JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES, Volume 4, Number 1, 2010©2010.docx

JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES, Volume 4, Number 1,
2010
©2010 University of Phoenix
Published online in Wiley InterScience
(www.interscience.wiley.com) • DOI:10.1002/jls.20154 47
On the theme of personal development, this conceptual article
aims to provoke thought about
power and influence in leadership by means of a short excursion
into character depictions in J.R.R.
Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings (1966). It is said of
mythopoeic literature, the genre of Tolkien’s work,
that the very simplicity of the lens “pares away distractions,”
“opens the way to unexpected con-
nections, . . . [and] draws attention to alternative modes of
being and thinking” (Greene, 1994,
p. 457). Taking the liberty of perceived applicability of
Tolkien’s literary genius to motifs on leader-
ship, this article provokes thinking on what constitutes “real”
power and influence in leadership. It
is contended that demonstrating real power and influence in
leadership lies not in coercive tactics
of wielding power over others but in withholding usurping

power to work with and enable others
to achieve worthwhile ends. Three suggested markers of
enabling or real power and influence in
leadership are explored. Each one contains an element of
paradox. The proposed markers suggest,
in turn, that enabling or real power and influence does not usurp
but serves, that it sublimates self-
interest for the interests of others and the intended goal, and
that it positions for growth for the self
and others and fosters true engagement in leadership. The
article offers some empirical evidence as
to the efficacy of the proposed markers for effective leadership
and suggests a further research strat-
egy to test the proposed markers empirically.
E N A B L I N G O R “ R E A L ” P O W E R
A N D I N F L U E N C E I N
L E A D E R S H I P
GLENYS M. DREW
This article deploys the lens of myth and story to exam-
ine leadership from a reading of some of J.R.R. Tolkien’s
character depictions in The Lord of the Rings. The article
suggests that a key facet in thinking about leadership is
to consider the paradox inherent in questions of power

and influence in the leadership role. Why is this explo-
ration important for leadership studies? It is said that
stimulating and encouraging patterns on the part of
the leader are critical to achieving genuine engagement
in leadership, empowering and enabling others to act
48 JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES • Volume 4 •
Number 1 • DOI:10.1002/jls
for achievement and personal freedom, while wielding
power for selfish ends correlates with ultimate weakness and
enslavement” (Drew, 1995, p. 13). Similarly, Drew
and Bensley (2001) suggest that effective leadership is
not founded on coercion, or indeed surveillance, but
on the credibility of the leader to engage the willing in-
volvement of others.
It is acknowledged that inevitably quotations from
Tolkien’s large and significant trilogy are selective. My
intent is simply to draw on quotations as depicting par-
ticular themes, not purporting to reify the themes per se,
nor to seek to analyze Tolkien’s work. The intent is to
use the text illustratively to provoke thought on themes
that, to this reader of Tolkien, resonate with themes of
other authors touching on questions of power, influ-
ence, and leadership. By way of background to some of
the themes drawn forth, in The Lord of the Rings (here-
after LotR), a Ring, representing the enervating effects
of evil, entitles the holder to rule the world. The task of
ridding the world of the Ring’s self-serving, enticing,
but devastating power falls to the hobbit characters,
Frodo and Samwise, at the behest of the aged hobbit,
Bilbo, who is stretched and fatigued by his former own-
ership of the Ring and its claims on him. At the start

of the trilogy, these characters are among the inhabi-
tants of a peaceful Shire at the center of Tolkien’s story.
It is from this comfortable and efficiently functioning
place that Frodo sets off, albeit daunted by the respon-
sibility of bearing the Ring to its destruction point at
the cracks of Mount Doom. Samwise, Frodo’s friend
and “helpmeet,” quickly joins him and the two set their
course toward the goal in view.
Frodo and Samwise clearly are differentiated in their
status. Sam’s references to Frodo as “master” and as “Mr.
Frodo,” even at the end of the trilogy, suggest this.
An illustrative point that may be drawn forth proposes
the efficacy of a style of leadership that readily subli-
mates notions of status and hierarchy to work ethically
with others, serving and enabling others to achieve
shared goals (Kouzes & Posner, 2002). The concept
aligns with the views of Avolio and Gardner (2005),
paraphrased by Wong and Cummings (2009) thus:
“emerging from theoretical discussions on the moral
and ethical foundations of leadership is a focus on dis-
tilling the core elements of positive approaches to lead-
ership,” resulting in the concept of “authentic
(Kouzes & Posner, 2002). Empirical findings in orga-
nizational leadership show that a blend of human-
centered attributes as well as more instrumental skills
and knowledge is, in fact, critical to leaders being
perceived as effective (Drew, Ehrich, & Hansford,
2008; Scott, Coates, & Anderson, 2008). However, a
development-oriented, supportive culture is not the over-
whelming experience of people in organizations (Drew,
2009; Richards, 2008). Nevertheless, organizational lead-
ers invariably are charged with engaging and mobilizing
staff in achieving goals. The article proposes a principle
that may shed light at this point. Perhaps paradoxically,

benevolent use of power and influence enabling and em-
powering others denotes strength, rigor, and potentially
rich outcomes, while power wielded for its own sake, or
for selfish ends, may appear “powerful” but could denote
weakness, stultification, and compromised outcomes.
Barnett (2004), Collins (2001), De Pree (2003), and Kouzes
and Posner (2002) imply the principle. Hence the issue of
power and influence in leadership is offered as important to
explore in leadership studies.
The article proposes three markers of enabling or
“real” power and influence in leadership, and it ac-
knowledges the note of paradox that is inherent in each
marker. Paradox, according to Kainz (1988), lies at the
heart of any significant consideration in human experi-
ence, and the blending and countering function of op-
posite concepts, the unique strength of paradox, is
argued by Kainz to be an insightful vehicle in examin-
ing aspects of the human condition, particularly in re-
lation to notions of power and influence.
Pertinent to the theme, for example, McIntyre (1994)
suggests that there are those in human society who get
their own way and those who do not; however, the
problem (McIntyre suggests) is that the powerful “are
not necessarily harder working, more intelligent or
more admirable than the rest [but rather] the exact op-
posite is often the case” (pp. 4, 5). It is proposed that
genuine power and influence reverses the power para-
digm, where the leader focuses primarily on the vision
ahead more than (demonstrably) on self and partners
with and enables others to reach shared goals. A reading
of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings suggests an inversion of
conventional perceptions about power, with an implicit
argument that “resisting the usurpation of power
demonstrates strength and creates greater possibilities

JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES • Volume 4 •
Number 1 • DOI:10.1002/jls 49
The paradox put by Hoban (1980) that “the only
power is no power” (paraphrased; p. 197) assists an ar-
gument that may be inferred in Tolkien’s work: that self-
aggrandizing power, in its bid to grab power, ultimately
reduces the self, while resisting the exercise of usurping
power expands the self and increases one’s potential for
productive influence and authority. Frodo and Sam, to
the extent they sublimate self and concentrate on the
goal before them, grow in personal mastery and confi-
dence and become more capable of achieving greatness.
The discussion that follows offers, from Tolkien’s vi-
brant character depictions, three propositions as mark-
ers of authentic power and influence. Indeed, Clark
(2000), Filmer (1992a, 1992b), and Head (2007) have
drawn insightfully from Tolkien’s imagery to consider
various aspects of the human condition, including, if
indirectly, the leadership relationship. Filmer (1992a)
and Head (2007) have cited paradoxical elements in
their readings and analyses of Tolkien’s work. Barr
(1973) asserts that “a poem, or a work of art, is not to be
judged on the basis of what the author intended, but on
the basis of what [the author] produced”; also that “any lit-
erary appreciation implies, or induces, or is related to, a
general view of the world, a way of understanding life”
(pp. 22, 32–33). As the author of this article, I acknowl-
edge bias and personal values inevitably in play in read-
ing all literature; one’s reading of a text, indeed one’s
viewing a word picture as “imagery,” is no more or less
valid than another’s. However, in this article the per-
ceived imagery is adopted as a scaffold for considering

issues of power and influence in leadership.
Drawing from Tolkien’s trilogy and other leadership
literature, I discuss three markers of enabling or real
power and influence in leadership. A key question is, Is
there scholarly empirical evidence to support the claims
made? The discussion of each marker includes some
empirical evidence from a published research study con-
ducted with a group of university leaders. The study
asked how those leaders identified effective leadership
from the standpoint of being beneficiaries, in a sense, of
the leadership of others. The study also asked the par-
ticipants how they best learned as leaders. The findings
suggested that “giving” and “supportive” forms of lead-
ership appeared to have the most positive impact. The
methodology and further information about that study
is reported in the relevant paper (Drew et al., 2008).
leadership” (p. 7). This article suggests that one of the
core elements of positive or enabling approaches to lead-
ership is the leader’s perceived credibility to engage the
willing involvement of others, part of which has to do
with the values the leader demonstrates in use of power
and influence.
In Tolkien’s story, the holder of the Ring is able to
appropriate its power for self-aggrandizement. As did
the aged Bilbo before him, Frodo battles with that
“strange desire” to use the power that could be his for
self-aggrandizement, or to use it for beneficial, greater
good. Charged with the responsibility to rid the world of
the Ring’s tantalizing and destructive power, Frodo
knows the course he should take but is deflected from
his quest in the measure to which he uses the Ring for
selfish gain. At those times when Frodo succumbs, he
realizes that he stands, in more important ways, to lose.

