what to do. If it is something simple like which
pack of gum to buy, just pick one, you shouldnt hold the line up forever. The second major
point that Ramsey has about taking small bites is really saying that sometimes you make
decisions that are too large for you. To prevent that you can find a way to make a series of
smaller decisions to point you in the direction of the right decision. When you take on something
that is too big for you to handle most of the time you will get very overwhelmed and sometimes
you can have a mental breakdown because you just do not know what to do.
Assessment

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any bias.
The ideas that are in this section are great and the author gives a lot of nice examples.
Dave Ramsey speaks of how you need to make a series of small decisions before you make a big
one. To better explain this, he gives the example of dating. You want to go on a series of dates
for a long time before you decide to marry the person. When Ramsey presents his idea that big
decisions take a lot of time while little decisions should be made instantly, he gives the example:
if you are signing a ten year lease you should think about it for a while but if you are trying to
pick the color of the restroom sink it should not take you more than a day or two. The
information is helpful and great because it is true. You dont want to rush into big decisions
because if you do you may make the wrong decision and be stuck with it. If it is a simple
decision like what to have for lunch, there is not really a wrong decision. The only thing to
change about this book is how briefly he talks about each idea. He only spends about a page or
half of a page talking about each idea. If Ramsey were to have actual full length chapters in the
book on each concept it would help people understand the material better and provide more
information on how to become a great leader.
Conclusion

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If future leaders want to become good at decision making they need to do two things:
take small bites, and make sure there is a good amount of time for big decisions and less time for
the little decisions. If you do those two things it will help give you time to think about the
decision you need to make thoroughly and will help you choose the best choice. Also it will help
insure that you are not spending too much time on stupid little decisions, which will give you
more time for the important things. To improve this book, the suggestion would be to spend
more time writing about the topics. If Ramsey were to do that it would expand the information
and knowledge the readers gather which would help them become better leaders.
Critical Thinking in Everyday Life
Paul, R. & Elder, L. Critical Thinking in Everyday Life: 9 Strategies. Critical Thinking: Tools for
Taking Charge of Your Learning and Your Life. (2001). Modified from the book by Paul, R. &
Elder, L. (2001). Retrieved on October 17, 2016, from,
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/critical-thinking-in-everyday-life-9-strategies/512
Literature Review by Rose Richards
Summary
Critical Thinking is an article centered around the idea that critical thinking should be
approached like a habit. Additionally, the article gives nine strategies, or frameworks, to develop
critical thinking. That, like a habit, this skill needs to be developed. Critical thinking requires
practice because it is a skill that is developed over years. Moreover, it needs determination to

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push through the recurring times of little apparent change. Acknowledging the problem and
practices are offered to help power people through those plateaus in learning critical thinking.
The author gives six stages of development for critical thinkers, which begins with an
unreflective thinker and ends with the master thinker. This section is concluded by giving nine
strategies that can help motivate people to begin and complete their development of critical
thinking.
Assessment
The source text used for this article was written in 2001, so the article itself is old.
Therefore, this article is a good foundation for critical thinking. The examples used and solutions
offered still work today. This piece is relevant to leadership because leaders need to look at a
problem or situation for as many sides they can. Additionally, leaders need to know why they are
doing something and the best way to achieve it. This article introduces multiple practices to
achieve that level of critical thinking.
The article itself comes from a site called The Critical Thinking Community and it is an
organization devoted to the promotion of critical thinking. The organization has existed for 28
years and is currently led by two leaders. Dr. Linda Elder who has taught psychology and
critical thinking at the college level along with writing numerous books and articles on critical
thinking. Along with Dr. Gerald Nosich who has done more than 250 workshops on critical
thinking and is a noted authority on the topic. The authors and organization have the authority to
back up this article. Moreover, The Critical Thinking Community is not supported by any body
of power, government-religion, and is self-funded. Their mission statement is to create a rich
intellectual environment. Similarly, the article is free of any obvious errors. Thus this article is

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free of bias and is accurate. This article informs readers about how critical thinking is a skill and
it clearly states that it needs to be practised over years.
Discussion
All of the strategies are well thought out, however the seventh one is resonating. This
strategy starts with informing readers that every situation is commonly defined one way; and that
the chosen definition has immense impact on feeling, actions, and the implications of the
situation. The authors then state that a situation can be defined multiple ways. An example would
be how someone defines a situation of failure, is it a situation of Ive lost something or one of
I have gained the chance to learn more. Using this technique of redefinition, the article goes on
to state that this could be used in nearly every negative situation. This principle is like the
sayings of look for the silver lining or nothing is as bad as it seems, except this strategy
takes it further and changes it into a daily practise.
Providing a new outlook on the world, and showing how this new outlook is malleable is
a strong point. Most people have a set definition for any given situation that is extremely hard to
change. The first step of changing a set definition is the person critically thinking about past
situations and finding something wanting. Once this step has been initiated, the article informs
the person how to go about changing those definitions. The article does an excellent job of
clearly breaking down its main points. Thus, enabling people to look back on situations and
realize what they could have done differently. Moreover, it gives readers a chance to attach
emotional value to the strategy, which in turn makes it more memorable.
Using this strategy forces people to look over their emotional responses and infer what
they had defined the situation as. Once this is done, people can then realize how much the
situation influenced them in terms of what feeling caused them to act and what the implications

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of those actions are. Then, they can decide how they want to classify the situation as, and if they
want to change it. If they want to change it, the next step is finding an achievable different
definition for the situation and a way to implement it.
Conclusion
This strategy for improving critical thinking is very important for those wanting to learn about
leadership. Leaders need to be able to look at a situation and see many possible interpretations.
This will allow them to anticipate for feelings, actions, and the implications of any possible
action. Additionally, this is useful on a personal and interpersonal scale. If the leader is able to
re-frame personal situations into happier less stressful ones, then they will be more attentive and
aware of ways to interpret interpersonal situations.
Decision Making
Nagy, Jenette. "Section 9. Making Decisions." Chapter 14. Core Functions in Leadership.
University of Kansas, n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.
http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/leadership-functions/make-decisions/main.
Summary
This article includes content on the importance of decision making, styles of decision
making, how to make decisions, applying decision making to a large scale, and the power of
deciding to not decide.

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When a decision is made it affects people, so understanding the influence of the decision
is necessary. The decisions a leader makes exhibits what they value and set an example for the
followers. When someone makes a decision in a group, this demonstrates that they have a desire
to lead. Deciding to not decide is a powerful tool because it allows the decision making process
to be lengthened and thoroughly examined.
Choosing the style of decision making decides who gets the final decision. An individual,
a group, or a committee gets to make the decisions. To decide on which of these methods should
be used some things need to be taken into consideration. The perceived importance of the group,
time available to make the decisions, how much expertise is needed to make a good decision for
the group, and the interest that others have in making the decision. When the decision does not
need to be made very quickly, no other matters are pressing, and little expertise is necessary to
decide the group method may be useful. When the inverse of all those situations is true, the
single or small group is most appropriate.
Once the style of deciding is decided, the decisions can be made. In order to make a good
decision, peoples comfort and the big picture need to be kept in mind. With those in mind, the
information gathering process can begin. The goal here is to find out everything possible about
the options and their consequences. Things to keep in mind are: the likely outcomes, which
outcomes are possible, side effects, possible solutions, the opinions of others included in the
decision, and useful information from others that have been in similar situations. While gathering
the information, make sure the decision can be made in a timely fashion as stalling the process to
wait for all the information is most likely not reasonable. When the crucial information is
gathered the process can continue and its time to make the decision and act upon it.
Evaluation

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This article cites one other print source from 1990, and does not list a publication date.
This resource appears to be up to date and is produced by the University of Kansas Community
Health and Development group. This group has created a large amount of resources on bettering
communities and individuals in the form of guides. This article is written in a primarily academic
tone, although it includes examples of the ideas in second person.
Discussion
Most decisions are made hastily and dont follow a proper process. This is why deciding
to not decide is a powerful choice. Spending time to thoroughly evaluate the available options
and making sure they adhere to the leaders vision is important because once the decision is
made and acted upon it cant be taken back. This article brings up the fact that in a perfect world
all the information that could be gathered would be compiled before making a decision, but its
important to balance this in real world applications. For example, a small decision like deciding
where to eat for the day does not need extensive amounts of research before making a decision.
On the other hand, a big decision like where to locate a business should have a large amount of
time spent on the decision.
Conclusion
In decision making it is important to: choose who makes the decisions-group, individual,
or committee, follow the process of making decisions, spend the right amount of time on
gathering information for the situation, decide which options follow the leader's vision, decide
which option has the most benefit with the least consequences, and then follow through with the
decision.

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The article was sponsored by University of Kansas, a well-known and trusted source. The
use of this article is to help leaders and even individuals make the right decision and establish a
process that produces good decisions on a timely basis.
Making a Decision
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=c8KqSWPFwIUC&oi=fnd&pg=PT8&dq=decisi
on+making+leaders&ots=2KRRJtHSTq&sig=DeyaZptcxFi9L6x3LBhLayMF-ho#v=onepage&q
=decision%20making%20leaders&f=false
Literature review by Jaxon Olander
Summary
In this text the author talks about how before making a decision a complex situation needs to be
identified and if that situation is most important to make a decision on first. Setting these
priorities, they then can be used in a benefit/cost setting to develop portfolios of activities.
Most people are beginning to find it hard to put their trust in their leaders decision making. The
decision they choose needs to be understood, not of the quality of the decision, but the
information. The process of decision making helps us develop priorities of information and
situations and to make a list if outcomes (good or bad). There is an elaborate system of factors
that all interact with the end result of a situation and no one can see the end result as clearly as
possible to determine if that decision is truly the best. Our system is so complex we dont have
the resources to cope with it all. As a leader putting a situation above another can be very
difficult. To get the most information and resources to make the best decision they need to figure
out what factor needs to be researched in depth and the ones that are less prioritized dont need to

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be. Most people think to solve problems there needs to be a more complex way of thinking. This
isnt entirely true because every little idea that comes out of less complicated thinking brings out
new ideas towards a solution.
Assessment
The author of this book is Thomas L. Saaty. He is the inventor, architect, and primary
theoretician of the Analytic Hierarchy Process. He is a professor at the University of Pittsburgh.
Prior to coming to the University of Pittsburgh, Saaty was professor of statistics and operations
research at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He has written more than 35
books and 350 papers on mathematics, operations research, and decision making.
Discussion
He has very good system of thinking. I really liked how he said we dont have the resources to
handle all the problems we face. Not everyone examines a decision as closely as saaty says we
should. This shows that not every decision we make can be the right one. This is due to the fact
people dont have time or that they are lazy and just choose the first thing that comes into mind.
Also they might just choose the easiest way. We all know that the easiest way isnt always the
best. Understanding how a decision is made and the quality of a decision are way different
things. Understanding is knowing the information behind all the factors and the quality of the
decision is how well was it made and how did it affect all the people involved.
Conclusion
This will help leaders make better decisions. Now that they have an understanding of the system
of decision making they will know to think of as many outcomes as possible while examining of
angles of the initial question. This helps with organizations to the biggest of companies to the

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smallest shops on the side of the street. One decision could bring an entire company crumbling to
the ground or bring it the be the most successful company out there.

