MOR 598a –Foundationsfor Leading and Coaching
Spring 2018–Mon2:00–3:20 pm –1.5 units
Location: HOH 114
Instructor:Chris Bresnahan
Office: HOH 417
Office Phone: 213-740-0175
Office Hours: Tuesday, 4:00 – 5:00 pm, please request additional times if this does not work for you
E-mail:
Course Objective:
This course will look at how leaders interact with followers and peers, and help develop tools and perspectives towards the individual’s leadership capabilities. Students will practice vision development, listening with purpose, motivating others, team building, and other leadership capabilities. Students will be developing skills for improving his/her leadership effectiveness and leadership style throughout this course, with the end goal of meeting leadership development goals established by the student at the beginning of the semester.
This course requires the student to engage in class exercises, readings and self-exploration, especially with respect to interpersonal interactions. The course is designed to have the student think about leadership capacities, managing and coaching both up and down an organizational chart, and about her/his interpersonal competencies. This will be done through reflection papers, in class presentations, and class discussion. The end goal is to have students have a higher awareness of his/her interpersonal skills and talents, and to be able to maximize these talents in coaching/team-based situations.
The goal of this course is to have the student explore her/his self from a leadership perspective in some depth. The course will have the student evaluated on the building blocks of leadership: vision development, interviewing and being interviewed, team building, influence and alignment of teammates and followers, and self-awareness. The student will also develop competences in active listening and process consultation.
Learning Objectives:
Active participation in the learning process will enable Fellows to:
1.Understand and diagnose how teams and their members function to achieve high performance
2.Facilitate team and member effectiveness through process consultation and team building interventions
3.Help teams develop high performance norms and structures and set and achieve challenging goals
4.Apply specific tools and techniques to address particular team and member problems
5.Actively listen to others, behave authentically, give and receive effective feedback, and resolve conflicts
6.Describethe student’s own behaviors, thoughts and actions, and to help develop her/his own tools for interacting with others in a desired fashion
7.Develop frameworks for thinking about interpersonal competence, and for choosing appropriate techniques that fit various situations while maintaining the integrity of the relationship, participants, and organization.
Course Description:
This is the foundation part of the Marshall Leadership Fellows program. It provides the essential concepts, tools, and behavioral skills for leading and coaching teams and others. Fellows examine their own leadership expertise and build on those areas that need development. Readings and class discussions provide conceptual knowledge of how teams and their members function and the role of leaders in developing them. Fellows learn how to diagnose team and member functioning and how to facilitate team development to achieve high performance.They actively engage in experiential and action learning to gain the behavioral skills necessary to coach and develop teams and members, such as active listening, behaving authentically, process consultation, giving and receiving feedback, and conflict resolution.
The course is geared towards Manager, Senior Lead and Director level students who are developing into the next stage of her/his career. Individuals at this level of career development are at a crucial stage, as promotions are less frequent, and the talent which got the individual there (technical expertise) is now being broadened to interpersonal abilities. This class will explore the student’s interpersonal abilities through exercises, evaluations, practical leadership opportunities and readings. This will encourage the development of core strengths a student can depend upon in leadership situations. All good leaders know themselves, and this course is focused on the talents and perspectives the student brings to the situation. It is designed as a broaden and build lab, where the student is expected to come to the class prepared to address his/her current level of competency, and then learn new/improved ways of interacting with others.
Required Materials:
The following provide conceptual and practical knowledge for leading and developing teams and members:
- Dyer, Team Building: Issues and Alternatives, Addison-Wesley
- Schein, Process Consultation: Its Role in Organization Development, Addison Wesley
- Pfeffer and Sutton, The Knowing-Doing Gap, HBS Press
- Several readings will be uploaded to the bbd website. Please review these prior to class.
Grading Policies:
Self/peer evaluation30%
Class participation15%
Reaction Papers20%
Goal Setting Report10%
Final progress report & team building plan
(presented at time of scheduled final examination)35%
100%
Fellows receive a grade of CR or NC for the course. CR (credit) is a passing course grade equivalent to “B” or 3.0 quality or better. NC (no credit) course grade is equivalent to a “B-” or less.
Class Participation:
Active participation is essential for learning how to develop and coach teams and their members. Understanding concepts and how to apply them requires intellectual involvement inlectures, open discussion, and in-depth dialogue. New behavioral techniques and skills are acquired through action learning, where new behaviors are tried out, results areassessed, new action is taken, and so on. This learning by doing is highly engaging and challenging. It involves the courage to try new behaviors, the resilience to learn from mistakes, and the persistence to keep improving and learning.
Criteria for assessing class participation include making high-quality, important contributions to the learning process:
(1)Are comments relevant to the discussion?
(2)Do comments reveal use of appropriate concepts and tools from the readings?
