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Reading from Required Texts
Machiavelli, Nicolo.
The Prince and Selected Discourses.
Be sure to read the following online readings: Battle of Maldon, Elizabeth I, Henry V excerpt, Leadership theories (see links in facing column)
Bennis, Warren, Spreitzer, Gretchen, & Cummings, Thomas (Eds) (2001). The Future of leadership:
Today's top leadership thinkers speak to tomorrow's readers. New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0787955671.
Reading from Online Texts
Procedure for reading -- read quickly, for concepts rather than detail. Choose two or three to read more closely. Please think of ways that what is occurring in the text relates to a current contemporary situation, or a leadership / management issue that you have encountered or been aware of. Be sure to relate the reading to current historical & political issues as well.
Guiding Questions
Please use these questions as springboards for fruitful contemplation, and to help you with your paper. You may respond to the questions if you wish. If you prefer to address other issues regarding the readings and leadership, please feel free to do so.
What are the attributes of a leader as illustrated by Machiavelli? Elizabeth I? Henry V? The soldiers at the Battle of Maldon?
In the various readings, which seems to be more important to the author: the state / organization, or the people who make it? Why does this perspective matter in leadership?
How does a person's core belief about the nature of humanity influence how they lead? Does Machiavelli believe that people are inherently good or bad? What difference does this make in leadership decisions?
In the various readings, according to the author, which people in the organization benefit most? Why?
What is a leader's role in a utopian experiment?
Can a corporation or a unit of the military ever have a kind of utopian vision? For example, in the case of special forces, or small units, what type of animating idea keeps the vision alive?
What does having a utopian vision mean for the leader? What are various implications?
Do followers ever force a vision upon a leader? In that case, are the followers, in fact, shaping the way the leader must behave?
Michel Foucault suggests a kind of control-based view of leadership and followership. He suggests that the followers' belief that their actions -- even thoughts and attitudes -- are being monitored in order to punish deviation from the norm has a great impact on the organizational dynamics.
How do fear and paranoia of the followers result in a reinforcing of power?
How do tyrannical leaders in non-democratic systems play upon the paranoia and fear of their followers?
The horror of the spectacle: How does the media eroticize violent acts?
Does violence attract viewers by riveting them to a screen? Georges Bataille analyzed the relationship between death, violence, and erotic art, and then made connections between that and consumer culture. His important works include his final long essay, The Tears of Eros. His most important work is The Story of the Eye.
Do we ever see similar practice with the violent acts of war? Does the media ever deliberately show violence in order to attract viewers (including children)? Is this ethical?
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