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Chapter 8: Managing Conflict
Image credit via Flickr user: Mark Freeth

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Conflict Resolution Skills
Collaborated. Peaceable Solution Conflict Resolution Skills. Toronto, ON: Kinetic Video
(distributor), n.d. Edmund Community College. Edmonds Community College. Web. 26 Oct.
2016. https://www.edcc.edu/counseling/documents/Conflict.pdf.
Summary
Conflict is a normal part of life because people are not expected to agree on everything.
Because conflict is going to happen, people need to develop ways to effectively and
progressively deal with it. When conflict is dealt in the wrong way, such as avoiding it, the
conflict creates distance and can ruin a relationship between people or groups. Resolve the
conflict quickly and effectively, the people involved will walk away with more trust than they
had before the conflict. Successfully resolving conflict depends on a persons ability to: manage
stress/ stay calm, control their emotions and behavior, pay attention to the feelings of others, and
respect differences. The ineffective ways to deal with conflict are: explosive reactions, not
responding to matters of great importance that involve the other person, withdrawal/
abandonment, having expectations of a bad outcome, and avoidance of conflict.
Four skills are needed to be able to resolve conflicts properly. 1) quickly relieve stress.
By staying relaxed and focused in conflict situations, the people involved will be able to stay

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rational. 2) recognize and manage emotions. Emotional awareness allows people to understand
themselves and others and improves communication. The decisions made may need to include a
solution that is based not only on rationality but emotions too. 3) Improve nonverbal
communication skills. Showing empathy and understanding in the right situation can go a long
way. 4) use humor to deal with the challenges. This humor should not be directed at the other
person(s) or they will be offended and the conflict will get worse.
Evaluation
This content is from Edmonds Community College in Seattle, Washington. There are
multiple links in the article to other content that is more specific about resolving conflicts and
how to increase emotional intelligence. I didnt find the rest of the e-book that this article came
from. It appears to be credible as some of the content was discussed in our class.
Discussion
An important thing that was noted in the article is that emotions should be included, not
just rational thinking. They need to work together to resolve the conflict. Otherwise, the other
person may not feel receptive if theyre feeling hurt and someone else is trying to use only
rational thinking. This can be done by validating the other persons concerns, and if something is
unclear it needs to be clarified right away. The foundation to resolving any conflict is
communication. This is why avoidance and abandonment do not work. If the person doesnt
want to feely discuss the conflict, they should be encouraged with lines such as I want to
understand what has upset you, or I want to know what youre really hoping for.
If the conflict is large, it should be dealt with piece by piece. Confronting the whole task
at once makes it seem daunting and that its unlikely to turn out well. A way to prevent the issues
to pile up is by dealing with them as they arise. The way the conflict should be approached is that

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it is not an attack. As the article states, no hitting below the belt. This means that attacking
someone personally will lead to anger and mistrust.
Summary
The four main skills necessary to deal with conflict are: relieving stress quickly,
recognize and manage emotions, nonverbal communication, and use humor in an appropriate
way. These four skills add up to be a fifth skill: conflict solving. When dealing with conflict:
deal with one issue at a time, do not attack them verbally or physically, communicate clearly,
dont avoid the conflicts, encourage the other person(s) to state their point of view, and validate
their concerns. This resource can be used in work and relationship settings to help resolve
conflicts. The links in the article also provide more depth to some of the content so anyone that
wants to dig deeper can start there.

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How to be a leader that people want to follow
DeMers Jason. How to be a leader that people want to follow. Business Insider, Oct 16, 2014,
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-be-a-leader-people-want-to-follow-2014-10 )
Summary
In this article How to be a leader that people want to follow by Jason Demers, he presents
that anyone can take on a leadership role, but that doesnt mean you automatically earn the trust
and respect it takes for people to follow you. But he also presents that anyone can sharpen the
skills that are needed to earn that trust and respect that is needed to become a follow worthy
leader. DeMers then explains the seven skills and actions you should develop to become a leader
people will want to follow. Step one is to respect people even when you dont feel like it. And
though it may seem like some people dont deserve our respect we should give it to them.
Because when you give respect you will get respect. Step two is to use communication, but not
just informatively but inspirationally as well. Communication is a great way to avoid conflict,
but if used right it can also help inspire people to get the job done. Step three is generosity with
time, praise, and responsibility. As good leaders, we must be liberal with praise and giving credit
where credit is due. As well as giving the chance to our subordinates to take on extra
responsibility. Step four is to express passion because that is how passion spreads. If you truly

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have a passion for what you do than express it. Because when you express your passion your
followers sense it and they feel like their efforts are worthwhile. Step five is to be humble. This
does not mean to be a pushover, but it means to take responsibility for your actions and give jobs
to those most qualified. Step Six is to be decisive and to take responsibility for those decisions.
Great leaders always have to make tough decisions and no matter how good they are they will
make mistakes, but a good leader will always hold accountable for those mistakes because he
knows that avoiding risks also means avoiding potential. And finally, step seven is to be
courageous even when you dont want to be. There will always be a time when every leader is
scared. But inspirational leaders push forward in spite of this fear and use that fear to propel
themselves forward. And to conclude DeMers explains that though these follow worthy traits
may not come naturally to all of us they can come with practice and time.
Evaluation
Currency. This article was published in 2014, which makes it slightly older but it still holds its
relevance. Relevance. This article gives great tips and skills to become a follow worthy leader
that people trust and respect. Which without that respect and trust you cannot lead effectively,
because no one will care about the goals of the team or getting them done. Authority. The author
of this article is a CEO and founder of a Seattle-based social media advertising Company as well
as a journalist for many online papers. This would give him some very good experience with
leadership though he has not professionally studied the subject. Accuracy. This article does give
many quotes and a few studies such as a study on humble leadership by the Academy of
Management Journal to support its claims though overall it is a bit light on sources. But the

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sources he does have are good and he carries a very straightforward and unemotional
presentation of them. Purpose. The purpose of this article is to inform on a more follow worthy
way of leading. It was posted by Business Insider so it does not have a purely academic tone, but
is still made for the purpose of learning. It also has a bit of a transactional leadership bias, but it
does contain some very transformational tips and practices. Overall the content does seem to be
an opinion, but he does support this opinion with facts.
Discussion
The seven skills that DeMers lays out are very simple and straightforward which is helpful as
they can be referenced at a glance and are easy to understand and implement. The steps of
humility and respect are very helpful as they are a weak point with many leaders. Though the
article leaves a bit to be desired in the way of sources it does provide a few good articles to
support his claims (such as the study on humble leadership) as well as leaning on his own
personal experiences as a leader. Though the author did approach the subject with a more
transactional style of leadership he also mixed in a bit of transformational, specifically on the
steps of humility and generosity. Which a mix of both transactional and transformational
leadership types could be a great mix for most business and nonbusiness purpose as it conveys
a sense of responsibility as well as mutual respect.
Conclusion

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DeMers article How to be a leader that people want to follow could be very helpful for
anyone studying or trying to be a leader worth following. It is helpful to leaders because, as he
said in his article, just because you are in charge doesnt mean people are going to follow. So
unless you can become follow-worthy you really cant ever become successful leader. Because
without followers I dont think you can even be called a leader at all. And though this text is
focused mostly on business leadership it can be used for any leadership situation as its principles
are universal. I found the text very insightful and easy to understand, and I know I willor at
least try toimplement these seven skills into my life, and I hope that other leaders can do the
same.
The Walk from no to yes
The Walk from no to yes By William Ury. Perf. William Ury. TED. TEDxMidwest, Oct.
2010. Web. Oct. 2016. https://www.ted.com/talks/william_ury?language=en
https://www.ted.com/talks/william_ury/transcript?language=en (transcript of the video)
Summary
In this video, William Ury advocates for a transformative perspective about conflict. He asks that
his audience understand and implement a concept called the third side. He uses a story about a
story where 17 camels were proportionally left to 3 sons (1/2 to the oldest, 1/3 to the middle son,

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and 1/9 to the youngest). Ury explains that this created a conflict because 17 doesnt divide
easily; they argued and eventually asked a wise old woman, who offered them one more
camel. With 18 camels, it was easily divided; however, after the oldest took 9, the middle son
took 6, and the youngest took 2, there was an extra camel left (which was returned to the woman.
Ury uses this example, as well as a few others, to explain that while people tend to think there
are two different sides to any given conflict, there is often a helpful position that encompasses
the community surrounding the conflict (the third side). Ury advocates that the third sides
capacity to remind the parties of whats really at stake is its most powerful tool. Them, he
explains how he has collaborated with others to use this third side technique to work to overcome
conflict in the Middle East. His project is called The Abraham Path and is a path following the
journey of Abraham, a unifying historical and religious figure representing hospitality and peace
across the entirety of this region. This, to Ury, could be a transformative act, because it does 2
important things: 1) it ties people to a common identity, or story and 2) it builds and supports a
common economy (through tourism that supports the local residents along the path). By
advocating for an entirely different, creative perspective to a given conflict, Ury advocates for
leadership within the community and across nations to create a more peaceful and prosperous
world community.
Assessment
William Ury has extensive experience as a speaker, mediator, and negotiation advisor
nationally and globally. For example, he has worked with multiple president administrations as a
crisis consultant. He also has authored and coauthored several well-regarded books in the field of
conflict management. Additionally, Ury is a co-founder of the Negotiation program at Harvard.
As previously mentioned, he also has worked to develop the Abraham Path. The particular

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platform of this source, TEDx, is a well-regarded source that conveys innovative ideas. The
actual content of the talks produced by TED or TEDx is not necessarily clearly backed by
extensive peer-reviewed research; however, the experience and academic esteem of this
particular speaker lends to the credibility of the information in this source.
Discussion
Because Ury tells of compelling personal stories, the video is fast-paced and engaging for
viewers. His talk combines a mix of both logical and emotional appeals to the audience, which
lends to the persuasiveness of his argument for inventive conflict resolution. While his
proposition of implementing a third side solution to a conflict is helpful on a small-scale,
interpersonal level, he also clearly applies it, on a global level, to arguably some of the most
urgent and concerning conflicts that exist todaythe situations in the Middle East and
problematic perceptions of the people of the region.
While this particular source does not clearly connect its message to leadership, its conflict
management thesis is an inherent and imperative aspect of leadership. Additionally, by opening
up leadership through conflict to more than just negotiation advisors and government leaders,
Ury makes leading through conflict a more accessible act, by calling upon community members
and individuals as well.
His technique is simplified and, most likely, difficult to utilize wholeheartedly in the face
of emotionally charged conflicts both specific and global. This video does somewhat lack in its
ability to spell out exactly how third side position or idea might be formulated. His examples
name what was done and how it was different than the two different sides, but he fails to explain
the process of how the innovative plan was devised. However, this source makes a compelling

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argument, through Urys stories and examples, that the result is worth the difficult nature of
coming up with a third side.
Conclusion
Ury supports the position that the implementation of a third side solution to a conflict will
increase peace and growth in a given situation. To convince his audience, he utilizes stories
ranging from small scalethe 17 camel dilemmato large scalethe conflicts in and with the
Middle East. The third side solution is explained through these examples, which lends to the
techniques effectiveness, but does not methodically explain how one might directly apply it.
Additionally, the format of the source, a TEDx video, encourage viewers to be engaged and
persuaded with its performance and narrative presentation style. This source would be helpful to
encourage a creative, collaborative conflict management style for leaders to use in the context of
a variety of situations, as well as a jumping-off-point for further research into strategizing to
determine the exact process through with such action might be developed. It would also
empower individuals and groups that might not necessarily consider themselves in a formal
leadership position or directly involved in a conflict to work together to come up with an
innovative and inclusive solution.
Tools for Team Leadership: Delivering the X-factor in Team Excellence
Huszczo, Gregory E. Tools for Team Leadership: Delivering the X-factor in Team Excellence.
Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black Pub., 2004. Print

