Oregon State University

Oregon State University Home Page

                                                                        BA 452

LEADERSHIP, negotiation AND TEAM BUILDING

                                                                  SPRING 2005

 

Contact information

Professor: David C. Baldridge, Ph.D.

Office: 400a Bexell

Office Hours:  M 4:00-5:00, T 1:00-2:00, W 11:00-12:00 and by appointment             

Email: David.Baldridge@bus.oregonstate.edu

 

CLASS MEETING TIME AND PLACE:

Section 001 meets Monday & Wednesday, 12:00-1:50 p.m. in Bexell 207.

Section 002 meets Monday & Wednesday, 2:00-3:50 p.m. in Bexell 207.

           

COURSE DESCRIPTION: In-depth practice and development of three skills: leadership, team building, and negotiations.  Provides opportunities for learning to increase effectiveness as a group member or leader.  PREREQ: BA 350, BA 352 and senior standing.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who successfully complete BA 452:

·        Have a working knowledge of the skills required of successful team leaders and effectively communicate this knowledge orally and in writing.

·        Have assessed which of the above skills they possess and use.  They have developed an operational plan to practice and acquire the skills they lack.

·        Have a working knowledge of the foundations for and steps of an effective negotiation process and effectively communicate this knowledge orally and in writing.

·        Have practiced negotiation skills in a number of in-class and personal settings and have assessed how effective they are.  They look for opportunities for further practice and take advantage of these opportunities.

  

Required readings:

·        Perkins, D.N.T.  (2000). Leading at the Edge: Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition.  NY: AMACOM.

·        Shell, G.R.  (1999).  Bargaining for Advantage: Negotiation Strategies for Reasonable People.  NY: Penguin.

·        There will be additional required readings and assignments.

 

Additional Suggested readings:

·        Connerley, M.L. & Pedersen, P.B. (2005). Leadership in a Diverse and Multicultural Environment. Sage.

·        Dubrin, A. (2004). Leadership: Research Findings, Practices and Skills, 4th Edition. Houghton Mifflin.

·        Lewicki, R.J., Barry, B., Saunders, D.M. & Minton, J.W. (2003). Negotiation, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Irwin.

·        Manning, G. & Curtis, K. (2003). The Art of Leadership. McGraw-Hill Irwin.

·        Reardon, K. (2005). Becoming a Skilled Negotiator. Wiley.

·        Thompson, L.L. (2005). The Mind and Heart of the Negotiator, 3rd Edition. Person, Prentice.

Course grading and overview:

        I.      Class preparation & participation                                                             15 %  

     II.      Team Leadership & Negotiation Project                                                   20 %

   III.      Exam 1-Leadership                                                                                             25 %

  IV.      Exam 2-Negotiation                                                                                             25 %

     V.      Exam 3-Personal Development Plan                                                                     15 %

  VI.      Course total                                                                                                         100 %

 

Grade expectations: An “A” is earned by exceptional students who consistently perform excellent work.  A “B” is earned for above average work relative to peers. A “C” is earned for work that meets minimal requirements. A “D” or “F” is earned for work that fails to meet minimal requirements.

 

overview of assignments:

 

  I.      Class participation . I intend to run the class in a seminar format. Your participation score is based on your active participation, demonstrated learning and value added to class discussions and activities. To assure full credit, please be sure that I have a picture of you on my photo-enrollment sheet, display your name card during every class and sit in your assigned seat. While poor attendance will hurt your grade, regular attendance is not enough. You must complete required readings prior to class, be prepared to ask questions, make comments, actively participate and learn as we go. Disrupt behavior—including but not limited to side conversations, not listening to and respecting the views of others, arriving late, cell phone disruptions, computer use, etc.—will result in a zero, or failing grade, for class participation depending on the circumstances.

 

  II.   Team Leadership & Negotiation Project (& Individual Project Paper). You will work in teams of 3 to 4 students to prepare and deliver a 10-12 minute presentation on a topic related to leadership, negotiation or teamwork. You can base your presentation on (a) a specific research question, (b) a specific person or case study or (c) both a research question and case. The topic should extend rather than duplicate material presented in the required readings and in class. Sample topics include: gender & negotiation, leadership & national culture, leadership and sustainability, negotiation & entrepreneurship, etc. Additional details will be discussed in class.

 

a.       Team Presentation: (15 points) The presentation should be VERY interesting (fun, creative, interactive), clearly explain important concepts and emphasize real world applications. Evaluation criteria will include (1) the academic rigor and quality of the information presented, (2) the usefulness of the information presented to your audience and (3) presentation effectiveness—that is, was the presentation interesting, clear and memorable to you audience.  

 

b.      Individual Project Paper: (5 points) After completing the presentation you will be asked to submit an individual paper in which you (1) summarize what you learned about leadership and negotiation in completing this assignment, (2) evaluate your own performance and the performance of your teammates and (3) indicate the letter grade that you deserve and why. You will also complete a worksheet in which you evaluate your fellow group members.  Due by 5:00 pm on the last day of class.  Evaluation criteria will include (1) communication effectiveness and (2) demonstrated mastery of course concepts. (one page maximum length, plus team participation spreadsheet)

 

III.   Exams 1-Leadership. This exam will cover leadership and may include multiple choice, short answer and essay questions based on the required readings and class material. 

 

IV.   Exams 2-Negotiation. This exam will cover negotiation and may include multiple choice, short answer and essay questions based on the required readings and class material.

