1. Gonzaga University
School of Professional Studies
Organizational Leadership Program
Recap of Courses Completed
Fall 2011 – Fall 2014
Kevin Boyle

2. ORGL 500 – Organizational Leadership - Fall A 2011
Overview:
The most important skills that students in this class will develop are primarily internal ones, i.e.,
perception, insight into causes of problems among individuals within group contexts, and understanding
into the dynamics necessary for long-term solutions to problems.
Given their participation in this course, students should have a greater ability for self-reflection, a more
integrated philosophy of leadership, and a more transcendent perspective on how they and others in
organizational contexts create meaning. Implied in the above positively stated competencies is
awareness of barriers to their attainment: dysfunction thinking, rigidity in leadership approaches, and
segmentalism in organizational decision-making and behavior.
In this course, therefore, each student will engage the following questions:
What Don’t I Want as a Leader? (i.e., neurotic, addictive segmentalism, dysfunctional organizations,
subtle—and not so subtle—oppression);
What Do I Want as a Leader? (i.e., integrative vision, authentic community, dialogue, liberation);
What Is Required of Me to Be a Leader? (i.e., the dynamics of empowerment and collaboration, team-
building, group decision-making, problem-posing dialogue, etc); and
How Will I Lead? (i.e., in the specific situation each student finds himself or herself, what must they do
to actualize their leadership potential, especially given the three previous questions).
Texts:
1. Thomas Stearns Eliot. Murder in the Cathedral. New York: Harvest: 1964.
2. Paulo Freire. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum, 2000.
3. James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner. The Leadership Challenge (4th Edition). San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass 2008.
4. Parker J. Palmer. The Courage To Teach. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2007.
5. Margaret J. Wheatley. Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World
(3rd Edition). New York: Barrett-Koehler: 2006.
Gary A. Yukl. Leadership in Organizations (7th Edition). Paramus: Prentice Hall, 2009.
Films:
1. A Man for All Seasons (Columbia Tri-Star; Fred Lineman, director), 1966/1999.
2. Romero (Vision Video; John Duigan, director), 1989/2009.
3. Strictly Ballroom (Miramax; Baz Lurhmann, director), 1993/2002.

3. ORGL 505 Organizational Theory – Fall B 2011
Overview:
This course will serve as an introduction to the study of organizations. Students will be exposed to a
synthesis and integration of major traditions in organizational theory. Emphasis will be placed on
theoretical concepts and their practical applications so students can learn to analyze and reflect upon
the chaotic and constantly changing world of organizations.
Course Objectives & Competencies
This course is designed to provide students with:
1. An overview of the field of Organizational Theory. Students will learn how to think about
organizations in the context of Bolman and Deal’s four frames and Gareth Morgan’s insight into
the use of metaphor to describe organizations and how they can be designed and managed.
2. Students will learn how to view organizations from multiple frames and perspectives and be
able to apply the frames to interpret organizational behavior.
3. Students will be challenged to apply their knowledge of organizational theory to a collaborative
group project to design a “real-life” intervention.
4. Students will be able to apply the theories to their own organization and identify areas of
change that could improve their organization.
Texts:
1. Bolman, L. & Deal. (2008). Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership. (4th
edition) San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
2. Helgesen, S. (2005). The Web of Inclusion: A New Architecture for Building Great Organizations.
New York: Currency/Doubleday.
3. Morgan, Gareth. (2006). Images Of Organization. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc.
4. Collins. (2002). Good To Great. New York: Harper Collins.
Films:
1. Howard, R. (Director). (1995). Apollo 13 [Motion picture]. USA.
Final Project:
http://orgl505starbucks.wikispaces.com/

4. ORGL 502: LEADERSHIP AND IMAGINATION – Spring A 2012
Overview:
An examination of creativity in leadership through an analysis of imagination, especially in the arts and
science; emphasizes the role of imagination in forming cultural images and perceptions of leaders and
their functions.
COURSE GOALS / In this course, each student will engage the following questions:
1. What is imagination?
2. How is imagination exhibited?
3. How can it be cultivated?
4. How can it be actualized in organizations?
COURSE OBJECTIVES / Given satisfactory completion of the course material, the student will be able to:
1. Explain the dynamics involved in the creative process;
2. Understand how these dynamics are present in the arts and sciences;
3. Understand how these dynamics are present in organizational leadership; and
4. Analyze and evaluate both his or her own and others' leadership in the context of imagination
and the creative process.
Texts:
1. William Shakespeare. Richard III. New York: New Folger Shakespeare Series, 1996. ISBN:
0671722840.

