Assignment title: Information
Module 4 - Case
VISIONARY LEADERSHIP, CROSS-CULTURAL LEADERSHIP,
FACILITATING CHANGE
Background
Leaders of today can be categorized by their various leadership styles, but all
successful leaders have one thing in common: they are visionaries. For example,
Presidents Bill Clinton, John Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan; high-tech giants
Steve Jobs and Bill Gates; and world figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and
Martin Luther King all had visions far larger than themselves and the role they
played. For example, Gandhi is single-handedly responsible for returning India to
home-rule after centuries of being ruled by Great Britain. Martin Luther King is
considered to be the father of the civil rights movement in the United States. Bill
Gates and Steve Jobs revolutionized the technology industry with their MS-DOS
and Windows software, and the iPhone, respectively.
Each of these leaders constructed a vision that was creative, clear, and concise,
and that also complemented the organization's culture and strategy. They all
possessed the foresight to plan strategically for potential opportunities and
threats, and once they constructed their vision, they were able to influence
people, implement policies and procedures, and execute on the vision (i.e., turn
that vision into action).
One key thing with visionary leaders is that they are the creative geniuses behind
the vision, and nearly all of them lead by example. Which brings us to the next
point: Microsoft certainly isn't the company that it was after Bill Gates stepped
down – will that same fate happen with Apple now that Steve Jobs is no longer
running the company?
Required Reading
Please review The 100 most influential people according to TIME. To see the full
list, click on "Full List" on the top banner, or choose from one of the selected lists
such as "Pioneers", "Titans" or "Leaders". The 100 Most Influential People (2016).
TIME. Retrieved from http://time.com/collection/2016-time-100/
Case Assignment
ListenSelect a leader from the TIME list who you consider to be an outstanding example
of visionary leadership. The descriptions are short, so you may need to look at
several before you find the person you want.
Conduct some additional research on this person. Then write a 5- to 6-page
paper where you:
Analyze your subject leader's style and explain why this leader is a visionary.
Keys to the Assignment
The key aspects of this assignment that, at a minimum, should be covered in your
paper include:
Why do you characterize this individual as visionary? Give specific examples.
Based upon your research, analyze the added value this visionary leader
brings to their organization or field.
Do you think visionary leaders are needed in every organization? Why or why
not?
What business or environmental conditions particularly call for visionary
leadership?
Assignment Expectations
Your paper will be evaluated using the following five criteria:
Assignment-Driven Criteria (Precision and Breadth): Does the paper fully
address all Keys to the Assignment? Are the concepts behind the Keys to the
Assignment addressed accurately and precisely using sound logic? Does the
paper meet minimum length requirements?
Critical Thinking (Critical Thinking and Depth): Does the paper
demonstrate graduate-level analysis, in which information derived from
multiple sources, expert opinions, and assumptions has been critically
evaluated and synthesized in the formulation of a logical set of conclusions?
Does the paper address the topic with sufficient depth of discussion and
analysis?
Business Writing (Clarity and Organization): Is the paper well written (clear,
developed logically, and well organized)? Are the grammar, spelling, and
vocabulary appropriate for graduate-level work? Are section headings included
in all papers? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means
of responding to the Keys to the Assignment, or is justification/support instead
conveyed through excessive use of direct quotations?
Effective Use of Information (Information Literacy and References): DoesPrivacy Policy | Contact
the paper demonstrate that the student has read, understood, and can apply
the background materials for the module? If required, has the student
demonstrated effective research, as evidenced by the student's use of relevant
and quality sources? Do additional sources used in the paper provide strong
support for conclusions drawn, and do they help in shaping the overall paper?
Citing Sources: Does the student demonstrate understanding of APA Style of
referencing by inclusion of proper end references and in-text citations (for
paraphrased text and direct quotations) as appropriate? Have all sources (e.g.,
references used from the Background page, the assignment readings, and
outside research) been included, and are these properly cited? Have all end
references been included within the body of the paper as in-text citations?
Tips and Suggestions
Please note the following tips and suggestions:
Include a cover page and reference page, in addition to the 5-6 pages of
analysis described above.
Include headings for all papers greater than 2 pages (basically all papers).
Cite and reference all sources that you use in your work, including those that
you paraphrase but do not quote. This means include citations and quotation
marks for direct quotes of more than 5 words, and citations for that information
which you have "borrowed" or paraphrased from other sources.
Follow TUI Guidelines for well-written papers.
Submit your analysis by the end of this module.