Assignment 1: Discussion Assignment

The discussion assignment provides a forum for discussing relevant topics for this week based on the course competencies covered.

For this assignment, make sure you post your initial response to the Discussion Area by Saturday, June 24, 2017.

To support your work, use your course and text readings and also use outside sources. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work; provide references for the citations; and format your document in accordance with APA guidelines.

Start reviewing and responding to the postings of your classmates as early in the week as possible. Respond to at least two of your classmates. Participate in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with a rationale, challenging an aspect of the discussion, or indicating a relationship between two or more lines of reasoning in the discussion. Complete your participation for this assignment by Wednesday, June 28, 2017.

Leaders as Change Agents

In this assignment, you will study the factors involved in making leaders change agents.

For the assignment, you will put well-known personalities and yourself under the microscope to learn what makes you and the individuals you select not only leaders but also what it takes for leaders to be change agents.

Using the South University Online Library, the Internet, and periodicals such as Fortune, Business Week, and Forbes, research about the biographies, case studies, and articles of leaders.

Choose any two leaders who you consider to have been very successful change agents and two who you believe have been unsuccessful change agents. Write a brief biography of each of the leaders you selected.

In addition, answer the following questions regarding your chosen leaders:

• What were the leaders' bases of power? How was it gained? What was their reach or influence?
• How did the leaders find themselves in the position to serve as change agents? Describe the situation, including the need for a change agent.
• What mode did each leader operate in?
• Were the leaders successful change agents?
• What made the leaders successful or unsuccessful change agents?
• What were the similarities between the two successful leaders and the differences between the two successful and two unsuccessful leaders?
• Are there factors about the leaders you researched that might have predicted their success or failure before they achieved leadership roles? Explain at least three such factors.

Click here to download a template that you can use to complete the assignment