**Disclaimer**

This syllabus is to be used as a guideline only. The information provided is a summary of topics to be covered in the class.
Information contained in this document such as assignments, grading scales, due dates, office hours, required books and materials may be from
a previous semester and are subject to change. Please refer to your instructor for the most recent version of the syllabus.

MGT 525: Leadership & Teamwork

Fall 2020

Instructor: Dr. Edward (Ned) Wellman | Email Ned_Wellman@asu.edu

Phone: (480) 965-2793| Office: BA 367G
Office hours: Tuesdays 10:30 AM-12:30 PM and by appointment

Class time: Tuesdays 1:35 PM – 3:35 PM | Class location: MCRD 276

COURSE OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES

Effective leadership is a key means through which individuals can influence collectives and
inspire others to perform at their highest potential. In this class, we will work to increase your
ability to lead others. After taking this class, you will be able to:
• Understand the three key leadership roles (task master, relationship builder, and
change agent).
• Demonstrate how to fulfill these roles in a manner that is ethical and consistent
with your personal strengths
• Discover, articulate, and defend your personal leadership philosophy
• Use leadership skills to solve complex group problems in a variety of contexts
• Feel passionate about leadership and construct a plan for your lifelong
development as a leader

This class is one of two classes in the Full-Time MBA program (along with MGT 526 in the
second year) that partners with the Executive Connections program. The classes and Executive
Connections program are designed to give you an opportunity to enhance your understanding of
key leadership competencies, engage in a series of specifically tailored challenging experiences
that will allow you to practice and develop these competencies, and meet one-on-one with an
executive mentor who will assist in your personal developmental journey.

WP CAREY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS LEARNING GOALS

The Undergraduate Program of the W.P. Carey School of Business has established the following
learning goals for its graduates (items in bold have significant coverage in this course):
1. Critical Thinking
2. Communication
3. Discipline Specific Knowledge
4. Ethical Awareness and Reasoning
5. Global Awareness

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY & LEARNING OUTCOMES

Class Format and Attendance: Much of what you will learn in this class will come from in-
class exercises and interactions with classmates. Therefore, class attendance and active

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participation is vital. For every unexcused absence, you will lose ten points from your
participation grade. Please review the meeting dates and times listed in this syllabus. If you
have to miss a class, it is your responsibility to meet with your classmates to learn what you
missed. Also, if you must miss class, please let me know in advance. See below for exceptions to
the attendance policy. These are the only circumstances under which I will excuse and absence.

Exceptions:
1) In accordance with ACD 304–04, I will make every effort to accommodate the practices of the
various religious faiths represented in our student body. If you plan to participate in the
observance of a religious holiday that conflicts with our class schedule, please notify me at least
one week in advance of your absence and I will meet with you to discuss how to resolve the
conflict. A calendar of religious holidays can be found here: https://eoss.asu.edu/cora/holidays.
No accommodation will be possible if advance notice is not provided.

2) Per ACD 304–02, I will also accommodate students who miss class due to university-
sanctioned activities. If you anticipate missing class for a university-sanctioned activity, please
have the activity program coordinator notify me at least 1 week in advance of your absence so I
can verify the activity is university-sanctioned and we can discuss how to accommodate it. No
accommodation will be possible if advance notice is not provided.

3) In the COVID-19 era, it is very important we do what we can to keep one another safe. All
students are expected to adhere to ASU’s policies and guidance concerning COVID-19, which
can be found here: https://eoss.asu.edu/health/announcements/coronavirus. If you are feeling
sick, it is very important that you not attend class in person, and I will excuse any illness-related
absences. However, if you are not able to come to class in person it is expected you will attend
remotely if your health permits.