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In Huszczos Team Leadership: Delivering the X-factor in Team Excellence, Huszczo provides a
chapter of his book for the topic of resolving conflict. He discusses the definition of conflict, the
different causes of conflict, and conflict that arises specifically in the team building process.
Huszczo then provides different approaches for resolving conflict, and various roles team
member can play when resolving a conflict. Huszczo defines conflict as, merely a matter or
individuals, or groups having different perspectives on a matter (159). He then divides the main
causes of conflict in organizational settings team building, for exampleinto three main
categories: competition, lack of understanding, and impact of past events. Specifically for team
building, conflict arises during the forming of the team, norming of the team, performing of the
team, and closing of the team. Then for the approaches used for resolving conflict: avoiding,
accommodation, competing, compromising, and collaborating are five approaches that can be
used. Towards the end of Huszczos chapter, he defines specific roles that team members can
take on to resolve conflict: consultant and trainer.
Gregory Huszczos Team Leadership: Delivering the X-factor in Team Excellence was
published in 2004 by Nicholas Brealey publishing. Nicholas Brealey publishing has been known
for publishing books that are focused on personal development and psychologywhich makes
them a credible publisher for a book focused on the psychology that goes into building a team,
and for the development of a team. Gregory Huszczo has served as an Executive Leadership
Coach, and currently is a Professor at Michigan State University-- where he teaches the Masters
program in Human Resources and Organization Development. Huszczo, previously being an

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Executive Leadership Coach, is a credible author for the topic of Team Leadership: Delivering
the X-factor in Team Excellence. The book is focused on leading a team, and how leaders can
create an excellent team.
Team Leadership: Delivering the X-factor in Team Excellences chapter on resolving a
conflict is explained very thoroughly by the definitions, examples, and approaches for resolving
conflict that Huszczo provides. Huszczo includes exercises that leaders/teams can use to resolve
conflictswhich I thought were inventive, and a creative idea to help incorporate the tips
discussed in Team Leadership: Delivering the X-factor in Team Excellence. For his exercises,
Huszczo provides an exercise that the team members can fill out to communicate with their
leaders about their concerns that could possibly start a conflict, and another exercise that
provides a contract for team members to sign; it is an agreement that team members will
pursue their roles and work together to try to avoid and resolve conflict.
Huszczos chapter on resolving conflict would be helpful for any leader, or any member
of a team, to help resolveand avoidconflict. With his examples of conflict in different
situations, definitions of conflict, and exercises to help team members, I will use these tips to
help in my personal situations with conflicts, and it is very relevant to resolving conflict in
leadership positions.

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Leadership for Today; Managing Conflict Within Groups
Trautman, Karla. "Leadership for Today; Managing Conflict Within Groups." Leadership for
Today #3 (2007): n. pag. SDSU Extension. South Dakota State University, Dec. 2007. Web. 26
Oct. 2016. <https://www.sdstate.edu/sdsu-extension>.
Summary
In Leadership for Today; Managing Conflict Within Groups, Karla Trautman offers
guidance for leaders who are confronted with conflict. First, Trautman starts by explaining the
five common conflict resolution strategies. Number one is avoidance; Trautman only
recommends this strategy if the present conflict is very small or if the group members need time
to settle their emotions. Number two is accommodation; Trautman believes that this strategy can
help a group remember its common goal. Number three is compromise; this strategy can save
group effort, but it can also be detrimental if the conflict is too important or if the group
members cant uphold their side of the compromise. Number four is competition, which is not a
good conflict resolution strategy, and number five is collaboration. Collaboration is the best
strategy as its goal is to create a win-win solution.
After explaining these conflict resolution strategies, Trautman goes on to explain how to
effectively resolve conflict as a leader. A leader should act as a facilitator, creating a specific
time to resolve the conflict and finding a solution that works for everyone. To do this, a leader

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should keep all parties focused on the present issue, set basic rules for the resolution, not allow
personal attacks, keep the topic at hand relevant, clarify with each party what they think is the
best solution to the problem, and record the final solution while checking again that both parties
agree to it. In addition to all this, the leader should make it known that breaks are allowed and
its okay to agree to disagree. Finally, its important that everyone involved be listening actively
and that I statements are used to express feelings and opinions.
Assessment
Karla Trautman works in the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service that is part of
the South Dakota State University (SDSU). The SDSUs Extension is focused on providing
reliable research in partner with Competitive Crop Systems, 4-H Youth Development,
Community Development, and others. Trautman is the program leader for Community
Development and has a masters degree in Education from South Dakota State University.
Trautman is also a specialist in leadership, and she does leadership development training for
community leadership groups and boards. This source is from 2007, which means that it is a little
outdated. However, the information remains relevant for leaders today.
Discussion
Its beneficial that Trautman describes the benefits and harms of each of the conflict
resolution strategy instead of only focusing on collaboration. Collaboration is usually
acknowledged as the best strategy, but it is helpful to know useful ways to use the other
strategies. As a leader pressed for time, a compromise might work better than collaboration if the
conflict is small. Its interesting to know that, according to Trautman, a leaders main roll in
conflict resolution should be the facilitator. While this could be helpful in solving a conflict

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between other members within a group, it doesnt benefit a leader who has conflict with a group
member themselves. This source would be more useful if it also explained how to resolve
personal conflicts.
Conclusion
Trautman offers an explanation of five conflict resolution strategies and an explanation of
how to resolve conflict in the position of a leader. This information could be even more useful if
Trautman also explained how to solve a personal conflict. However, in the study of leadership,
this information is relevant as it is important to foster a comfortable environment that isnt
necessarily conflict-free, but that can create friendships and trust between group members.
Effective conflict resolution skills aide this process, as group members wont hold resentments
over unresolved conflicts.

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Guiding Through Conflict
Summary
Dave Ramseys book Entreleadership has one main point about conflict: you should
avoid it at all costs. Ramsey speaks of avoiding it by presenting his idea to work only with those
you like. Basically he is saying that if you do not like someone and their ideas get rid of them
and try to find someone else. For example, when you are a business owner you are paying
employees to be there, why not pay people you actually want to work with and get rid of the ones
who argue with you. In general, people have a tendency to avoid people that argue with them
when choosing group members and they certainly do not volunteer to be a leader to them.
Assessment
characteristics you will need on your pathway to becoming a great leader. Dave Ramsey is the

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positive reviews are: Mike Hucklebee (former governor), Max Lucado (New York Times
any bias.
Ramsey thinks the best way to solve conflict is by avoiding it, he is wrong. You cant just
avoid everyone you do not like for the rest of your life. You need to try and resolve the issue and
have an open mind about things. Having an open mind about things is very helpful because you:
avoid fixed mindsets, take other opinions and ideas into consideration, and can reach a resolution
much faster. When someone has a fixed mindset, for example, about hating rap music they will
refuse to listen to it even if their friends suggest a new song to them. If they were to have an open
mind about rap music, even if they do not like it, they would listen to the song and take their
friends opinion into consideration when talking about it. If people were to fire or push away the
people they had conflict with, no one would be able to work with anyone; everyone disagrees at
some point. He also has a selfish attitude; he talks about getting rid of people even though they
are overqualified because they do not agree with him. The fact that he thinks that way is just
baffling because when people are overly qualified to do something for a group you are in you
cant afford to get rid of them.
Conclusion
Dave Ramsey is definitely having a turtle (avoiding) point of view when it comes to
conflict. He likes to avoid or get rid of people he has conflict with, which is not the answer. To

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improve his book, I would encourage him to have more of an open mind and be more thoughtful
of other people when in conflict. Having an open mind would not only help him become a better
leader but also help his followers understand how to deal with conflict in a productive way.
A Tale About Conflicts
Byrd, M. and S Edwards. "Leadership Development Studies A Humanities Approach." Homer.
The Illiad. Hayden-McNeil Publishing, 2014. 386-400.
Literature Review by: Makayla Kassa
Homer tells a war story called The Iliad. First told orally to later on be written down, it
starts in the final and tenth year of the Trojan War with two highly regarded Greeks in conflict.
Agamemnon, commander-in-chief of the Greeks, and Achilles, the best warrior for the Greeks,
arguing on what they deserve. Insulted by Agamemnon, Achilles makes the decision to withdraw
from the war, leaving his fellow men to suffer at the hands of the Trojans. Dishearten that
Achilles no longer fights alongside them, the Greeks continue to fight what seems like a losing
battle to conquer the Trojans. Achilles rejects any attempts at reconciliation to win back his favor
till when his beloved companion, Patroclus, takes Achilles armor and trick the men that he is
Achilles beside them once more. Unfortunately, Patroclus dies, devastating Achilles. With this,
Achilles rejoins the war and turns his wrath against the Trojans. This is a perfect example of how
not to handle a conflict of when personal needs or desires supersede the organization goals.
Leadership Development Studies A Humanities Approach is a collaborative work filled with
articles, characters, and related readings and films to help discover and learn about the different

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concepts relating to the term leadership. Put together by Monika Byrd and Susan Edwards, two
professors in position of teaching leadership and serving through leadership, they had full
support of the Phi Theta Kappa group whose mission is to inform and encourage students who
seek leadership opportunities. Not much is known about Homer expect that the epic tales, The
Iliad and The Odyssey, are attributed to him. Homer is told to be a bard, storyteller who executed
many roles around the 9th century. Since their isnt much known about Homer, no one can really
say hes a reliable source for leadership information; but his epic poem, The Iliad, is an excellent
source because it is more than a story about war but a dramatize tale how conflict can destroy a
foundation and shows what happens when the needs of one person and an organization are not in
sync (Byrd & Ewards, 2014).
With The Iliad, a lot of issues can be brought up: Why does Achilles let his feelings get
so hurt? Why does Agamemnon let his jealousy get in the way? Why are these two men so
stubborn? Why did Paris and Helen cause a war? Theres so much conflict either between the
characters or the war itself. I remember reading this epic and only liked one character who ended
up dying which broke my literature heart, making me hate that this war started on a pointless
conflict which carried on for years that ended a great man who wanted to raise a son instead fight
a war. If Paris and Helen had resolved their conflict with Agamemnons brother, there would not
be a war. If Achilles and Agamemnon did not fight about a deserving prize, Patroclus, much
loved by Achilles, would not have died in Achilles armor to finish a pointless war. The Iliad
deals with passion, strife, and insoluble dilemmas. There are no real villains, just victims of a
cruel circumstance in a tragic universe (Byrd & Edwards, 2014). Instead of people trying to
resolve these conflicts, all seeking individual needs to fulfill, they let their problems fester which
resulted the city of Troy burning, a lot of people dying, and the squeal story of Odysseus finding
his way home. If people had realized what actually their problems were instead of seeking what

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they thought they deserve, putting their needs over their whole groupmaybe death would have
not followed. In the modern time, Im not saying if you decide to be selfish in your own conflicts
someone is going to die but it does give you some perspective that if you are more concern with
yourself when trying to resolve a conflict instead of taking consideration to others, you will be
symbolically destroying a city and probably feel bad.
When I first read The Iliad, I had beforehand watched the movie which focused on
Achilles. I dove into the story rooting for the Greeks then I read the story. It surprised me how
so many people let their interpersonal conflicts arise and let be. So many deaths resulted in that,
including my favorite character. However, there are no true villains in this epic, just people
playing a part they were given. The Iliad emphasis that when a person lets their personal needs
trump over the goal of a group, balance is off and conflict maintains in turmoil. So when you are
in a situation that has a group counting on you and you are in conflict with another who holds
responsibility, dont let your personal needs get in the way. Label the conflict. Learn to conquer
it or move pass it.