This reminds us, at base, that the ability to reflect on
one’s actions is a most vital leadership capability. Because
Frodo reflects, and because he is committed to a greater,
wider goal for good, Frodo recognizes self-interest as
vulnerability—as risk, in fact, for the self: “I am naked
in the dark, Sam, and there is no veil between me and
the wheel of fire [the Ring]. I begin to see it even with
my waking eyes, and all else fades” (Tolkien, Return of the
King, p. 258). Frodo acknowledges the pitfalls, acknowl-
edges the greater benefits of maintaining integrity and
self-control, and achieves beyond himself. These motifs
all may illustrate a principle that worthwhile fruition
and greater personal fulfilment tend to mark power that
serves, while vain power harms not only others but the
usurper as well. It is in this sense that the term enabling
(or real) power and influence is used.
The destructive effects of self-interest are most obvi-
ous in the fallen Gollum, whose earlier ownership of
the Ring and his obsession to reclaim it has robbed him
of his personhood, and with it the ability to choose.
Gollum’s “grievous marks,” “lean, starved, haggard”
(Return of the King, chap. 3, p. 266) are not the marks
of strength but of weakness. Worn away with the Ring’s
claims on him, Gollum is depicted as “maimed forever,
becoming a mere spirit of malice that gnaws itself in
the shadows” (chap. 9, p. 185). As Bacon (1968) re-
flects, “It is a strange desire, to seek power, and to lose
liberty; or to seek power over others, and to lose power
over [one]self ” (p. 546).

Enabling or Real Power and Influence
Does Not Usurp But Serves
It is said that leaders who serve—who put the interests
of the goal before their own—are credible leaders capa-
ble of earning respect as they model the way and enable
others to act (Kouzes & Posner, 2002). A juxtaposition
between the empowering effects of serving others and
the usurping power of self-interest is well made in
Tolkien’s character depictions. It is contended that
power that serves begets achievement, empowering and
motivating others. Such a leader tends to act as partner,
steward, or tutor, channeling, as it were, intellectual en-
ergy (Sveiby & Lloyd, 1987). In Tolkien’s trilogy, real-
izing goals for the common good is vibrantly illustrated
in the service attitude of Frodo the “Ring-bearer” and
his helpmeet, Sam. In the story, the two demonstrate
energy in service and commitment that enlarges and
fulfills the self, contrasting against the motif of self-
interest as enslavement.
It is posited that a demonstration of power and in-
fluence that serves fosters the willing engagement of
others. The relationship between Frodo and Sam sug-
gests the idea of leadership vesting less in a role and
more in an attitude of partnering and service, far re-
moved from the notion of coercion. The relationship
between the two characters is one of interdependent sol-
idarity, where imperfect personalities operating in mu-
tually deferential relationship create a synergy
correlating with wholeness and forward movement.
Frodo and Sam are the verisimilitude of effective part-
nering, the more plausible for the flaws exhibited in
both characters. Frodo bears the weight of responsibil-
ity, yet it is through a collapsing and at times a reversal,
of roles that success is achieved. Sam’s commitment in

support of the goal is maintained throughout the quest.
The helpmeet becomes the leader at times to ensure that
the pair retain a sense of mission: “‘Now for it! Now for the
last gasp!’ said Sam as he struggled to his feet . . . Sam
looked at [Frodo] . . . ‘I said I’d carry him, if it broke
my back,’ he muttered, ‘and I will!’ ” (Return of the King,
p. 262). It might be said that passion for the goal and a
serving, partnering attitude create an effectual environ-
ment that, against odds, sees the victory won. Drew
(2008) argues that artful leadership involves
creating an environment supporting participation and
involvement while according to Oliver (2001) effective
leadership is experienced as mutual support, inspira-
tion, and encouragement. The problem with coercive
behavior in leadership (an oxymoron at best) is that oth-
ers may acquiesce perfunctorily, but where no positive
relationship exists allegiance is likely to be soulless and
temporary.
The futility of leading by coercion is implied by
Tolkien when Gandalf, wise elder and friend, observes:
“Already you too, Frodo, cannot easily let [the Ring]
go, nor will to manage it. And I could not ‘make’ you—
except by force, which would break your mind. But as
for breaking the Ring, force is useless” (Fellowship of the
Ring, p. 90). Peck (1990) comments that “coercive tac-
tics” will do more to “create than ameliorate havoc”
(p. 271), and for all its apparent success, coercive power
displays a hollowness that tends to leave little of value
behind and demonstrates meager genuine influence. It
is proposed that genuine power and influence that serves
and involves others is not founded on legalism or coer-
cion but on credibility.
A reading of Tolkien may suggest that coercion aimed

at trying to get others to “perform” in a certain way wars
against itself because it lacks credibility or ethical ap-
peal, depending only on the thin thread of a sinecure
role to exert its authority. For example, in Tolkien’s tril-
ogy Aragorn (who is perceived by some critics as prefig-
uring Christ) has true power but serves others. Aragorn
tells Lady Eowyn, “There is a road out of this valley,
and that road I shall take” (Return of the King, p. 61).
Lady Eowyn is filled with dismay at what it might cost
the traveler to take such a course. Aragorn’s reply, “but
at least I will adventure it. No other road will serve” (Re-
turn of the King, p. 61), comprises words of greatness
and humility that bespeak credibility as he sublimates
self to use (as it were) imputed power and influence to
assist the greater good. This is resonant of exousia, a
Greek word for “power” meaning “derived or conferred
‘authority,’ the warrant or right to do something”
(Douglas, 1970, p. 1017). Erwin (1988) argues a similar
principle in the life and teachings of Jesus, who reverses
the power paradigm, putting “no pressure on the masses to
submit to the leader” (p. 56); instead, the principle that
“whoever will be chief among you, let him [sic] be
your servant” applies (pp. 55–56). Credibility, it is said,
is the dynamic currency of leadership (Leavy, 2003) and is
fundamental to building vital trust (Kouzes & Posner,
2002). It is said that credible leaders model the way and
enable others to act (Kouzes & Posner, 2002).
Leader credibility lies at the heart of the paradoxical
combination of strong professional will and humility

found to be so effectual in organizational transforma-
tion in the large-scale research of Collins (2001). Un-
concerned about who receives the credit, leaders in
Collins’s research (2001) who took their companies
from “good to great” (p. 188) were those who inspired
and supported others, were listeners and learners, and
worked with resolution to see goals fulfilled. In LotR,
the journeymen see the active engagement of others
who join them at different stages of the enterprise and
they nurture and value these fellow-travelers. At one
point, Frodo says to his “most beloved hobbits” (his fel-
low companions), “You do not understand. This is no
treasure-hunt, no there-and-back journey. I am flying
from deadly peril into deadly peril.” “ ‘Of course we un-
derstand,’ said Merry; ‘that is why we have decided to
come’ ” (Fellowship of the Ring, p. 146). The evocation
is that partnership and mutual encouragement fed their
resolution and sealed their ability to succeed. One reads
of their travail: “No listener would have guessed from
their words that they had suffered cruelly, and had been
in dire peril . . . or that even now, as they knew well,
they had little chance of ever finding friend or safety
again” (Two Towers, p. 71). The humility of learning
from hardship and success in the leadership role, shar-
ing these experiences with others, is said to be pertinent
to growth in leadership. Adair (2005) implies that great
benefits may be found in sharing experiences as leader-
ship learners, reading about others’ experiences, and ap-
plying learning from the shared life journeys of others.
Is there empirical evidence to test a claim that ef-
fective leadership primarily serves rather than usurps?
The study of Drew and colleagues (2008) explored
what a group of university leaders in academic and ad-
ministrative roles identified as effective leadership, and
how they best learned as leaders. Notions of service

and empowerment predominated in the responses of
participants in answering these research questions. For
example: “Leaders provide guided thinking. They don’t
solve problems for people but engage people in solving
problems” (Drew et al., 2008, p. 10). Also, “I don’t
think of myself as a leader [but as] someone in the
group. For me, the best is to say: ‘We did the impos-
sible; we did a great thing’. . . . In fact, if I am a leader
they are incredibly important moments because I have
brought the potential of the group to realization”
(p. 15).
London (2002) asserts that the point of reflective
tools and practice in leadership is for leaders to measure
the extent to which followers perceive empowering be-
havior in the leader. The assertion would seem to align
with findings of another study, by Rafferty and Neale
(2004), which investigated the open comments made
by respondents in completing the Quality Leadership
Profile 360-degree leadership feedback survey. The Lex-
imancer-based study found that the substance of raters’
open comments when they answered the survey on
leaders related most to the presence or absence of sup-
portive and empowering characteristics. This suggested
that a “service” or “giving” orientation in leadership was
“top of mind” for raters.
Sublimates Self-Interest for the
Interests of the Goal
The third hallmark captures an underpinning premise
that enabling or real power and influence in leadership
in a sense “dies to self ” so that worthwhile purposes, of
greater value than those of self-interest, might be
achieved. Kainz (1988) claims that any significant state

