Description Question 1: Assigned Readings: Chapter 1. What Does It Mean to Be a Leader? Chapter 2. Traits, Behaviors, and Relationships. Initial Postings: Read and reflect on the assigned readings for the week. Then post what you thought was the most important concept(s), method(s), term(s), and/or any other thing that you felt was worthy of your understanding in each assigned textbook chapter.Your initial post should be based upon the assigned reading for the week, so the textbook should be a source listed in your reference section and cited within the body of the text. Other sources are not required but feel free to use them if they aid in your discussion. Also, provide a graduate-level response to each of the following questions: For this assignment, watch the video titled "Seth Godin – Leadership vs. Management - What it Means to Make a Difference," published by Nordic Business Forum. In the video, renowned marketing and leadership author Seth Godin explores the distinctions between leadership and management, emphasizing the growing need for more leaders in today’s rapidly evolving world. He discusses how management focuses on maintaining order, efficiency, and productivity, while leadership involves driving change, solving novel problems, and inspiring innovation. Your Task: Provide a brief synopsis of Seth Godin's key points regarding the differences between leadership and management. Highlight his views on the roles of leaders in inspiring change and innovation, compared to the focus of managers on maintaining order and consistency. After summarizing these distinctions, reflect on how these roles complement or conflict with each other in the workplace. Discuss a scenario where an organization struggled or thrived in balancing these approaches, and consider what strategies leaders and managers can use to align their efforts effectively. In your response, explore how cultivating skills like creativity, empathy, and decision-making can help bridge the gap between leadership and management to achieve organizational success. [Your post must be substantive and demonstrate insight gained from the course material. Postings must be in the student's own words - do not provide quotes!] [Your initial post should be at least 450+ words and in APA format (including Times New Roman with font size 12 and double spaced). Post the actual body of your paper in the discussion thread then attach a Word version of the paper for APA review] Submitting the Initial Posting:Your initial posting should be completed by Thursday, 11:59 p.m. EST. Response to Other Student Postings: Respond substantively to the post of at least two peers, by Friday, 11:59 p.m. EST. A peer response such as “I agree with her,” or “I liked what he said about that” or similar comments are not considered substantive and will not be counted for course credit. [Continue the discussion through Sunday,11:59 p.m. EST by highlighting differences between your postings and your colleagues' postings. Provide additional insights or alternative perspectives] Evaluation of posts and responses: Your initial posts and peer responses will be evaluated on the basis of the kind of critical thinking and engagement displayed. The grading rubric evaluates the content based on seven areas: Content Knowledge & Structure, Critical Thinking, Clarity & Effective Communication, Integration of Knowledge & Articles, Presentation, Writing Mechanics, and Response to Other Students. Question 2: The Rushmore Plan Kelly Dakota was recognized by associates and competitors as a woman on a mission. One of four members of the design team for a large chair manufacturing corporation, Dakota’s obsession with the creation of comfortable seating dated to a childhood back injury and a lifetime of pain. She recognized, more than most in the industry, the importance of designing chairs that offered some relief to those suffering from debilitating back, hip, and neck pain as well as helping people of all ages to avoid problems with proper posture. In her early days with the company the staff jokingly called her approach the Rushmore Plan, after America’s Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. Like someone fighting to save the world, Kelly Dakota brought passion and a creative intensity to design meetings as if each drawing, each design tweak would change civilization as we knew it. Single and with no apparent family or friendship ties, Dakota was married to her work. She seemed to thrive on 70-hour work weeks, although as a salaried manager, she received no overtime pay. Even her “down time” at meals or on weekends was spent sketching, studying the latest in ergonomics, or reconnoitering each design adjustment by competitors. “When you visit a furniture store, you fully expect to see Dakota skulking about, checking to see what the competition is offering,” says fellow team member John Craddock. “We all laugh about it. The woman brings—actually brings—chairs to meetings and tears them apart to show us