Communication: I will use Canvas to communicate with you outside of class hours; although
you can of course email me at any time. I will use the “Announcements” tool to send you
messages and reminders pertaining to the course, so please update your Canvas settings to
receive notifications for announcements. If you email me outside of Canvas, please include
“MGT 525” in the subject. I will do my best to respond to messages received prior to 4:30 pm
each business day the day they are received. Messages received after 4:30 pm or on the weekend
may not receive a response until the next business day. Our course meetings and assignments are
listed on the Calendar feature of our Canvas site. The syllabus is posted under Syllabus. I will
use the Course Documents section of the Modules link to post lecture slides, handouts, and other
relevant documents. To encourage active note taking, I will not post all of the content presented
in class to Canvas. I would like to help you succeed in any way I can, so I encourage you to take
advantage of my office hours if you have questions or would like to discuss the course content in
more detail. However, per the WPC Honor Code, it is your responsibility to stay current with the
material presented in class and I will not provide notes in office hours, nor will I re-cover lecture
material for students who missed a class session.

Leadership Development Groups: Most leadership occurs in groups. Your program-assigned

project groups (4-5 students per group) provide an ideal opportunity to practice leading. In MGT
525 we will refer to these groups as your leadership development group (LDG). The LDGs will

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give you the opportunity to practice and reflect on leading others, and also contribute to your
teammates’ leadership development. At the conclusion of the course you will conduct a peer
evaluation of the members of your LDG which will provide group members feedback on their
leadership abilities. Your participation in LDG activities – as assessed by the other members –
will constitute part of your final grade for the course.

COURSE MATERIALS

Coursepack: The required reading material for this course is included in a customized
coursepack available from Harvard Business School Publishing. A link
and instructions for purchasing your coursepack are posted on Canvas as
an Announcement. The coursepack costs around $90. Many of the
exercises, case discussions, and simulations we will be conducting in class
are only available in the coursepack. To participate, each you must have
your own coursepack – if you do not, you will not be able to access the
materials and simulations. To reiterate, you EACH MUST purchase
your own coursepack to receive a passing grade in the course.

EXECUTIVE CONNECTIONS PROGRAM EXPECTATIONS

As noted, this class accompanies the Executive Connections program. The purpose of the
program is to enhance your leadership competencies by enabling you to interact with
experienced high-level executives who can offer advice, mentoring, and practical experience.

It is important to note that you are expected to take ownership of your experience in the
Executive Connections program. Although I am available to assist in the event of problems, it is
up to you to make sure you get what you need from the mentoring relationship.

Students are expected to:

• Jointly set priorities/expectations for the mentoring relationship.
• Proactively schedule and participate in a one-on-one meeting (for about an hour) with
their assigned mentor each quarter.
• Assume responsibility for ensuring their interactions with mentors are personally and
professionally valuable.
• Communicate promptly and professionally with their mentors.
• Attend one scheduled Executive Connections event per quarter.
• Share openly about their issues, problems, questions, and successes.
• Report any issues they are experiencing with mentors promptly to the Faculty Director.

Other optional activities are:

• Meet with Executives in Residence.
• Participate in other activities with their assigned mentors

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COURSE EVALUATION

1. Class Participation (Individual assignment, 330 points, 33% of final grade). Because the
bulk of the learning in this course comes from in-class exercises and discussions, it is
ESSENTIAL that everyone enthusiastically and actively contributes to the classroom experience.
Students are expected to attend every class session. You will receive a score of 0-10 points
per class for your in-class contributions. If you miss a class and it is not excused you will receive
a score of 0 for that day, and it will not be possible to make those points up. Contributions to in-
class discussions come from both the quantity and quality of your comments, as well as
timeliness in arriving to class and returning from in-class exercises. You are expected to have
studied the assigned reading before class, and be prepared to discuss the readings in class.

Below is the grading scale that I will use to assess your in-class contributions. A high-quality
contribution reflects that a student: responds to other students as well as the instructor, volunteer
illustrations from personal experiences, has prepared prior to class and listens actively in class.

A Consistent (~90% of class sessions) high quality contributions.

A- Reasonably frequent (~80% of class sessions) high quality contributions.
B+ Reasonably frequent (~80% of class sessions) contributions, but not always of high quality.
B Occasional (~60% of class sessions) high quality contributions.
B- Occasional contributions (~60% of class sessions), but not always of high quality.
C+ Contributes once and a while, but not always of high quality.
C Does not take part in class discussion unless specifically asked to do so.
D Takes no part in classroom discussion.

