THE LEADERSHIP BOOK: ENHANCING

THE THEORY-PRACTICE CONNECTION

THROUGH PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

Karen J. Thompson
Joel Beak
Sonoma State University

Inspired by the educational benefits of project-based learning, a class project for

leadership courses is described that takes interview assignments to a new level.
Students use the findings from their interviews with managers to develop a book
on leadership that they have had a hand in from start to finish. The project pro-
vides a comprehensive approach to linking the concepts and realities of leader-
ship and engages students in a collaborative learning activity that challenges
them as both individuals and group members. The project also provides numer-
ous skill-building opportunities that maximize the value of the project. The six
phases of the project are described in detail, along with suggestions for the pro-
ject’s timeline and assessment mechanisms. Options for altering the project’s
length are discussed as well as its potential for use in other management courses.

Keywords: leadership; management; interviews; project-based learning;

collaborative learning

Research on project-based learning in the university business classroom

is scant, indicating that much greater opportunity exists for its incorpora-
tion in this realm. This article is designed to promote project-based learn-
ing in the management classroom by providing a ready-made activity for
expanding on the traditional “interview-a-manager” assignment. Interviews
with practicing managers are a common component of management courses,
particularly in those courses focusing on leadership. Often, however, these
interview assignments do not reach their full developmental potential. In
many cases, students are sent out to conduct interviews with little experi-
ence in the research process, and their findings are not incorporated fully
into a wider discussion of the meaning of leadership.

JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION, Vol. 31 No. 2, April 2007 278-291

DOI: 10.1177/1052562096297143
© 2007 Organizational Behavior Teaching Society

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 Thompson, Beak / THE LEADERSHIP BOOK 279

This project provides a comprehensive, project-based learning approach to

linking class concepts with the realities of leadership and organizational
interdependence. As Mello (2003) has noted, the variety and complexity of
leadership theories and findings are often a challenge for students to grasp. In
particular, students often struggle with developing a deep understanding of
trait, behavioral, stylistic, and contingency theories and their relevance to the
working world. After students have become acquainted with leadership theo-
ries and research findings, this collaborative project starts them down the path
toward a more holistic and practical understanding of the theories they have
studied in the classroom. First, students are required to interview a manager
or leader in the community. The interview questions are designed to draw out
information about (a) what the managers think about various leadership con-
cepts and (b) what the managers do and say in their positions. Next, after the
interviews, the students write a paper in which they analyze their interview
data and determine what leadership models and concepts seem to fit their
interview participants the best—that is, what models explain best the man-
agers’ descriptions of their leadership approach in various situations. Finally,
the class works together to achieve the ultimate goal for this project: the
development of a book that compiles the class’s findings on the realities of
leadership. The project is a multifaceted process that engages students at
three levels: individual, group, and class.

The Project-Based Learning Approach

Project-based learning has grown in popularity in the past decade as

teachers have witnessed its enormous potential for engaging students and
enhancing their learning. The approach has been widely implemented at the
elementary and secondary levels with impressive results in student achieve-
ment, problem-solving capabilities, communication, and understanding
(Thomas, 2000). Essentially, project-based learning revolves around the
student-driven investigation of a complex question or problem (Blumenfeld
et al., 1991). The project tends to be long-term, requires teamwork among
students, and results in a substantial final product (in addition to building-
block products along the way). The result is that students develop deeper
levels of understanding and new skill sets that will help them in both aca-
demia and the workplace.
Thomas (2000) highlighted five criteria that characterize a project-based
learning (PBL) activity. These are as follows (pp. 3-4):

• PBL projects are central, not peripheral to the curriculum.

• PBL projects are focused on questions or problems that “drive” students to
encounter (and struggle with) the central concepts and principles of a discipline.
• Projects involve students in a constructive investigation.

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280 JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION / April 2007

• Projects are student-driven to some significant degree.

• Projects are realistic, not school-like.

