Course Description

Learn about stories and their implications for leadership in diverse fields. Case studies include business, human services, political science, nursing, cultural leaders, and community activists. This rich mix of approaches allows students to understand how 'stories' will be received in a wide range of potential leadership situations. Students will learn about story structures, and how the skillful creation and articulation of stories is a fundamental part of the leader's vocation. Students will learn to assess how leaders utilize storytelling to frame issues, and how they update personal, political, community, and corporate stories to open opportunities in the face of change. Related courses may be disciplinary rather than interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary; for example: leadership courses specific to nursing, political science, or business. This course was previously CUL-223024 Stories and Creative Leadership.

Learning Outcomes

1. Evaluate how storytelling informs effective leadership in a variety of disciplines and venues. 

2. Analyze how leaders employ understanding of human motivation and behavior in selecting narrative tools and strategies such as perspective, themes, significance, story structure, archetypes, and other models of story dissection. 

3.  Apply creative leadership strategies to adapt, revise, and create new and inspiring stories for change in the face of crisis and conflict.

Learning Activities

This course is divided into several learning modules with Open Educational Resources (OERS) of freely accessible readings and/or video viewings. Students will engage in two individual appointments, write three module response papers, and complete a final project. All written work will be emailed directly to the faculty member. Due dates and term calendar will be determined in the initial appointment meeting. This will be individually determined between the student and faculty member.

Module Learning Objectives

Module 1: Defining Leadership

• Understand various definitions of leadership from a variety of disciplines to be able to identify and assess key qualities and components of leadership and how it is evaluated.

• Analyze the depth and breadth of what it means to lead and the purposes for which leadership is needed.

Module 2: Principles Storytelling & Personal Narratives

• Understand the role stories play in creative leadership through identifying and examining story structures, archetypes, and narrative influences.

• Evaluate how stories can help people to understand and assess the work and the motivations of leaders.

Module 3: Storytelling and Creative Leadership

• Understand how the skillful creation and articulation of stories is a fundamental part of leadership.

• Evaluate leadership storytelling tools and strategies.

• Analyze how leaders adapt, revise, and create new and inspiring stories for change in the face of crisis and conflict.

Module 4: Individual Case Study Project

• Understand the importance of perspective in creating, delivering, and receiving the leadership story.

• Create your individual definitions of creative leadership based on understanding of course content.

• Apply leadership storytelling tools and strategies as part of final creative leadership narrative project.

• Demonstrate effective writing skills both in written assignments and online communication.

Assignments and Grading

3 Individual Appointments - 10% of final grade

3 Module Response Papers & Discussion Posts -  60% of final grade 

Final Project -  30% of final grade

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Individual Appointments: 

• • • Students will participate in three appointments with the instructor related to each module.

    • Students will be asked to sign up for an appointment based on posted schedule at the midterm and end of course.

Module Response Papers:

Using the module materials, you will be asked to write a 2-3 page reflection on the materials addressing the specific questions in each module. These papers should focus on depth of analysis rather than a summary of the course materials.

Final Project:

Your final project should build upon your learning in the course and capture the spirit and essence of the course as a whole. You are encouraged to design a project that is meaningful to you both personally and professionally. 

You have several options to consider:

• You could write a traditional scholarly essay. 

• You could design a leadership initiative for your job (real or hypothetical). 

• You could write a story that epitomizes creative leadership. 

The project parameters are limited only by your imagination. 

Length: Contingent upon project form, but roughly equivalent to an 8-10-page scholarly essay (2000-2500 words, not including works cited/references).

Module 1 - Learning Outcomes

• Learn definitions of leadership from a variety of disciplines to be able to identify and assess key qualities and components of leadership and how it is evaluated.

• Learn about the depth and breadth of what it means to lead and the purposes for which leadership is needed.