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Chapter 9: Realizing Change
Image credit via Flickr user: internets_dairy
Empowering Your Employees to Empower Themselves
Goldsmith, M. Empowering Your Employees to Empower Themselves. Managing People,
Harvard Business Review. April, 2010,
https://hbr.org/2010/04/empowering-your-employees-to-e, Accessed on, November 8th, 2016.
Reviewed by Rose Richards

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Summary
Empowering Your showcases the idea that a leader cannot empower followers, however,
leaders can help followers empower themselves. Leaders need to create and encourage a
decision-making environment, encourage employees, along with giving employees the tools
they need to make and act on their decisions. This outline for helping followers empower
themselves requires patience, but the payoff of an empowered confident workforce is worth it.
Moreover, a leader can begin four simple tasks to create a safe working environment,
which is a key component the previous idea. The first step involves building a growth-minded
workforce. Another task is giving responsibility to those who have shown they can handle it.
Thirdly, leaders cannot second-guess their employees until the leader thoroughly needs to.
Continuing, leaders need to give employees autonomy and discretion over their tasks and
resources. In essence, leaders need to provide followers with needed resources, and let the
followers build themselves up.
Assessment
The article comes from the Harvard Business Review Press, and was written by Marshall
Goldsmith. The Harvard Business Review Press is an online organization that publishes articles
about management and how it works today. The publisher has real world locations on every
continent, but Antarctica, which shows that the organization's work is worldwide accepted and
approved. The author, Marshall Goldsmith, is also world-renowned. He is an accomplished
leader, and business educator, thus making him a leading expert in his field. Lastly, his article is
well-written, his paragraphs flow together, and it is free of any errors.

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Discussion
This article is interesting and important because it humanizes employees. Employees
were mostly looked at as a part of a machine, something to get the job done as efficiently as
possible. However, that view is changing, and this article shows how far its changed. The point
of the idea, have the most efficient work, hasnt changed, but the way to get it has. This is shown
in Empowering Employees, because it states, that for people to work most efficiently, they need
to be treated like people. Ones who can handle responsibility, are to be given discretion and
autonomy of decision. Similarly, employees, like everyone else, work best in a safe
growth-minded environment.
To expand, the fourth task is summarized with, give people discretion and autonomy
over their tasks and resources.. Basically, let people have control over what they are hired to do,
and let them handle it how they see fit. Mistakes will be made, but the outcome, of empowered
and confident decision-making workforce, is worth a few mistakes. A more confident and
positive workforce will also work faster, and accumulate less mistakes over time, leading to
more efficient work. Thus, making it a win-win situation for everyone.
Additionally, this article reflects transformational leadership values, such as: working
with subordinates, using inspiration or empowerment to build them up, and creating change with
involved group members. This article explains how to create the best environment for people to
empower themselves, and encourages leaders to hand over responsibility to deserving followers.
Additionally, another point that is visited several times by the author is to work with followers.
To talk to them, figure out what is wrong, what can be improved, how to create and maintain a
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Conclusion
This article is made for people who are interested in transformational leadership. The
author is world-renown in leadership, and it shown in the high-quality of his writing.
Additionally, it is very suitable and practical, showing his coaching side. The world is changing
to a more humanized approach, and this article embraces that idea.
How to Implement Change in Practice.
Gesme, Dean, and Marian Wiseman. "How to Implement Change in Practice." Journal of
Oncology Practice. American Society of Clinical Oncology, Sept. 2010. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2936472/>.
Summary
In How to Implement Change in Practice Dean Gesme, with input from Marian
Wiseman, explains how to implement change in an organization of equals and deal with those
who resist change. This advice was written for an audience of practitioners, so it is focused
toward that specific type of organization. Gesme starts by stating that change is important, and
he then lists what is essential to change. One of these things is collaboration; everyone must have
a shared vision and agree on the change. Another of these things is an effective structure of

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leadership within an organization; the leaders should be able to understand, explain, commit to,
and provide support for the change at hand while others are trusting enough to follow. It is also
necessary to create an environment that is conducive to change; all members of the organization
should be committed to and comfortable with the change. A way to make people within an
organization more comfortable with a change is providing information about what it would entail
and what the benefits could be.
Gesme suggests that a leader should contact resisters to change as soon as possible. Its
stated that people usually resist change out of fear, and one way a leader can make them more
comfortable is to have a conversation with them and actively listen to their reasons not to
change. Explaining how the change could be beneficial or trying the new change on a trial basis
could help in changing the resisters perspective, but Gesme believes that anyone who isnt fully
on board with a new change should be let go.
Assessment
Dean Gesme is a leading practitioner at the Plymouth WestHealth Clinic, and he is a part
of Medicinal Oncology with the University of Minnesota. He is affiliated with the American
Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, the American College of
Physicians, the American College of Physician Executives, and many more organizations.
Gesme has done a wide variety of research since at least 1987, and he certified in Internal
Medicine, Medicinal Oncology, and as a Certified Physician Executive (CPE). Mary Wiseman is
the owner of her own company dedicated to editing and research: Wiseman Communications.
This source was published in 2010 which means it is a little old, but its not too old for the field
of leadership.

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Discussion
Gesme believes strongly that everyone in an organization should be willing to change; he
even believes that someone should be fired if they dont share the same vision as the rest of the
group. This could be troublesome for leaders. While this approach can make sense while
thinking short-term, it could lead to a loss of trust and creativity in the long-run. If followers
realize that they could be punished for having a different opinion or not being completely sure
about a new change, they could be sacred into not sharing further opinions and lose trust in their
leader. While Gesme does suggest that a leader approach resisters and listen to their reasoning,
ultimately, if the resister doesnt align with the leaders vision Gesme suggests removing them
from the group. The resister that was removed could have had many good ideas that they never
got a chance to share or were too scared to share. Even the followers who shared the leaders
vision could start to lose trust in the leader once they find that others were removed from the
group for having a dissenting opinion.
Conclusion
While Gesme does provide some good advice for realizing change, such as fostering
good communication and an environment the encourages change, using his advice on letting
someone go when they resist changewhich could be good advice in a practitioners
situationmay lead to trouble for people in general leadership positions. Its important that
leaders think critically about Gesmes article; not every leadership position is the same, and
every leader should apply different practices to different situations.
I Love a Protestor. You Don't Need Answers- Just Questions.

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Moran, Caitlin. I Love a Protestor. You Don't Need Answers- Just Questions. Moranthology.
HarperCollins, 2012.
Literature Review by Lauren Crabtree.
I have had numerous experiences where I will be talking about one societal problem or
another with someone, and upon saying it needs to be solved, I am asked how one could go about
solving it. Sometimes I have an answer, but equally often, I either will not have worked out all
the details or will not have an answer at all. Sadly, the misconception that anyone who is trying
to help make a change should have all the answers is all too common, and Caitlin Moran
addresses this in her article on protestors, stating that rather than expecting everyone to be able to
do everything when it comes to making a change, certain people have certain roles.
As someone who is both a journalist and a participant in protests, Moran has been
involved firsthand in both sides of the issue she is assessing, both providing answers and asking
questions. Her credibility could be improved more if she took on other positions of leadership
(such as becoming a politician) that would directly involve her in the decision-making that would
bring about change on a large scale, but aside from that, her information is quite credible.
Moran begins her article by stating that protestors do their part by putting themselves
somewhere that they normally wouldn'tor shouldn'tbe, and by being the odd thing out that is
difficult to ignore, they draw attention to the problem that is present. I believe that this idea
applies to the concept of realizing change in general: if there's something wrong with a situation
and the person in charge is aware of it (no matter how they were made aware of it), they can try
to ignore it, but they won't be able to for long. Moran then brings up the main argument against
protestorsthat they frequently fail to say what their solution to the crisis at hand would be

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and immediately counters it, saying that If we insist protestors must shut up unless they have
answers, we are confusing them with columnists, academics, advisors, politicians. She instead
compares them to question marks, and the question they ask of authority figures is What are
you going to do about this?. Their role in realizing change is to be motivators, identifying and
pointing out the problem, just one of many roles taken on by many people to make a change.
This article illustrates that different people can do different things when it comes to
helping make a change, and I would show this article to anyone who is interested in learning
more about change on a large scale or who believes the aforementioned misconception that
everyone trying to make a change must have all the answers in relation to the problem. If
someone believes their actions are not making enough of an impact, this article would also be
beneficial for them to readIt certainly affected my own opinion on change.
We Were Treated Like Adults
Greenhalgh, Trisha et al. We Were Treated Like Adults: Development Of A Pre-Medicine
Summer School For 16 Year Olds From Deprived Socioeconomic Backgrounds: Action
Research Study. BMJ: British Medical Journal, vol. 332, no. 7544, 2006, pp. 762766.
www.jstor.org/stable/25456525.
Reviewed by Devon Charlier
Summary
This article details a case study examining the impact of taking a group of adolescents of
lower socioeconomic statuses that are interested in pursuing medicine as a career and placing

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them in a pre-medicine summer program. According to the authors of the article, Greenhalgh et
al., even though there are efforts in place to encourage students from underprivileged
backgrounds to apply to medical school, often, many either do not apply or do not graduate. The
authors hoped to utilize the summer program to instill confidence in, build support for, and
provide information to such students. All of these aspects were implemented with the main goal
of increasing their capabilities and motivations to succeed.
The study was structured so that the students were chosen through an extensive selection
process. They worked with schools in proximity to their location to identify the best candidates,
which was determined by factors such as whether or not they were a first generation college
student, recommendation by a teacher, and interest in the medical professions. Then, candidates
were interviewed individually. Forty-one total students, with an array of backgrounds, were
selected for the program.
Furthermore, the program was designed with their goals in mind, by providing a mentor
medical student for each participant, by exposing them to a variety of medical disciplines
(ideally presented by successful professionals from a diverse range of backgrounds), and by
facilitating a variety of mentally-stimulating, team-building, and confidence-building activities.
The facilitators and mentors also mindfully emphasized respect for their peers, leaders, and
themselves, throughout the entirety of the program.
This studys results mainly depended on feedback from the participantsthe students,
medical students, and guests. This feedback was qualitative, in the form of quotes and
unprompted comments regarding the students high level of engagement (p. 764). Additionally,
the article examines the pertinence of the study to the current literature on the subject.
Greenhalgh et al. advocate that the study was successful as a short-term endeavor and clarified

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that further data regarding the participants lives must be collected to determine the long term
potential of the summer program.