(3)Do comments add to the knowledge in the class, i.e. do they move the discussion forward or do they repeat what has been said?
(4)Do comments show that you have listened to the discussion and that you are able to build on the comments of others?
(5)Are you prepared to answer when called on in class? (Let me know before class if some emergency has prevented you from adequately preparing).
Self/Peer Evaluation:
Self-awareness is the hallmark of leadership. You will be taking a number of assessments throughout the LEAD experience, all of which are opportunities to learn more about yourself. You will also be sending our evaluations for others to fill out about you. You will have eight people fill out a leadership potential questionnaire. Your core team, two professors, at least two former work colleagues, two former supervisors and any additional individuals will fill out this evaluation. You and the professor of record will review this data, and you will write up a two page, single-spaced summary of the experience and how you will use this information.
Written Assignments/Reaction Papers:
You will be asked to complete four one to two page, single-spaced assignments in this course. Two of these assignments will be mandatory, as noted on the syllabus, while two are to be completed on assignments and exercises from class which you choose. Ideally, these papers are your reaction to this material, and display some deeper level of understanding than what has been presented. The course material is not static; you are expected to apply it in order to learn the value of the topics in the course. These assignments are a platform for you to focus on your development or understanding of an experience or new idea. The content is guided by you and driven by you. In these papers you can demonstrate an understanding of the material that was covered in the reading for that week, integrate material from the lecture into your experiences, or write a thought piece around a specific leadership experience during the course.
Final Progress Report & Team Building Plan:
The progress report will be an eight to ten page paper, double spaced, and will focus on your development as a coach and leader. You will be asked to step back and assess what concepts, techniques, and behavioral skills you have learned and what areas need further development. It requires a frank and honest assessment of your learning and development as a leader and what further learning needs to occur. The team-building plan outlines how you intend to facilitate a MBA project team in the fall semester to help it get started in the right direction, create effective group norms, structure, and goals, resolve emergent problems, and develop toward high performance.
Academic Integrity and Conduct:
USC seeks to maintain an optimal learning environment. General principles of academic honesty include the concept of respect for the intellectual property of others, the expectation that individual work will be submitted unless otherwise allowed by an instructor, and the obligations both to protect one’s own academic work from misuse by others as well as to avoid using another’s work as one’s own (plagiarism). Plagiarism – presenting someone else’s ideas as your own, either verbatim or recast in your own words – is a serious academic offense with serious consequences.All students are expected to understand and abide by the principles discussed in the SCampus, the Student Guidebook ( or A discussion of plagiarism appears in the University Student Conduct Code (section 11.00 and Appendix A).
Students will be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards for further review, should there be any suspicion of academic dishonesty. The Review process can be found at: . Failure to adhere to the academic conduct standards set forth by these guidelines and our programs will not be tolerated by the USC Marshall community and can lead to dismissal.
Discrimination, sexual assault, and harassment are not tolerated by the university. You are encouraged to report any incidents to the Office of Equity and Diversity or to the Department of Public Safety This is important for the safety of the whole USC community. Another member of the university community – such as a friend, classmate, advisor, or faculty member – can help initiate the report or can initiate the report on behalf of another person.Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention and Services (RSVP) 24/7 confidential support, and the sexual assault resource center webpage reporting options and other resources.
Support Systems:
Students whose primary language is not English should check with the American Language Institute which sponsors courses and workshops specifically for international graduate students.The Office of Disability Services and Programs ( certification for students with disabilities and helps arrange the relevant accommodations. If an officiallydeclared emergency makes travel to campus infeasible, USC Emergency Information ( will provide safety and other updates, including ways in which instruction will be continued by means of blackboard, teleconferencing, and other technology.
Course Schedule:
Week / Dates / Topic / Assignments Due1 / Mon 1/8 / Introduction to the course / --
2 / Mon 1/15 / MLK Day (no class) / --
3 / Mon 1/22 / Team Building I-Visioning / Self-AssessmentI
--
4 / Mon 1/29 / Team Building II-Alignment/Buy-in / --
5 / Mon 2/5 / LEAD IMPACT projects / --
6 / Mon 2/12 / Learning to Behave Authentically / --
7 / Mon 2/19 / President’s Day (no class) / --
8 / Mon 2/26 / Process Consultation I-Goal Setting / Rxn Paper Due
9 / Mon 3/6 / Guest Speaker / --
10 / Mon 3/13 / Spring Break / --
11 / Mon 3/20 / Process ConsultationII-Accountability / Rxn Paper Due
12 / Mon 3/27 / Conflict and Teams / --
--
--
13 / Mon 4/2 / Leadership and Self-Management / Self-AssessmentII
14 / Mon 4/9 / Assessment for First Year Teams / --
15 / Mon 4/16 / Guest Speaker / --
16 / Mon 4/22 / Learning to Behave Authentically / --
DETAILED SESSION INFORMATION
WEEK #1:
MondayJanuary 8: Introduction to the Course
Assigned readings:
- Coursesyllabus
WEEK #2:
Monday January 15: Off; MLK day
WEEK #3:
Monday January 22: Team Building I-Visioning
Assigned readings:
- Dyer: Ch. 1-6
- Case materials uploaded to bbd
Individual Assignment/Self-Assessment:
- Complete goal setting form. You will be expected to discuss this form during class.