Module 1 - Materials

Readings

• "Leadership, Leadership Styles, and Servant Leadership" by Franco Gandolfi and Seth Stone (2018)

• "What Do We Mean When We Talk About ‘Leadership?’” by David M. Rosch and Michelle L. Kusel (2010)

• “Leadership in a Time of Crisis: Creating a Legacy That Can Stand the Test of Time.”  by William B. Caldwell (2009)

Viewings

• (2020) John Maxwell - Leadership when it matters most

• (2012) John Madea's TEDTalk - How art, technology and design inform creative leaders

• (2010) Brene Brown's TEDTalk - The power of vulnerability

Module 1 -Reflection Paper

Using the materials in this module, examine the concept of leadership. What do most of the authors/speakers seem to say leadership is? What are the most important issues that arise from a survey of the field? Identify salient definitions and features of leadership across disciplines, as well as those unique and distinct to you and your personal and professional leadership experiences. Point out potentially incompatible and/or contradictory definitions and examine how these differences might generate productive discussion for the importance of leadership as a topic of study, particularly for the way people talk about (tell stories of/for) leadership. You will/should have engaged with the required materials, so this paper should focus on depth of analysis rather than a summary of the materials.

Additional readings

• “An Exploratory Study on Ideal Leadership Behavior: The Opinions of American Police Managers.”

• “Leadership Development of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities in the Self-advocacy Movement.”

• “Safety Leadership: Finding Common Ground.”

• “Developing Responsible Leadership Through a ‘Pedagogy of Challenge’: An Investigation into the Impact of Leadership Education on Teenagers.”

• “Leaders from Disciples: The Church’s Contribution to Leadership Development.”

• "Principles of 'servant leadership' and how they can enhance practice." 

• “What Do We Mean When We Talk About ‘Leadership?’”

Module 2 - Learning Outcomes

• Understand the role stories play in creative leadership through identifying and examining story structures, archetypes, and narrative influences.

• Evaluate how stories can help people to understand and assess the work and the motivations of leaders.

Module 2 - Materials:

Readings

• “How to Tell Your 'Story of Self'" by Bill Moyers (2013)

• "What is Public Narrative: Self, Us & Now" by Marshall Ganz (2009)

• "Storytelling That Moves People" by Bronwyn Fryer (2003) 

Viewings/Listening

• (2021) Ethical Storytelling: Introduction to Ethical Storytelling 101 podcast

• (2020) KarenEber's TEDxPurdueU talk - How your brain responds to stories --- and why they're crucial for leaders

• (2018) Will Storr's TEDxTalk - The Science of Storytelling

• (2012) Andrew Stanton's TedTalk - The clues to a great story

• (2009) Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TEDTalk - The danger of a single story

Module 2 - Reflection Paper:

Using the materials in this module, examine the concept of storytelling. Will Storr and Bill Moyers talk about storytelling and self-story.  Andrew Stanton shares not only the personal story of his life, but he also tells it backwards from what brought him to the TED stage to the circumstances of the beginning of his life. Marshall Ganz talks about choices we make when we construct our public narratives looking at the ideas of the story of now, stories of us, and stories of self. Brownwyn Fryr talks about the power of persuasion and the leader's job to motivate people. She also discusses the role of self-knowledge being at the center of great storytelling and how asking questions help us understand ourselves and others. Karen Eber focuses on earning trust through storytelling.  And, we also must consider what is discussed in the ethical storytelling podcast and in Chimanda Ngozi Adichie's TEDTalk about the danger of accepting/telling a story from only one perspective.

Thinking about the summary above and the details in the resources for this module, you now have a foundation of what to consider about storytelling as you explore the questions of:

• • What story(ies) do I tell myself and others about who I am?

  • What stories do you want to tell?

  • What stories of you own experiences will your share?

  • What stories will you research and create?

  • What stories do we tell about "us" and about "them"?

  • What stories do we need to protect/to share carefully and ethically?

For this reflection paper, consider some of the questions above and what you found to be interesting, informative, surprising, controversial, and problematic about telling stories/storytelling.

 You will/should have engaged with the required materials, so this paper should focus on depth of analysis rather than a summary of the materials.

Additional materials

In preparation for M2 Discussion 1 (week 6 to mid-week 7), read:

• "Excepts from Myth and the Movies, Stuart Voytilla" by Christopher Vogler

• "Propps 31 Narratemes" Vladimir Propp (from changingminds.org)

• “With a Book, the Last Democrat in the White House Tries to Help the Current One.” Jodi Kantor

Additional materials

• “Examination of the Effectiveness of Male and Female Educational Leaders and the Invitational Leadership Style of Leadership.”

• “Effects of Leadership on Innovative Program Implementation.”