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Assessment
The authors of this source are all part of the Department of Primary Care and Population
Sciences at the University College London. The leader of this collaborative team, Trisha
Greenhalgh, is a professor in the department of Primary Health Care, there. The other authors
hold positions like non-clinical lecturers, clinical lecturers, and medical students. Furthermore,
the journal in which this article is published, BMJ: British Medical Journal, is highly-regarded in
the realm of academia and the medical sciences. These aspects lend to the credibility of the
information conveyed in the source.
Discussion
This article is powerful in that it applies leadership and motivation theory to improve a
complex issue (the phenomenon that people who are underprivileged in some way will likely be
unsuccessful at applying to or remaining in a medical school program). By applying theoretical
ideas to formulate an innovative solution, the researchers created a model that has the potential
for replication within and beyond its focus on the medical field. The article mainly spends its
time explaining what they did to choose the participants and formulate the programs and why
those things were important to their goals. This was helpful in that it allowed the reader to
identify what aspects of the program were essential for success and why. Also helpful, as a part
of their results section, Greenhalgh et al. present their majorly positive outcomes. For example,
the vast majority of participants felt that their confidence had increased throughout the program.
They also included participant, mentor, and guest quotes that supported that the program was, in
fact, successful.
Potentially the most impactful component of the study is their Discussion section (pg.
765). This section summarized pertinent literature regarding educational success trends for the

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relevant student demographic and connected that literature to the study. For example, the authors
explain that certain studies led them to thoughtfully incorporate group work into their program.
They also detailed several specific effects that were proposed by the literature and confirmed by
their observations of the summer program.
Throughout the article, the authors make it clear that the lack of projected success for this
demographic of students was not due to incapability, but rather the reduced likelihood that these
students would have an adequate support system, enough resources, and low confidence levels.
By identifying these factors, the authors move the fault away from the students and onto the
situation. Their summer program empowers the students and provides the tools (academically,
experientially, mentally, and emotionally) for students to be successful, despite their situation.
Connecting these concepts to leadership studies, a study like this emphasizes how leaders who
implement empathy and social support can amplify motivation, regardless of how difficult the
situation.
This source does lack somewhat in that it presents qualitative data regarding an extremely
small sample size of 41 participants. This type of summer program model, now that it might be
deemed successful, should be replicated multiple times before concluding that it is effective.
Additionally, as the authors point out, the studys success is limited to the short-term. This
particular article could not detail how successful this group of students was at applying, being
admitted to, and graduating medical school programs. Although these researchers, evidently, will
be obtaining such information, the articles power and pertinence is reduced somewhat without
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Conclusion
Greenhalgh et al. present a valuable study in which a select group of teenage students
from deprived socioeconomic backgrounds are given the opportunity to attend a summer
pre-medical school program in which theoretical concepts such as group work, mentoring, and
peer support systems are applied (762). The goal of this study was to identify and test a potential
solution to a problematic trend where students from such backgrounds fail to apply to or
graduate from medical school. The results of this a particular small scale, short term study are
overwhelmingly positive, as the great majority of participants left with increased motivation,
confidence, and knowledge, as well as a support system of peers and pre-medical student
mentors.
This study could be improved upon by: 1) expanding and replicating it to impact and
evaluate a much larger set of participants and 2) including a long-term look at how such a
program affects medical school application, admission, and completion, as well as to evaluate
overall success.
This study, as well as others like it, display the importance of qualitative
techniquesthrough cultivating personal investment, cognitive stimulation, peer support,
confidence, and moreto motivate people. Leaders in any field can apply the methodology
utilized in this study to motivating their followers. Ultimately, the constant reinforcementthat
[they] believed in the students could be identified as the most influential technique. Further
research into this concept could lend to a more effective, empathetic leadership style
emphasizing encouragement. Studies like these lend to the idea that such an approach might
improve the comprehensive well-being and success of a person, rather than focusing solely on
one facet, like productivity or academic achievement.

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How to Motivate Individuals
Sager, Donald J. "Leadership and Employee Motivation." Supervision of Employees in Libraries.
N.p.: n.p., n.d. 49-55. Print.
https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/537/Sager_Leadership.pdf?sequence=2
Lit review by Chris Jackson
Summary
Sager states that to decide how to properly motivate someone, the leader needs to know
what the individual likes or needs from his work. To get this information, the leader needs to ask
for specific examples. Studies have shown that people value achievement for motivation the
most; people want something visual and tangible from their work. Next on the list is recognition
or appreciation from their supervisors. Third, is enjoying the work that they are doing; its harder
to motivate people that dont like their field of work. The fourth thing on the list is increased
responsibility. Fifth, being able to advance through the organization to higher ranks gives people
something to strive for. And finally, opportunities to learn new things and grow.
In the same studies used to find the information in the previous paragraph is a list of
things people dont like about their jobs and what demotivates them. First on the list is restrictive
policies/administration. If a policy restricts a person from providing a service to someone, they
will become frustrated. Second on the list is poor supervision; this happens when the manager is
unsupportive or incompetent. Third, when the interpersonal relationships are poor. People prefer
to work with people they like and get along with. Fourth is poor working conditions; the

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environment being too noisy or low bad lighting etc. Fifth is having a low salary. Finally, having
low status and lack of job security will demotivate a person.
Sager believes that in order to help manage a person with a lot of self-motivation, it is
best to stay out of their way. This just means that the leader shouldnt try to set goals for that
person, they should still help by giving positive feedback and reassurance on their work. By
letting the workers be creative and express themselves they will be happier at work. However,
almost 30 years later, current society may have different perceptions of what motivates them and
demotivates them.
Evaluation
This book was published in 1979, so it may be a little out of date. But, the author refers to
examples that are relevant today such as college students no longer just accepting low skill jobs
while getting their degree. The author was a librarian. He included examples from his experience
with being the leader of the library and overseeing his employees. He also lists outside references
and studies for the content of this chapter.
Discussion
Surprisingly not first on the list of motivating things is positive feedback and
encouragement from the leader. This seems to be a major motivating factor for people because
no one likes to do work to not have it noticed. Another interesting thing from the chapter is that
restrictive policies and administration ranks number one for things that demotivate people. It is
important when trying to motivate people to keep the things that motivate people and demotivate
people, because appraising a worker once in awhile will only boost their motivation for a short

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while unless it is reinforced. Dont focus on just adding motivating factors, remove demotivating
factors like a poor work environment.
Summary
Sager states that the top 6 motivating factors are: achievement, recognition, enjoying their
field of work, increasing responsibility, having advancement through the company/ organization,
and opportunity to grow their knowledge and/or skills. People in management may be able to use
this chapter for a guide on how to motivate workers, but they should also seek other sources with
newer content as this source may be out of date for the current work force. Teachers in schools
can also use a few of the points such as acknowledging their students work and giving positive
feedback to help them improve.
Resource 6

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Chapter 10: Empowering Others
Image credit via Flickr user: The U.S. Army
Servant Leadership: Accepting and Maintaining the Call of Service
N, Jenette. "Section 2. Servant Leadership: Accepting and Maintaining the Call of Service."
Chapter 13. Orienting Ideas in Leadership. Community Tool Box, 2016. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
<http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/leadership-ideas/servant-leadership/main>.

154
Summary
In the Community Tool Boxs Chapter 13: Section 2, Servant Leadership: Accepting and
Maintaining the Call of Service, Jenette Nagy starts by explaining what servant leadership is and
the qualities of a servant leader. Servant leaders are those who choose to lead not to gain wealth
and fame, but to do something good and honest with their power. Servant leaders consider
themselves equal to their followers, building a strong team and even becoming a follower when
necessary. Servant leaders pay attention to small details as well as big picture stuff, constantly
seeking the opinions of others. When someone else in the organization doesnt agree, a servant
leader does not yell or fight; servant leaders have honest discussions with others and try to
understand others opinions while explaining their own. Servant leaders can also adapt to
specific situations, and they know how to delegate. Although very diverse, most servant leaders
inspire others to serve through honesty, awareness, empathy, passion, the ability to overcome
obstacles, and joyfulness.
As a servant leader, always serving others and taking no time for oneself can make a
leader become tired or want to give up. Nagy suggests that servant leaders take time to care for
themselves while helping others. The best activity for a servant leader would be one that helps
others and oneself at the same time. Servant leaders need to take moments out of their day for
meditation, a run, or anything that can help collect them. Nagy also suggests that servant leaders
read for creativity, and that they have strong support from peers. Another way to stay inspired as
a leader is to take on challenges and celebrate small victories while keeping the big picture in
mind.
Assessment

155
Discussion
According to Nagy, one way servant leaders should take care of themselves is through
their relationships with others. Nagy also states that servant leaders should listen to and care
about their followers. By building strong relationships with their followers, servant leaders are
helping their own personal needs and inspiring their followers to serve at the same time. In this
way, servant leaders can strive to inspire and empower others while inspiring and empowering
themselves. Nagy talks about the need for servant leaders to stay inspired through self-care,
but a more appropriate word to use in this situation is empowered. Being healthy and refreshed
gives servant leaders the ability, or empowers them, to continue their work on a big-picture goal.
Conclusion
Servant leaders have the special ability to empower others to work together towards a
common goal. Leading as an equal, servant leaders have the ability to step back and let others
use their skills, which empowers them to become leaders themselves. In this article, Nagy offers
valuable advice on personal empowerment and empowerment of others; it is a must read for any
leader who wants to create real change.
Ways to Empower Others

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Bulach, Clete. "Nine Ways Leaders Can Motivate Employees." State University of West
Georgia. State University of West Georgia, n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
http://www.westga.edu/~cbulach/sclimate/powertypology.htm.
Summary
Summary
The author writes about 9 ways to motivate employees to get them motivated to be on
task. Only 5 of the methods empower the employees, the other 4 depower the employee. This
review will focus on the methods that empower the individuals. The ways to empower
individuals are through: information, expertise, personality, ego, and moral power. Leaders can
use information to get the employee involved in decision making by supplying them with
information as to why they should complete a task. Expertise empowerment is granted to the
employee from the leader physically teaching them how to do a task; the employee then has the
expertise to do the task and they have the power to take action. Personality motivation is that a
leader has enough charisma that the employee intrinsically motivates themselves to fulfill the
leader's wishes. Ego is used to empower others by saying things such as You did a great job on
this project, can you also help take responsibility on the next project? But ego can also be used
in a negative way by igniting competition by making statements such as This other organization
is producing a better product than us, are they better than us? The right people will take this as a
challenge and strive to improve. Moral power is when the employee is given a set of guidelines,
a vision or mission, and given the freedom to operate in any way that follows the guidelines.

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Evaluation
This source is written by a Leadership Professor at the State University of West Georgia.
The article is a literature review of over 15 sources ranging from 1958-1999. This may mean that
some of the information in the article is no longer relevant, but the information extracted for the
purpose of this lit review appears to be relevant today. Bulach is currently a part of a consulting
agency that provides training of leadership skills in human relations, conflict management, and
group management.
Discussion
The article talks about the downsides to the different methods of empowerment. The
downside of information is that the more information that is given, the more room for error and
misinterpretation is present. For expertise to not be seen as showing off, the leader needs to
develop trust and the employee needs to feel the employer cares about them. Using personality to
empower people is not effective in the long run, because the employee will soon begin to have
negative thoughts whenever they see the leader and assume they want another favor done. Trying
to stroke someone's ego is difficult to judge, because they might not respond as it is intended for
them to act. If using negative ego to ignite competition, the person may do the opposite and give
up before the task is started. If one method appears ineffective, the leader should try a different
method of empowerment.
Conclusion
The article explains 5 different ways to make individuals feel empowered. The 5 methods
are: providing information so the individual can make their own decisions, teach the individual
how to complete tasks through expertise, use charisma and personality to intrinsically motivate

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people to fulfill the leader's wishes, stroke the individuals ego negatively or positively to get
them motivated into action, and through setting moral guidelines for the individual so they have
independence but are still on track with the mission or vision of the leader. This information can
be used in groups, organizations, and at work to help motivate people into action. These methods
can even help those not in power, as the individual could use one of them to motivate their
employer to change a policy or method.

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Four Ways Empowering Leadership Enables Empowered Employees
Bret L. Simmons Four Ways Empowering Leadership Enables Empowered Employees David
Burkus, 12 Dec. 2010,
http://davidburkus.com/2010/09/four-ways-empowering-leadership-enables-empowered-employ
ees/
Literature Review by Kaycee Loftis
Summary
Empowered employees believe 1) their work is personally important, 2) they have the
ability to successfully perform tasks, 3) they have the freedom to choose how to initiate and
carry out tasks, and 4) their personal behavior at work contributes to important outcomes.
(Spreitzer, 1995). This sense of meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact enables
employees to perform their work with initiative and persistence. But some employees want to be
empowered more than others. When an employee's empowerment is low, the empowering leader
can help them in four ways: Enhance the meaningfulness of work, Foster participation in
decision making, Express confidence in high performance, and Provide autonomy from
bureaucratic constraints.
Evaluation
This article was published on Sunday, September 12th, 2010 by Bret L. Simmons.
Simmons, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Management at The University of Nevada, Reno.