5. ORGL 520: Conflict Resolution – Spring B 2012
Overview:
This course provides an overview of conflict on different levels, from micro through mezzo, macro to
violent international conflict. The course will use real-life situations and case studies that will help
students practice skills and strategies for dialogue, decision-making and ultimately conflict
transformation and system change.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of the course, students will:
1. Have an increased understanding of the nature of conflict – as both creative and destructive
force; as well as increased comfort level with conflict
2. Have an increased awareness and understanding of their own attitudes and values to violence
and nonviolence
3. Become familiar with frameworks/ tools for analysis, intervention and evaluation of conflict
situations
4. Acquire skills for critical analysis of situations of conflict/ interpersonal, organizational, and
macro-/international
5. Develop skills to lead system change, empower self and others
6. Develop and practice their ability to think critically and strategically
7. Gain a deeper understanding of social relationships of interdependence and accountability
8. Reflect on the concepts of justice and reconciliation and how they are applied locally and
internationally
9. Be able to use listening, facilitation, decision-making skills in interpersonal, group and
organizational conflict
10. Assess the impact of (violent) conflict on society
Texts:
1. Cheldelin, S., Druckman, D., & Fast, L. (Eds.) (2008). Conflict: From analysis to intervention (2nd
ed.). New York: Continuum.
2. Lederach, J. P. (2003). The little book of conflict transformation. Intercourse, PA: Good Books.
3. Brand-Jacobsen, K. F. (2005). No fist is big enough to hide the sky: The power of nonviolence.
The Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR): Author. Retrieved on
January 10th, 2010 from http://www.patrir.ro/doc/publications/nonviolence.pdf.
4. Cheldelin, S., Druckman, D., & Fast, L. (Eds.) (2008). Conflict, 2nd ed. New York: Continuum.
5. Danesh, H., & Danesh, R. (2002). Has conflict resolution grown up? Toward a developmental
model of decision making and conflict resolution. The International Journal of Peace Studies,
7(1). Retrieved on January 10th, 2010 from
http://www2.gmu.edu/programs/icar/ijps/vol7_1/Danesh.html.

6. 6. Ferch, S. (2004). Servant-leadership, forgiveness, and social justice. In L. Spears & M. Lawrence,
Eds. Practicing servant leadership (pp. 225 – 240). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
7. Galtung, J. (1996) Peace by peaceful means: Peace and conflict, development and civilization.
Oslo: International Peace Research Institute; London; Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage Publications.
8. Gerzon, M. (2006). Moving beyond debate: Start a dialogue. HBS Working Knowledge. Retrieved
on January 6th, 2010 from http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/5351.html
9. Kingslover, B. (1989). Holding the line: Women in the great Arizona mine strike of 1983. Ithaca,
NY: ILR Press.
10. Kriesberg, L. (2009) The evolution of conflict resolution. In J. Bercovitch, V. Kremenyuk, & W.
Zartman (Eds.) The Sage handbook of conflict resolution (pp. 15-32). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
11. Kraybill, R. (2005). Skills for transformative group facilitation. Retrieved on January 6th, 2010
from http://www.mediate.com/articles/Kraybillr1.cfm
12. Lederach, J. P. (2003). The little book of conflict transformation. Intercourse, PA: Good Books.
13. Lederach, J. P. (2005) The moral imagination: The art and soul of building peace. Oxford, MA:
Oxford University Press.
14. Lynch, J. Reporting the world. Berkshire, UK: Conflict & Peace Forums. Retrieved on January 6th,
2010 from www.reportingtheworld.org
15. Rosenblum, J. (1998). Copper crucible: How the Arizona miners strike of 1983 recast labor-
management relations in America, 2nd ed. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press.
16. Seville statement on violence. (1986). Retrieved on January 13, 2010 from
http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-
URL_ID=3247&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