some miniscule discovery.” This obsession with chairs, pain, and gravity, and one-upping the competition has made Dakota a valuable employee and earned her a reputation in the industry for creative design. Not since Peter Opsvik’s Gravity Balans ergonomic chair of the 1970s has anyone made such an impact on the industry. The effect of Dakota’s work on company profits is undeniable. The intense competition with imported furniture makes her more valuable in the eyes of top executives. The fact that competitors are chomping at the bit to lure her away is also undeniable. But the Rushmore Plan comes at a price. Over the 15 years she has worked with the company, 5 as leader of the design group, there has been a constant turnover within the design group as frustrated workers leave the company to “get away from Dakota.” “Anything you could learn from this brilliant and dedicated woman is destroyed by her cold, calculating attitude,” Craddock complains. “I came to this company excited about the chance to work with her. But any knowledge she possesses is carefully guarded. Her design ideas are perfect in her mind, while ours are picked apart. We all swear she has listening devices scattered around everywhere, because if the rest of the team huddles in some corner of the world to discuss a design idea, Voila! She walks into the next meeting with our idea. Once when she was a few minutes late to a meeting, we thought we had beaten her and quickly presented our idea. Just then, she walks in, and announces, ‘Ideas must be in the air. I have something very similar,’ and throws her completed design on screen. Guess who won?” Dakota presents a continuing challenge to company management, having both incredible positive and negative influence on the culture. While her contributions to design and profits far exceed those of other employees, her negative effect on the culture and her team’s creativity and morale results in the loss of talented people and a climate of suspicion and discontent. Dakota’s threat, “I can take my talents elsewhere,” hangs over top executives like a sledgehammer. Now, Craddock and Leslie Warren, other talented members of the design team, have approached management with their own ultimatum: Do something about Dakota or we resign. Questions If you were a top leader, how would you respond to the ultimatum? Be specific. Explain why. What is Dakota missing with respect to her leadership abilities? How do you explain her poor leadership behavior? If you were Dakota’s manager, how might you increase Dakota’s awareness of the negative impact she is having on her team? How would you guide her toward better team leadership, sharing her knowledge with others, and mentoring her team members? Be specific. Requirements: There is no minimum or maximum required number of pages. Your analysis will be considered complete, if it addresses each of the 3 components outlined above. Use of proper APA formatting and citations. If supporting evidence from outside resources is used those must be properly cited. A minimum of 3 - 5 sources (excluding the course textbook) from scholarly articles or business periodicals is required. Include your best critical thinking and analysis to arrive at your justification. Approach the assignment from the perspective of the senior executive leadership of the company. Submission: Upload/attach your completed paper to this assignment by the due date. Please see the Course Syllabus for the actual due date. Question 3: Assigned Readings: Chapter 1. Entrepreneurship. Evolutionary Development--Revolutionary Impact. Initial Postings: Read and reflect on the assigned readings for the week. Then post what you thought was the most important concept(s), method(s), term(s), and/or any other thing that you felt was worthy of your understanding in each assigned textbook chapter.Your initial post should be based upon the assigned reading for the week, so the textbook should be a source listed in your reference section and cited within the body of the text. Other sources are not required but feel free to use them if they aid in your discussion. Also, provide a graduate-level response to each of the following questions: Briefly describe the evolution of the term entrepreneurship. [Your post must be substantive and demonstrate insight gained from the course material. Postings must be in the student's own words - do not provide quotes!] [Your initial post should be at least 450+ words and in APA format (including Times New Roman with font size 12 and double spaced). Post the actual body of your paper in the discussion thread then attach a Word version of the paper for APA review] Submitting the Initial Posting:Your initial posting should be completed by Thursday, 11:59 p.m. EST. Response to Other Student Postings: Respond substantively to the post of at least two peers, by Friday, 11:59 p.m. EST. A peer response such as “I agree with her,” or “I liked what he said about that” or similar comments are not considered substantive