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Simmons earned his doctorate in Business Administration at Oklahoma State University. Bret
blogs about leadership and social business at his website Positive Organizational Behavior.
Davidburkus.com was created by David Burkus. He is a best-selling author, award-winning
podcaster, and associate professor of management at Oral Roberts University. Hes delivered
keynotes to the leaders of Fortune 500 companies and the future leaders of the United States
Naval Academy. David is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review and Forbes.
Discussion:
Making employees feel empowered can seem like a daunting task for employers, but it is
crucial and easier than it seems. Bret L. Simmons gave four helpful suggestions for making
employees feel empowered. He says to enhance the meaningfulness of work. Employers can do
this by helping employees understand the purpose, goals, and objectives of the company. They
can also help employees understand the importance of their work to the overall effectiveness of
the company.
Another step they can try is to foster participation in decision making by consult
employees on decisions that affect them and sharing decision making responsibility with
employees.
Employers can as express confidence in high performance by letting employees know
you believe they have the ability to improve even when they make mistakes and letting
employees know you believe they can handle demanding tasks.
Lastly they can try providing autonomy from bureaucratic constraints by allowing
employees to make important decisions quickly to satisfy customer needs and by keeping rules
and regulations simple and allowing employees freedom in the way they perform the job.

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The assumptions you make about your employees drive your behavior toward them. Behave
toward them in ways that will change their assumptions about your role and their personal role in
the work that they do. Help them behave in ways that conform to these new and more
empowered assumptions. Empowering leadership can create empowered employees, and
empowered employees can create better solutions to your shared problems.
Conclusion
Employers aren't the only ones that are faced with the task of trying to motivate others.
These tips can help whenever youre put in a leadership position. Empowerment has a significant
effect on employee creativity. Empowered employees demonstrate higher intrinsic motivation
and were also more engaged in the creative process of identifying problems, searching for
information, and generating unique ideas to solve problems. Some would argue that not all jobs
require creativity. But all jobs encounter problems, and when those problems inevitably occur,
its both more efficient and more effective to rely on the creativity of your employees to help
plan and implement the solutions.

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Empowering your employees to empower themselves
Marshall Goldsmith, "Empowering Your Employees to Empower Themselves". hbr.org.
Retrieved 08-Nov-2016.
Summary
Empowerment is the action of giving power and freedom to people to take responsibility
and make themselves succeed. But what exactly does that mean and how is it carried out? Well
according to Marshall Goldsmith, it mainly involves respect. People dont feel empowered if all
their actions are dictated by higher ups, and if information only goes down the chain and never
up it. It is found that when people have the power, they act more responsibly and more
productively. Though it does take some time to make people comfortable with the freedom that
they need, the payoff off commitment and motivation is well-worth the cost.
Goldsmith also goes through four practices to help build an environment to encourage
empowerment. The first practice is to give power to those who can handle it. We as leaders must
gain the ability to see those who handle responsibility and continue to give it to them. The
second practice is to create a favorable environment. We must make sure that people are
encouraged to use their skills and develop them. The third is to not second-guess people. Unless
it is absolutely necessary, second-guessing only reduces their confidence and will prevent further
sharing of ideas. Finally the fourth practice is to give discretion. People need the autonomy to

163
pick their tasks and their sources so that they feel like they have control. In fact the giving of
control is really the key to empowerment. Though these steps can sometimes be a bit hard, the
benefits of creating an empowering environment far outweigh the cost and are shared by both the
leader and the group.
Assessment
Currency. This article was posted in late April 2010. Relevance. This article focused on
creating an empowering environment and the effects of empowerment, which seems to be
perfectly aligned the topic on that subject. Authority. Dr. Goldsmith is recognized as a chief
educator and coach. He received his PhD from UCLA Anderson School of Management in 1977.
The website that published his article is the Harvard Business Review. HBR is an accredited
website founded and ran by Harvard University. Accuracy. This article presents a very basic and
straightforward approach, but it does lack references and seems to rely on personal experience of
the author. Purpose. The purpose of this piece seemed to educate. Most of the content was advice
for action.
Discussion
This article straightforwardly presents the benefits and necessary actions to create an
empowering environment. Empowerment is effective because, as Goldsmith states, people like
some control. People like to be able and do thing by themselves and reap the rewards. To achieve
empowerment of the group, the leaders part is mainly facilitating that new found responsibility,
and answering the needs that the group will have. But something that the article did not get
hugely into was the pros and cons of empowerment itself. Other articles such as Employee
Empowerment - Good or Bad by mangementstudyguide.com

164
(http://managementstudyguide.com/employee-empowerment.htm ) we can see a little bit more
clearly the costs and benefits of making an empowering environment. In that article, we see that
empowerment can lead to a lot of pros such as creativity, autonomy, motivation, and workplace
satisfaction, but on the other hand the acceptance of responsibility can have some cons such as
egotism and arrogance, as well as a huge increase of risk because most employees lack complete
comprehension of their tasks. So in the end empowerment can be very good, but can have some
bad side effects if not delegated correctly. So we must find a sort of happy medium of the two
articles. So that we can create an empowering environment that deters arrogance and shrinks
most risks while still encouraging innovation and responsibility.
Conclusion
Ultimately, this article provided a means to create an empowering environment and
helping make good empowering role models. The article does a good job presenting ways to
improve the empowerment of employees, though the concepts and tips it gave are not exclusive
and would work in almost all leadership situations. The main problem with the article is that it
lacks specific sources and seems to depend mostly on the personal experience of the author, but
on the other hand the article is supported by other sources in its conclusions and methods.
Furthermore, the uses of this article could be quite broad as the information is pretty central to
empowerment, but it is very effective specifically in the situation of management and employees.
I personally found this article quite enlightening, and I will try to divvy up the power more in my
leadership to encourage people to take responsibility and act more autonomously.

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Empowerment
Literature Review by Emily Felsheim
Summary
In Ramseys book, Entreleadership, he has one main theory on how to empower
yourself: The Golden Circle. The Golden Circle is composed of three rings which create a
bullseye. The center ring is why, the middle ring is how, and the outer ring is what. Dave
explains how many people know what they are trying to achieve and how they are going to
achieve it however, few feel empowered to accomplish it because they do not know why they
want to achieve it. When most people are told to do something, they figure out how to do it and it
gets done but not many take the time to think about why they do it. A high school student may
do their math homework but never understand why they must learn math. Once people figure out
why they are doing something they have more energy and power to get it done. Another scenario
could be once the person figures out why they are doing something, they could realize they may
not like it and find something else that empowers them.
Assessment

166
any bias.
The metaphor of the bullseye is very helpful because it puts each word into perspective.
The bulls-eye is something that you want to hit when you are playing darts. The middle ring is
still good but not exactly what you are thinking of and the outer ring is not important to hit when
playing darts so it is completely forgotten about. Why should be the center ring because it is the
most important thing to figure out and it will help empower you to reach your goals. The middle
ring is how because not everyone completely understands how they are going to reach their
goals, but they usually have some idea. Lastly, the outer ring is what because everyone has goals
and are aware of what their goals are; they do not have to put much thought into it.
Conclusion
Overall, this section of his book is helpful because it gives a good metaphor that can help
his readers empower themselves to reach their goals and get things done.

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Motivation
Clear, J. Motivation: The Scientific Guide on How To Get and Stay Motivated. James Clear,
2016, http://jamesclear.com/motivation, Accessed on October 26th, 2016.
Reviewed by Rose Richards
Summary
James Clears blog post about motivation grows around the idea that people forget one
major step in becoming motivated: creating time for the task. To build this idea, he defines
motivation as the tipping point where it becomes easier to change, to take action, than it is to stay
the same. When people dont complete this step, they end up hoping or wishing that they will
feel motivated. They dont set aside time to encourage that feeling. James goes on to state that
the previous sentence is a main difference between professionals and amateurs. Professionals
create habits to make themselves motivated for a task, amateurs wait to feel motivated before
beginning a task.
Moreover, professionals create rituals and habits that ease them into the wanted task.
James describes these actions as pre-game routines. If one wants to have a stress-free morning,
one needs to create a pre-game routine that will get them up and moving. That pre-game routine
can be anything from using spite to get out of bed to the allure of savoring a cup of coffee.
Nevertheless, if one doesnt stick with the routine, they will fail at creating the desired effect, no
matter what the routine consists of. To feel motivated on a regular basis, a habit to create that
feeling is the singularly important part of the equation. Once the time and routine for the task has
been made, repetition will do the rest.

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James Clear begins his conclusion with how to stay motivated in the long run. Finding
the Goldilock Zone for challenges and figuring out what to do when the motivation fades
comprise this section. In regards to the Goldilock Zone challenge, one cannot have a task too
easy or too hard. Both will lead to loss of motivation in the challenge. On the other hand, if one
finds a challenge that is just right, one will be proportionally challenged and capable, which
leads to increased motivation and happiness. Consequently, if such a challenge is found and
pursued, then a state called flow is easily reached. James describes the state of flow as when one
is so intently focused on the task that the rest of the world fades away.
Nevertheless, James points out that motivation will fade. Therefore, he provides several
suggestions on how to stay on task until it returns. Viewing ones mind as a suggestion engine is
the first proposition. Right now it may be suggestion to give up, but James encourages people to
take a moment a listen to all the suggestions. The give up one may be the loudest, but the mind
will also suggest how good one will feel when the task is completed. Remember that the mind is
giving suggestions, and that one can choose which path they want to follow. The next two
complement each other. Discomfort is fleeting, and one will rarely regret the good work once its
done. James Clear ends with the fact that life is a constant struggle between distraction and
discipline. That our identities are made up of all those daily battles and decisions to either stick
with it or give it up.
Assessment
This blog has no timestamp, so date of creation and updates are unknown. The
terminology is current, as are the examples used, such as referring to an iPhone charger, which
suggests a recent publication. This decreases the overall assessment, because readers dont know

169
how current his research sources are. On the other hand it is a great piece to work with, all the
links work, so its functional. The currency, nonetheless, can only be speculated.
Additionally, the piece answers both search questions: what is motivation, and how can it
be used in regards to leading. The first section outright states what James Clear thinks motivation
is. The second question can be answered by extracting the concepts and applying them to a
group. Similarly, a important point of rituals and habits is comprehensively explained. Both
concepts are important for leaders to understand if they want motivated and creative work. The
writing style is engaging and the writing level is appropriate for his audience. Anyone can read
his posts, and he wants a large audience.
James Clear is a writer, photographer, and teacher. He posts about new research done in
behavioral psychology, performance enhancement, and habit formation in a way the general
public can understand. He also interviews top performers in a multitude of fields, along with
recording his own success at applying the techniques he simplifies. He doesnt share if he has or
doesnt have any degrees in the fields hes explaining. Alternatively, he and his work is well
received online, so his apparent self-taught background is credible. Additionally, most of his
credibility comes from the sites that showcase his work, such as the Huffington Post or
Entrepreneur. Nothing official can be found to back his authority up, however his writing shows
he knows what hes explaining. Its up to the reader to decide whether or not to believe his
authority.
James Clear explains the effect he calls physics of productivity, where once one is
moving on a task, it is easier to keep moving, and connects it with Newton's First Law. He then
moves to stating that the first step should be small which allows one to smoothly begin. This
example is one of many that shows how he uses logic and relatable examples to connect his
theories. Within the section talking about making motivation a habit, James uses personal