At its essence, project-based learning is focused on learning through one’s

experiences (Solomon, 2003). It is situated within the active learning domain,
which strives to involve students dynamically in course material so they can
“learn by doing.” Case studies, group exercises, debates, role-plays, and sim-
ulations are but a few examples of active learning activities that have devel-
oped a following among instructors seeking alternatives to the traditional
“sage on the stage” model (Bonwell & Eison, 1991; Faust & Paulson, 1998).
The research shows that student involvement in the learning process is greater
when active learning activities are implemented (Bonwell & Eison, 1991;
Meyers & Jones, 1993). It is through this hands-on participation that student
learning is enhanced (Chickering & Gamson, 1987). Collaborative learn-
ing, a special category of active learning focused on interactions between
students, has also been shown to be a strong, positive predictor of personal
development, understanding of science and technology, appreciation for art,
analytical skills, and openness to diversity (Cabrera et al., 2002).
Project-based learning expands on the typical active learning tech-
niques that tend to be relatively short in duration and targeted at one or a lim-
ited number of concepts. Projects are usually long term and concept rich.
Therefore, this learning approach involves greater commitment and organiza-
tion on the faculty member’s part. It may also require a shift in thinking about
classroom structures, roles, climate, and assessment (Blumenfeld et al., 1991).
Project-based learning activities are complicated, challenging, and collabora-
tive. They require longer periods of time to complete to accommodate the
complexity, difficulty, and interactive nature of their design. Typical projects
may last the majority or all of a semester (and may even be extended across
semesters). Because the projects are primarily student-directed, instructors
need to function more as facilitators and coaches, whereas students must move
out of the “passive learner” role. In addition, the classroom needs to be “a risk-
free environment in which students can use a variety of learning styles, learn
from mistakes, and give and get honest, nonthreatening feedback” (Solomon,
2003, p. 22). Finally, a variety of assessment mechanisms should be incorpo-
rated to provide feedback along the way both to the students and the instruc-
tor (Solomon, 2003).
The call to incorporate project-based learning into the business curricu-
lum was sounded by Rhodes and Garrick (2003). These authors pointed out
that a business education should involve students to a greater extent in prac-
tical activities that will develop their workplace skills. They also noted that
project-based learning is a major way that people learn on the job, so using
this approach in the classroom mirrors real-world learning conditions.
Business educators have also been encouraged to implement problem-based

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 Thompson, Beak / THE LEADERSHIP BOOK 281

learning in their courses to a greater degree (Bigelow, 2004; Coombs &

Elden, 2004; Miller, 2004; Sherwood, 2004). There is significant overlap
between problem-based learning and project-based learning in terms of
objectives and structure.

The Leadership Book Project

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The project described in this article has a variety of learning objectives

that enrich the educational experience for both the students and the instruc-
tor. The objectives are as follows:

1. To provide an opportunity for students to discover the relevance of leader-

ship theory and concepts to the workplace, thereby helping them connect
theory to practice.
2. To give students firsthand experience with the forces of complexity, interde-
pendence, teamwork, and leadership as they collaborate to produce the
book.
3. To engage and involve students in a community of learning in the classroom.
4. To enhance students’ research, critical thinking, interviewing, writing, com-
munication, and public speaking skills.
5. To encourage students to take ownership of their education.
6. To provide an opportunity for students to investigate different jobs that inter-
est them.
7. To expose students to managers and/or leaders in their community.

This project is recommended for classes of 30 or fewer students and has

worked in courses as small as 14. The project is appropriate for upper-division
undergraduates and graduate-level students.

WHAT SKILLS ARE ENHANCED

This project enhances students’ skills in a variety of areas. First, students

learn about an aspect of research design as they are forced to define the char-
acteristics of an appropriate interview subject and specify what they want
to learn from the interviewees. Second, students gain valuable information
about appropriate interviewing skills and get the opportunity to practice those
skills. Third, students get to speak face-to-face with a local manager or leader,
gaining useful information on the realities of management and leadership.
Fourth, students get hands-on experience in using content analysis as they
consolidate the information gained via the interviews and present the findings
in a coherent paper. Fifth, students must use critical thinking to compare the
interview findings gathered by the entire class and to find the themes that cut
across the set of leaders they have interviewed. Sixth, communication skills
are enhanced through numerous class discussions of the interview process

