Managing and Leading in Organizations

Catalog description

This course will expose you to some of the major ideas and findings in the field of managing and leading in contemporary organizations. There is probably no other topic in management that has been talked and written about as much as leadership. We will spend time examining what it is that managers and leaders actually spend their time doing, and what factors lead to more effective performance. Ultimately, it can be argued that the goal of managers and leaders is to get things done in organizations, and most of that work is accomplished by effectively managing other people. We will focus on three leadership competencies that are crucial for your success: 1) critical thinking and decision making, 2) smart collaborating with an eye toward creativity and change, and 3) the ability to motivate, influence and inspire. Critical thinking involves developing hypotheses about the causes of problems, using all the available evidence to test those hypotheses, and developing solutions that address the causes most effectively and efficiently. Knowing how to assemble the best team, and how to collaborate and work together, is essential for getting to the best solution. But having the right answer is rarely good enough. Very often the right answers have to be sold. Thus, you will work on your ability to motive and influence others to the merits of your analysis and your solution.