Faculty of Social Sciences
Communication, Authentic Leadership & Branding
63-411-18
Dr. Kim P. Hershorn
Type of Course: Research Seminar Year:2015-2016
Academic Year: 2015-2016Semester: year longCredit Hours:
Lecturer Details:
Time: 12-2pm Building TBA, room TBA
Office Hours: 11-12pm or by appointment
Office: Building 109, #1
Email:
A. Course Objectives
This course will focus on authentic leadership development and assist students to investigate its key principles in relation to communication. Authentic leadership requires knowing and communicating your story so you can live from your deepest convictions and values, become what you really believe in, and make a positive impact on the world.
This inquiry will be situated within the context of the larger cultural media environment where stories have become the key currency of communication. As a core communication strategy, branding, a “storied” approach to marketing, has been used in advertising, public relations, politics, social media, websites and blogs, and even C.V.s. Rather than convey deeper substance and meaning,mainstream (media) culture has often obscuredunderlying realities by focusing on surface image.
But as social, environmental and other crises have increasingly touchedpeople—directly as well asthrough exposure to new media—there has been a growing demand for authenticity. The shift to a culture that overtly values greater transparency, responsibility, integrity, sustainability, well-being and happiness has demonstrated that being “authentic” matters.
This has led to new forms of inquiry and communication strategies that compel us to ask:What do we really believe in and care enough to speak about? What stories will we tell about what matters most to us?How might we live up to the challenge of becoming our message so we can make a difference and live meaningful, healthy, and fulfilling lives?
B. Course Requirements
Attendance & Active Participation:N.B. If you miss more than 2 classes a semester without a verified, valid excuse, I may choose not grade your exam or paper. This grade includes in-class assignments, presentations on weekly readings, and that you come prepared for class.
Required Reading: The reading list below + PowerPoint presentations with video clips & images will be posted on our Moodle site. Please check regularly for updated readings for that week as they may change as I find new, exciting research!
Research Paper Outline + Reference List: 1-3 pages outlining your research question and design (topic cannot be changed later on) (due second to last day of classes semester A)
Presentations of Your Research: (Last 4-5 weeks) all findings and tentative conclusions will be presented for feedback BEFORE you write the paper
Research Paper: 20-30 pages (due Oct as per university deadline)
Final Exam:Integrative essay question + questions on key concepts (Closed book) (After last day of classes semester B during exam period)
C. Final Grade Apportionment:
* To pass the course, a minimal grade of 60% is required in each.
Attendance & Active Participation20% (in class exercises, presentations on readings, class discussions)
Research Project 55% (Outline10%, Presentations 15%, Paper 30%)
Final Exam25%
D. The Course Program and Readings
* some of the readings are supplemental
SEMESTER A
Sessions 1: Intro to the course, defining key concepts, introductory in-class exercises e.g. defining branding, authentic leadership, embodiment & emotional intelligence
Sessions 2 & 3:Intro: Branding, Brand Culture, & Demands for Authenticity
Banet-Weiser, S. (2013) Authentic™: The Politics of Ambivalence in a Brand Culture. New York: NYU Press. (chpt 1)
Ebook (2417042)
Palazzo, G., & Basu K. (2007) The ethical backlash of corporate branding. Journal of Business Ethics, 73, 33-346.
Ejournal (154973)
* PR Web Press Release News Wire. (2004) New labour needs to rethink branding. Retrieved from
* van Ham, P. (2001) The rise of the brand state: The postmodern politics of image and reputation. Foreign Affairs. Retrieved from
* Klein, N. (2000) New branded world. No Logo. Toronto: Vintage Canada. 22-26
303.484 KLE n (1189083)
* Moynihan, R. (2005) Selling Sickness: How the World's Biggest Pharmaceutical Companies are Turning us into Patients. Vancouver: Greystone Books. vii-xx
N/A
* Emerich, M. M. (2011) Introduction: The business of consciousness.The Gospel of Sustainability: Media, Market, and LOHAS. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Sessions 4-5: Authentic LeadershipAuthentic Communication
Pearce, Terry. (2013) Leading Out Loud: Inspiring Change Through Authentic Communications. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
N/A
George, B., Sims P., McLean, A.N., & Mayer D.(2011) Discovering your authentic leadership.Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from
Davis McCauley, K. (2011) Authentic leadership: A review of the literature and research agenda. Forthcoming paper for The Leadership Quarterly. Retrieved from
* George, Bill. Peter Sims, and David Gergen. (2007) True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Ebook (2417046)
Sessions 6: Cultural Change: New Kinds of Leadership
Solnit, R. (2007) extract from her new book, A Paradise Built in Hell. Retrieved from:
Lee Boggs, G. (2011) These Are the Times to Grow Our Souls. The Next American Revolution. Oakland: UCPress.