170
examples to further simplify his steps. Additionally, showing how he uses the theories adds more
credibility to his writing. Consequently, this gives his writing emotion which allows him to
engage his readers. Dry and strictly academic writing wouldnt achieve the impact his writing
has. However, it is up to the individual reader to decide the personal impact of his work. Another
advantage is that his writing has no spelling, grammar, or organizational errors.
In essence, the purpose of Motivation: The Scientific is to entice new readers and inform
all of them. He is also simultaneously selling a product. For instance, at at the end he encourages
readers to consume more of his work.
Discussion
The first two ideas James talks about is how he defines motivation and how active
motivation is more powerful than passive motivation. To recap, he defines motivation as the
tipping point where change becomes more preferable than staying the same. That definition of
motivation is useful to leaders because it gives them a starting point for a rewards system. If
leaders make the price of remaining the same higher than the price of change, then theyll get
more motivated workers. Alternately, if a leader wants to lead with positivity, they can increase
the reward and decrease the price of changing, therefore creating an environment where
followers will be more open to change, thus causing more followers to be motivated.
Active inspiration is described as personally starting a small action and building on it
until one feels the motivation to continue. Passive inspiration is when one consumes an uplifting
or inspirational form of entertainment, like a video. One is not actively creating the motivation,
they are simply being passively influenced by another's. Leaders need to understand that the
more followers who use active inspiration are more likely to complete their tasks. Followers who

171
use passive inspiration will start to fall behind and need more inspiring entertainment, in this
case videos, to complete the task.
Additionally, most of the friction to begin a new habit, or more likely for a leader, a new
regulation, occurs when it is first introduced. Most of the accumulated motivation is used then,
and the required amount of motivation drops the closer one gets to the end. Accordingly, leaders
need to be prepared for a lot of resistance at the beginning. One way is to provide active
inspiration opportunities to create a higher completion rate among the followers. James Clear
continues this idea by suggesting to start small, with small enough tasks that followers cannot
say no. Then the leader can take a passive role and enable the followers to build the tasks up, or
keep the active role and outline the desired path and end result. One positive point for the first
path, is that it allows the followers a more active role, giving them the active inspiration they
need to complete the project or follow the regulation.
Another difficulty in building motivation is not knowing where to start. For leaders this
means that the clarity of the first step influences how motivated followers will be to complete the
task. Knowing and communicating when to start and when to set aside time for the new task or
regulation are simultaneously important. If followers have too many tasks or regulation to
follow, then they wont have time for all of them. They may begin to cut corners, or simply quit
a task because no time has been given to complete it. In essence, leaders need to have time
management and communication skills to assign the right number of tasks to the right people.
Once a schedule for the new actions has been established, leaders need to ensure
followers are fulfilling it. One way to assure this is to enable followers to customize rituals
around the new tasks or regulations. This will influence the followers sense of identity and
personalize at least a part of the new task to the individual. This also provides followers with a
pre-game routine. James describes it as an action that makes starting habits easier and

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increases the consistency of following through with the task. One complication leaders need to
be aware of, involves followers making complex and hard pre-game routines. Followers who
have those kinds of pre-game routine will have less strength to continue the task when it builds
to the more difficult and challenging steps. Leaders need to ensure followers keep the pre-game
routine as simple and automatic as possible for the best overall performance.
Another element in making motivation a habit is having the direction of the routine be
towards the end goal. This can mean, for followers to physically move, or it can simply mean
actions that lead to the end goal. For instance, if someone wants to be motivated to run, the end
task is physically running. If someone, however, wants to be motivated to write, the end task is
physically writing. One goal has more physical activity than the other, but both involve it.
Leaders need to make sure followers are moving in the right direction, and correct the path if
they are moving in a wrong direction.
Additionally, the pre-game routine needs to be followed the same way every time. In
doing so, a reminder is created for the brain. In essence, one is conditioning oneself to behave
a certain way when certain actions are performed. The pre-game routine produces the motivated
mental state. Basically, it gets one to do the action even if one is not motivated to do so. This
concept is inherently useful to leaders. If this concept is applied correctly, it will enable
followers to complete tasks even if they themselves are not motivated to do so. This is required
in a workplace that revolves around efficiency.
Conclusion
In essence, this article is priceless to leaders, or those looking to learn more about leaders.
Motivation: The Scientific is built for the individual, but the concepts can be easily applied to
groups. The leader takes a more guiding role with this style of motivation. To get the best results,

173
the follower needs to take an active role as well, while the leader creates or at least states the
time for the task. James Clear appears to be self-taught, and the value of that, and thus his article
will vary from person to person.

174
Additional Research
Techniques for Leading Group Discussions
Rabinowitz, Phil. "Section 4. Techniques for Leading Group Discussions." Chapter 16. Group
Facilitation and Problem-Solving. Community Tool Box, n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2016.
<http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/group-facilitation/group-discussions/m
ain>.
Summary
In the Community Tool Boxs Chapter 16: Section 4, Techniques for Leading Group
Discussions, Phil Rabinowitz offers instruction for leading a group discussion. Rabinowitz starts
by explaining what defines an effective group discussion. Effective group discussions are
somewhat informal with an emphasis on process (not progress), and they give all members a
chance to share their opinions and ideas. Constructive feedback and arguments are encouraged,
but they must remain respectful; the groups main goal is to work together. A leader should
consider their leadership style in this setting. A non-directive style can help others feel better
about the discussion. Rabinowitz then explains the reasons to hold a group discussion. These
reasons include allowing everyone to voice their varying opinions, democracy, allowing the
group to feel ownership of the product, encouragement for quiet participants to speak up, and

175
creating a common ground. It may be necessary to have a group discussion if a group is starting
something new, when there is an important issue that cant be ignored, when two different
groups need to be brought together, and when a group is looking for their next project.
Rabinowitz later goes on to explain how to lead a group discussion. If a leader has
preparation time, its suggested that he or she find a comfortable space, provide food and drink,
bring something to write with, and learn about the relevant topic beforehand. While leading the
discussion, a leader needs to think about their leadership style and consciously lead the way they
want to. Its also important to make group members feel comfortable, set ground rules based on
respect for all to follow, set a topic, keep the discussion open, involve all group members, ask
questions, and present ideas. If the group wants to set an agenda, the leader may set one, or the
group could come up with an agenda as part of the discussion. At the end, the leader should
summarize and wrap up the discussion. Rabinowitz also provided a list of dos and donts for
leading a group discussion. A leader should model good behavior, pay attention to their body
language, give positive feedback, be aware of the other group members, ask good questions,
control their own bias, encourage disagreement, and try to stay out of the conversation. A leader
shouldnt let one person or idea dominate the entire discussion, stereotype others, or make
himself/herself the authority figure.
Assessment

176
Discussion
Most sources on leadership explain what a good leader is like. For example, a good
leader may be open, patient, charismatic, humble, etc. However, most sources dont explain how
to become a good leader that embodies those traits. Rabinowitz provides instruction to be a good
leader within the setting of a group discussion. Instead of only stating that leaders should
encourage participation, Rabinowitz provides a method for encouraging participation: if a group
member is quiet or shy, the leader can directly ask them for their opinion. Its important for new
leaders to be provided with methods to become good leaders. Teaching proven methods for good
leadership to new leaders could help them avoid mistakes while leading. Not only does this
source explain how to be an effective leader, but it is also helpful in bringing people from
different backgrounds together. Group discussions create a common ground for various people to
openly share and discussion ideas or problems.
Conclusion
Rabinowitzs text is relevant and important for leaders as it creates a method for
achieving good leadership and communicates a way for different people to come together. While
this source may be more helpful to new leaders, it could also be relevant for experienced leaders
bring people from different cultures and backgrounds together.

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Case Study
Image credit via Flickr user: Maryland GovPics
Introduction
Group projects are not only an inevitable aspect of academia, but also life in general. This
case study will examine perspectives on how to create an effective group. Important problems
faced in groups range from issues specific to the capability of the leader of the group to issues
with group structure and investment. In this case study the class creates an applicable set of
recommendations for overcoming key obstacles involved in group work by examining an array
of multidisciplinary literature regarding leadership theory as presented in the literature review
and applying it in a simulated group project.

178
Background
Throughout an entire semester, our class has selected pertinent literature to include in this
OER text. This research has identified and proposed solutions to a variety of key difficulties
involved when collaborating. Such issues include, but are not limited to: ineffective leadership,
unequal participation, low motivation, variability in vision and goals, bad time management,
absences or lack of member involvement, uneven distribution of power, failure to mutually
understand or agree upon group roles, and a general lack of focus. The aforementioned literature
included in the OER text offers potential solutions and best practices for these group work
related issues.
To conclude the OER text, the class was assigned a project through which this case study
would be produced. The parameters provided for the project were vague; however, it was
required that the class work in groups to accomplish the project and that the final product was
research based. As an entire class (of approximately 13 students), we decided to break into 3
smaller groups to explore different alternatives and proposed solutions (see group sections
below), and ultimately convene to create a unified set of recommendations. This decision was
not unanimous, but due to an understanding that smaller groups of 4 to 5, especially in an
academic environment, are most productive and a wish to ensure that the recommendations
produced demonstrated as much thoroughness and diversity in perspective as possible, it was
determined that it would be the best way to proceed.
Group A
Alternatives
First, we outlined several possible alternatives for the most effective group structure. These
alternatives are:

179
1. Ignoring the problem until it goes away
2. Interpretive song and dance
3. Demanding participation
4. Directly asking group members what they think to get them involved
5. Giving others responsibility
6. Group evaluations
7. Icebreaker activities
8. Taking turns speaking, perhaps utilizing a talking stick
9. Assigning firm deadlines
10. Check-ins
11. Organization
12. Smaller groups sizes for decision making
13. Making sure that at least one person is in charge
Next, we discussed the usefulness of each alternative:
Ignoring the problem is not a successful way to deal with a group problem. Interpretive
song and dance is not always the best option, but may be a good way to break the ice and get the
people involved. Demanding participation is successful when the individuals are receptive to
direction, but this needs to be done in a respectful manner. Giving a lot of responsibility to an
individual (put the power of the group passing/failing into their hands) is a dangerous gamble if
the person is not trustworthy. Taking turns discourages dissenting opinions, and may reduce the
amount new ideas being presented. Working in large groups may be counterproductive when
making decisions because too many opinions need to be heard and it may take a very long time
to make a certain decision; smaller groups are much more effective for this purpose. Selecting

180
one person to lead the group can be helpful in work delegation and group organization. However,
if a leader makes unreasonable demands or doesnt allow for others opinions, the leader could
stunt group creativity and cooperation.
Directly asking someone their idea is useful at getting people involved because it is a
form of empowerment that makes them feel that their opinions matter. Ice breaker activities will
open people up to the group, and help get them familiar with their group. Hard deadlines are very
important to the group. Selecting one person for organization in a group is important--otherwise,
groups may forget deadlines or an idea that theyd previously discussed. Having everyone in the
group check in to report what they're doing and give updates on their progress is a way to get the
group members more involved, and also hold them liable for what they are working on. When in
a big group, peer evaluations are useful because individuals will slack off when their individual
performance will not be noticed. This increases personal stakes in the group's efforts and gets
them involved.
Proposed Solution
To start, the group should open up with an icebreaker if they are not already well acquainted. This
may or may not include interpretive dancing. Then, the group should discuss group responsibilities and
elect people to roles. The roles should include an organizer, leader, and scribe. The responsibilities of the
members should include: show up, trust each other, do the work that is expected of you, invest time into
the group, do more than just show up (participate in discussion), make sure each group member has some
responsibility, and utilize progress check-ins and peer evaluations to your advantage. Pick an appropriate
group size, which is 4-5 in scholastic settings, and make sure to set hard deadlines and assign clear tasks.
Given our research and past experience during this project, it seems that this would prove to be the most
efficient use of resources and time. This solution is applicable in academic settings for projects. Other
group types may not need to do check-ins or other parts of the solution.

