Assignment 1 - Leadership Defined

Assignment 1 – Leadership Defined (15%)  (Objective 1)

One take-a-way from this course is to grasp concepts that are integral to the Interactional Framework for Analyzing Educational Leadership.  This leadership environment is the interaction between four key elements:

· the leader

· the follower

· the mission (task, goal, etc.)

· interacting in a given (situation (contextual environment).

The cross-section of these four elements is where leaders tend to either succeed or fail.  The balancing act of these elements is not easy; it is filled with hurdles.  Nevertheless, this framework offers a lens through which to view leadership and the leadership developmental process.

An additional resource (e.g., video)  is provides below (see link) to provide an example of how daily interactions with the world around us give us opportunities to help change lives. Click on the link below and view Drew Dudley's story about "Everyday Leadership."

Drew Dudley (Links to an external site.)

Assignment 1 Criteria

Based on your research and professional and/or personal experiences, assignment 1 requires you to define leadership and discuss leadership characteristics that are covered in Module 1. As described, your paper must reference scholarly data sources to support positions taken on leadership definitions and characteristics.

Use the following questions to guide your research activities; and for presenting information in your paper.

· How do others define leadership?

· What characteristics do they attribute to effective leaders?

· How do the views expressed above align with Covey’s eight characteristics of a Principle-Centered Leader?

Structure and Organization

Write a 5-page paper (including Cover page and References list).