Another 140 participation points are available over the course of the semester for participating in
online discussions via our Yellowdig discussion board. Additional details about Yellowdig
grading will be provided in a Canvas announcement and posted to Yellowdig under the title
“Welcome to Yellowdig.”

You will also receive points for participating in assignments with your LDG and submitting any
required documentation by the stated deadline. This portion of your participation grade is based
only on participation/completion. However, the quality of your LDG’s work on the assignments
will form a portion of the final presentation grade. There are 5 LDG assignments, and each
participating team member will receive 10 points per assignment, for a total of 50 participation
points.

You can earn 20 extra credit participation points for scheduling and participating in a meeting
with an “Executive in Residence” during Quarter 1 or Quarter 2. To receive these points, you
will need to submit a 300-word (max) summary on Canvas that describes which executive you
met with, when you met with them, and what you learned.

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Finally, you are expected to participate fully and proactively in the Executive Connections
program. Each student is required to meet with their mentor at once per quarter, and to attend
periodic events hosted by the Executive Connections program. Although I encourage you to
attend every event, each student may miss one event per year without penalty. I will deduct 30
points from your participation grade for each scheduled Executive Connections event you miss
after the first. I will also deduct 30 points from your participation grade for each quarter that you
do not proactively schedule at least one meeting with your assigned mentor, or in which you
repeatedly miss scheduled meetings.

***IMPORTANT NOTE: Final grades for this course will be posted after Q2. However, if
you miss required Executive Connections meetings and events in Qs 3 and 4, your grade
will retroactively be lowered consistent with the scoring policy below. ***

Below is a summary of how your class participation grade will be calculated.

Activity Points Possible

In-class contribution 140 points
Yellowdig contribution 140 points
LDG assignments 50 points
Total Points 330 points

Executive Connections participation grade adjustments

Executive in Residence assignment + 20 points (extra credit)
Missing > 1 scheduled Exec Connections event -30 points
Not scheduling a meeting with your assigned mentor -30 points/quarter
Repeatedly missing meetings with your assigned mentor -30 points/quarter

2. LDG Peer Evaluation (Individual assignment, 70 points, 7% of final grade). Because so

much of the learning in this class will occur in your LDG, active participation in the LDG
discussions and exercises is vital to a successful experience for all students. Moreover, effective
leadership involves working well with others, and it is important to get feedback on your ability
to do so. At the end of the semester, students will submit a peer evaluation of each other member
of their LDG. Students will provide feedback via a short survey that will be shared anonymously
with each member, and also allocate a portion of the total LDG points available for the group to
each member. These points will be used to calculate each student’s LDG peer evaluation grade.
Students can earn anywhere from 0-110% of the points possible for this assessment category.

3. Personal Leadership Story (Individual Assignment, 200 points). Leadership is

autobiographical. That is, your values, ideas about leadership and leadership behavior is shaped
by your prior experiences, current situation, and future aspirations. To help you clarify how your
life experiences have contributed to your approach to leading others, you will write a personal
leadership story (5 pg. max.) early in the class. This story will clarify how key aspects of your
past, present, and future have shaped your views of leadership. Detailed instructions for this
assignment and a grading rubric is available on Canvas – please read them before you begin. The
assignment is due via Canvas by 11:59 pm on 9/15.

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4. Group Presentation (Group assignment, 200 points, 20% of final grade). Throughout the
course, I will give your LDG assignments that present important leadership challenges give each
member the opportunity to practice leading. Your LDG will give an 8-10 minute presentation
in class on 11/24 describing your experiences with these activities and what you learned about
leadership. Detailed instructions for this assignment and a grading rubric are available on Canvas
– please read them before you begin.

5. Leadership Development Plan (Individual assignment, 200 points, 20% of final grade).
An important objective of this class is to lay the foundation for your lifelong development as a
leader. To fulfill this objective and help you apply what you have learned during the class, you
will create a personal leadership development plan. Based on your experiences in class, you will
describe your strengths, aspirations, and opportunities for improvement as a leader, and describe
the steps you will take during the remainder of the program to improve your leadership abilities.
Detailed instructions for this assignment and a grading rubric are available on Canvas – please
read them before you begin. The assignment is due via Canvas by 11:59 pm on 12/1.

