ENGR 408 - Leadership Principles (2 credit hours)

Monday 6-9 PM, 308 Hammond Building

Spring 2015
(Rev 2)

Professor Erik Orient

Office: 220H Business Building
Phone: (814) 865-5290
E-mail: evo100@psu.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
Teaching Assistant Adam Merendino
E-mail: atm5238@psu.edu
ENGR 408 - Leadership Principles
Thoughts and Guidance
The wise fool Mullah Nasrudin was asked once what is your house like? He answered by handing
the questioner a brick and saying it is just a collection of these. In the same way, teachers are often
asked, what is your course like? we often answer by handing the questioner a syllabus and saying
it is a collection of these topics. What appear below are the bricks of the class laid out for you to see
with my comments on what I feel makes each brick special these bricks are not assembled or
welded together with mortar yet that is our job this semester - my wish is for you here is to gain a
big picture perspective on the bricks and the class and perhaps see the house you might build for
yourself.
The historical root of the word lead comes from the ancient pre-Saxon word loeden or lithan
which meant to travel (Tooor and Ofori, ASCE, 2008). This class will be challenging trip for some of
you, but with heroic effort and an open mind all things are possible. I am confident that this semester
you will recall things you had forgotten and learn new things about yourself and the world we live in. It
is important to remember that this class can only give you knowledge, not experience. Its important
to take the things we talk about together and apply them in your life. Leadership is a lot like
swimming. We can teach you the theory behind staying afloat, but you wont be a swimmer until you
jump into the ocean. You will be taking ENGR 493 concurrently with this class. Use that project
experience to apply the principals we learn here. But dont settle there! Actively practice leadership in
your personal and professional life. Without avid trial and error, youll stay on the beach. Jump in with
a passion and you will gain the experience you need to start you journey towards leadership. I wish
you well in theory of our classroom and practice of your first dive!
Course Overview
This basic leadership course is designed to provide students with an appreciation for leadership, and
covers the basic theories, principles, skills, and relevant literature germane to leadership within the
engineering discipline in particular. Material is addressed in a manner that facilitates the practical
application of knowledge to future leadership, business, and engineering settings. The course serves
as the introductory course to the Engineering Leadership Development Minor (ELDM) in the College
of Engineering. This is an interactive, high-energy course that requires students to show-up for every
class ready to participate and contribute. Emphasis is placed on oral and written presentations,
mastery of course material in a down-to-earth, practical way; and cooperative learning within teams.

Specific Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Understand and discuss current international events and contemporary leadership concepts,
principles, and theories in a way that facilitates practical application in real world engineering,
business, social, and other professional settings; (Knowledge)
2. Have a better understanding of their own leadership skills, strengths and weaknesses;
(Knowledge; Self-Growth)
3. Demonstrate basic leadership skills; (Application)
4. Practice teamwork; (Application)
5. Assess leadership skills displayed by others; (Evaluation)
6. Have a greater appreciation for and desire to continue studying and applying leadership over
the course of their life in a passionate way; (Synthesis; Motivation)
Course Materials
All reading material will be available online through hyperlinks on the syllabus.
We will be reading many articles from the Harvard Business Review. Make a free account to
view these articles. Please note: you can only access 3 HBR articles per month, so only
access the content required for class.
Students are required to read a quality source of current events each week and prepare a
brief report on a topic they found of interest. One such source is The Economist
(http://www.economist.com/index.html).
Course Processes
Each student is required to:
1. Prepare for class by doing the necessary assignments (e.g., reading, homework, etc.)
2. Drop boxes will be provided on Angel for all assignments, and all assignments are due at the
start of class unless otherwise noted.
3. In addition to the electronic copy on Angel, for papers due that week, turn in a paper copy of
the paper at the beginning of class.
4. Attend class
5. Participate in class
6. Be considerate of one another
7. Live honorably: practice The Penn State Principles (http://www.psu.edu/ur/principles.pdf)
Other Considerations
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. If you have
a disability-related need for reasonable academic adjustments in this course, contact the Office for
Disability Services (ODS) at 814-863-1807 (V/TTY). For further information regarding ODS, please
visit the Office for Disability Services Web site at http://equity.psu.edu/ods/.
In order to receive consideration for course accommodations, you must contact ODS and provide
documentation (see the documentation guidelines at
http://equity.psu.edu/ods/guidelines/documentation-guidelines). If the documentation supports the
need for academic adjustments, ODS will provide a letter identifying appropriate academic
adjustments. Please share this letter and discuss the adjustments with your instructor as early in the
course as possible. You must contact ODS and request academic adjustment letters at the beginning
of each semester.