and will not be counted for course credit. [Continue the discussion through Sunday,11:59 p.m. EST by highlighting differences between your postings and your colleagues' postings. Provide additional insights or alternative perspectives] Evaluation of posts and responses: Your initial posts and peer responses will be evaluated on the basis of the kind of critical thinking and engagement displayed. The grading rubric evaluates the content based on seven areas: Content Knowledge & Structure, Critical Thinking, Clarity & Effective Communication, Integration of Knowledge & Articles, Presentation, Writing Mechanics, and Response to Other Students. Question 4: Summit Software, Inc., recently celebrated its fifth year of business. Jim Mueller, the proprietor, started the software manufacturing and distribution company when he was still working as a professor at the local college, but now he enjoys being in the fast-paced technology industry. Growth and expansion were easy for Jim, thanks to his knowledge, his contacts, and the pool of readily available workers from which to choose. The company that originated in his den now occupies a nice space close to downtown. Going into the sixth year, Jim continues to serve the same target market with customer support and lengthy projects. He acknowledges that technological advancements and new clientele are in the immediate future. All of the current and forecasted work leaves Jim and his three employees with little time to spend on administrative duties—let alone new accounts. Jim also realizes that the company needs its own upgrades to continue its rate of success and to stay competitive. Looking at Summit’s financials and the amount of work necessary to maintain the business, he’s not sure where to go from here. Following is a snapshot of Jim’s annual sales since inception: Year 1 $112,000 Year 2 $195,000 Year 3 $250,000 Year 4 $335,000 Year 5 $487,000 QUESTIONS Is Summit Software a gazelle? Support your answer. What problems may Jim face by owning such a fast-growing business? Are gazelles more important to the economy than traditional growth businesses? Why or why not? Requirements: There is no minimum or maximum required number of pages. Your analysis will be considered complete, if it addresses each of the 3 components outlined above. Use of proper APA formatting and citations. If supporting evidence from outside resources is used those must be properly cited. A minimum of 3-5 sources (excluding the course textbook) from scholarly articles or business periodicals is required. Include your best critical thinking and analysis to arrive at your justification. Approach the assignment from the perspective of the senior executive leadership of the company. Submission: Upload/attach your completed paper to this assignment by the due date. Please see the Course Syllabus for the actual due date. Question 5: Examine a famous leader applying concepts and theories explored in this course. Follow this outline: PART 1: INTRODUCTION 1) Open your essay with an introduction section describing the selected leader. 2) Summarize the leadership theory that you will be addressing. PART 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.) Define leadership. 2.) Explore and discuss the traits, behaviors, and relationships found in successful leaders. 3.) Identify and discuss the six leadership theories. PART 3: LEADERSHIP ANALYSIS 1.) Identify and discuss three specific leadership skills, three specific leadership behaviors and three specific leadership traits of this leader. 2.) Examine and discuss the single leadership skill, leadership behavior and leadership trait that you think best explains the success of this leader. 3.) Apply this leader's approach or style to one of the six leadership theories discussed in this course. 4.) Explain why this leadership style or approach has been successful for this leader and make logical arguments supporting your case. PART 4: CONCLUSION: 1.) Summarize the key findings in the Leadership Analysis 2.) What critical take-aways would you like to incorporate into your leadership style? ASSIGNMENT DETAILS: As individuals prepare the project, please attend to the following additional guidelines: 1) Prepare your report in APA 7 format. 2) Paper must be typed, double-spaced, 12-point font, 12-15 pages. (Page count does not include title page or reference list.) 3) Cite all work referenced and include a reference page. 4) Proofread the document carefully before submission Select one of the following leaders. 1. Mother Teresa 2. Gengis Khan 3. Mahatma Gandhi 4. Muhammad 5. Nelson Mandela 6. Warren Buffett 7. Bill Clinton 8. Aung San Suu Kyi 9. Bono 10. Dalai Lama 11. Jeff Bezos 12. Fred Smith 13. Howard Schultz 14. Malala Yousafzai 15. Martin Luther King Jr. 16. Ronald Reagan 17. Malcolm X 18. Barack Obama 19. Steve Jobs 20. Bill Gates 21. Robert Mueller 22. Greta Thunberg 23. Vladimir Putin 24. Mark Zuckerberg 25. Elon Musk
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