Ebook (2417057)
Bennett, L.W. (2012)The personalization of politics: Political identity, social media, and changing patterns of participation. Communication, Consumers, and Citizens: Revisiting the Politics of Consumption. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 644, 20-39.
320 COM 2012 (2370853)
Session 7:Community, Tribes & Cultural Change
Godin, S. (2009 1 13) Why You Need To Lead A Tribe. Retrieved from:
Godin, S. (2009 2 1) TED Interview: Tribes Author Says People, Not Ads, Build Social Networks. Wired. Retrieved from:
Session8:Millennials and Leadership
Bersin, J. (2013) Millennials will soon rule the world: But how will they lead? Retrieved from
McCauley, B. (2013) Millennials must be prepared to assume future leadership roles.
Retrieved from
Deal, J.J., Altman D.J., & Rogelberg, S.J. (2010) Millennials at work: What we know and what we need to do (if anything).Journal of Business and Psychology. Special Issue: Millennials and the World of Work: What You Didn't Know You Didn't Know. 25(2), 191-199.
Ejournal (155007)
Howe, N. (2010)Millennials in the Workplace:Human Resource Strategies for a New Generation. New York: Lifecourse Associates Inc.
N/A
Session 9:Women Leaders & Gender
Sandberg, S. (2013) The leadership ambition gap—What would you do if you weren’t afraid?Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
658.4092082 LEA 2013 (2370161) – in the English library
Ely, R.J., Ibarra, H., &Kolb, D.M. (2011)Taking gender into account: theory and design for women's leadership development programs.The Academy of Management Learning and Education, 10(3), 474-493.
Ejournal (1215838)
Williams, Z. (2013 8 13) Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg – review. The Guardian. Retrieved from:
Sessions 10-11:Your Life Story and Your Personal Brand
Clark, Dorie. (2013) Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future. Harvard Business Review.
N/A
Rampersad, H. (2008) Effective personal and company brand management: A new blueprint for powerful and authentic personal and company branding. Retrieved from
Corkindale, G. (2008) The return of the personal brand.HBR Blog Network. Retrieved from
Shamira, B.T., & Eilamb, G. (2005) What’s your story?A life-stories approach to authentic leadership development. The Leadership Quarterly, 16, 395–417.
Ejournal (401411)
Carey, Benedict. (2007) This Is Your Life (and How You Tell It).The New York Times. Retrieved from
Sessions12: Writing as aResearch Methodology for Authentic Leaders (investigating your story)
Sikes, Pat. (2006) Auto/Biographies and Life Histories. Retrieved from:
Ellis, C., Adams, T and Bochner, AP. (2011) Autoethnography: An Overview. 12-1-10. Forum Qualitative Social Research. Retrieved from:
SEMESTER B
Session 1-2: Embodied Leadership & Emotional Intelligence
Hamill, P. (2013) Embodying the self. Embodied Leadership: The Somatic Approach to Developing Your Leadership. London: Kogan Page.
N/A
Grewal, D. & Salovey, P. (2005) Feeling Smart: The Science of Emotional Intelligence. American Scientist. 93, 330-339.
Session 3-4: Leadership, Well-being and Happiness (Positive Psychology)
Fredrickson, B. L. (2003) The value of positive emotions.American Scientist, 91, 330-335.
Ejournal (119627)
Macik-Frey, M., Campbell Quick, J., & Cooper, C.L. (2009) Authentic leadership as a pathway to positive health. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 30(3), 453-458.
Ejournal (118856)
Lambert, C. (2007) The science of happiness: Psychology explores humans at their best. Harvard Magazine. Retrieved from
Session 5:Leadership and Spirituality
Yasuno, M. (2008)The Role of Spirituality in Leadership for Social Change.Spirituality in Higher Education Newsletter. A National Study of College Students’ Search for Meaning and Purpose. 4(3),1-8.
Burke, R. (2006) Leadership and Spirituality. Foresight. 8(6), 14-25.
Ejournal (1109566)
Session6: Leadership for Introverts: Vulnerability
Brown, B. (2012) Introduction, my adventures in the arena. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. New York City, NY: Gotham.
N/A
Popova, M. (2014) Seth Godin on Vulnerability, Creative Courage, and How to Dance with the Fear: A Children’s Book for Grownups. Retrieved from:
Keen, A. (2012) Keen On… Susan Cain: The Power Of Introverts (TCTV). Techcrunch.
Retrieved from:
Sessions 7: Tying it all together—Review of course material
Sessions 8-12: Student presentations of their research with feedback & discussion
Session 12:Final reflections on your journeys to authentic leadership & communication; prep for exam
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