Students begin the program with a cornerstone course that introduces them to contemporary leadership principles and practices. Franciscan values related to effective leadership such as servant leadership, respecting each person’s dignity, and humility as leaders are explored and self-assessments are used to help students gain insight into their own leadership strengths and areas for improvement. Students will complete a 360 degree evaluation and receive individual coaching on their leadership abilities.

People have intrinsic value beyond their tangible contributions in the workplace and the community. Understanding the unique contributions of diverse individuals makes an organization effective by capitalizing on all of the strengths of each employee. This course investigates the increasingly prominent issues surrounding diversity. Theories on gender and minorities in the workforce are reviewed so that students gain an understanding and appreciation of the special circumstances they face in modern society. Special emphasis will be placed on the role of the leader in organizations that are addressing the needs of a diverse workforce.

Effective leaders promote the transformation of self, organizations, and systems to create a culture of service and to build community. In this way, leaders must be effective in working in multiple contexts to effectively empower and motivate others. This course builds on theories in managing human resources that help leaders effectively select, train, develop, and build shared vision among employees. Students will evaluate team leadership strategies for empowering and involving others, as well as examine a leader’s coaching and mentoring roles as performance enhancement strategies.

This course focuses on issues that drive global policies, economics and behavior. As we live in an increasingly global world, this knowledge can help leaders to make far more informed decisions in their own work environments and understand more clearly the impacts of those decisions on people, nations, and global systems. The latest leadership theories, models, concepts, principles and practices regarding leadership issues, within the context of global, international and multicultural organizations are explored.

This course explores ways to change organizations, ranging from start-up companies to established institutions, to meet the demands of ever-changing environments. Areas of in-depth discussion include the theoretical framework of organizational development and change, models of planned organizational change, barriers to implementing change and ways to overcome them, and the roles of the change agent and/or consultant. Students will gain skills in organizational entry and contracting, and will gain a better understanding of the challenge of change through analysis of the theory, research, and practice of IMC development.

Students will be expected to prepare a Leadership Portfolio of projects and activities that best demonstrates their professional development throughout the program. Students will be individually advised and coached on the quality and content of their portfolio and the goals achieved in the program.