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282 JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION / April 2007

and the findings. Seventh, students gain experience in the complexities of

working in groups, developing better collaboration and leadership skills.
Eighth, students take on a more active role in the classroom as the collabora-
tive learning environment requires them to learn from and teach their class-
mates throughout the project. Ninth, students learn firsthand about the steps
involved in seeing a large project through from start to finish, and they gain
the satisfaction of successful project completion. Tenth, students learn the
value of feedback and how to use it to create a better product.
The leadership book project also has its advantages in terms of enhancing
students’ job-hunting skills and abilities. First, the development of interview-
ing, interpersonal, writing, and presentation skills will be useful as students
enter the job market. Many of today’s college students need guidance in the
basic skills required to obtain employment and function effectively in the
workplace (“Etiquette Training,” 1997; MacDermott, 1995; Mausehund,
Dortch, Brown, & Bridges, 1995; McLeod, 1978; Nardo, 1999; Saltz &
Foster, 1994). In addition, students will have a clearer idea of what jobs entail
in terms of interdependence, leadership, communication, and teamwork. This
knowledge can be a strong foundation for a successful transition between
academic and professional life. Finally, when going on job interviews,
students can include this project as part of a portfolio that shows the tangible
products of their college education. Employers are often impressed by school
projects that show complexity and relevance, as this one does.

ORGANIZATION OF THE PROJECT

This section describes the recommended six-phase format for the book
project. It combines specific guidance on what should occur during each
phase, what the instructor’s role should be, and what outcomes should be
expected. Each of the project’s phases is explained in detail below, along
with recommendations for when each phase should occur in the typical
15-week semester. A suggested timeline is provided in Appendix A.

Phase 1—Interviewee Selection: To ensure adequate time for completion of all

phases of this project, we recommend starting the first phase approximately
one third of the way into the semester (week 5). One of the most important
factors is to get students up to speed on some of the key leadership concepts
and issues. For starters, students should have a clear understanding of the
meaning of leadership and what makes someone a manager versus a leader.
In this first phase, students need to make decisions as to whom they will
interview. A class discussion and consensus on the qualifications for our
managerial participants is useful to ensure that students approach appropriate
interviewees. Years of experience and number of subordinates are two of the
broad categories typically targeted by students; the class decides on the spe-
cific cutoffs for each category. Students present their proposed interviewees
to the class and provide evidence on why the person is a valid interviewing
participant. The class discusses each proposed participant and decides if he

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or she is acceptable. The benefits of these discussions are that (a) they get
students talking about management versus leadership issues, (b) they make
students think about research design to a small degree, and (c) they make it
clear to the students that they have ownership of the project.
Phase 2—Question Development: The question development phase should occur
around the 6th week of the course to ensure that students have covered suffi-
cient material to engage actively in the exercise. We recommend that the top-
ics of leadership traits, behaviors, styles, power, influence, and ethics be
covered in addition to the contingency models and the pros and cons of being
a leader. In addition, it is useful for students to skim other chapters in the text-
book to broaden their perspective on the topic of leadership (or the instructor
can provide an overview of course content not yet covered). All students must
ask a standard set of questions during their interviews to ensure comparability
of findings further down the line. The class as a whole works together to
develop these questions. Small-group brainstorming sessions typically work
best for the first part of this phase; these provide an excellent opportunity to
teach students about the mechanics of brainstorming and to give them a chance
to put the technique into action. After the small groups have been given suffi-
cient time to develop their lists of questions, they are instructed to write their
top five questions on large sheets of poster-sized paper. Each small group’s top
five questions are then posted around the classroom. At this point, there is open
discussion about all of the proposed questions, and the class works toward a
consensus on the questions it would like to use in the interviews. We have
found that eight or nine well-formed questions can capture a satisfactory array
of leadership concepts. To help the students condense their question list, it
helps to point out that managers are busy people and that 10 questions will be
sufficient for a 45-minute interview (which is what we’re shooting for). (In
addition to the standardized set of questions, our students are required to
include one or two other questions in their interviews to tap their personal inter-
ests. Many students take this opportunity to learn more about working in a spe-
cific occupation.) Examples of the questions developed by our students are
provided in Appendix B. It is usually necessary for the instructor to facilitate a
discussion about question wording and order, so that questions are clearly writ-
ten and follow a logical progression. Mini-lectures on open-ended, closed-
ended, and leading questions are also valuable for this question development
phase. Interesting discussions often ensue at this point as students must decide
if the academic leadership jargon used in the classroom will be appropriate for
their interviewees. Once the question list has been decided on, the instructor
should enhance students’ upcoming data collection experience by teaching
them about interviewing techniques. Because students rarely have training in
interviewing skills, this can be a particularly valuable experience for them.
Instructors can use the excellent guidelines developed by Whetten and
Cameron (2005) as a springboard for their discussions about planning and con-
ducting interviews (see Appendix C for an outline of their key points).
Phase 3—Interviewing and Write-Up: Students should be given about 2 weeks to
conduct their interviews and write up their findings; this phase does not use any
class time. To start this phase, students are given the assignment to conduct
their interviews (see Appendix D). The instructor also provides a typed list of
the questions that were chosen by the class. Faculty will also need to decide
how many interview participants to require. Papers based on one or two

