The Role of Faculty in Teaching Leadership Studies

Abstract

The question of whether leadership can be taught has received much attention in the literature. While many authors believe that it can be taught, other disagree. Leadership is a process which is different from the term leader. In that regard, faculty can teach leadership as a process but they may not be able to provide their students with positions as leaders. The purpose of this article is to discuss the role of faculty in teaching leadership studies. The focus will be on why to teach leadership, when to teach leadership, what to teach about leadership, and how to teach it. Since leadership is a process, students are better served if they learn how this process works and use it in their daily interactions with others. Important leadership behaviors can be learned and practiced early on in life. They can be learned from parents, teachers, peers or significant others. Leadership skills may be successfully taught and learned by using the interactive approach. Thus, through instructional integrity, intellectual humility, relevant equality, critical thinking, specific class structure, and self-directed humor, faculty may create the appropriate climate for teaching leadership skills.

Leadership in the Making: A Comprehensive Examination of the Impact of Leadership Development Programs on Students

“…Evaluation research was conducted to determine the successful processes and outcomes of leadership education and development programs. While practitioners involved in the leadership movement differ in their definitions of the range of items that constitute leadership development (Fulmer, 1997;Klenke, 1993;Spindler, 1992), it is generally accepted that leadership can be taught (Hashem, 1997). Documenting this assumption has been the challenge of an emerging body of research coined as &dquo;learning leadership theory&dquo; (Binard and Brungardt, 1997).…”

Leaders of Character: The USAFA Approach to Ethics Education and Leadership Development

“…The educational establishment recognizes that not all students respond in the same manner and the experiential component adds value to the educational experience of most students (Govekar and Rishi 2007). And as the population of students becomes larger, more diverse, and more technologically sophisticated, the instructors are being held accountable for the quality of the student learning experience (Chapman et al 1992;Harrigan 1990;Hashem 1997). As a result, educators are adopting new practices that raise the level of student effort, achievement and interest in the subject matter, although not without controversy.…”

Needs assessment of university leadership programs

“…Third, scientific research within the leadership discipline has shifted the prevailing view away from the notion that leadership is an innate characteristic that an individual either has or does not have and toward the view that leadership can be taught and developed within anyone (Hashem, 1997;Reisberg, 1998;Zimmerman-Oster & Burkhardt, 1999). Fourth, increased reliance on cross-functional teams in the workplace (Clark, Amundson, & Candy, 2002;Dominick, Reilly, & McGourty, 1997;Esquivel & Kleiner, 1996;Housel, 2002) has led to increased demand from employers for graduates who are able to apply informal leadership skills to help manage these diverse work groups (Hackman, Olive, & Guzman, 1999).…”