Solution Manual For Leadership A Diverse, Inclusive and Critical Approach Naveena Prakasam Chapter 1-12
Teaching Guide Introduction Welcome to this book! The leadership textbook attempts to adopt a diverse, inclusive, and critical approach to leadership theorizing. Throughout the textbook, a consistent feature is a „decolonizing leadership‟ feature, which looks at alternative approaches to leadership beyond western-centred contexts and theorizing of leadership. This teaching guide contains some case study teaching notes for Chapters 2 through 11. Additional resources such as web/video links are also included for Chapters 2, 6–9.
Chapter 1: Introduction The introductory chapter introduces learners and instructors to the textbook and describes aim of the textbook – which is to offer a diverse, inclusive and critical approach to leadership. Each of these terms are described, and a section on paradigms explains how leadership can be viewed in distinct ways.
Chapter 2: Evolution of leadership theories 1: Traits and skills The goal of this chapter is to examine how understandings of leadership have evolved ranging from largely trait-based approaches to further ways of understanding leadership which emphasize aspects that can be learnt – such as – skills. Learners are introduced to early conceptualizations of leadership which predominantly involved trait-based understandings. The goal of the chapter is to urge them to think critically.
The objectives of the chapter are: To provide a review and critique of early approaches to leadership which were predominantly trait focussed To provide a review of leadership skills To critically evaluate leadership traits and skills in relation to practice Further readingsAsad, S., & Sadler-Smith, E. (2020). Differentiating leader hubris and narcissism on the basis of power. Leadership 16(1): 39–61. Jansson, D., Døving, E., & Elstad, B. (2021). The construction of leadership practice: Making sense of leader competencies. Leadership, https://doi.org/10.1177/1742715021996497 Rehbock, S. K., Pircher Verdorfer, A., & Knipfer, K. (2019). Rate my professor: implicit leadership theories in academia. Studies in Higher Education 28: 1–13. Video and video links SAGE Video Collections Leadership and Personality: Trait Perspectives and “Great Man” Theory Alex Haslam, professor of psychology at the University of Queensland, discusses the limitations of the personality trait and great man leadership theories. https://sk.sagepub.com/video/leadership-and-personality-trait-perspectives-and-greatman-theory
Suggestions on how to teach a decolonized curriculum Sebudubudu, D., & Botlhomilwe, M. Z. (2012). The critical role of leadership in Botswana‟s development: What lessons?, Leadership 8(1): 29–45. The journal article by David Sebudubudu and Mokganedi Zara Botlhomilwe examines the role of leadership in the development of an African country, Botswana. The authors argue that the development of Botswana was possible due to good leadership as well as good policy decisions. This paper examines leadership skills which are seen as a key ingredient in the transformation of Botswana into a political and economic success.
Case study teaching notes Mini case study 1 What traits do you think made Lorde a good leader? Learners may be encouraged to think about Lorde‟s perceived traits. For instance, there is evidence of Lorde‟s drive and determination can be discerned through her actions. It is useful to focus on both the advantages and disadvantages of trait-based views of leadership. For instance, studying biographies of individuals such as Lorde might shed light on what leadership entails. To what extent is leadership about the individual versus the group? Traditional conceptualizations of leadership were individual centric. However, it can be argued that Lorde‟s leadership demonstrates collective action, and challenges individual centric trait-based perspectives, which were earlier centred around white men leaders, whose problematic views were overlooked. Mini case study 2 What leadership skills would be useful for May in this situation? Interpersonal skills such as social judgement skills would be useful in this situation. Understanding how others function in the organization would be useful. Additionally, strategic skills are important to meet the strategic objectives of the programme. These include anticipate, challenge, interpret, decide, align and learn. What do you think could be some of the complicating factors in this situation? There are several factors at play here. EDI initiatives at their core should be about disrupting structures that exclude marginalized individuals. While organizations are increasingly embracing EDI, and where this becomes a strategic priority, hard measures are often used to assess whether EDI goals have been met. However, it is difficult to often assess cultural change at a deeper level. There are hidden power dynamics at play here.
Chapter 3: Evolution of leadership theories 2: Leadership styles, leader versus manager debate The objectives of the chapter are: To examine the importance of context in leadership To explore and provide a critical overview of leadership styles and their importance in organizational, and wider societal contexts To critically review the leader versus manager debate
Further resources Further readings
Davis, A. P., & Vila‐Henninger, L. (2021). Charismatic authority and
fractured polities: A cross‐national analysis. The British Journal of Sociology, doi: 10.1111/1468-4446.12841 Spiller, C. (2021). „I AM‟: Indigenous consciousness for authenticity and leadership. Leadership, doi: 10.1177/1742715021999590 Gardner, W. L., Karam, E. P., Alvesson, M., & Einola, K. (2021). Authentic leadership theory: The case for and against. The Leadership Quarterly 32(6): 101495.
Suggestions on how to teach a decolonized curriculum Girei, E. (2017). Decolonising management knowledge: A reflexive journey as practitioner and researcher in Uganda. Management Learning 48(4): 453–470. Through an empirical study, Girei provides a reflexive account of a researcher in Uganda and her search for methodologies and research practices sensitive to the critiques of a western centric focus on management knowledge. The article addresses the challenges of the scholar, and her efforts to decolonize her methodological approach.
Case study teaching notes Mini case study 1 1. Based on this case study, to what extent is charismatic leadership important in world leaders? Krumah was revered due to his revolutionary and inspiring vision, which perhaps helped him reach out to several individuals. It was Nkrumah‟s extraordinary, larger-
than-life qualities that brought him to the world stage at the start. He wanted to keep western financiers away from the exploitation of Ghana. Learners could discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the inspiring vision and the larger-than-life quality of charismatic leadership. 2. What are the downsides of charismatic leadership? Based on Weberian charismatic authority, charisma cannot remain stable, and over time becomes traditionalized. Krumah managed to alienate several people/groups through his policies, particularly the cocoa farmers on whom Ghana‟s economic success depended. Learners could discuss whether a leader‟s vision would always lead to beneficial outcomes. 3. What factors beyond Nkrumah‟s leadership style were responsible for specific outcomes? Learners should consider macro-power relations here – particularly neo-colonialism, which depicts Western powers in the form of multinational companies threatening the economic prosperity of countries like Ghana that were moving towards independence. Another factor to consider is also the corruption, leading to Cocoa farmers receiving less for their crops. Mini case study 2 1. Should women, ethnic minorities and LGBTQ individuals have to carefully manage their leadership style to not suffer penalties in their career progression? Learners could discuss how leadership has been traditionally conceptualized as masculine and western centric. While this has been challenged by several feminist, critical and decolonial scholars, leadership continues to be gendered and racialized. For instance, an ethnic minority woman may be penalized further for displaying a style like Martin for being further away from the gendered norms. 2. To what extent is it important to project authentic leadership? A good answer might cover the advantages and disadvantages of authentic leadership style. While authentic leadership was proposed initially to address concerns over corporate scandals, the objectivist and positivist understanding has garnered criticisms. It is essential to think about displays of authentic leadership here, and how co-workers may respond to what they perceive as authentic leadership. Importantly, what is perceived as authentic may vary.