in human experience cannot be understood apart from
its opposite, as paradox insightfully works “to reproduce
intellectually the actual reciprocity that obtains between
opposites” (p. 44). The paradoxical proposition that
genuine power results from giving rather than taking is
articulated in “An Allegory Unveiled” by Filmer (1992a,
p. 20), who suggests that if LotR is seen to have “any
significant apologetic message” it is that of the “five-
times-iterated message of the gospel . . . that ‘he that
holds on to his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life
shall find it’ ” (Luke 17:33). In Tolkien’s trilogy, Frodo’s
helpmeet, Samwise, is the more effectual for being
unimpeded by a need to satisfy his own ego. He focuses
resolutely on the mission rather than on himself. In a
sense, he displays a quality of leadership that, in a sense,
dies to self so that greater purposes might be attained.
Writing of Tolkien’s trilogy, Lakowski (2002) observes
King, p. 271). Even so, of Sam we read: “In all that ruin
of the world for the moment [Sam] felt only joy, great
joy. The burden was gone. His master had been saved;
he was himself again, he was free” (p. 271). A related
point is that success did not require the adulation of
others to produce fulfillment, suggesting again that lead-
ing for worthwhile purposes reaps its own rewards of
success and growth. The Shire had fallen into self-
involved legalistic bureaucracy while the vanquishing
pair battled dangers to fulfill greater purpose. Simply,
the Shire did not notice the pair’s return (chap. 8), being
too embroiled in petty power battles to apprehend that
a greater victory had been won. Referring to “the an-

cients,” Chesterton (1955) sees the problem of hu-
mankind’s fallen nature as “a thread of subconscious
awareness,” and “the need for restoration” as a univer-
sal human hope and need (p. 96). These motifs are
closely related to the notion of community. In the orga-
nizational context, Fredrickson (2003) argues the pro-
found influence of a positive work environment for
effective performance.
In LotR, rule making and rule monitoring had taken
over the Shire, eroding “community” spirit and sapping
life and energy: “There are hundreds of sheriffs and as
many rules. If I hear ‘not allowed’ much oftener, said
Sam, I’m going to get angry” (Return of the King, p. 341).
The “Old Grange” and the “Party Tree . . . under which
Bilbo had made his Farewell Speech,” artifacts symbol-
izing meaning in community, had been torn down
(p. 360). Trakman (2007) notes the damaging effects
of deviating from a process of integrity where, for ex-
ample, perceived impending crises relating to gover-
nance prompt governing bodies to institute exaggerated
changes that in fact tend to protract poor governance
practice. It might be argued that legalism forgets vision,
cares little for growth and development of self and oth-
ers, and perpetuates a litigious system that may become
quite disconnected from the ends it purports to serve.
As the antithesis of a dying-to-self model, in such situ-
ations, instead of being empowered as the legitimate
subjects of an institution or decision-making process
and rather as “subordinated subjects” (Fiske, 1989,
p. 58), members become victims of the institution
meant to serve them.
A critical value demonstrated in the partnership
of Frodo and Samwise is that of humility and fierce

a progression, suggesting that at the start of the story
there has been little to challenge Sam, who seems sure
of himself and a little conceited, but the more Sam
is challenged the more he learns and grows, and in turn
the more humility he demonstrates. His support role
becomes the role of leader as, at the last, he carries Frodo
to the point of victory, carrying his master forward to
dispatch the Ring. In contrast, Saruman, in a bid to be-
come greater and believing himself to be great, loses by
his own hand the greatness that he once had (Head,
2007).
Lady Galadriel’s character connotes the “real power”
of resisting what would subvert one’s best ideals and
goals: “I pass the test, I will diminish, and go into the
West, and remain Galadriel” (Fellowship of the Ring, p. 475).
When Frodo entreats Gandalf: “You are wise and power-
ful. Will you not take the Ring?” p. 91), Gandalf ’s re-
sponse is unequivocal: “No! . . . , With that power I
should have power too great and terrible. . . . The wish
to wield it would be too great for my strength. I shall
have such need of it [strength]. Great perils lie before
me” (p. 91). The implication for leadership is that of a
moral dimension in that those who are truly great serve
not themselves but others, and out of their desire to
contribute genuinely such leaders acknowledge, as a po-
tential pitfall and peril, misusing their power, author-
ity, and influence. This also suggests the benefits of
leaders’ being aware of how success is measured in par-
ticular contexts and frequently reappraising perceived
success through the filter of their values. Manganiello
(1992) infers from the text that Frodo’s character also
grows considerably in personhood or spiritual stature
during the journey. In fact, the characters’ disquisition
seems to be set on a search for personal authenticity and
growth that bears fruit beyond themselves. Frodo says:

“I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not
for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in
danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so
that others may keep them, but you are my heir” (Re-
turn of the King, p. 376).
The evocation is that when selfishness is put aside,
integrity then may drive a process of wholeness so that
not only the goal is reached but a denouement of
growth and fulfilment occurs for those involved. Sam
rejoices that in his master’s eyes there was “peace now,
neither strain of will, . . . nor any fear” (Return of the
measuring the contributions individuals make to reach-
ing key organizational success. It is here that thinking
on leadership as art, and a century of theory and writ-
ing on the subject of leadership, meets the incisiveness
of Tolkien’s literary work (1966) to inspire personal de-
velopment in leadership, regardless of whether the
mantle of leadership is carried formally or informally.
In organizational settings, it is said, positive and en-
abling leaders contribute to building positive and
enabling cultures as they reward constructive, ethical
behavior, recognize others’ contributions, and seek to
develop staff at all levels of the organization (Drew,
2009). Ideally, then, the real “power” of leadership is
the “power to empower,” vesting in “ostensibly valuing
and truly ‘engaging’ staff in the advancement of organi-
zational goals, . . . sharing knowledge capital appropri-
ately and freely, and . . . exploring flexible work modes
that maximise efficiency while recognizing staff mem-

bers as ‘whole persons’ ” (Drew & Bensley, 2001,
p. 68). The motif here is that usurping power and self-
interest tends to stultify and deny useful result, while a
vigorous, rigorous culture begets action for collective
achievement.
The participants in the study reported by Drew and
colleagues (2008) asserted that they learned most as
leaders from other leaders who were genuine, humble,
and credible. Such leaders, participants said, “promoted
an environment that fostered growth of leadership in
others, opened doors for staff, and helped create oppor-
tunities” (p. 7). One participant described a “brilliant
example of a leader” (p. 8) this way: “He didn’t demand
respect, he earned respect. He was a humble person and
he had credibility. People follow a person like that. The
environment that he created was one of trust” (p. 8).
Moreover, the large-scale research undertaken by Collins
and team (2001) reports that leaders taking their or-
ganizations to positions of sustained outstanding suc-
cess possessed the paradoxical combination of humility
and fierce resolve, or strong professional will. The
Collins study, too, situates effective leadership squarely
with leaders who eschew self-interest for the interests
of the team and the goal in view, and who invest rigor-
ously in the growth of self and others. Similar notions
of vigor, rigor, and action are bywords of the third pro-
posed marker of enabling or real power and influence in
leadership, discussed next.
resolve to act: “But I will always help you,” said Sam,
“I will help you bear this burden, as long as it is yours
to bear. But we must do something, soon. The Enemy
is moving” (Fellowship of the Ring, p. 92). It is notewor-
thy that leaders who took their organizations from
“good to great” (p. 188) in the large-scale research proj-

ect reported by Collins were action takers who engen-
dered a rigorous environment and who possessed
uniquely this paradoxical combination of “humility and
strong professional will” (Collins, 2001, p. 39). Filmer
(1992b) writes that “all readers might be encouraged to
hope that they might share with . . . Frodo the quali-
ties of Pity, Mercy, Humility and endurance which con-
tribute to the success of the quest” (p. 31).
At multiple levels, the idea of dying to self is a propo-
sition about seizing a quality of life that, paradoxically,
allows an enlargement of the self—an expansion of one’s
world for learning, discovery, and growth. The image
is one of self-awareness and self-development and is
reminiscent of Peck’s proposition (1990) that it is only
through a process of questioning and reappraisal that
we begin to become aware “that the whole point of life
is the development of souls” (p. 200). Drawing illustra-
tively finally from LotR, I made a point earlier in this
article concerning clear differentiation of status in the
characters of Frodo and Sam in Tolkien’s trilogy, yet
the sharper evocations, at least to me, are sublimation of
status to the achievement of wider good. Sam takes the
leadership role on many occasions during the quest and,
as Filmer (1992a) puts it, was highly instrumental in
reaching the goal. The motif obviously enough suggests
the richness of individual and collaborative accomplish-
ment through preparedness to ignore status and work
together as a team, but signals, to me, a subtly wider
message that leaders do not thrive in isolation but in
community with others. It is sometimes said that lead-
ership at the top is a lonely role where it is difficult to
confide in others. Peck (1990) argues that high-order
leadership patterns can thrive only when leaders are
“emotionally sustained in community” (p. 324) and that
leaders do not thrive in “a climate of competitive isola-

