NCCW 5040 - Managing and Leading in Organizations

Fall. 2.5 credits. Letter grades only (no audit).

Enrollment limited to: MS in Healthcare Leadership/Executive MBA dual degree students.

S. Sah.

This course is intended to expose Executive MBA/MS students to some of the major ideas and findings in the field of managing and leading in contemporary organizations. It is based on the proposition that leading well requires thinking well. Succeeding in any business leadership role requires you to think critically, and make quality decisions, even in the face of challenges such as imperfect/incomplete information, changing and unforeseen circumstances, and human nature in all of its complexity and unpredictability. This may be especially true for those working in demanding healthcare environments, in which the stakes are often high. We will focus on three leadership competencies that are crucial for your success: 1) critical thinking and decision making, 2) smart collaborating with an eye toward creativity and change, and 3) the ability to motivate, influence, and negotiate. Critical thinking involves developing hypotheses about the causes of problems, using all the available evidence to test those hypotheses, and developing solutions that address those causes most effectively and efficiently. Knowing how to collaborate, negotiate and work together, is essential for getting to the best solution. But having the right answer is rarely good enough. Very often the right answers have to be sold. Thus, you will work on your ability to motivate and influence others through the merits of your analysis and your solution. Major themes of this course focus on thinking and leading rationally; recognizing and avoiding reasoning flaws and the forces that make us most susceptible to such flaws; approaching business problems systematically and thoroughly; and producing a problem solution that is (a) well-reasoned; (b) likely to be well-received by ultimate decision makers; and (c) able to be implemented successfully. You will be introduced to, and then practice using, analytical frameworks that you can apply to any leadership challenge or opportunity – regardless of company or job function – in order to solve problems and communicate your proposed solutions effectively. These are not only essential business leadership skills; they are life skills.