7. ORGL 504: Organizational Communication – Summer 2012
Overview:
This course will explore contemporary concepts about the meanings and functions of
communication in organizations. All organizations, from Microsoft, to churches, to social clubs, and
universities, rely on communication, and being able to communicate strategically is crucial to
meaningful participation in every one of them. Organizational communication encompasses not only
communication within businesses, but also within large private or nonprofit associations, larger
community groups, and governments both large and small. We will cover such selected topics in
organizational communication research, such as culture, socialization, systems theory, communication
and technology, and globalization.
Texts:
1. Conrad, Charles and Marshall Scott Poole. Strategic organizational communication. New York:
Harcourt College Publishers.
2. Downs, C. & Adrian, A. (2004). Assessing organizational communication: Strategic
communication audits (The Guilford communication series). New York:
Guilford Press.
Films:
1. Judge, M. (Director). (1999). Office Space [Motion picture]. USA.

8. ORGL 503: Organizational Ethics – Fall A 2012
Overview:
This course introduces and applies ethical theories in the organizational setting. The course will
implement a modified case study approach to introduce students to the book and video series that
explores human life from two radically opposing worldviews represented by Sigmund Freud and C.S.
Lewis. It will also examine ethical dilemmas of leadership within the context of moral choices and
implications of decision-making.
Upon completion of this course, students will:
1. Develop a strategy to describe personal responses to ethical problems
2. Develop a strategy to describe personal worldviews
3. Develop a strategy to balance personal virtues with the organizational values
4. Develop a strategy to create a cooperative community with shared values
5. Develop a strategy to analyze ethical dilemmas and recommend a course of action
Texts:
1. Kouzes, J. M. & Posner, B. Z. (2003). Credibility: How leaders gain and lose it, Why people
demand it. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco.
2. Nicholi, A. M. Jr. (2002). The Question of God. The Free Press: New York.
Films:
1. Lumet, S. (Director). (1957). 12 Angry Men [Motion Picture]. USA.
2. The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud with Dr. Armand Nicholi (Optional)
ORGL 000: – Organizational Break – Took off Fall B 2012

9. ORGL 501: Methods of Organizational Research – Spring A 2013
Overview:
This course has been divided into four modules. Each module involves readings from the text, “lecture-
essays” to be downloaded from the Blackboard site, completion of a written assignment and,
submissions to an online discussion forum. As you move through the modules you will be developing a
single document, the “research design.” Preparing the research design is the main assignment for the
course; you will prepare it by writing and submitting parts of it as you move through the course. The
teacher will read each part you submit, grade it, and suggest changes and additions. Each time you
submit a part of the research design, you will also submit the previously completed parts with the
changes and additions the teacher requests, and he or she will raise your grades on these parts to reflect
the improvements you have made. Your final grade will be based only on the complete final draft of the
design.
Texts:
1. Eriksson, P. & Kovalainen, A. (2008). Qualitative methods in businessresearch. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage.
2. Neuman, W.L. (2005). Social research methods: Qualitative & quantitative approaches. 6th Eds.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon.
3. Fink, A.G. (2010). Conducting research literature reviews: From the internet to paper. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage. (suggested text only)
Final Project:
The final project for this course was a research proposal that I created titled “Goal Setting and Employee
Development”.