tion in which idealism and humaneness are crushed”
(p. 324). Leaders, at their best, are facilitators who har-
ness the talent of others.
Wondra (2009) points to talent management in
leadership studies that focus on acknowledging and
Lady Galadriel’s words are empowering, and her faith
in Frodo is based on predictability that he will freely
choose to take responsibility. Lady Galadriel says to
Frodo: “I do not counsel you one way or another . . .
you may learn something. . . . Seeing is both good and
perilous. Yet I think, Frodo, that you have courage
and wisdom enough for the venture, or I would not
have brought you here. Do as you will!” (Fellowship of
the Ring, p. 471) It may be said that Frodo and Sam
grow in their capacity to make sound decisions and to
meet and conquer challenge. Also, their capacity
to achieve is fueled by the confidence that others place
in them.
In a research study of a sample of leaders in one Aus-
tralian university (Drew et al., 2008), the question was
asked what, in the respondents’ experience, constituted
the most effective leadership. Many participants spoke
of beneficial interactions with leaders in the past who
had taken them out of their comfort zone (Kouzes and
Posner, 2002) and had given background support in
challenging situations. Some reported that going
through difficult team situations, with the support of
their leader, had gradually built their resilience and con-

fidence to lead (Drew et al., 2008). Further, Undung
and De Guzman (2009) report research involving a
group of Filipino academic administrators. The find-
ings showed that empathy played a pivotal role in suc-
cessful educational leadership practice, as well as
demonstrating the importance of the leader having the
humaneness of caring, listening, and interacting—of,
in effect, journeying together with staff. This suggests
the merits of paying attention to the personal develop-
ment of self and others in organizations, gradually
building resilience (including the capacity to change
and grow; Wheatley, 2003). In Tolkien’s trilogy, gradu-
ally, Frodo and Sam learn to rely more on building their
own capacities to surmount difficulty than on hoping
circumstances will be favorable.
In turn, it is suggested that part of self- and organiza-
tional development is developing a culture of discipline
(Collins, 2001). This involves preparedness to appraise
situations rigorously and tackle the core issues rather
than the superficial, convenient ones. Collins offers that,
in the organizational environment, this includes criti-
cally appraising work priorities, and identifying what is
important and which activities are not adding value.
Denotes Not Weakness but Strength
The final paradox proposed is that enabling or real
power and influence eschews “soft,” uncritical ap-
proaches in favor of rigor, building what Collins de-
scribes as a “culture of discipline” (2001, p. 130).
Collins argues: “Fill the culture with self-disciplined
people who are willing to go to extreme lengths to ful-
fil their responsibilities” (p. 124). In Tolkien’s trilogy,
the questing characters are fully committed; they com-
municate honestly and openly, reflect on failures, and

learn from their errors. The characters knew dejection,
deflection from task, and the defection of co-workers,
but they mitigated the stress of those events by attend-
ing to developing (it might be said) a culture of disci-
pline. They remained persistently within the “flow” of
their mission, held, in the words of Chopra (2006), by
the “balance” of shared goals and by the “oars” of their
“core values” (pp. 5–95). It might be suggested that
leadership was experienced in terms of a disciplined
“patterning” formed as members dealt with day-to-day
issues, handled conflict, and resolved setbacks. Such pat-
terning, argues Barnett (2004), is a critical first princi-
ple in successfully navigating change, and useful
patterning is assisted when leaders and teams con-
sciously attend as much to ontological (way of being)
factors as to epistemological (knowledge-based) factors
in carrying out their roles. Collins (2001) asserts the
importance of getting the right people into the organ-
ization, pointing to “the degree of sheer rigor needed in
people decisions in order to take a company from good
to great” (p. 44). Scott and colleagues (2008), research-
ing the university leadership environment in Australia,
find that capabilities around self-organization and self-
regulation in the leadership role are vital. Similarly,
Schein (2003) points to positive behaviors within or-
ganizations gradually creating a “common set of as-
sumptions . . . forged by clear and consistent messages
as the group encounters and survives its own crises”
(p. 438).
The proposition, here, is that within a culture of dis-
cipline people are encouraged to act in ways that are
conducive to reaching the goal. Collins (2001) pro-
poses: “Build a culture around the idea of freedom and
responsibility, within a framework” (p. 124). Concomi-
tantly, in LotR, responding to Frodo’s fear, the gracious

From Tolkien’s word picture, Frodo, preparing himself
for his assault on Mount Doom and the destruction of
the Ring, discards his shield, belt, and helmet to rid
himself of weight instead of confronting the real weight
that he bears in his love-hate relationship with the Ring.
One might posit that (with similar avoidance as for
leaders in organizations) humankind may tackle the
“convenient” superficial issues and fail to address
the underlying, core issues. Gandalf cautions Frodo not to
lean on false solutions and risk missing the best: “A mor-
tal, Frodo, who keeps one of the Great Rings, does not
die, but he does not grow or obtain more life. . . . And
if he often uses the Ring to make himself invisible, he
‘fades’ . . . and walks in the twilight” (Fellowship of the
Ring, p. 72). This motif is reminiscent of the risk of
falling to mediocrity in the organizational leadership
context. A related motif from Tolkien illustrates the hol-
low, vacuous nature of usurping power.
In LotR, the questing characters relinquish self-serving
power, win a great goal, and experience fulfillment,
while the individuals set to benefit from the triumph
wield power over others and disintegrate into chaos. In
the trilogy, when the victors return to their home, the
Shire is in disarray. The ruffians—the feisty rule mak-
ers of the embattled Shire—for all their protestations
about their own power are no match for the hobbits,
who have been imbued with strength born of unselfish
determination in order to see equity and peace again
abound. We read: “Scaring Breeland peasants, and bul-

lying bewildered hobbits, had been their [the ruffians’]
work. These fearless hobbits with bright swords and
grim faces were a great surprise” (Return of the King,
p. 346). The words “And there was a note in the voices
of these newcomers that they [the ruffians] had not
heard before. It chilled them with fear” (p. 346) are to
me some of the most searching in the text. The tone in
the hobbits’ voices that the ruffians heard and that caused
their attitude to change is suggested as the sound of true
power—genuine and alive with hard-won authority—
against which cheap, usurping power could find no
measure. That the ruffians “turned and fled” and “blew
their horns as they ran” (p. 346) is somewhat metonymic
of vacuous, self-inscribed dominance. It might be pro-
posed that rigorous cultures have little place for self-in-
scribed dominance, for fatuous, empty claims or
quick-fix approaches but are geared to action, capability
building, and achievement. It might be inferred from
Tolkien that, paradoxically, self-absorption reduces
and enervates the self while giving of oneself expands and
invigorates the self.
If one concludes that supportive and other-centered
leadership may be dismissed as soft or uncritical, this is
belied by Collins’s research (2001), which found rigor,
self-organization, and follow-through to be vital. The
study by Drew and colleagues (2008) concluded simi-
larly. For example, one participant said: “The leader
must be able to instil confidence in you concerning
his/her capacity to lead. Saying ‘there is a problem’
where there is one, and ‘let’s fix it’ is important” (p. 8).
Again, research findings in the study reveal a blend of
rigor with a supportive style to see matters accomplished
as a recurrent theme in the statements of participants
about effective leaders. As an example: “One needs to

blend sincerity with organisational skills, as one can gen-
uinely mean to do something, but if they [sic] can’t or-
ganise themselves it won’t get done, despite their
sincerity. That’s the type of leader I look for” (p. 8).
Trakman (2007) agrees with the recurrent message that
real power and influence is marked by rigor and cau-
tions against organizations, faced with sudden challenge,
resorting to ill-considered directives that result in mi-
cromanagement, eroding morale, and trust. It is argued
that these markers are fundamental to leadership where
the remit of the leadership mantle is to engage and mo-
tivate people.
Conclusion
Le Guin (1979) argues that the mythopoeic genre com-
municates through words in much the same way that
music communicates through sound; that myth and story
“short-circuit the verbal reasoning [and] . . . are pro-
foundly meaningful, and usable—practical—in terms
of ethics, of insight, of growth” (p. 62). My reading of
The Lord of the Rings has attempted to exemplify some
proposed markers of positive power and influence in lead-
ership. A central theme has been posited that “the down-
ward submission of the greatest” to become as servants
is the place of genuine authority, influence, and credibil-
ity (Erwin, 1988), arguing a paradoxical principle from
this literature that the world of the self expands the more
it gives and, conversely, narrows the more it centers on
self alone. It has been interpolated from Tolkien (1966)
education leadership (Middlehurst, 2007). Middle-

