Paper #1: The Role of the Leader

In the past weeks, students have learned about leaders and leadership. Leaders are social architects who design an organizational environment that encourages a desired range of social behaviors in an effort to meet the organizational goals set forth. Social architects create vision and strategic direction, shape culture and values and lead change.

This assessment is designed in a way that students can demonstrate knowledge of the material covered in weeks 1 – 4 and apply leadership concepts and ideas to a real-world situation. Students will delve into the details of the case study and the course readings but must also look at the situation from a strategic point of view since Dunn wants a sustainable business.

Required Elements to include in Paper #1:

In this assessment, you will act as Joseph Dunn, the leader of Dunn’s Ski Emporium. You want to purchase The Deli, so there is a lot of work to do before entering into the possible addition of a business you know nothing about. As Dunn, you will develop a leadership plan (not a business plan) writing from a leader’s perspective. So, you ask, what it means to write from a leader’s perspective?

Writing from the leader’s perspective means you will approach Dunn’s vision through the people centric viewpoint of the leader. You are focused on how the two businesses will meet the vision through the decision making flow and grouping of people within the organizations. How do you best use the people to meet your vision? Even though it is tempting to write in the first person, a plan is written in the third person in which a story will unfold. Dunn is essentially telling a story of how he is going to purchase the Deli and bring George and the business in as part of the Dunn Ski Emporium. Dunn will need to figure out how he is going to combine these two businesses and use his leadership skills to do so. Remember, you are writing from the leader’s perspective and are not solving problems but literally creating and developing an environment in which problems will be resolved by those who make the business run.

Dunn plans on designing an organizational structure that fulfills his vision, one that he believes George has for The Deli, and one that will fulfill its mission. The organization must be open to change and possess a culture that empowers its employees to follow the vision created. Like all good social architects, the building must start with a design that suites the purpose of the business and seeks to make it the best building for the job. The entire paper is the plan. Students are expected to be creative but realistic in developing pieces of the plan. For example, feel free to assign names and roles to the people in the business. In being creative students may not change the facts in the plan. Dunn will provide the plan to George Atkins once Dunn sits down with him to begin negotiations, so the plan must be polished. Also to make sure questions can easily be addressed, Dunn is going to write in the active voice and support the reasoning behind his ideas. Dunn wants to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the leadership material, so a wide range of the readings will appear in the plan.

Dunn has created an outline for the plan and has determined the following headings or steps to use:

1) Introduction paragraph in which purpose of the plan is explained and How Dunn’s approach to designing the plan is appropriate to his role as a social architect in the organization

2) Evaluate the organization’s purpose and goals. For example, what does the business do to make money? what is required in terms of the type of people who need to run the day-to-day operations? Discuss the critical elements that must be in place for Dunn to be successful in this new venture.

3) Develop vision and mission statements;

4) Design an organizational structure including an organizational chart that compliments the business purpose and its purpose when the merger takes place. Evaluate the key people like George Aitkin’s role in Dunn’s plan and how the decision making and placement of people would make the business flow;

5) Design an organizational culture that complements the organizational structure, business(es) purpose, and supports Dunn’s vision (use the OCAI to help in your selection);

6) Assess the environment for change in your plan. For example, is there a mechanism built in to the organizational structure and culture to facilitate change? Joseph Dunn as a change agent for the business environment? What steps should Dunn take for short-term change? For long-term change?

Within the steps of the plan, Dunn will analyze the following elements of leadership. In covering these steps, it is necessary to perform an analysis in terms of how and why steps are taken. Students are not covering the topics superficially but are required to use the course readings to explain the detail:

1) Joseph Dunn as a social architect

2) Joseph Dunn as an individual – be sure to include what Dunn can do to enhance his role as leader?

3) Joseph Dunn as a change agent for the business environment? What steps should Dunn take for short-term change? For long-term change?

4) George Aitkin’s role in Dunn’s plan;

5) Based on your leadership plan, discuss how Dunn might integrate the role managers have to strengthen his vision.

6) Discuss the critical elements that must be in place for Dunn to be successful in this new venture.

Required Formatting of The Plan:

• Since this is a plan, students are able to write single, spaced with a double space between paragraphs.
• Use 12-point font, and three -five pages in length including diagrams.
• Title page with your name, the course name, the date, and instructor’s name;
• Use headings as indicated;
• Reference page;
• Summary that provides the key points of Dunn’s plan;
• Writing is expected to be clear and concise;
• Write in the third person;
• Use APA formatting for in-text citations and reference page. You are expected to paraphrase and not use direct quotes. Deductions will be taken when direct quotes are used and found to be unnecessary;
• Outside resources may be used but the majority of the support will come from the course readings with a wide array of readings used;