- Complete assigned Self-Assessment Questionnaires. We will use the results in class.
- Please upload your leadership Self-Assessment to bbd, and include your 360 eval email addresses.
- Prepare for Round Robin accountability partner exercise. Please allow extra time after class.
WEEK #4:
Monday January 29: Team Building II-Alignment/Buy-in
Assigned readings:
- Dyer: Ch. 7-10, 12
WEEK #5:
February 5: LEAD IMPACT projects
Individual Assignment
Please think about potential LEAD IMPACT projects you may want to be a part of. We will discuss these projects in class.
WEEK #6:
Monday February 12: Learning to Behavior Authentically
Assigned Reading
- Schein: Ch. 1-7
- Please complete the attachment assessment at
Be certain to write down your scores.
WEEK #7:
Monday February 19: President’s Day (No Class)
Assigned readings:
- Schein: Ch. 9-13
WEEK #8:
Monday February 26: Process Consultation I-Goal Setting
Individual Assignment/Reaction Paper:
This one to two page, single-spaced assignment will focus on your vision for leading teams, your approach and your short term goals. You will outline your approach towards teams, and discuss how your personal goal will align with these types of efforts. Several starter questions:
-What are your goals?
-What are your goals for the team?
-How are you going to practice working through others?
-What are your strengths around setting an agenda? What are you going to practice here?
Remember, as a leader, you are going to approach multiple teams with the same agenda and ideology. These are going to adapt to the collective goals of the team. How are you going to weave your planned expectations into their own goals and agendas?
WEEK #9:
Monday March 6: Guest Speaker
Guest Speaker is to be arranged by the students in the course. Faculty and Staff will support students in the endeavor.
WEEK #10
Monday March 13: Spring Break
WEEK #11:
Monday March 20: Process Consultation II-Accountability
Individual Assignment/Reaction Paper:
You will use the reaction paper for this week to explore your goals for the LEAD experience. Some starter questions are:
-What are your goals?
-What does succeeding in them mean? Are there any metrics/KPIs you would want to keep track of?
-Why did you select them, and how are you going to accomplish them?
This is an opportunity to make a commitment towards your own betterment and development. You are going to work with these goals throughout the semester, so make them challenging and interesting to you.
* Bring a hard copy of the essay to turn in at the beginning of class.
WEEK #12:
Monday March 27: Assessment for First Year Teams
Assigned readings:
- Pfeffer and Sutton: Ch. 1, 2
WEEK #13:
Monday April 2: Leadership and Self-Management
Assigned readings:
- Pfeffer and Sutton: Ch. 3,4
Individual Assignment/Self-Assessment:
This assignment will be a write-up of your 360 feedback, and what your next steps are around this new information. It will be one to two pages, single-spaced. The goal is to talk about new behaviors, and how you want to practice these new behaviors. The model of start/stop/continue could also apply here. Now that you know this about yourself, what behaviors do you want to stop? What new behaviors are you going to focus on practicing, and what behaviors are you going to continue?
WEEK #14:
Monday April 9: Learning to Resolve Conflicts
Assigned readings:
- Pfeffer and Sutton: Ch. 5, 6
WEEK #15:
Monday April 16: Guest Speaker
Assigned readings:
- Pfeffer and Sutton: Ch. 7, 8
WEEK #16:
Monday April 22: Ramping Up!
APPENDIXHow MOR 598aFoundations for Leading and CoachingContributes to Student Achievement of
Marshall’s Six Graduate Program Learning Goals
How MOR598a Course Objectives Support the Marshall Graduate Learning Goals
Marshall Graduate Program Learning Goals / Degree of Emphasis / MOR598a Course Objectives that support this goal
Learning goal #1: Our graduates will develop a strategic level of understanding of the key functions of business and be able to comprehend the relationships between the core business disciplines in order to make holistic judgments and decisions in analyzing business situations. / Low
1.1Students will demonstrate foundational knowledge of core business disciplines, including their interrelationships.
1.2 Students will analyze business scenarios, such as cases, with a firm grounding of how each of the core fields play into decisions made.
1.3 Students will apply theories, models, and frameworks to analyze relevant markets (e.g. product, capital, commodity, factor and labor markets).
1.4 Students will show the ability to utilize technologies (e.g., spreadsheets, databases, software) relevant to contemporary business practices in a variety of disciplines and industries.
