Course Syllabus
Contact Information
Course Overview
The purpose of this course is to explore leadership styles, techniques, and best practices and how they are applied in the design and construction industry. This course will help students build a personal leadership latticework of mental models that enable them to build trust faster, improve their decision-making, and lead teams that achieve results while enjoying the process.
Course Details
For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.
Course Delivery
- Synchronous Online: Learning occurs online and in real-time, using technology such as web-conferencing software for synchronous interaction. 2-hour Live Sessions will occur weekly via Zoom.
- Participation does not mean simply attending class but being an active participant. Simple attendance and being a silent observer or asking questions that show a lack of preparedness, not reading the text, or no preparation will result in a loss of points in this category.
- Attending the course while you are in the car, walking, in a meeting, on a plane, in a restaurant, or in another location that would not be considered professional and will count as a missed Live Session regardless of your participation in the class.
- Attendance at all Live Sessions (online) is expected.
- If you need to miss one class for any reason, see video makeup assignment in Live Session instructions.
- If you miss two classes, given there are only eight, you will need to retake the course.
Contribution points are based on:
- Attendance at the weekly Live Session class
- Completing the module activities and assignments before the Live Session class
- The quality (not necessarily the quantity) of comments made during Live Sessions
Course Prerequisites
Complete the following prior to the first Live Session meeting in Week 1:
- Purchase and complete the Kolbe A Index and study personal results.
- Note: Do not enter anything in the credit number box. Click "Start" and follow the instructions for payment, then take the assessment.
- Sign up for Admired Leadership's daily "Field Notes" email.
- Better Decisions App
Course Materials
The following materials are to be purchased prior to the start of the term:
- McChrystal, S. A., Collins, T., Silverman, D., & Fussell, C. (2015). Team of Teams: New rules of engagement for a complex world. Portfolio/Penguin.
- The Kolbe A Index (Instinct Assessment)
Additional required materials will be detailed on the RESOURCES: Course Materials page and made available within weekly modules.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)
- Demonstrate competence in core subject matter across all stages of the construction project lifecycle with specific focus on:
-Lean Management Principles
-Construction law and ethical principles
-Leadership, collaboration, and teamwork
-Business development and administration in a construction context - Demonstrate decision-making, problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and creativity with reference to the construction management industry.
- Demonstrate professional oral and written communication as appropriate to the construction industry
Course Learning Outcomes (CLO) Alignment
| CLO | Description | PLO |
|---|---|---|
| A |
Recognize and understand self-leadership—their strengths, weaknesses, and Unique Ability® |
1 |
| B | Interpret the principles of leadership as distinctive from management | 1 |
| C |
Examine the organizational dynamics common among strong teams |
1 |
| D |
Demonstrate strong communication skills, online and offline, with an emphasis on clarity and brevity |
3 |
| E | Identify and implement intentional and proactive decisions | 2 |
Grades
Breakdown
| Activity | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance & Participation | Weekly Live Session preparation and active engagement in in-class discussions | 20% |
| Quizzes | Weekly quizzes assessing comprehension of the module and Live Session lecture content | 10% |
| Leadership Predictions | Submittal of 10 predictions relevant to leadership situations on the job | 10% |
| Case Study Fast FIRACs | In-class, group case study analyses using the FIRAC method | 20% |
| Silver Mountain Outline | Team assignment: formal two-page outline submitted before Session 6 | 10% |
| Silver Mountain Presentation | In-class, live 10-minute presentation | 20% |
| Peer Assessment | Evaluation to assess peer collaboration and accountability | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
Scale
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 90–100% | A |
| 80–89% | B |
| 70–79% | C |
| 60–69% | D |
| Below 60% | F |
Course Components
Class Attendance and Participation
Attendance will be taken for each of the eight classes during the term; attendance at all Live Sessions (online) is expected.
- If you need to miss one class for any reason, see video makeup assignment in Live Session instructions.
- If you miss two classes, given there are only eight, you will need to retake the course.
Students are expected to attend each class having read that week's course materials. This course will be engaging and interactive. Students who come to class unprepared will be found out rather quickly. Students are expected to contribute to our weekly leadership discussions with situations facing them on the job.
Students unable to come to a class session will be required to watch the session recording and submit an 8-minute video (minimum length) identifying the key concepts from that session and how they apply on the job. The purpose of the video will be to confirm understanding of core concepts while gaining valuable experience speaking intelligently in front of a camera in a virtual setting.
Quizzes
Leadership Predictions
Each week students will make (10) predictions regarding important leadership situations on the job using the Better Decisions App. The goal is to speed the leadership learning process by identifying and quantifying the gut instincts every leader makes throughout the week. Using the export feature on the app, students will submit their predictions weekly through Canvas. Students will create new predictions and/or update previous predictions each week.
Case Study Fast FIRACs
In each class, students will work in groups to complete a one-page case study review using the Fast FIRAC template, which stands for Facts, Issues, Rules, Analysis, and Conclusion. Prior to class, students must read the assigned case study. During the session, they will collaboratively identify the key facts, define the central issue, outline the relevant rules or frameworks, analyze the case using those rules, and then formulate a clear conclusion. The goal is to encourage critical thinking, teamwork, and the application of leadership concepts to real-world scenarios in a concise, structured format.
Silver Mountain Outline and Presentation
As part of the course, each group will deliver a 10-minute leadership speech based on the five case studies about a historically successful construction company in peril. The speech should effectively identify the central issues and tell a compelling, impactful story that will inspire followership among the other leaders in the fictional firm. A one-page outline is due a week prior to the presentation, allowing me to review and confirm that the team is on the right track, has correctly identified the key leadership challenges, and is prepared to deliver a well-structured narrative. The outline ensures that teams are prepared to connect the course's leadership concepts and mental models to real-world scenarios in a meaningful way.
The goal of the speech is for leaders to clearly articulate the challenges the company faces, outline the path forward, and inspire action. The speech should motivate the team by addressing the urgency of the situation, fostering confidence in the company’s ability to overcome adversity, and providing a vision for success. Additionally, the leader should encourage others to take ownership of their roles in the company’s recovery and future success.
Peer Assessment
Participants will be organized into teams for the Silver Mountain project prior to Week 5. Each team will consist of either 4 or 5 team members. At the end of the course, each team member is required to provide an assessment of the participation and contribution of their other team members. As an example, for a team of 5 people, each team member will provide an individual assessment of their other 4 teammates. This is to ensure that each team member participates in the assignments and is accountable to their team.
Course Policies
Communication
The best way to communicate with me is via my business email address (bradley@bradleyhartmannandco.com), I check it at least once a day. I will respond to most emails within 24 hours. Should we need to have a discussion, email me and we will set up a time to meet via Zoom.
Feedback
I will return graded assignments within one week.
Late Policy
The deadlines were published at the start of the course. Late work will not be accepted. Submitting work prior to the deadline is encouraged.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism.
For more information about plagiarism, watch the OU Libraries Plagiarism Tutorial video and take the short Avoiding Plagiarism Tutorial Canvas course offered by University Libraries.
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Access the University Academic Policies Document.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|