Course Content
1. Leadership Theory
Leadership toolkit
Vision, Communication, Ethics, Results, Teams
Leadership attributes and styles
Leadership vs. management
Personal Leadership

2. Block 1: Understanding Self and Others

Leadership across generations
Personal profile analysis
Global leadership and citizenship
Alien cultures

3. Block 2: Technical Leadership

Leading with Collective Intelligence

4. Block 3: Judgment and Moral Courage

Fundamentals and paradigm
Judgment analysis

5. Block 4: The Challenge of Leading Change

Global trends and national leadership challenges

6. Applied Leadership
ENGR 493 mid-semester update and final presentations

7. Reflections
Evaluations

Grading Metrics
Class Attendance
Mandatory
Attendance for this class is mandatory, and each unexcused absence will result in a 3% deduction
from the final grade. Please e-mail Mike and the TA by noon of the day of class to have your absence
excused.
Class Participation
10%
Class participation will be based on your ability to answer in-class questions related to the readings
and previous classs content.
Block Summaries
15%
Throughout the course of the semester 4 Block Summaries will be required. Block Summaries should
include three strong lessons learned over the course of the block and points should be supported with
thoughtful reflection and commitments to improve or continue leadership practices. Block Summaries
should be submitted to the drop box on Angel before class. Summaries will be due for:
1) Block 1: Understanding Your Objectives - Why 408/493?
2) Block 2: Leadership Theory
3) Block 3: Technical Leadership and Innovation
4) Block 4: The Challenge of Leading Change
News Slides/Presentation
10%
Each student is required to (1) submit one news slide per week as required by the schedule and (2)
present one news presentation to the class during the course of the semester. News slides should be
created using a single PowerPoint slide and should be sourced appropriately; please include a brief
outline of the slide in the presenters notes in PowerPoint. Slides are due before the start of class and
presentations should fall between 3-5 minutes. Students will be selected randomly to present each
week.
Individual Papers
35%
Over the course of the semester, each student is required to write three individual papers. Guidance
for these assignments can be found on Angel. Papers include:
1) Personal Profile
2) Alien Culture
3) Final Reflection
Team Assignments
20%
Students will be responsible for two team assignments. Guidance for these assignments can be
found on Angel. Students will work with their ENGR 493 teams for the following:
1) Collective Intelligence (Team Paper)
2) Judgment (Team Presentation)
E-Portfolio (Individual Submission)
10%
Students are required to create and submit an e-portfolio that reflects their progress throughout both
ENGR 408 and ENGR 493. Submissions are due to the drop box by finals week.

Course Grading
Quality of
Performance
Excellent
Exceptional achievement

Grade-Point
Grade Equivalent
A
4.00
A3.67
B+
3.33
B
3.00
B2.67
C+
2.33
C
2.00
D
1.00

Good

Extensive achievement

(*) Satisfactory
Poor

Acceptable achievement
Minimal achievement (The student may be seriously
handicapped if he/she enrolls in a more advanced course for
which this course was a prerequisite. The course may be
repeated.)
Inadequate achievement (Credit is not earned. The course F
may be repeated.)
Academic dishonesty (Credit is not earned.)
XF

Failure

0.00
0.00

Notes:
(*) Definition of satisfactory or C: If an assignment has 5 parts and you satisfactorily address all 5 parts and nothing
more, you will earn a C for that assignment. If, after completing the 5 defined parts, you then engage in critical thought
and additional writing, or conduct additional research (applied or literature) and writing, then your grade will increase from
CBA in proportion to the amount and quality of the additional work performed.
Approximate grade ranges: As (90s), Bs (80s), Cs (70s), Ds (high 60s), F (below mid 60s)
Academic dishonesty includes plagiarism. You must reference material you rely on and place in quotes any text lifted from
a source. Plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated. http://www.psu.edu/ufs/policies/47-00.html#49-20
Statement of Nondiscrimination: http://www.equity.psu.edu/ods/