181
According to How to make a good team (chapter 6:building a team), clear and specific goals are
necessary to keep the group striving for success. In the Community Tool Boxs Chapter 16: Section 4,
Techniques for Leading Group Discussions, Phil Rabinowitz suggests bringing markers to record ideas.
He also states that its important to create a comfortable atmosphere for unacquainted group members.
We believe that this could be accomplished through ice breakers. He also speaks about a method for
involving everyone by directly asking for their opinion. We could not find solid research advocating for
peer evaluations or group check-ins. Future research should include: the effectiveness of peer
reviews, and when/how to use them. However, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology expresses an
importance for self-evaluation in How to Make a Good Team. Self-evaluation is very similar to
peer-evaluation, so support for self-evaluation could also be applied to peer-evaluation.
Icebreakers were used in class and, in our situation, turned out it be very effective. Before the
icebreakers we did as a class we acted like a room full of strangers. After the icebreakers, we were all
much more open to sharing ideas and discussing topics.
From our experience, unclear, soft deadlines are not effective because they are easily forgotten or
ignored. Organization is also an important part of every group, because our projects did not run very
smoothly when we were not properly organized. Keeping group size from 4 to 5 people in academic
settings is preferred, because the workload and roles in the group can be spread effectively. Another
reason we chose a small group size is because we found it ineffective to work in a larger group. This is
based off of our experience working in a group to complete this case study. Every time we tried to discuss
something in a large group we were confused, and we found that it took a long time to complete our
goals. In smaller groups (4 to 5 people), we were much more effective. We have also found that
organization is very important to effectively do work in groups. While working in a large group on this
project, it was hard to stay organized. When one person stood up to write all of our thoughts down in an
organized manner, it was easier to follow the discussion. Also, without this organization, we were unable

182
to agree on specific deadlines. This solution is applicable in academic settings for projects. Certain group
types may not need to do check-ins or other parts of the solution.
Group B:
Alternatives
Through our research and personal group project, we have found that small groups of 4-5
are more effective than a greater number of members in a group. Larger numbers lead to
confusion and unheard ideas, which could possibly lead to the failure of a group project. Having
groups with members of around 4-5 is an effective way to a successful group project.
Unmotivated group members are another big factor in the failure of groups, but that can be
easily solved by using the group members ideas, and making it aware that you need equal
participation for your group to be successful. Through research for our OER text, our entire class
has found that unmotivated group members lead to an unsuccessful group project.
To overcome this, it is essential that the group have solidified and shared goals when
pursuing a project together. According to Ramsey, leaders should establish their own personal
goals first, so that they may better empower others to set realistic and attainable goals for the
group (51). By establishing shared goals, group leaders can effectively create an environment of
unity. Additionally, because in an academic environment, students display various levels of
investment, leaders may try to identify and connect the project to the personal interests of any
unmotivated group member. This could be by establishing mutual respect, reminding them of the
grade that is at stake, or pursuing an idea presented by the previously uninvested person. By
doing so, leaders tap into the often more effective form of motivation--intrinsic motivation
(Simmons 136).

183
Collaboration has shown to be an ideal format for working as a group, as it creates an
environment where all members of the group are involved and heard (Trautman 116). Discussion
formats are more collaborative than working individually; however, sometimes, time constraints
require decisions to be made in a compromising manner, such as through voting or a single
leader making a decision (Nagy 95). Additionally, an option for effective group projects,
especially in academic settings, is to establish labeled roles within the group (i.e. notetaker,
leader, researcher). While this task-assigning can be productive, it can limit the empowering
aspect of true collaboration. If a group leader decides to give up control and allow people to
choose their own tasks based on interest and skills, often a better outcome will arise (Goldsmith
124).
Through the research and discussion process for this case study, the members of this
group identified certain aspects of the OER text that could be included to more effectively advise
about executing successful group projects. For example, while much of the text discussed how
members of a given group can work together more cohesively, no literature was included about
how the initial formation of a group should occur. Are there some skill sets or personalities that
mesh better with some rather than others? How effective are randomly selected groups in
comparison to self-formed groups, in classrooms, for example? Another topic that would be
helpful to have included in the OER text would be an evaluation of how grades impact group
member motivation. Additionally, while trust is a major theme throughout much of the literature
in the OER text, it would be extremely helpful to identify specific, explicitly stated,
research-based methods for cultivating trust within a group, so that such strategies could be
applied during group projects.
Proposed Solution

184
Within the context of our group, we attempted to use the most collaborative methods
possible, by creating the content for this case study through discussion and making decisions
together. Our group decided against delegating roles, as to encourage creativity and more organic
collaboration. Throughout this experience, certain attempts within our group project might be
labeled as failures. For example, the platform with which we used to collaborate on the
composure of the project--Google Docs--was inaccessible to some members of the group, which
limited their participation. Additionally, due to few face-to-face meetings, not all decisions were
wholeheartedly unanimous and collaborative. These failures may have reduced the potential
quality of this case study; however, our conclusions have merit, especially in the
sometimes-limiting context of academia.
Ultimately, our group decided that the following concepts are the most important things
to keep in mind during collaborative projects. First, it is essential to have an open mind and listen
to and incorporate the ideas of each member of the group. It is also important to encourage and
practice critical thinking by seeking all sides of any given issue or conflict (Paul & Elder 100).
While rational thinking is imperative, group members should also cultivate emotional
intelligence and empathy for their peers, especially when dealing with conflict (Martin 11). Also
important is to set clear deadlines for decisions that need to be made (Ramsey 47). Furthermore,
groups should ensure that each member has a clear understanding of and stake in the shared
goals of the project. Finally, throughout this process, it is important that leaders and members of
the group cultivate and feel an overall sense of trust.
Group C
Alternatives

185
An alternative solution for making sure the leader is competent is to have multiple
leaders, or to have the mantle of leadership be passable. This can be implemented by having the
teacher state that leadership will be shared or by having multiple leaders if a group is unable to
settle on just one. Another solution is to have the group vote on one person who the group
believes to be the most competent. Individual separate groups operating within the whole group
is another possible solution. Google's leadership structure showcases this alternative situation.
Moving on, here are several solutions to having unequal participation and/or lack of
motivation. Giving specific tasks to individuals and clearly outlining what is needed can help, as
can having leaders who keep an open mind about all ideas present. Similarly, leaders need to
make sure that they are not shutting down fellow students when rejecting an idea. In an
education-based situation such as college classes, keep groups small. Large groups and lack of
specific tasks lead to more apathy and lack of motivation.
The solutions to uneven power distribution mimics the previous solutions. Having
multiple leaders splits up the power, but it is still uneven from follower to leader. Leaders need
to assign power/give up power to complete a certain task and give it to a capable follower.
Followers need to hold leaders accountable for their mistakes.
The single-leader solution was rejected for multiple reasons. Two of the most prominent
were the fact that a leader could be picked because of likeability rather than competence and that
followers could end up feeling incompetent and/or uninterested in their work.
Proposed Solution
Multiple leaders is the proposed solution because it is more likely to make everyone feel like
they are contributing to the overall work (Terry 21). For example, having multiple leaders will
increase the knowledge base of those in leadership positions and will better allow them to pick
the right person for the right job. Additionally, it will allow power to be more easily shared with

186
followers. This solution was chosen because it allows for open-mindedness, differences in
perspective, and the more universal decision-making that comes with having multiple leaders.
Recommendation
Our recommendation is most pertinent to academic environments where group projects
are being used. When attempting to conduct a school project, there are many things that can be
done to ensure the success of said project. These things can be broken into two distinct
categories: recommendations from the instructor and actions from the students. When working in
tandem, both the teacher and the students will both have a part in the functionality of said
project. In a motivated group, the roles don't need to be assigned, but in unmotivated groups it
would help to assign them. If a group decides to assign roles, one or multiple leaders may be
chosen based on the situation.
The instructor should be in charge of assigning the project and ensuring that the students
participating are fully aware of the project goals and have the necessary opportunities and
knowledge to accomplish the project successfully. For example, in our class project we struggled
with applying the research because of the way the project was structured and the lack of
opportunity to review research done by others. Due to this failing, by the end of the semester we
were unfamiliar with the majority of the research our classmates had conducted. In order to
arrive at a more informed and successful final project, the instructor should designate time to
view, apply, and integrate all research.
Instructors should separate students into groups of about four to five. If several groups
are working together to create the same project, one member from each group should be given
time to concur with the other groups. Instructors should also set aside time to visit with each
group to assess their progress and assign peer evaluations. This helps to cultivate accountability

187
and group support. Also, groups need to establish trust and comfort in sharing ideas. This could
be facilitated through validation of ideas or getting to know each other before the project. If a
group member is uninvolved or feels shy, others may ask them what they think or pursue one of
their suggestions.
Instructors should sanction off enough time for projects; the amount of time necessary for
a project may vary. If students arent given enough class time to work on a project, they may find
online collaboration through instant messaging a useful tool. For example, we used Google Docs
to collaborate outside of class on this project. The groups that solely used the editing functions
found it difficult to maintain a collaborative approach whereas the group that used both editing
and the chat function in real time was able to successfully collaborate on revisions.

Putting The "Leader" in Leadership

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Putting the Leader in Leadership

Created Fall of 2016

All work supplied herein is the creation of the following students:

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Chapter 1: Understanding Leadership

Chapter Two: Traits, Skills, Practices and Characteristics of a Good Leader

Chapter Three: Ethics

Chapter 4: Leading With Vision

Chapter 5: Setting goals

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Chapter 6: Building a Team

Chapter 7: Making decisions

Chapter 8: Managing Conflict

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Literature Review by: Makayla Kassa

Chapter 9: Realizing Change

Chapter 10: Empowering Others

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Chapter 1: Understanding Leadership

Image via flickr user: Pedro Ribeiro Simes

The History of Leadership Focus

Reviewed by Greta Buehler

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Research Roundtable (2005): n. pag. Web. 12 Sept. 2016.

unable to make long-term change, transformational leadership was born. In transformational

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situations that invented these theories.

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good place to start studying the wide field of leadership.

Leadership Theories and Style: A Transitional Approach By MAJ Earl Russel

Literature review by: Kaycee Loftis

Theories, Contingency Theories, Situational Theories, Behavioral Theories, Participative

Theories, Management Theories, Relationship Theories (Transformational Theories), and their

Charismatic Leadership, Democratic/Participative Leadership, Laissez-Faire Leadership,

Task-Oriented Leadership, People-Oriented or Relations-Oriented Leadership, Servant

Leadership, Transactional Leadership, and Transformational Leadership. Though it also briefly

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almost wouldnt have to look anywhere else for that information.

Study of Comedy Writers

Literature Review by Devon Charlier

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that emotional intelligence is an increasingly essential factor in effective leadership of

cultivate it within themselves and recognize it in others.

context of leadership. The first element, self-awareness, is described to be ones capacity to

mechanisms such as building trust and communication skills (355).

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popular sitcom, 30 Rock, in order to further solidify comprehension of each concept.

Emotional intelligence is a fairly recent concept, so the research surrounding it is fairly

related to libraries30 Rockin order to provide examples of emotional intelligence in action.

published in well-known library-related, academic journals. This source was published in a

recent volume of the Journal of Library Administration, which is a peer-reviewed, academic

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article seems to be relevant and powerfulto provide an in-depth description of effective,

apply such skills in their own leadership roles.

compelling case for incorporating emotional intelligence, in the forms of self-awareness,

of realistic leadership situations.

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depicts a multitude of qualities of effective leaders. Additionally, the perspective of emotional

theory. Whether a perspective originates in Eastern or Western philosophy, whether it is

hierarchical or decentralized in structure, understanding emotional intelligence can enhance

leadership by cultivating effective and positive communication and interpersonal interactions.

Effective Leadership Management: An Integration of Styles, Skills, & Character for