1.5 Students will demonstrate the ability to utilize interdisciplinary business skills in case analyses, exams, presentations and projects, including capstone projects. / Medium / 4,7
Learning goal # 2: Our graduates will develop a global mindset and a competitive edge in this interdependent, fast-changing, diverse and volatile world through structured educational opportunities. They will acquire knowledge, both theoretical and practical as well as experiential, about America and the rest of the world, and the economic/financial interdependencies that signify current geopolitical, economic and financial relationships that impact business decisions so as to make a difference in the world. / Low / Not Supported by MOR598a
Learning Objectives
2.1 Students will understand how local, regional and global markets interact and are impacted by economic, social and cultural factors.
2.2 Students will understand that stakeholders, stakeholder interests, business environments (legal, regulatory, competitor) and business practices vary across regions of the world.
2.3 Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate global business challenges and opportunities through experiential learning, immersion international trips, case studies, international business consulting projects and exams.
Learning goal 3: Our graduates will demonstrate critical thinking skills by making the intellectual connection between quantitative and qualitative tools, theories and context to provide the basis for proper and effective problem solving and decision making as well as the development of new and innovative business opportunities to strategically navigate the complex demands of the current and dynamic national and international business environments. / Low / Supported by MOR598a
Learning Objectives 1-7
3.1 Students will understand the concepts of critical thinking, entrepreneurial thinking and creative thinking as drivers of innovative ideas.
3.2 Students will critically analyze concepts, theories and processes by stating them in their own words, understanding key components, identifying assumptions, indicating how they are similar to and different from others and translating them to the real world.
3.3 Students will be effective at gathering, storing, and using qualitative and quantitative data and at using analytical tools and frameworks to understand and solve business problems.
3.4 Students will demonstrate the ability to anticipate, identify and solve business problems. They will be able to identify and assess central problems, identify and evaluate potential solutions, and translate a chosen solution to an implementation plan that considers future contingencies.
3.5 Students will demonstrate the ability to be accurate, clear, expansive (thorough, detailed) and fair-minded in their thinking. / medium / 4, 6, 7
3.6 Students will demonstrate their ability to apply critical thinking tools and the USC-CT Framework in designated exercises, cases, projects and exams.
Learning Goal 4: Our graduates will develop people and leadership skills by demonstrating self-awareness, emotional intelligence, curiosity, visionary and strategic thinking, teamwork, refection and knowledge transfer skills to promote their effectiveness as business managers and leaders. / High / Supported by MOR598a Learning Objectives 1-7
4.1 Students will recognize, understand, and analyze the motivations and behaviors of stakeholders inside and outside organizations (e.g., teams, departments, consumers, investors, auditors). / 1-7
4.2 Students will be able to demonstrate various emotional intelligences and leadership skills such as self-awareness, self-management, teamwork and collaboration to better understand the potential complexities in organizations in papers, exercises, cases, exams and projects. / 1-7
4.2 Students will recognize, understand and analyze the roles, responsibilities and behaviors of effective managers and leaders in diverse business contexts (e.g., marketing, finance, accounting, etc.) / 1-7
4.3 Students will be able to demonstrate the understanding of visions and values of world-class companies and the impact it has had on financial results. / 1-7
4.4 Students will understand factors that contribute to effective teamwork. / 1-7
Learning goal 5: Our graduates will demonstrate ethical reasoning skills, understand social, civic, and professional responsibilities and aspire to add value to society / Medium / Supported by MOR598a
Learning Objective
5.1 Students will understand professional codes of conduct.
5.2 Students will recognize ethical challenges in business situations and assess appropriate courses of action. / High / 1-7
5.3 Students will be able to apply ethical principles and professional standards in analyzing situations and making informed decisions.
5.4 Students will demonstrate an understanding of and consistently apply the ethical principles and professional standards related to the business world and show the ability to express and follow results of independence and the highest sense of professional ethics. / High / 1-7
5.5 Students will demonstrate the ability to research, critically analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information, including professional standards for decision making, in the local, regional and global business environment.
5.6 Students will enhance their appreciation of values of social responsibility, legal and ethical principles and corporate governance through the analysis and discussion of pertinent articles and real business cases, seminars and summits.
Learning Goal #6: Our graduates will be effective communicators to facilitate information flow in organizational, social, and intercultural contexts / High / Supported by MOR598a
Learning Objectives 1-7
6.1 Students will identify and assess diverse personal and organizational communication goals and audience information needs. / 1-7
6.2 Students will understand individual and group communications patterns and dynamics in organizations and other professional contexts. / 1-7
6.3 Students will demonstrate an ability to gather and disseminate information and communicate it clearly, logically, and persuasively in professional contexts. / 1-7
6.4 Students will be able to clearly communicate in oral and written formats the solutions to business issues and problems accurately and effectively. / 1-7
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