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interviewees have worked well in our classes. Students next interview their par-
ticipants and write individual papers describing the results. An important issue
at this point is confidentiality for the interviewees. It is advisable for each
student to ask his/her participants if they are comfortable being named in the
paper and book or if they would prefer being quoted anonymously. Formal con-
sent forms could also be used. Instructors will want to provide clear guidelines
as to how the papers should be formatted and written (e.g., see Appendix D).
This portion of the project produces an individual grade.
Phase 4—Papers Submitted, Oral Presentations, and Theme Extraction: The oral
presentations occur during the week in which the papers are due, typically
the 9th week. The presentation of the data from students’ interviews and the
subsequent theme extraction process may take a few class periods, depend-
ing on class size. This phase begins with students presenting their interview
findings individually in front of the class. Presentations include background
information on the managers and a summary of interviewees’ answers to the
standard set of questions. These presentations typically run about 10 minutes
per student. Students also are required to write their interviewees’ responses
to each question on 3×5 (or larger) cards. A sheet of poster paper is used to
capture the findings for each interview question. After their presentations,
students tape their 3×5 cards onto the appropriate piece of poster paper spe-
cific to each interview question. These 3×5 cards become the data that will
be used by the groups in writing their chapters of the book. Before presenta-
tions begin, it is strongly recommended that the instructor provide guidance
on effective presentation skills. Because we have found that this skill is con-
sistently overlooked in the typical undergraduate curriculum, we give a skill-
building lecture on the dos and don’ts of presenting. The presentation also
produces an individual grade.
To set the stage for the group-driven chapter-writing phase, the instructor
should guide class discussion toward an optimum number of themes that will
provide enough substance for groups to work on for the book. The goal is to
have the themes become chapters in the leadership book. These themes can
be extracted from the various interview findings that students have presented
and written on 3×5 cards. For example, six themes would work well in a class
of 30 students. Typically, our chapters have been constructed around leader-
ship theories and concepts, and they tend to flow naturally from the interview
questions (which are also targeted at leadership theories and concepts). The
instructor can help the students group the interview questions into themes
such as background of leaders, what works, what does not work, leadership
traits, leadership behaviors, leadership challenges, leadership pitfalls, and
what managers wish they had known before they became leaders. During this
phase, the instructor can also discuss content analysis to broaden students’
knowledge of research methodologies.
At this point, the instructor also needs to determine his or her approach to
forming groups in preparation for the chapter-writing phase of the project.
Some literature on the subject has suggested that instructor-determined
groups are superior to self-selected groups or randomly selected groups
(Cooper et al., 1990; Feichtner & Davis, 1990). However, a more recent study
has called into question this stance on group formation (Chapman, Meuter,
Toy, & Wright, 2006), providing support for the self-selection argument. To
assist in the team-building process, Siciliano (2001) and Butler (1995) offer

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 Thompson, Beak / THE LEADERSHIP BOOK 285

some useful guidelines for forming effective teams to promote cooperative

learning.
Phase 5—Chapter Writing: This phase requires only a small amount of class
time during weeks 10 through 13. The actual writing of the chapters can be
primarily an out-of-class activity except for those occasions when the chapter
groups and the editorial group need to have (usually brief) consultative meet-
ings. Some class time is also recommended for hammering out the editorial
rules for the project. This phase of the project involves the actual analysis of
the interview data (as collected by all students) and the write-up of the book
chapters. This phase is group-based. One group should be designated only as
“editors” who have the authority to set standards and request revisions. The
other groups should each be responsible for producing one chapter of the
book. So, in a 30-student class, there might be six chapter groups of four
members and one group of six editors. Groups use the information compiled
during student presentations (i.e., the 3×5 data cards) as the basis for their
chapters. The chapters are graded as a group project. The overall quality of
the text and the “finishing touches” (described in Phase 6) are the basis of the
grading for the editorial group. The editors should frontload the process by
instructing the chapter groups as to consistent formatting and writing guide-
lines. These types of quality control issues can be addressed by the instruc-
tor as part of a discussion on Locke’s (1968) goal-setting theory. For
example, the instructor can point out the necessity for leaders to communi-
cate clear goals that are specific, measurable, and challenging.
Phase 6—Compilation and Production: Phase 6 also requires mostly out-of-class
work that should be completed by the 14th week. Once the chapter groups
have completed their chapters to the satisfaction of the editors, the editorial
group compiles all of the chapters and puts the finishing touches on the book
(including table of contents, title page, possibly the introduction and conclu-
sion, etc.). Depending on departmental resources, the instructor could make
copies of the book for everyone in the class. Alternatively, students could
help fund the cost. (In our experience, the costs for printing and binding have
been around $5 per copy through our campus printing shop.) The finished
product is a book on leadership (of 50-100 pages) that students have had a
hand in from start to finish! Every student receives two (or three) bound
copies, one for personal use and one to give to each interviewee.