hurst states:
The intention is . . . to challenge traditional ap-
proaches and conceptions of leadership and manage-
ment development in the higher education sector in
order to increase levels of engagement, demonstrate
the personal and professional benefit of such devel-
opment, and highlight (and test) different pedagogi-
cal approaches. (p. 54)
This article invites a follow-up empirical study to test
the proposed markers of positive power and influence
in leadership by conducting research on what a sample
of organizational constituents view specifically as demon-
strations of enabling or real power and influence. Find-
ings could be compared with empirical research
undertaken on caring, empathy, and humaneness by
Undung and De Guzman (2009), who suggest that em-
pathy “creates and maintains a sound and dynamic inter-
personal milieu” (p. 1). Such investigation might usefully
twin with research to explore empirically Wondra’s ref-
erence (2009) to the “special gifts of knowledge, skills,
and personal characteristics that individuals bring to or-
ganisations” (p. 1), to determine what these might be
and whether they relate to the markers proposed in this
article. The investigation could build on the empirical
research results from the study of a sample of university
leaders (Drew et al., 2008) reported in this article.
Why are these understandings important? Leadership

studies have argued for some time the importance of at-
tending to the human qualities of caring, empathy, and
humaneness. It is said that such attending “creates
and maintains a sound and dynamic interpersonal mi-
lieu” that is vital to engagement (Undung & De Guzman,
2009, p. 1). One acknowledges, with Adair (2005), that
there is no one way to lead effectively and that context
and situation play a large part in how leadership is en-
acted; but also that leadership is best understood at a
personal level, and leaders must know themselves and be
clear about what they are aiming to achieve in order to
be effective (Miller, 2006). It is argued that testing one’s
approach to leadership through the lens of how one ap-
prehends power and influence in the role is important
in leadership thinking and practice. Testing the three
proposed markers of enabling or real power and influ-
ence and comparing the data with such other relevant
that leadership is effective when it invokes the engage-
ment of others, consistent with the notion that “genuine
power that influences society for good serves not self but
others, and . . . therein [in fact] lies genuine, authorita-
tive influence” (Drew, 1995, p. 15).
Further, it has been implied that a usurping, legalis-
tic style, although tending to reproduce a similar legal-
istic response in people, may inhibit useful result,
whereas leadership that is generous, outwardly focused,
and contributing to its environment invites others to
engage and reciprocate in the same spirit. The discus-
sion noted Tolkien’s character depictions in the demise
of the Shire, which contrasted the hollow “horn-blowing”
“noise” of usurping power against the truer rigor of gen-
uine authority, credibility, and action. Indeed, it has
been argued that leaders who are focused not on wield-
ing power but on empowerment invest in relationships

and may leave a legacy. Such leaders, committed to the
realization of their own and others’ potential, in a sense
“reproduce themselves” as they “take others to their own
places of independent and unique capability and cri-
tique, operating on a platform that is not endlessly up-
held in a spirit of frustration or exhaustion” (Drew &
Bensley, 2001, p. 64). Evidence of the importance of
the notion of empowerment and supportive leadership
patterns was noted from published research investigat-
ing the view of leaders themselves. The findings revealed
that leaders they had known who operated in an other-
focused rather than self-focused way, and who com-
bined supportive behavior with rigor, had been, in their
view, most effective.
The limitations of this conceptual article, supported
by limited theoretical literature and recent preliminary
research, are acknowledged. In drawing from Tolkien,
I have purported not to analyze Tolkien’s work as a
whole or explicate theoretically the notion of “posi-
tive” human behavior. This reading of selected themes
from Tolkien’s trilogy and theoretical text is intended
to provoke thought on some of the paradoxes in lead-
ership relating to power and influence. In support of
using unconventional means such as drawing on myth
and story to explore concepts, the United Kingdom
Leadership Foundation, for example, supports deploy-
ing a variety of modes, including use of stories and
theater, to build self-awareness on concepts relating
to increasing “other-engagement” capability in higher

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findings would have implications for considering per-
sonal development for leaders. In terms of continuous
improvement at an individual level, committing to a
relevant 360-degree feedback or similar process may
offer useful data on how one’s leadership is perceived
by others, while productively signaling to staff and oth-
ers that their views are valued. In terms of further re-
search, staffing groups may be in the best position to
guide thinking on effective leadership. It would be use-
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staff, further to investigate what the beneficiaries of lead-
ership themselves identify as effective leadership.
Acknowledgment
In preparing this article, I acknowledge the encourage-
ment and support of Associate Professor Lisa C. Ehrich,
Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Aus-
tralia, for her great support and interest in the topic
theme as vital to understanding other-engagement in
leadership, and the mode chosen by which to explore
the theme. This article is dedicated to the young people
whose very lives inspire the values and ethos of this ar-
ticle, and who diversely show promise of a way of being
that makes the world a better place: Riley and Jordan
Drew, Calum and Ruben Bensley, and Pierce and Jules
McKain.

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can be reached at [email protected]
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Three assembly lines are used to produce a certain component
for an airliner. To examine the production rate, a random
sample of six hourly periods is chosen for each assembly line
and the number of components produced during these periods
for each line is recorded. The output from a statistical software
package is:
Summary
Groups Count Sum Average Variance
Line A 6 256 42.66667 0.263597
Line B 6 255 42.50000 0.200404
Line C 6 243 40.50000 0.553051
ANOVA
Source of Variation SS df MS F p-value

Between Groups 8.574402 2 4.287201 5.640740 0.014904
Within Groups 11.400632 15 0.760042
Total 19.975034 17
(a)
Use a 0.01 level of significance to test if there is a difference in
the mean production of the three assembly lines. (Round your
answer to 2 decimal places.).
(b)
Develop a 99% confidence interval for the difference in the
means between Line B and Line C. (Round your answers to 2
decimal places.)
Syllabus
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COURSE INFORMATION
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Term: 1408D
Dates: 12/17/2014 - 2/3/2015
Holidays: 12/24/2014 - 1/4/2015 and 1/17/2015 - 1/19/2015
Course Number/Section: GB600-01N
Course Title: Leadership Strategies for a Changing
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Credit Hours: 4
Prerequisites: None
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Publishing, Product: 308105-PDF-ENG.
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Note: These articles are supplemental reading and provide good
examples of peer-reviewed/scholarly articles that may be useful
in your writing for this course. In addition to the articles
themselves, check each reference list for related possibilities to
assist you in your research.
· Bel, R. (2010). Leadership and innovation: Learning from the
best. Global Business &Organizational Excellence, 29(2), 47-
60.
· Bücker, J., & Poutsma, E. (2010). How to assess global
management competencies: An investigation of existing
instruments. Management Revue, 21(3), 263-291.
· Colfax, R. S., Rivera, J. J., & Perez, K. T. (2010). Applying
emotional intelligence (EQ-I) in the workplace: Vital to global
business success. Journal of International Business Research,
989-98. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
· Collins, J. (2010). Enlightened leaders. Leadership
Excellence, 27(6), 10. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Note: this is
not a peer-reviewed article.
· Crews, D. E. (2010). Strategies for implementing
sustainability: Five leadership challenges. SAM Advanced
Management Journal (07497075), 75(2), 15-21. Retrieved from

EBSCOhost.
· Derue, D., Nahrgang, J. D., Wellman, N., & Humphrey, S. E.
(2011). Trait and behavioral theories of leadership: An
integration and meta-analytic test of their relative validity.
Personnel Psychology, 64(1), 7-52.
· Drew, G. M. (2010). Enabling or “real” power and influence in
leadership. Journal of Leadership Studies, 4(1), 47-58.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
TOP
This course introduces students to the nature and purpose of
leadership in organizations. Students evaluate various
leadership approaches and methodologies in terms of
organizational effectiveness and efficiency in dynamic
corporate environments. In addition, students investigate ethics
and social responsibility, diversity, and team management.
Students will apply emotional intelligence in self-awareness,
personal development, and communication.
COURSE OUTCOMES
TOP
Course Outcomes: By the end of this course, you should be able
to:
GB600-1: Explain the leadership necessary to accomplish
business goals and maximize organizational performance.
GB600-2: Practice global interconnectedness as it applies to
your field of study.
GB600-3: Propose a team approach to achieve long-term
business outcomes.
GB600-4: Analyze the influence of leadership on organizational
effectiveness.
Professional Competency Outcome(s):
PC 1.2: Contribute to team goals and objectives through active

participation and collaboration.
COURSE CALENDAR
TOP
Unit # and Topic
Learning Activities
Outcomes
Unit 1: The Importance and Nature of Leadership
· Introductions
· Reading
· Preview Team Assignment
· Discussion
· Assignment-Focus Paper
· Self-Directed Learning Plan
· Extra! Extra!
· Analyze the transformations occurring in today’s
organizations and explain why leadership is needed to facilitate
the needed changes
· Examine the meaning of leadership and debate the issue of
how leaders influence organizational performance
· Define leadership using your own framework for
understanding leadership
· Assess your leadership traits, behaviors, and attitudes and
your overall readiness for leadership
Unit 2: Organizational Transformation and Vision
· Reading
· Discussion
· Assignment-PowerPoint
· Preview Team Assignment
· Extra! Extra!
· Evaluate how the following factors or behaviors factors
contribute to leadership effectiveness: relationship-oriented
versus task-oriented behaviors emotional intelligence cognitive

skills
· Describe the concerns about charismatic leadership from the
scientific and moral standpoint
· Identify several of the impacts of transformational leadership
on performance and behavior
· Assess your aptitude for charismatic leadership and develop an
action plan
Unit 3: Global Decision-Making Across Boundaries
· Reading
· Discussion
· Assignment -Case Analysis
· Team Assignment
· Extra! Extra!
· Resolve conflict using sound and fair negotiating skills
· Explain why good communication skills contribute to effective
leadership
· Identify leadership initiatives to increase the acceptance of
cultural diversity
· Explain how global leadership skills contribute to leadership
effectiveness
Unit 4: Innovation through Empowerment: Leading Team-Based
Organizations
· Reading
· Discussion
· Team Assignment
· Understand the leader’s role in a team-based organization
· Describe how leaders can motivate others through recognition
· Understand the characteristics of coaching and how to practice
coaching skills and techniques.
· Explain how the leader and the organization can establish a
climate that fosters creativity
· Identify several leadership practices that contribute to
organizational innovation
Unit 5: Influence Continuum: Organizational Effectiveness

