This course is designed to enhance cadets' leadership performance through the application of essential leadership skills in challenging, on-going, real-world projects, and scenario-driven leadership laboratory exercises. The course uses a series of "concept study > actions > reflections" (CAR) cycles to focus students on the enhancing (and hindering) factors that typically surface when an individual has responsibility for executing a project and must "do" leadership. Cadets move through a CAR cycle in three related stages. First, cadets consider specific concepts, theories and models of leadership covered in prior courses. Then, using a pool of projects resourced by the faculty expressly for this course, cadets wrestle with real-world leadership projects (such as leading an organizational unit through an unexpected change), keeping these issues and insights in mind. Finally, both during and after the project, cadets engage in self-reflection exercises (e.g., journals) and meet with faculty mentors, to help process and make sense of their leadership experience on both a personal and conceptual level.
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