POSSIBLE MODIFICATIONS

Two additional points about this project are worth noting. First, the proj-
ect can be shortened. If necessary, this project can be pared down to fit the
instructor’s specific time constraints. For example, one version could use only
Phases 1 through 4. Although the group and large-scale project experiences
would be missed, students would still gain from skill areas 1 through 6 (see
the “What Skills Are Enhanced” section). Second, this project can be adapted
to many other courses that have an interview assignment. It has been equally
effective, for example, in a course on groups, in which students have observed
and interviewed various groups at work and then compiled a class book on
what they learned from these group interviews.

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GRADING GUIDELINES

The grading of this project necessarily involves a number of compo-

nents. These components include the following:

• an individual grade for the student’s interview paper;

• an individual grade for the student’s oral presentation of his or her interview
paper (a portion of this grade can be based on audience ratings of the
presentation);
• a group grade for the chapter or, if the editorial group, for editorial work;
• a peer evaluation grade of the individual’s contributions to the group as eval-
uated by group members; and
• a series of self-assessments of effort and learning over the course of the project.

Each instructor will need to determine how to incorporate these factors

into the overall course grading system. In our classes, we combine the above
factors with three exams and a participation grade.

Conclusion

In general, an interview assignment on managers is a beneficial one for

students because it exposes them to a workplace situation in which they must
conduct themselves professionally, it helps to bring leadership theories to
life, and it provides interviewing experience. The argument for the project
described above is in the extra developmental “bang for the buck” that can be
gained by making the project more comprehensive, collaborative, and expe-
riential. The few additions to a typical interviewing assignment that are sug-
gested here can lead to deeper learning and higher levels of skill building for
students. The project has the added benefit of transforming the classroom into
a community of learning, resulting in a more stimulating, interactive educa-
tional environment for both students and instructors.

Appendix A
Suggested Timeline

The timeline for a 15-week semester might look something like this:

Week 5: Phase 1—interview participant selection discussions (class time needed:

30-45 minutes)
Week 6: Phase 2—question development discussions (class time needed: 60-75
minutes)
Weeks 6-9: Phase 3—interviewing and write-up by students (class time needed:
none)
Week 9: Phase 4—interview paper submission, oral presentations, and theme
extraction (class time needed: 3-5 hours, depending on number of students)

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Week 10: Phase 5—editorial group discussions on chapter formatting and other
guidelines with chapter groups (class time needed: 20 minutes)
Week 12: Phase 5—submission of group chapters to editorial group (class time
needed: 5 minutes)
Week 13: Phase 5—return by editorial group of edited chapters to chapter
groups for final changes (class time needed: 5 minutes)
Week 14: Phase 6—final compilation of book by editorial group and submission of
book to instructor for photocopying and binding (class time needed: 5 minutes)
Week 15: Finished copies of book given to students; discussion of the project
experience (class time needed: 30-60 minutes)

Appendix B
Examples of Students’ Questions Used
for Leadership Interviews

1. How did you get to your current position, referring to your past educational,
work, and life experiences?
2. In your opinion, what makes an effective leader?
3. What personal characteristics have helped you in your position? How has
your management/leadership style changed over time?
4. Describe your overall approach to leading and motivating your employees.
How do your employees respond to your approach?
5. Describe the ways in which you deal with employee-related problems (e.g.,
poor performance, attitude problems, etc).
6. What challenges have you experienced as a manager/leader? What did you
learn from the experience(s)?
7. How much of a role do ethics play in your job (e.g., in making decisions)?
What is your company’s position on ethics?
8. What ethical dilemma do you recall as being a challenge in your career? Why?
9. How do you manage stress?
10. How do you develop your followers?
11. What are the key differences between leaders and managers?
12. What advice would you give to someone just starting out as a leader?
13. How can leaders gain and retain trust?

