APRIL 27, 2020 COURSE OFFICIALLY STARTS
Completed the Welcome Forum post - since we are in the time of COVID-19 and home social distancing etc, some of the timelines have been adjusted. Needed to confirm post was reviewed
READINGS
Avolioi, B., Walumbwa, F., & Weber, T. J. (2009). Leadership: Current theories, research, and future directions. Management Department Faculty Publications. Paper 37.
This is the fundamental reading to get into this course. Outlines the different theories of leadership. Builds on the previous course. Need to come back to this one, there is A LOT IN HERE!!!
Outlines:
- authentic leadership
- cognitive psych and leadership
- new-genre leadership
- complexity leadership
- shared collective or distributed leadership
- leader-member exchange (LMX)
- followership & leadership
- substitutes for leadership
- servant leadership
- spirituality and leadership
- cross-cultural leadership
- e-leadership
One of the things that stands out to me especially in this current (hopefully) short era of videoconferencing etc is that section on substitute for leadership. This is where rules of engagement for a team instead become important, and decisions are made...
"For example, a group of people engaged in electronic brainstorming using technology, such as a group decision support system, may operate as though there was a participative leader who was leading the group, but in fact, leadership comes from the operating rules for using the system to engage." p.436, Avoliol et al, 2009.
Paper later goes on to note this hasn't been proven as a substitute to leadership - which makes sense, since I can not imagine having to make a decision without some leadership at the helm. In past working groups I have lead or participated on - indeed there can be consensus building. But maybe only in smaller situational occasions, and not as a structure unto itself. Ultimately in organizations - somebody/bodies need to make the call/decision.
Cleveland-Innes, M. (2012). Editorial: Who needs leadership? Social problems, change, and education futures. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13(2), 232-235.