Building Leadership Competencies for the Workplace: Teaching Authentic Leadership

Abstract

As part of the business program accreditation process in 1994, Morehouse College added a three-credit hour course entitled Leadership and Professional Development (LPD) to its business core curriculum. This undergraduate course is designed to prepare the emerging leader for the 21st century workplace—a workplace that requires positive leadership and exceptional professionalism. The purpose of this class is to assist students in developing the knowledge, skills, traits, behaviors, and attitudes needed to develop the positive leadership perspectives that will enable them to be valuable assets to a global, civil society comprised of their organizations, communities and families. Specifically, the course focuses on three (3) areas of leadership development: • personal leadership – self understanding and values identification • personal management – professional behaviors • interpersonal leadership – teamwork and civic responsibility This paper will explore the need, delivery methods, results to date and future implications surrounding the personal leadership component of the course.