 

  V.   Exam 3: Personal Development Plan (written analysis). One individual written analysis is also required. This analysis is a leadership and negotiation development plan that is due at the end of the regularly scheduled final exam period. While all of the required readings are relevant, the following pages are particularly helpful: Perkins 233-245 & Snell 235-246. Papers submitted by 5:00 pm on the Friday of dead week will earn an additional 5 percent of available points. Additional details will be provided in class.

 

Grading Policies:

1.      Late assignments and exams.  Unless you have an acceptable reason and get advance approval, 5% of the available points will be deducted for each day that an assignment is late.

2.      Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the assigned date.

3.      Typing and writing.  Excluding exams, assignments must be typed.  Well-written English and good spelling are expected. Also, identify your section number on all assignments and exams.

4.      Academic dishonesty.  Any case of academic dishonesty will result in a grade of F for the course.  This action is allowed by Academic Regulations and Procedures as described in the Schedule of Classes.  I expect you to know and understand these policies and regu­lations.  If there is any doubt about their meaning and interpreta­tion, ask for an explanation.

 

Email communication: All students registered for business courses have an assigned e-mail address on the College of Business computer system.  I will occasionally communicate with you using this address.  If you are not familiar with the system, there is signage in the Hewlett-Packard Computer Lab (Bexell 112) explaining how to access your account.  Also, if you prefer to use your ONID e-mail address, Bexell lab assistants can explain how to have mail addressed to the College of Business system automatically forwarded to your ONID address.  I will hold you responsible for checking your email daily excluding weekends and holidays.

 

DISABILITY ACCOMODATION: Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, who have any emergency medical information the instructor should know of, or who need special arrangements in the event of an evacuation, should make an appointment with the instructor as early as possible, no later than the first week of the term.

 

Syllabus Changes: This syllabus is a guide, not a contract, and therefore may be changed as necessary. If changes are made, the instructor will announce them via an email sent to your COB email address, generally at least one class in advance of the due date for an assignment.
TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE

 

Sess.    Topic                                                                                       Assignment

 

9/26     Course Introduction

9/28     Leading Strategies Introduction                                     P: xiii-11*

 

10/3     Vision, Symbolism & Personal Example                                    P: 15-39

10/5     Optimism, Reality & Stamina                                        P: 40-69

 

10/10   Teamwork & Team Values                                                       P: 70-97

10/12   Conflict & Celebration (Guest Speaker, Nic Vu, Target)           P: 98-124

 

10/17   Risk, Creativity                                                             P: 125-149

10/19   Case study: Rice Health Systems                                               P: 170-184                                          

10/21   SPECIAL FRIDAY session for guest speaker**

(Patrick Kuhse, http://speakingofethics.com/)

                                                           

10/24                                                                                                   NO CLASS

10/26   Exam 1-Leadership                                                                                                   

           

10/31   Bargaining Styles                                                                      S: xi-21                       

11/2     Goals & Expectations                                                               S: 22-38

 

11/7     Authoritative Standards and Norms (Virtual Class Session)       S: 39-57

11/9     Relationships                                                                            S: 58-75

 

11/14   Other Party’s Interests                                                  S: 76-88

11/16   Leverage                                                                                  S: 89-114

 

11/21   Exam 2-Negotiation                                                                                                              

11/23   Presentation Effectiveness (Class prior to Thanksgiving break)

 

11/28   Team project presentations  

11/30   Team project presentations                                      

                       

            Exam 3-Leadership & Negotiation Personal Development Plan                           

Section 001: Wednesday, December 7, 8:00 pm

Section 002: Tuesday, December 6, 2:00 pm

 

* Key to reading assignments:  P: xxx-xxx and S: xxx-xxx refer to page numbers in the Perkins and Shell texts, respectively.

** If you cannot attend you can write a 4 page paper on a business leader that you find inspiring. Please see me for additional details.


LEADERSHIP &TEAMWORK ...learn from a goose!

 

·        There is a scientific explanation for why geese fly in their familiar "V" formation. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in the "V" , the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

·        Morale: Those who are part of a team and share a common direction get where they are going more quickly and easily, because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

 

·        Whenever a goose falls out of the formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to "go it alone" and quickly gets back in formation to take advantage of the power of the flock.

·        Morale: If we have as much sense as a goose, we will share information with those who are headed in the same direction we are going.

 

·        When the lead goose gets tired, it drops back in the wing and another goose takes over.

·        Morale: It pays to share leadership and take turns at hard jobs.

 

·        The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

·        Morale: Words of support and inspiration help those on the front line to keep pace in spite of day-to-day pressures.

           

So, the next time you see a formation of geese, remember: It is a reward, a challenge, and a privilege to be a contributing member of a team (source unknown).

 

From Lao Tzu’s Tao Teh Ching, a book of wisdom, 6th Century B.C.

 

A leader is best

When people barely know that he exists,

Not so good when people obey and acclaim him,

Worst when they despise him.

“Fail to honor people,

They fail to honor you.”

But of a good leader, who talks little,

When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,

They will all say, “We did this ourselves.”

 

From S.E. Ambrose, Nothing Like it in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad.

 

“But we also know that, although he could convince the Big Four and others to put their money and talent into the building of the Pacific railroad, he could not manage them.  With those four he could never achieve harmony.  Judah knew how stresses and strains worked on bridges, curved tracks, anything mechanical, but not how they worked on human beings.”  p. 117.