Course Outline: (note that weekly assignments & topics may change, as discussed in class)
Date Topics
Activities
Assignment(s) due this date
BLOCK 1 : Understanding Self and Others
1/12 Course
Survey
Bring: a device to access internet with you to this first
Introduction
class
Review
Leadership vs. Syllabus
Survey Link on Angel
Management
Introductions
ENGR 493 project teams will be assigned; team must
meet, plan, and contact TA see ENGR 493 syllabus for
details
ENGR 493
Project
assignments
Warning: Personal Profile Analysis Paper, .ppt
leadership pictures, News Presentation .ppt, & ENGR
493 Document of Communication are due next class
(1/26)
1/19
1/26

No Class
Interviewing

News
Presentations

Career Fairs
Resume

Review of
reading
assignments
class with
guest speaker:
Joseph
Valencia &
Carol Shumate
Rockwell
Automation
class on
preparation for
engineering
career fair

Martin Luther King Day

Read:
1. How will you measure your life (Christensen)
2. Solitude and leadership (Deresiewicz)
Complete:
Resources for Paper 1, and bring to class
1. Keirsey Temperament Sorter
2. Jung Typology Test
3. Big Five Personality Test
Due:
Paper I Personal Profile Analysis paper
PPT leadership pictures
News Presentation PPT (due 6:00 PM)
ENGR 493 Document of Communication
Warning: News Presentation.ppt & Block I summary
(Understanding your objectives) are due next class

BLOCK 2 : Leadership Theory

Introspection / News
2/2
Psychometric Presentations
Personality
traits and
differences
between
people

2/9

2/16

Leadership
across
generations

Read:
1. Building Your Companys Vision (Collins)
2a. Mission Statement (The Economist)
Review of reading 2b. J&J Credo
assignments
2c. Read 2 other mission statements for organizations
YOU interact with
class with
3. What Makes an Effective Executive (Drucker)
guest speaker
4. Leading Change (Kotter)
Brian Bielecki,
Engineering
Due:
Manager, Exelon Block 1 summary: Understanding Your Objectives - 1
Corporation
paragraph on each of 3 leadership
attributes/styles/qualities you would like to work on
class: who I
improving this semester (~3 paragraphs total) i.e.
am forum and
why are you taking this class?
MVVS
News Presentation PPT (due 6:00 PM)
preparation
Warning: News Pres. PPT and MVVS submissions due
next week
News
Presentations

Read
1. The Dumbest Generation LA Times (2008)
2. Decoding Generational Differences S. Smith
Review of reading 3. Are You Ready to Manage Five Generations Meister
Communicati assignments
& Willyerd
ons
MVVS
Due
Presentations
News Presentation PPT (due 6:00 PM)
Advanced
MVVS for ENGR 493 projects (due 5:00 PM) 3 minute
Psychometri
presentations
cs
Warning: Alien Culture Experience Paper and News PPT
due next class
Leadership
News
Read
Theory II
Presentations
1. Managing Oneself (Drucker)
2. Overloaded Circuits (Hallowell)
Empathy
Review of reading 3. Theory X and Theory Y
assignments
4. Preventing Disputes with Empathy (Vallero & Vesiling,
Motivation
2006)
Team
Engineering
Dynamics
Ethics exercises
Due
Alien Culture paper
Brian Bielecki,
News Presentation PPT (due 5:00 PM)
Engineering
Manager, Exelon Warning: 3 Point summary/lessons learned from Block 2
Corporation
due next week

2/23

Confidence
Courage
Decisions
Conflict
Resolution

Selected Alien
Culture papers

Read/Watch
1. The World is Flat - Wiki (Friedman)
2. The Post-American World (Zakaria)
Review of reading 3. International Business Tension French Tires, China
assignments
Culture Clash
BLOCK 2
Discussion

Due
3 Point summary/lessons learned from Block 2
Warning ENGR 493 Team Presentations on Project
Updates due in two weeks