Evaluation Summary

Requirement Points Possible

Class Participation 330 points
LDG Peer Evaluation 70 points
Personal Leadership Story 200 points
Group Presentation 200 points
Leadership Development Plan 200 points
Total Points 1000 points

Grading Scale:

Grade Points
A+ 980-1000
A 940-979
A- 900-939
B+ 870-899
B 840-869
B- 800-839
C+ 770-799
C 700-769
D 650-699
E 0-649

The point cutoffs for final grades in the course are shown above. There will not be a curve or any
other form of score adjustment. Grades will be determined solely by the points you earn fulfilling
the course requirements above, not by any other factors (e.g., apparent effort, need or desire to
do well, family responsibilities, charm, etc.).

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Challenging a Grade. If you wish to challenge a grade that you receive on an assignment,
please adhere to my 24/7 policy: You must wait until 24 hours after you receive the grade, and
then you must challenge it in writing within 7 days. I will evaluate your request and then re-
grade the assignment if I think it is warranted. If I decide to re-grade an assignment, your score
could to stay the same, go down, or go up, and the new grade will be your final grade for the
assignment.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY & W.P. CAREY HONOR CODE
The highest level of academic integrity is expected and required of you in this course. The W. P.
Carey School has established an Academic Standards Committee to investigate and penalize
instances of academic impropriety. I will refer any suspected breaches of academic integrity or
the honor code to the Academic Standards Committee and the Academic Affairs Office for
further action. Any student who engages in academic misconduct as outlined in ASU’s
academic integrity policy (http://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity) will receive strict
penalties. Those penalties ordinarily will range from a full 2-letter reduction in final course
grade (at a minimum) to expulsion from the program and School of Business. Any
subsequent act of academic misconduct, regardless of severity, will result in dismissal from the
program and the School of Business.

I also expect you to adhere to the graduate student code of conduct and professionalism policy in
their interactions with me and your classmates.

Relevant W.P Carey Policies: https://gradstudents.wpcarey.asu.edu/student-resources/policies

TUTORING SUPPORT
Arizona State University provides writing and other academic issues through multiple platforms.
More information can be found here: https://studentsuccess.asu.edu/.

Additionally, there is a graduate writing center in Noble Library. You can meet with a graduate
writing consultant to receive feedback on your writing at any stage in the writing
process. Schedules may be found at https://tutoring.asu.edu/student-
services/graduate. Appointments can be scheduled either online or by calling (480) 965-9072.

The W. P. Carey School of Business provides a variety of support services to our international
students at the Global Education Center in BAC 119. More information can be found here:
https://students.wpcarey.asu.edu/resources/international-students/cultural-events

ASU COUNSELING SERVICES

ASU offers high-quality, affordable, and confidential professional counseling for students
dealing with mental health issues. The first appointment is free and subsequent appointments are
only $15 max. More information is available at https://eoss.asu.edu/counseling

There is also a 24-hour crisis hotline especially for ASU students experiencing mental health
emergencies: 480-921-1006.

Please don’t hesitate to take advantage of these resources if they might assist you.

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THREATENING BEHAVIOR POLICY
The university takes threatening behavior very seriously and these situations will be handled in
accordance with the Student Services Manual, SSM 102-02
http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/ssm/ssm104-02.html.

DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS
I am happy to accommodate physical, learning, or other disabilities. To request accommodation
for a pre-existing disability, please register with the Disability Resource Center
(https://eoss.asu.edu/drc) and submit the appropriate supporting documentation to me along with
your request within 14 days of the beginning of the course. Requests for accommodation
received less than one week prior to an assignment deadline will not be considered except in the
event of a documented emergency.