10. ORGL 532: – Leadership, Justice and Forgiveness – Spring B 2013
Overview:
The key learning theme I want students to understand is the idea of emotional discipline based in love
that calls a person toward meaningful responses to human suffering. Such responses are grounded in
discernment regarding human conflict, oppression, power, and harm, and the opportunities—personal,
familial, societal, and global—that rise from the crucible of potential that is our humanity.
In this course each student will engage the following questions:
1. What are the basic understandings of servant-leadership, restorative justice and forgiveness?
2. How can a person choose servant-leadership, restorative justice and forgiveness in the face of
grave human atrocities and the furthest reaches of human suffering?
3. Who does one forgive, and how does one approach forgiveness?
4. What does it mean to be a person of restorative justice and forgiveness?
Texts:
1. Tutu, D. (1999). No future without forgiveness.
2. American Masculine, Shann Ray
3. Ferch, S. (2012). Forgiveness and power in the age of atrocity. Servant leadership as a way of
life.
4. Wiesenthal, S. (1969). The sunflower.
5. Wiesel, E. (1960). Night.
6. Man’s Ultimate Search for Meaning, Victor Frankl
7. My Father’s House, Sylvia Fraser
8. Fools Crow, James Welch
9. My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr., Corretta Scott King
Films:
1. Reynolds, K. (Director) (2002). The count of monte cristo [DVD].
2. Dornhelm, R. (Director) (2001). Anne frank: The whole story [DVD].
3. Monsoon Wedding
4. Smoke Signals
ORGL 000: – Organizational Break – Took off Summer 2013

11. ORGL 506: Leadership and Diversity – Fall A 2013
Overview:
Diversity has always been part of the landscape of America. From the vast array of Native American
tribes to the many immigrants that landed on the shores, this is a many-layered country. This class will
explore the ways in which racial, ethnic, gender, and class identities are socially constructed in the
United States. Who we are, whether we are comfortable with this idea or not, is shaped in part by the
social roles we occupy and how society sees us in those roles. As we will see from the very beginning of
this class, our social roles, the class we are born into, our gender, all have implications for our lives –
personal and as leaders.
Course Competencies:
1. Students can explain and evaluate the impact of race, ethnicity, gender, class, ability on an
individual’s life.
2. Students can demonstrate the ability to understand the perspective of another.
3. Students can describe respectful behaviors, provide an empathetic explanation of various
individuals’ perspectives, and develop a plan that demonstrates how they will continue to
develop their self-knowledge regarding diversity issues.
4. Students will engage in service with a community organization and will learn about diversity and
intercultural communication through that engagement with the community. They will be able to
apply those concepts, and reflect on their implications for their own leadership and
communication practice.
5. Students can apply concepts learned about race, class, gender, and intercultural communication
to their personal leadership competencies.
Texts:
1. Allen, B. (2011). Difference matters: Communicating social identity (2nd ed). Longrove, IL:
Waveland Press.
2. Bordas, J. (2007). Salsa, soul, and spirit: Leadership for a multicultual age. San Francisco: Berrett
Koehler.
3. Hagis, P. (Director). (2004). Crash. [Motion Picture]. United States:Lions Gate Entertainment
4. Hooks, B. (2000). Where we stand: Class matters. New York: Routledge.
Films:
1. Jeffcoat, J. (Director). (2006). Outsourced. [Motion Picture]. United States: DreamCatcher
Entertainment.
2. Muccino, G. (Director). (2006). The Pursuit of happyness. [Motion Picture]. United States:
Columbia Pictures.
3. Satrapi, M., & Paronnaud, V. (Directors). (2007). Persepolis. [Motion Picture]. France: Sony
Pictures Classics.