BLOCK 3 : Technical Leadership and Innovation

3/2
Applied
News
Read
Leadership
Presentations
1. Imagine How Creativity Works NPR (Lehrer)
Article & Intro
Review of reading
2. Where Good Ideas Come From (Johnson)
Creativity
assignments
Due
Empathic
Grant Crampton,
News Presentation PPT (due 5:00 PM)
engineering/ Engineering,
empathic
Operations &
Warning Peer Assessment of 493 team members and
leadership
Technology,
ENGR 493 Team Presentations on Project Updates due
Boeing Corporate next week
Headquarters

3/9
3/16

3/23

No Class
Working
across
cultures

Spring Break
Review of reading Read/Watch:
assignments
1. Reaching Across Cultures Without Losing Yourself
(Molinsky)
ENGR 493
2. A Whole New Mind for a Flat World (Felder)
- Life
Project
balance
Presentations by Due:
- Learning
each team
ENGR 493 Project update:
from failure
10 minute PPT: Goal(s), Progress, Road to
- Leveraging
completion
leadership
5 minutes of questions
for results
PPT submitted to ENGR 493 Angel site
- Leading
Peer Assessment of your ENGR 493 team
across time
members
zones
Warning: - News Presentation PPT and 3 point
summary/lessons learned from Block 3 due next week
Difficult
News
Read
Decisions
Presentations
1. Making Difficult Decisions in Turbulent Times (Roberto)
2. All Hail The Generalist HBR Blog (Mansharamani)
Self
Review of reading
Assessment assignments
Due:
Self Criticism
News Presentation PPT (due 5:00 PM)
BLOCK 3
3 Point summary/lessons learned from Block 3
Discussion
Warning: - News presentation due next week
Guest Speaker
Mike Giorgione
Rear Admiral,
USN (ret),
GEOSYNTEC

BLOCK 4 : The Challenge of Leading Change

3/30

Judgment as
a process

News
Presentations
Review of
reading
assignments

Read/Watch:
1. How Resilience Works (Coutu)
2. Deep Survival, Forbes (Gonzales)
3. A radical experiment in Empathy TED Talk (Richards)

Due
News Presentation PPT (due 5:00 PM)
Warning Paper IV Judgment groups are required to
give a brief (3-5 minute) presentation on conclusions and
News Presentations PPT due next class
4/6

Judgment
Forum

News
Presentations
Presentations
and
Discussion

4/13

4/20

Global
Change

News
Presentations

Leading in a
dynamic
world

Review of
reading
assignments

Leadership
across
generations
a different
perspective

Erik Orient
Director, MBA
Student
Services,
Smeal;
Retired Major,
USMC
News
Presentations

Leading with
Collective
Intelligence
Group
Decision
Mapping
Wicked
Problems

Review of
reading
assignments
Block 4
Discussion

Due
Paper IV - Judgment presentation
News Presentation PPT (due 5:00 PM)
Warning: - News Presentation PPT due next week

Read/Watch:
1. How cognitive surplus will change the world TED Talk
(Shirky)
Due
News Presentation PPT (due 5:00 PM)
Warning Paper V Leading with Collective Intelligence,
based upon readings, and 3 point summary/lessons learned
from Block 4 due next class
(specific paper guidance will be provided)

Watch:
1. Mmowgli, Government for the 100%
2. Self-Organizing Groups and How Combat Applies to
Business (Riper)
Due
Paper V Leading with Collective Intelligence
3 Point summary/lessons learned from Block 4
Warning Paper VI Reflections due next class
Warning ePortfolio due next class
Warning Draft of final report due next class
Warning ENGR 493 Team Presentations on Projects due
next class

REFLECTION and ENGR 493 PRESENTATIONS

4/27 Reflection Due
Applied
Post-class
Paper VI Reflections
Engineering
survey
ePortfolio
Leadership
Finish ENGR 493 projects
Lessons
Evaluations
Draft of final report
ENGR 493
Presentations
5/4

Warning End of Semester Peer (and Self) Assessments

due next week
Warning Final ENGR 493 Reports due next week
End of Semester Peer (and Self) Assessments Due
Final ENGR 493 Reports Due