REPORTING AND CONFIDENTIALITY

Title IX is a federal law that provides that no person be excluded on the basis of sex from
participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education
program or activity. Both Title IX and university policy make clear that sexual violence and
harassment based on sex is prohibited. An individual who believes they have been subjected to
sexual violence or harassed on the basis of sex can seek support, including counseling and
academic support, from the university. If you or someone you know has been harassed on the
basis of sex or sexually assaulted, you can find information and resources at
https://sexualviolenceprevention.asu.edu/faqs.

As a mandated reporter, I am obligated to report any information I become aware of regarding

alleged acts of sexual discrimination, including sexual violence and dating violence. ASU
Counseling Services (see below) is available if you wish discuss any concerns confidentially.

ASU VALUE STATEMENT

“The ASU Charter sets forth a vision of a New American University measured ‘not by whom we
exclude, but rather whom we include and how they succeed’; that advances research of public
value, and that assumes responsibility for the well-being of the communities it serves. Now and
in the future, ASU remains committed to supporting our students’ success, to encouraging
diversity and inclusion, and to enhancing the public good…We look forward to the continuation
of conversations on our campuses that facilitate understanding among us, and that demonstrate
respect, kindness, and civility towards all members of our diverse and multifaceted ASU
communities.”

Mark Searle
Executive Vice President and University Provost

Link to ASU Charter

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COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
The contents of this course, including lectures and other instructional materials, are copyrighted.
Students may not share these materials outside the class, including uploading, selling or
distributing course content or notes taken during the conduct of the course. Audio or video
recording of class sessions by students is prohibited. Any recordings of class sessions I post to
Canvas is authorized only for the use of students enrolled in this course during their enrollment
in this course. Recordings and excerpts of recordings may not be distributed to others.

COURSE SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS

Date Class Focus Readings and Assignments

Aug 25th
1. Beginning your • Syllabus (Canvas)
leadership journey • Manager’s Job: Folklore and Fact (Mintzberg)
2. Personality and • Discovering your Authentic Leadership (George et al.)
st
Sept 1 leadership: Leveraging • Moments of Greatness: Entering the Fundamental State
your best self of Leadership (Quinn)
3. The relationship
Sept 8th builder role: Bringing • Too Hot to Handle (Edmondson)
team members together

• Expectations (Reilly)
4. The taskmaster role: • Appraisal and Coaching: Improving Results with
Sept
Communicating and
15th Feedback (HBS Press)
enforcing expectations
Personal leadership story due by 11:59 pm on 9/15
(Canvas)
5. The change agent
Sept role: Establishing a • Tony Hseih at Zappos (case)
22nd shared vision and LDG Fun assignment due by 11:59 pm on 9/22
values (Canvas)

• Moral Person and Moral Manager: How Executives

Sept 6. Leadership and Develop a Reputation for Ethical Leadership (Trevino,
29th Ethics Hartman, & Brown)
LDG Vision assignment due by 11:59 pm on 9/29
(Canvas)
7. Leading without • Who’s in Charge? The Jim Davis Case (case)
Oct 6th
authority • Chapter 6: Power & Influence (Yukl)
Oct 10th – Oct 13th: Fall Break (No Class)
• OB Reading: Leading Teams (Bernstein)
Oct 20th 8. Leading teams (1) • Leadership and Teams Simulation: Everest (review
Welcome, Role Info, and Tutorial screens)
• No reading
Oct 27th 9. Leading teams (2) LDG Everest assignment due (HBSP website) by 11:59
pm on 10/25

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 10. Leadership and • Keeping Google “Googley” (case)
Nov 3rd LDG charity assignment due by 11:59 pm 11/3
culture
(Canvas)
11. Leading virtual • Trust and the Virtual Organization (Handy)
Nov 10th LDG Tip of the Iceberg assignment conducted during
work
class
12. Leadership and • Making differences matter (Thomas & Ely)
Nov 17th
diversity • Beth Stewart: Navigating the Boardroom (case)
Nov 24th 13. Group presentations • No reading

• No reading
Dec 1st 14. Last Class Leadership Development Plan due by 11:59 pm 12/4
LDG Peer Evaluation Survey due by 11:59 pm 12/4

*** Information in this syllabus is subject to change with reasonable advance notice. ***

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