• “Leadership and the Process of Becoming: An Artist Never Paints the Same Picture Twice.”

• “Implementing Ethical Leadership: Current Challenges and Solutions.”

• “Trust Development in Outdoor Leadership"

• “A Methodological Review of Research on Leadership Development and Social Capital: Is There a Cause and Effect Relationship?"

Module 3 - Learning Outcomes

• Understand how the skillful creation and articulation of stories is a fundamental part of leadership.

• Evaluate leadership storytelling tools and strategies.

• Analyze how leaders adapt, revise, and create new and inspiring stories for change in the face of crisis and conflict.

Module 3 - Materials

Readings

• • "What leaders tell and employees hear – an intention-perception model of storytelling in leadership" by Johannes Startk and Julia A. M. Reif (2022)

  • "Effective storytelling: Leadership’s magic motivational methodology" by Stephen Denning (2021)

Viewings/Listening

• (2022) "Once Upon an Innovation" - podcast by Susan Linder interviewing Jean Storile and Mimi Sherlock

• (2021) "Untold Stories of Innovation: Connecting Leadership and Storytelling" - podcast with Ryan Hawk 

• (2019) Lorna Davis' TEDTalk - A guide to collaborative leadership

• (2018) Majeed Mogharreban TEDx - How leaders tell stories

• (2010) Drew Dudley's TEDTalk - Everyday leadership

• (2009) Simon Sinek's TEDTalk - How great leaders inspire action

• (2009) Fields Wicker-Miurin - Learning from leadership's missing manual

Module 3 - Reflection Paper

Using the materials in this module, examine the intersection of storytelling and leadership.  Choose two examples of leadership stories and compare and contrast how the leaders told their stories.  Analyze these stories using the information you learned about in this module, but you may also draw on the materials from the previous modules.  You can use any of the leadership stories you have reviewed here or from another source; in either case, please include a link or copy of the written or video of the story.  

You will/should have engaged with the required materials, so this paper should focus on depth of analysis rather than a summary of the materials.

Additional materials

In preparation for M3 Discussion 1, read:

• The Leadership Moment: Nine True Stories of Triumph and Disaster and Their lessons for Us All, by Michael Useem (1998)

• “Leadership in a Time of Crisis: Creating a Legacy That Can Stand the Test of Time.”  by William B. Caldwell

In preparation for M03 Discussion 2, read/view:

• Pray the Devil Back to Hell (PBS program, 54 minutes)

• “Freedom from Fear” by Aung San Suu Kyi

• “Remarks in Recognition of International Human Rights Day,” Hillary Rodham Clinton

The focus of this module is your independent work on your final project.  

Final Project

Your final project will blend the concepts of leadership and storytelling in personal and academic/professional ways.  Your final project should build upon your learning in the course and capture the spirit and essence of the course as a whole. You will also need to do outside research related to storytelling and creative leadership. You can delve deeper into some additional content by people whom you have read or viewed in the class, but you should also do some outside research specific to the focus of your project ideas. You are encouraged to design a project that is personally and professionally meaningful to you. You can approach this project in a variety of different approaches:

• You could write a traditional scholarly essay exploring the connection between leadership and storytelling. You will look at these topics globally and within specific discipline/profession/area of expertise. You might also do a comparative analysis across two or more disciplines/professions/areas of expertise.

• You could design a leadership initiative (real or hypothetical) for your job, professional organization, or other area of expertise. You could write this up in a paper format or create a comprehensive TEDTalk style presentation.

• You could write a story/record yourself telling a TEDTalk style story that epitomizes creative leadership making sure that you explore both global concepts as well as specific disciplines/professions/areas of expertise.

The project parameters are limited only by your imagination.

You will be building upon the project proposal you submitted at then end of module 2 and incorporating feedback from the instructor and your peers.

As a guide/rule of thumb, here are the length and section expectations:

Length: Contingent upon project form, but roughly equivalent to an 8-10-page scholarly essay (2000-2500 words, not including works cited/references). Use at least 3-4 outside sources (secondary sources i.e. scholarly books or articles, not only resources from within our class materials)

Part 1 - Crafting Your Own Creative Leadership Story - about 2 pages

Part 2 - Researching Creative Leadership - about 6-8 pages (this is where you should incorporate your outside research)