· Reading
· Discussion
· Team Assignment
· Extra! Extra!
· Empower your team members and subordinates using effective
delegation techniques
· Identify the causes and factors of ethical and unethical
political behaviors and explain how a leader can control
dysfunctional politics
· Demonstrate how to use power and politics to help accomplish
important goals
· Evaluate the issues involved in effective leadership succession
· Recommend a set of honest and ethical influence tactics to
increase organization effectiveness
Unit 6: Contingency Leadership, Strategy, and Knowledge
Management
· Reading
· Discussion
· Team Assignment-Case Study Presentation
· Peer Evaluation
· Learning Plan - SDLP
· Portfolio
· Extra! Extra!
· Explain the situational factors in an organization that affect
the leadership objectives, leadership style, decision-making
style, and the communication style you should choose
· Create your own personal vision and predict what kind of
leader you will become, as well as your eventual success as a
leader, by examining your values, attitudes, leadership traits,
behaviors, and ability to motivate others
· Describe how leaders contribute to the management of
knowledge and the learning organization.
· Describe what leaders can do to foster an ethical and socially
responsible organization

GRADING CRITERIA/COURSE EVALUATION
TOP
Assessments
Number
Points each
Total Points
Assignment
[email protected]
[email protected]
50
100
250
Case Analysis
1
50
50
Discussion
6
60
360
Introductions
1
10
10
Peer Evaluation
1
30
30
PowerPoint
1
50
50
SDLP
1
50

50
Team Assignment
4
50
200
Total Points
1000
KAPLAN UNIVERSITY GRADING SCALE
TOP
Grade
Points
Percentage
Grade Point
A
900 – 1000
90-100%
4.0
B
800 – 899
80-89%
3.0
C
700 – 799
70-79%
2.0
F
0 – 699
0-69%
0.0
CC
Credit by Examination
N/A

I
Incomplete
0.0
P
Pass
N/A
S
Satisfactory
N/A
TC
Transfer Credit
N/A
U
Unsatisfactory
N/A
W
Withdrawal
N/A
MW
Military Withdrawal
2
INSTRUCTOR’S GRADING CRITERIA/TIMETABLE
TOP
All course Projects submitted on time will be graded within 5

days of their due date (the Sunday of the following unit). Late
work will be graded within 5 days of the submission date.
Discussion Board grades will be updated each week no later
than Sunday of the week following the unit’s completion.
POLICIES
TOP
Students who wish to review current policies (academic appeals,
attendance/tardiness, plagiarism, etc.) should refer to the
current Kaplan University Catalog and/or Addendum.
LATE POLICY
TOP
You are expected to submit all assignments and projects by the
due dates published in the course syllabus. In general, there is
a 10 percent penalty for each week that an assignment is late.
For example, if your assignment is due on Tuesday and you
submit it on Wednesday, the highest possible grade you can
earn is a B. If you submit it one week later, the highest
possible grade is a C and so forth. Assignments may be
submitted no more than three weeks late without prior approval
from your professor.
No late work will be accepted after the end of term without an
Incomplete Grade approval. Certain course activities may not be
eligible for submission after the conclusion of the week or unit.
These include, but are not limited to, discussion boards,
seminars, quizzes, and exams.
We know that extenuating circumstances can interfere with
timely submission of your work. Be sure to tell your professor
and your Education Advisor right away if you are going to be
late with a submission.
You may request an extension or alternative arrangement,
preferably prior to the due date, but your request does not
automatically result in a waiver of the due date or of the
penalties for late submissions. Your professor will determine
whether an exception to the Kaplan University Late Policy is

appropriate. S/he may also require you to provide
documentation of the reason. If your professor determines that
an extension is warranted, s/he will provide you with the
expectations for your submission or assignment in writing.
Extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited
to, personal/family member hospitalization, family member
death, a severe weather event, a natural disaster, and an active
military assignment that prevents internet connectivity.
Computer-related issues, Internet connectivity, and account
blocks are generally not considered extenuating circumstances.
TUTORING
TOP
Tutoring and many other resources are available in the Kaplan
University Writing Center which you can access on the right-
hand side under Academic Support on your KU Campus page.
You can find everything from using commas to conducting
research. You can learn APA citation, review grammar, see
sample essays, and this is just scratching the surface. In
addition, you can also chat with a live tutor during live tutoring
hours (listed in the Writing Center) who can help you locate
material within the Writing Center, understand a particular
Assignment, and explore the Kaplan library. Finally, you can
submit a paper and receive comments specific to that paper
within 48–72 hours.
PROJECTS
TOP
A description of all Projects to be completed can be found under
each of the units in the course.
DISCUSSION BOARDS
TOP
A description of all Discussion topics can be found under each

of the units in the course.
Discussion topic Participation:
During each week, students are required to post messages to
their colleagues and the instructor responding to Discussion
topics and research field trips. Discussion Board participation
will be graded based on both level of activity and quality of
interaction. Your active and thoughtful participation will weigh
heaviest in the determination of your participation grade.
· Three posting days per week for EACH Discussion topic are
the minimum.
· The first posting for each Discussion topic is required by the
first Saturday of class.
Theory into Practice Discussions, Distinguished Video and
Discussions, and Web Field Trip Discussions will be evaluated
using the following Discussion Board Grading Rubric.
Please find your Discussion Board Rubrics for all Discussions
in the “Rubrics” section at the end of this document.
NETIQUETTE
TOP
Interactions in an online classroom are in written form. Your
comfort level with expressing ideas and feelings in writing will
add to your success in an online course. The ability to write is
necessary, but you also need to understand what is considered
appropriate when communicating online.
The word "netiquette" is short for "Internet etiquette." Rules of
netiquette have grown organically with the growth of the
Internet to help users act responsibly when they access or
transmit information online. As a Kaplan University student,
you should be aware of the common rules of netiquette for the
Web and employ a communication style that follows these
guidelines.
· Wait to respond to a message that upsets you and be careful of

what you say and how you
say it.
· Be considerate. Rude or threatening language, inflammatory
assertions (often referred to as "flaming"), personal attacks, and
other inappropriate communication will not be tolerated.
· Never post a message that is in all capital letters — it comes
across to the reader as SHOUTING! Use boldface and italics
sparingly, as they can denote sarcasm.
· Keep messages short and to the point.
· Always practice good grammar, punctuation, and composition.
This shows that you have taken the time to craft your response
and that you respect your classmates' work.
· Keep in mind that Discussion Boards are meant to be
constructive exchanges.
· Be respectful and treat everyone as you would want to be
treated yourself.
· Use spell check!
You should also review and refer to the Electronic
Communications Policy contained in the most recent Kaplan
University Catalog.
**Note: This Syllabus is subject to change during current and
future courses. Please refer to the most updated Syllabus for
this course provided by your instructor.
RUBRICS
TOPDiscussion Board Participation Rubric
The Discussion Board Requirement:
1. Students are to post a minimum of three posts per Discussion
Board. One initial response and two replies to their classmates.
1. Posting on a minimum of 3 different days, for example:
Wednesday, Friday, and Monday
1. The first initial response to the Discussion topic must be
made by Saturday.
Theory into Practice Discussions, Distinguished Video and
Discussions, and Web Field Trip Discussions will be evaluated
using the following Discussion Board Grading Rubric.

