Before beginning work on this discussion forum, please review the link Doing Discussion Questions Right, the expanded grading rubric for the forum, and any specific instructions for this topic.

From the bulleted list below, select one topic for which you will lead the discussion in the forum this week. Early in the week, reserve your selected topic by posting your response (reservation post) to the Discussion Area and identifying your topic in the subject line. By the due date assigned, research your topic and start a scholarly conversation as you respond with your initial or primary post to your own reservation post in the Discussion Area. Make sure your response does not duplicate your classmates’ responses.

• Research two different theories about personality. Compare the theories and draw conclusions relative to leaders. Answer “so what?” That is, your post needs to provide clear practitioner value.
• Research criteria for making ethical decisions. Draw conclusions relative to leaders. Answer “so what?” That is, your post needs to provide clear practitioner value.
• Propose a model for leading change, including potential strengths and weaknesses of the model. Answer “so what?” That is, your post needs to provide clear practitioner value.
• Research an issue pertaining to leadership that has not been specifically addressed in course materials thus far (e.g., gender, diversity, culture, innovation, learning, negotiation, global cultural dimensions, and emotional intelligence). Answer “so what?” That is, your post needs to provide clear practitioner value.

As the beginning of a scholarly conversation, your initial post should be:

• Succinct—no more than 500 words.
• Provocative—use concepts and combinations of concepts from the readings to propose relationships, causes, and/or consequences that inspire others to engage (inquire, learn). In other words, take a scholarly stand.
• Supported—scholarly conversations are more than opinions. Ideas, statements, and conclusions are supported by clear research and citations from course materials as well as other credible, peer-reviewed resources.

For grading:

• The reservation post and initial post are assessed in the rubric line item “Quality of initial posting.”
• Neither the reservation post nor the initial post count toward days of participation.
• Follow-up posts made throughout the week to your classmates and professor will apply to participation points in the rubric.
• All posts will be assessed for writing mechanics and information literacy. Be sure to review the expanded rubric for more details on grading criteria.

Leadership Development and Succession

Throughout the course, you have studied a variety of theories about leadership. By now, you should be developing your own perspective on who the leader is and what the leader does. You likely have gravitated towards certain styles and ideas about leadership.

For the Week 5 paper, you will design a leadership development program for an organization of your choice.

Tasks:

• Summarize the key details about your organization. What is it? What does it do? How does it currently develop (or not develop leaders)? Don’t just copy and paste your writing from the Week 1 introduction. Further summarize organizational details.
• Assess leadership. What is it? Why is it important?
• Defend an approach (e.g., style or theory) to leadership that you wish to replicate throughout the organization you have selected. Why is it appropriate for the organization?
• Design a leadership development plan to infuse your selected leadership approach into the organization. The plan can be a 2- to 3-page summary of a process, set of action steps, modules, or other means you will use to develop leaders.
• Propose a leadership succession perspective for your organization. Why is succession planning important? What are the consequences of failing to do so? What are the benefits of having a succession plan? What are 3 or 4 critical action steps the organization should take to build good leadership succession?
• Synthesize your self-development in leadership perspective and practice as a result of study in the course. What did you think about leadership coming into the course? How has your thinking and practice changed because of your study?

Submission Details:

• Complete your analysis in an 8–10-page Microsoft Word document, using APA style.
• Name your document SU_MGT7115_W5_LastName_FirstInitial.doc.
• Submit your document to the Submissions Area by the due date assigned.