12. ORGL 518: Transforming Leadership – Fall B 2013
Overview:
Transforming Leadership is designed to be an examination of the dynamics of transformation and how
leadership can facilitate transformation, both within individuals and in organizations. Specifically the
guiding questions are: 1) What is transformation; and 2) How can transformation be facilitated in
individuals and organizations?
As a graduate-level seminar, emphasis is placed on students and teacher forming a community of both
practice and learning – of praxis – so all may both engage the current understanding and develop new
insights into the theory and practice of transforming leadership.
Through participation in this course, each student will:
1. Describe/interpret his/her experience of organizational life from the perspective of health and
effectiveness
2. Develop a working definition of transforming leadership, both individually and in an
organizational context.
3. Apply course content in understanding his or her organizational experience;
4. Select, read, and critique an article on transformational leadership published within the last five
year.
5. Move towards developing a plan for his or her own transforming leadership practice.
Texts:
1. James MacGregor Burns. Leadership. (New York: Harper Collins, 1985) ISBN: 0061319759
2. James MacGregor Burns. Transforming Leadership: The Pursuit of Happiness. (New York:
Atlantic Monthly Press, 2003) ISBN: 0871138662
3. Joanne Ciulla. Ethics, the Heart of Leadership-Second Edition (New York: Praeger Paperback,
2004) ISBN: 0275982521
4. Parker J. Palmer. A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life. (San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass, 2004) ISBN 0787971006
Films:
1. Norma Rae (Martin Ritt: 20th Century Fox, 2001) ASIN: B000059HAN
2. Gandhi (Richard Attenborough: Sony Pictures, 2001) ASIN: B00003CXA4
3. Malcolm X (Spike Lee: Warner Home Video, 2000) ASIN: B00002ND77

13. ORGL 530: Servant-Leadership – Spring A 2014
Overview:
The servant leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve
first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. The best test and the most difficult to
administer is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser,
freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And what is the effect on the
least privileged in society; will they benefit or, at least, not be further deprived?
--Robert K. Greenleaf, from The Servant as Leader
The foundations of Servant-leadership are explored with an emphasis on reviewing the original writings,
and on conceptualizing and articulating the philosophy through a clarification of what it is, and why
Servant-leadership is relevant. Human development theories are used as theoretical frameworks for
identifying criteria to assess servant-leaders and servant-organizations, and for understanding how they
develop and function. Dialogue is encouraged as a way of integrating aspects of the philosophy with
applied experience and gain insights into the students own leadership approach.
Texts:
1. Hesse, H. (1988). (Hilda Rosner -Trans.). The journey to the East. New York: Noonday Press. ISBN
# 0374500363.
2. Greenleaf, R. K. (2002). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and
greatness. New York: Paulist Press. ISBN# 0809105543.
3. Thompson, M. C. (2000). The congruent life. Hoboken: Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 0787950084.
4. Greenleaf, R. K. (1998). The power of Servant Leadership. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler. ISBN-
10: 1-57675-035-3.
5. Spears, L. C. & Lawrence, M. (2002). Focus on leadership: Servant-leadership for the twenty-first
century. New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 0471411620.
6. Sipe, J. W. & Frick, D. M. (2009). Seven pillars of servant leadership: Practicing the wisdom of
leading by serving. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press. ISBN # 13: 978-0-8091-4560-7.
Films:
1. Eastwood, C. (director). (2009). Invictus. USA: Warner Bros.
2. Sargent, J. (director). (January, 2005). Something the Lord Made
ORGL 000: Organizational Break – Took off Spring B 2013
ORGL 000: Organizational Break – Took off Summer 2013

14. ORGL 680: – Leadership Seminar – Fall A&B 2014
Students in the MA-ORGL Online Program are required to take the Leadership Seminar as the last (or
near the last) course in their degree studies. There are two components for the Leadership Seminar:
1. Students engage each other on a discussion of leadership based on the leadership philosophy
paper written for the first course taken in the program (ORGL 500); and
2. Students complete either a portfolio/project or a theoretical article (NOTE: the theoretical
article, although research-based, is not a formal master’s thesis, as a thesis is not required for
the M.A. in Organizational Leadership degree).
Students in the course engage each other and the instructor in an extended dialogue on leadership,
using the discussion board provided on the Blackboard site for the course. To begin the discussion,
students post their “Philosophy of Leadership” papers written during the ORGL 500 (Organizational
Leadership) course at the beginning of their studies.
During the initial two weeks of the Seminar course, students also make the decision as to which option
(i.e., portfolio/project or theoretical article) they will use to give evidence of their integration of the
organizational leadership curriculum.