Grade
Discussion Board
A
For student postings:
* Completion of all Discussion Board topics.
* Substantial original contributions for each Discussion Board
topic that further the work of the class.
* Original, thoughtful analysis of unit materials.
* Connects unit material to life experiences, past assignments,
and elaborates.
* Clear and fluent writing.
* Well thought out responses in Standard English.
* Postings made in a timely manner, meaning Discussion
contribution beginning within four days of the week start and
continuing over the week for each Discussion Board topic.
* Citations given in correct APA style.
For responses to other postings:
* Respond to two or more postings in each Discussion Board
topic in addition to original response.
* Responses are thoughtful and advance the Discussion.
* Frequent interaction with students within sessions (e.g., at
least 3 posting days per Discussion Board topic over the week).
B
For student postings:
* Completion of all Discussion Board Assignments.
* Fairly substantial postings that significantly contribute to the
class.
* Responses given are relevant and indicate understanding of
course readings.
* Some analysis of materials.
* Clear writing.
* Postings only on the last 2 or 3 days of the week.
* Citations are not given in correct APA style.

For responses to other postings:
* Responses to 1 or 2 postings in each Discussion Board in
addition to original response.
* Mainly thoughtful responses.
* Periodic interaction with classmates (e.g., 2 posting days per
Discussion Board topic over the week).
C
* Some assignments may be missing.
* Some vague or summary references to materials.
* Comments brief and did not demonstrate an understanding of
the material (example: "good point").
* Few and insubstantial responses to other student postings
and/or no original response to Discussion topic.
* Inconsistent and/or unclear writing such as use of slang or
inappropriate language.
* Posting only on the last day.
* Citations are not provided.
F
* Several missing assignments.
* Minimal postings.
* Significant writing errors.
· Off-topic postings.
· No interaction with other postings.
· Abusive or inappropriate behavior. [consult Program Chair]
Individual Focus Paper Rubric
These papers are related to specific issues or cases, and will
vary in length. In all cases, papers must be well referenced and
in APA format. The papers will be evaluated using the
following rubric.
At least 20% of a Focus Paper grade is related to composition
that includes organization, writing style, and mechanics. Often,
composition issues also impact the grading of the assigned
Focus Paper topic content because composition impacts the
effective presentation of your ideas and material.
Grade

Content, Focus, Use of Text/Research, and Organization
Analysis and Critical Thinking
Writing Style, Grammar, and APA Format
%
50%
30%
20%
90-100%
Response successfully answers the assignment question(s);
thoroughly uses the text and other literature. Includes a strong
thesis statement, introduction, and conclusion. The main points
of the paper are developed clearly. All arguments are supported
well (no errors in logic) using outside sources as assigned.
Sources are primarily academic journals, with thoughtful use
web sources. References are applied substantively to the paper
topic. Skillfully addresses counter-arguments and does not
ignore data contradicting its claim. Refers to sources both in-
text and in the reference page.
Response exhibits strong higher-order critical thinking and
analysis (e.g., evaluation). Paper shows original thought.
Analysis includes proper classifications, explanations,
comparisons, and inferences.
Critical thinking includes appropriate judgments, conclusions,
and assessment based on evaluation and synthesis of
information.
Grammatical skills are strong with typically less than one error
per page. Correct use of APA when assigned.
Appropriate to the assignment, fresh (interesting to read),
accurate, (no far-fetched, unsupported comments), precise (say
what you mean), and concise (not wordy).
Project is in 12-point font. Narrative sections are double-
spaced. Project is free of serious errors; grammar, punctuation,
and spelling help to clarify the meaning by following accepted

conventions.
80-89%
Response answers the assignment question(s) with only minor
digressions; sufficiently uses the text and other literature.
Provides a good thesis statement, introduction, and conclusion
that require some revision but that form a good basis.
Develops the main points clearly.
Supports most arguments concretely (no logical errors) using
outside sources as assigned.
Some sources are non-academic with over reliance on web
sources. References not always clearly tied to development of
ideas. Does not ignore data contradicting its claim, though the
refutation may need additional support. Refers to outside
sources in the text and reference page.
Response generally exhibits higher-order critical thinking and
analysis (e.g., evaluation). Paper shows some original thought.
Analysis includes adequate classifications, explanations,
Critical thinking includes adequate judgments, conclusions and
assessment based on evaluation and synthesis of information.
Internally, each section has good organization. Transitions
found between and within sections are mostly clear and
effective. Generally appropriate to the assignment, accurate (no
far-fetched, unsupported claims), precise, and concise. Includes
a title page and reference page.
Project is in 12-point font. Narrative sections are double-
spaced. Project contains some generally minor grammatical and
punctuation errors. Few misspellings. Citations generally follow
APA guidelines (perhaps one or two minor errors).
70-79%
Response answers the project assignment(s) with some
digression; sufficiently uses the text and other literature.
Provides a thesis statement that needs revision. The introduction

and conclusion do not set up or close the paper very effectively.
Shows too little original thought (strings of citations that are
not developed to support the thesis).
Main points are adequately defined in only some areas of the
paper; points may be over-emphasized or repeated. Some
arguments are supported with outside research, but others may
not be. Relies too heavily on personal experience or one source.
The paper does not meet the source requirements. Some obvious
counter-arguments are ignored or not well refuted.
Response exhibits limited higher-order critical thinking and
analysis (e.g., application of information).
Analysis includes limited classifications, explanations,
Critical thinking includes limited judgments, conclusions, and
assessment based on evaluation and synthesis of information.
Sentences are occasionally wordy or ambiguous; tone is too
informal. Grammatical skills are adequate with no more than 2–
3 errors per page. The paper is not well organized. Sections lack
transitions, and several sentences may be monotonous or
confusing. The overall structure of the assignment is not
effective. Appropriate in places, but elsewhere vague writing
interferes with the development and clarity of the main points.
Numerous grammatical and punctuation errors. Misspellings are
more frequent, but they are the sort spell checkers do not catch,
such as “effect/affect.” An attempt at APA citation was made,
but there are multiple errors larger than a misplaced period.
Narrative sections are not double-spaced.
60-69%
Response answers the assignment question(s) but digresses
significantly; insufficiently uses the text and other literature.
Response exhibits simplistic or reductive thinking and analysis
but does demonstrate comprehension.
Sentences are generally wordy and/or ambiguous; tone is too
informal. Grammatical skills are inadequate, clarity and

meaning are impaired, typically 3–5 errors per page. Inadequate
use of APA format
0-59%
Response insufficiently answers the assignment question(s);
insufficiently uses the text and other literature.
Response exhibits simplistic or reductive thinking and analysis
and demonstrates limited knowledge on the subject matter.
Sentences unclear enough to impair meaning; tone is
inappropriate and/or inconsistent. Grammatical skills are
incompetent for college level; typically 6 or more errors per
page. Unacceptable use of APA format. Team Projects and
Assignments – Peer Evaluation Form
Teams have proprietary Discussion Boards and a chat room
option to conduct team business. Sometimes teams choose
alternative methods of communication, such as instant
messaging or conference calls. If alternative team
communication methods are used, ALL team members must
agree to the method and a summary/synopsis of what transpired
during such meetings must be provided to all.
The individual final grade for a team Project will be based on
both the team product and quality of individual contribution to
the team process. The team products will be evaluated using
appropriate rubrics. The individual portion of the team Project
will be assessed from team member feedback provided at the
end of the Project using the following feedback form. The forms
are confidential, except at your discretion regarding discussion
of ratings within the team. You are encouraged to check with
your team regarding your performance.Kaplan University
School of Business Team Peer Evaluation
Student Completing Evaluation: ________________________
Team Project Name: _____________________________
Please return to the unit Dropbox area by the end of the unit
week (Tuesday midnight). Your Individual grade for the Project
will be assigned after evaluations are received.

There are two grades associated with each team Project.
Each student will receive the points earned by the team for the
Project submitted. In addition, each student will receive a
second grade reflecting individual contribution to creating the
Project. 75% of the total points available for the team
Assignment are associated with the team submission and 25% of
the total points are associated with quality of individual
contribution. For example, if the team Project in total is worth
60 points, then the Gradebook will reflect 45 possible points
(75%) for the team product and 15 possible points (25%) for
team contribution.
You will assess your team members and they will assess you
using the feedback form below. The professor will not share
your peer evaluation feedback with others; you may choose to
ask teammates to share their perceptions with you, so you can
improve your team contribution.
Instructions: You will need to rate each team member using a
scale of 1–5 with 1 being the lowest rating and 5 being the
highest rating. The rating scale is as follows: 1 – strongly
disagree, 2 – disagree, 3 – neutral, 4 – agree, and 5 – strongly
agree. For example: The team member assisted in planning,
decision making, and problem solving? 1 – strongly disagree, 2
– disagree, 3 – neutral, etc. Equal scores will indicate that all
contributed equally to the Project. Please include yourself in
your rating. All ratings will be between 3 and 15 points.
1 – Strongly Disagree, 2 – Disagree, 3 –Neutral, 4 – Agree, and
5 – Strongly Agree
Team Member Names
Student A:
_________
Student B:

__________
Student C:
__________
Student D:
__________
Yourself
________
The team member assisted in planning, decision-making, and
problem solving.
The team member attended meetings or arranged make up
efforts when they were unable to attend.
The team member took the initiative to meet all team roles and
responsibilities.
Total Rating (sum)
Comments