Appendix C
Handout on Guidelines for Planning
and Conducting Interviews
Source: Whetten, Developing Management Skills, 6th Edition, © 2005, p. 575. Adapted by
permission of Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Planning the Interview

1. Specify your purposes and plan an agenda.

a. Determine your general purpose: to gather information, persuade, disci-
pline, or evaluate.
b. Compose an agenda, prioritizing all topics.

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2. Formulate questions.
a. Determine the type of questions (closed or open) that are consistent with
your objectives.
b. Write specific questions for each topic on the agenda.
c. Use appropriate language in your questions.
d. Avoid biased or leading questions.
3. Develop the interview guide/script.
a. Select the appropriate format: structured, semistructured, or unstructured.
b. Use either the funnel or inverted funnel question sequence.
c. Formulate transition statements between topics.
4. Select an appropriate setting.
5. Identify potential complications that might arise and develop backup plans.

Conducting the Interview

6. Establish and maintain a supportive climate.
a. Greet interviewee and initiate a brief social conversation.
b. Foster a positive communications climate by constant analysis of, and
adaptation to, the interview process.
c. Use effective listening skills and nonverbal language (eye contact, pos-
ture, and gestures) to foster cooperation.
7. Introduce the interview.
a. State the purpose of the interview.
b. Clarify interviewee’s and interviewer’s roles.
c. Specify the time frame of the interview.
d. Indicate how information will be used.
e. Use a transition to signal the beginning of the interview.
8. Conduct the interview.
a. Use the interview guide/script to manage the flow of the interview.
b. Use probing questions when elaboration or clarification is required.
c. Be flexible and adapt to the flow of the interview.
9. Record the interview content, using the appropriate format.
a. Take notes during the interview (while sustaining eye contact).
b. Use a tape recorder (with the interviewee’s permission).
c. Use a second interviewer to improve your recall (if possible).
d. Write a summary immediately after the interview.
10. Conclude the interview.
a. Signal that the interview is about to end.
b. Summarize the information you have collected.
c. Clarify details or technical information.
d. Review what will happen as a result of the interview.
e. Strengthen the relationship by expressing appreciation (“Thank you for
your time”).
f. Send a thank-you email or letter within a few days of the interview.

Appendix D
Paper Assignment

For this project, you will conduct semistructured interviews with two managers
of your choice. The managers can work in any kind of organization (public/private,

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 Thompson, Beak / THE LEADERSHIP BOOK 289

profit/nonprofit) and at any level (from senior executive to first-line supervisor) but
do need to be practicing managers (that is, they are currently managing people/fol-
lowers). Also, be sure that the managers fit the qualifications that we decided on as
a class: Managers must oversee at least three subordinates and must have at least 2
years of managerial experience. You will be asking the managers about the key lead-
ership issues and concerns that they face on the job. Be sure to take good notes dur-
ing the interviews, so you can reconstruct what you learned for your paper. Also, for
each question asked during the interview, you will need to write the interviewee’s
response on a 3×5 card after the interview. We will be using these data cards for the
group phase of our project.
The paper needs to

1. summarize both interviews, providing clear answers to each of the interview

questions for each manager;
2. make connections between your interview findings and the leadership con-
cepts we have studied in class;
3. compare and contrast the information received from each manager (i.e.,
what were the similarities, what were the differences…?); and
4. discuss your thoughts about the interviews and what you learned about lead-
ership.

Papers should be a minimum of six pages and must follow the writing require-
ments as described in the syllabus. We will work together to develop a set of inter-
view questions as a class so that our interview findings can be compared more
easily. In addition to the class-generated questions, you need to develop additional
questions of your own that tap specific areas of leadership that interest you.
The evaluation criteria for these papers will include the following:

• clarity and thoroughness of discussion of interview findings;

• application of leadership theories and concepts to your interview findings;
• quality of analysis and evaluation of the interviews, both separately and
comparatively;
• depth of insight into leadership issues gained through the interviews;
• development and use of additional interview questions (beyond class-
generated questions);
• clarity and thoroughness of 3×5 data cards; and
• quality of writing.

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