The final points assigned for individual team participation is at
the discretion of faculty, with the Team Peer Evaluation as one
source of information.
In general, the following provides a guide:
· 12–15 rating sum = 90 to 100% of team participation points
awarded
awarded
awarded
· 3–5 rating sum = Below 70% of team participation points
awarded
Here is an example of what might be sent from one member of a
team with 4 people:
Team Member Names
Student A Sherrene
Student B John
Student C Elvis
Yourself Beatrice
The team member assisted in planning, decision-making, and
problem solving.
5
3
3
5
The team member attended meetings or arranged make up
efforts when they were unable to attend.
4

3
2
3
The team member took the initiative to meet all team roles and
responsibilities.
5
5
2
5
Total Rating (sum)
14
11
7
13
Comments
Sherrene was a leader in pulling together the team process.
John did great work, just didn't offer. He had to be asked.
Elvis didn't seem to care very much about doing a good job.
Missed meetings.
I put the final project together and did edits. I missed a couple
of meetings.
Self-Directed Learning Plan (SDLP) Rubric
As a step in each School of Business graduate course, students
are expected to create a SDLP. The SDLP should contain your
course objectives, status on action items, learning and
development plan, and status describing progress toward
achieving the target objectives. The purpose of the SDLP is to
provide purpose, focus, and evidence of important personal
development during the School of Business graduate experience
for each specific course. The SDLP will be graded applying the

following rubric:
SDLP Grading Rubric:
1. Status on most action items
1. Thoughtful modification and additions to objectives and
actions that reflect development progress in the target area
1. Reflects awareness of how course experience did, or did not,
contribute to achieving professional objectives relative to
several dimensions
A
1. Status on some action items
1. Minimal modification or addition to objectives and actions
1. Describes course experience and relates generally to
professional objectives
B
1. Status on one or two items
1. No modification or addition to objectives and actions
1. Describes course experience
C
1. Very little or no activity on SDLP
1. No SDLP or it consists of simple comment, such as "I liked
the course."
F

To support continued development of the SDLP, the following
rubric represents the basis of the original grading. This will not
be applied for grading purposes in this course.
Development Plan Criteria:
Professional Objectives
Achieving the professional objective makes use of learning
available in the MBA program and from resources/experiences
outside of the MBA program. The objective reflects a
substantive increment of development for the student.
Self-Awareness
The learning and development plan reflects the ability to
understand oneself and integrate that understanding into
strategies for development to achieve a target objective.
Personal Initiative
The learning and development plan is maintained as a dynamic
document throughout the MBA program, used to focus activity
on critical learning and culminating in a plan that extends
beyond the program.
Personal commitment to development
The learning development plan is comprised of experiences and
activities that challenge development.
Rubric:
Score
Performance Indicators
Not Assessed
No work was received by the instructor.
A+
Perfect Score
Learning and development plan includes challenging, abundant,
and complementary strategies and resources inside/outside the
Kaplan MBA program. Coursework and Kaplan resources are
actively used to refine and achieve objectives, demonstrating
judgment regarding approaches to development. By the end of
the program, the self-directed learning plan achievement and

reflective learning serves as the foundation for the next level of
professional planning.
A
Learning and development plan demonstrates strategies that are
relevant to each development area. Demonstrates understanding
of how coursework and Kaplan can contribute to achieving the
plan. By the end of the program, the self-directed learning plan
is analyzed for gaps and future professional planning.
B
Learning and development plan demonstrates comprehension of
development areas and links multiple courses and activities with
each area. By the end of the program, the self-directed learning
plan reflects learning that can be applied to future professional
planning.
C
Learning and development plan demonstrates comprehension of
development areas and links a Kaplan MBA course to each area.
By the end of the program, the learning plan is current.
F
Learning and development plan is incomplete or its strategies
are inconsistent, indicating lack of understanding of the
planning process and its use in the MBA Program. By the end of
the program, there is little information in the self-directed
learning plan to support aligned future professional planning.
Honor Code – Graduate School of Business
The Honor Code was crafted by the members of the
Ambassadors and Leaders Program who are outstanding student
leaders. The Kaplan University School of Business’
Ambassadors and Leaders Program provides graduate students
leadership experiences and personal growth through mentoring
and representing the School of Business to the public at large.
The Program promotes excellence and integrity in graduate
education and contributes to the development of leadership
skills relevant to 21st Century global business demands.
Membership in Ambassadors and Leaders requires a 3.5 GPA or

above and advancement to candidacy (4 courses completed) or
by permission of the faculty sponsor.
Dr. Bea Borne is the faculty sponsor for this Program. For
further information or application for membership, contact her
at [email protected]
Find below the Honor Code for the School of Business
Developed by the Kaplan’s School of Business Ambassadors
and Leaders
“As a Kaplan University School of Business student, I will
uphold the utmost ethical standards in my personal life,
academic performance, and business community. I promise to
maintain high ethical standards and values within our academic
community by not plagiarizing or cheating on homework and by
promoting ethical decision making among the student body. I
will make ethical decisions within my personal life which
promote honesty and compassion among my family and friends
and which lead to a healthy and responsible life. As a Kaplan
University School of Business student, I will promote ethical
considerations in every academic and business decision and,
after graduation; I will conduct myself with dignity and
integrity.”
10
18
Running head: NAME OF CASE
1
NAME OF CASE 2

Title of Paper
Student Name
GB600.xx (xx = section #)
Leadership Strategies for a Changing World
Date
Professor
Name of Professor
Title of Paper
This section will typically be one or two paragraphs. It is also
important to remember that the introduction should create
interest and entice the reader to keep reading the paper.
Specifically, you will need to introduce the reason for your
paper, create interest, tell your reader what the paper includes,
and briefly introduce the recommendations. The introduction is
a component of the “Content” grade.
Content and Analysis
(This is the description; not the section title.)
This section should have sub-sections for any topic that
consists of more than two paragraphs. This helps to organize
your thoughts and present your findings in a clear manner for
your reader. This is where the main points of the paper are
clearly developed. In addition, this portion of the paper should

include classifications, explanations, comparisons, and
inferences. Apply critical thinking to this section by using the
appropriate judgments and assessments based on your
evaluation and synthesis of information. This section will be in
your own words as you will describe what you read or learned
from the various sources that were reviewed. Do not include
long, direct quotes from your sources. Use your voice by
paraphrasing and using proper citations. This portion of the
paper is a component of both the “Content” and the “Analysis
and Critical Thinking” grade. However, it is always a good idea
to have three recourses or literary references to your written
assignments.
Recommendations
You should think of writing this section as if you were telling
your boss or a consulting client about something you have
learned. It is your opportunity to APPLY your learning to a
business context. The recommendations are a component of the
“Analysis & Critical Thinking” grade. Support your
recommendations with sound literary resources.
Conclusion
In the conclusion (1-2 paragraphs) you should succinctly
summarize the key points of the paper and reiterate your
recommendations in such a manner as to elicit a call to action.
The conclusion is a component of the “Content” grade.
References
Please be sure your references are in APA format. Citations and
references strengthen your analysis and recommendations and
are required for Focus Papers. Please ensure you have a
minimum of three references at least one of which must be a
peer reviewed (scholarly) journal article. The sources utilized
are a component of the “Content” grade.

Unit 2 [GB600 | Leadership Strategies for a Changing
World]
1
Assignments
There are two parts to this week’s Assignment. 1. Focus Paper
and 2. PowerPoint
Presentation. Instructions for each Assignment are listed below.
Focus Paper
Write a three to five (3-5) page paper (excluding title and
reference pages) assessing
your aptitude for charismatic leadership that includes the
following:

Identify gaps
that must be closed in order for you to become more
charismatic. The text has
many assessments and skill building exercises that you may find
helpful in this
process. Another option is to conduct and Internet search for
free assessments.
you in closing
the gaps identified in your analysis as well as a specific action
plan to
accomplish this.
the paper and
bring forward a call to action.
The Assignment will be evaluated using the Focus Paper Rubric
located in the course
Syllabus. Therefore, please ensure it is written with proper
grammar, in APA format
(including clear section headings), and includes at least three
cited and referenced
resources – one of which must be a peer reviewed (scholarly)
journal article.
Note: There is a Focus Paper Template in Doc Sharing.
The point distribution for the Assignment will be as follows:

organization
l thinking
Submit to the Unit 2: Focus Paper Dropbox. This Assignment is
due by the end of Unit 2
– Tuesday, 11:59 p.m. ET.
Unit 2 [GB600 | Leadership Strategies for a Changing
World]
2
PowerPoint
Develop an eight to ten (8-10) slide presentation that includes
the following:
-oriented versus task-oriented behaviors
ence versus cognitive
leadership
effectiveness.

leadership style to
accomplish business goals and maximize organizational
performance.
The point distribution for the Assignment will be as follows:
organization
, clarity of slides
Note: It is important that the slides be streamlined, interesting,
and professional. The
majority of the detail, analysis, and research should be placed in
the notes sections.
Submit to the Unit 2: PowerPoint Dropbox. This Assignment is
due by the end of Unit 2
– Tuesday, 11:59 p.m. ET.

JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES, Volume 4, Number 1, 2010©2010.docx

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