The Essence of Leadership: Explorations from Literature
Week 0: Welcome to the Course• Navigating the platform• Pre-course Survey
Week 1: Introduction to the Course• Leadership and Literature• Managers and Leaders• Reading and Appreciating Literature• Recap
Week 2: Vision, Dreams and Imagination: Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
• Why is this Considered to be one of the Greatest Novels?• Summary of the Story• Why is Don Quixote an Interesting Leader?• Dreams and Imagination: Leadership Starts with a Dream• Reality: Do Dreams End Here?• Courage: Fulfilling One's Duty• "I Know Who I Am": Self Awareness in Leadership• Commitment: Playing One's Role with all One's Heart• Recap
Week 3: Inspiration, Heroism and Martyrdom: Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw
• Discussing one of Shaw's Best Works• Summary of the Story• Saint Joan's Contribution to the World• How did Joan Inspire a Nation?• The Courage of Conviction• Her Martyrdom: Why did she have to Die?• Leadership and it's Contradictions
Week 4: Vision Gone Wrong: Role of Authenticity. Tughlaq by Girish Karnad
• Summary of the Story• The Rise and Fall of an Emperor in Thirteen Scenes• The Puzzle: A Visionary who Failed• Role of Trust and Authenticity in Leadership• Aziz and Aazam: The Cynical Exploiters in Organizations• Does the End Justify the Means in Leadership?• Analysis and Conclusion: Why did Tughlaq fail to Realise his Vision?
Week 5: Leaders' responsibility to society. Life of Galileo by Bertolt Brecht
• Why is this book considered as Brecht's greatest work?• Summary of the Story• Galileo's (self assumed) role as a teacher and a thought leader• Recanting by Galileo: Why is it a subject for debate?• Special responsibilities of a leader• Creating faith in leadership: Faith as a double edged sword
Week 6: Real vs. idealism: An existentialist view of leadership. Yuganta by Irawati Karve
• A fresh perspective of Mahabharata’s characters by Karve• Bhishma: Is selflessness enough? The role of expectations• Karna: Are talents and skills enough? Knowledge of one’s own identity• Draupati and Kunti: Shaping the story through focus and character• Why did Kauravas lose: The role of strategic leadership• Dhritarashtra: Blind by chance as well as choice• Leadership and its contradictions
Week 7: Summary
Course conclusion
Week 1: Introduction to the Course• Leadership and Literature• Managers and Leaders• Reading and Appreciating Literature• Recap
Week 2: Vision, Dreams and Imagination: Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
• Why is this Considered to be one of the Greatest Novels?• Summary of the Story• Why is Don Quixote an Interesting Leader?• Dreams and Imagination: Leadership Starts with a Dream• Reality: Do Dreams End Here?• Courage: Fulfilling One's Duty• "I Know Who I Am": Self Awareness in Leadership• Commitment: Playing One's Role with all One's Heart• Recap
Week 3: Inspiration, Heroism and Martyrdom: Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw
• Discussing one of Shaw's Best Works• Summary of the Story• Saint Joan's Contribution to the World• How did Joan Inspire a Nation?• The Courage of Conviction• Her Martyrdom: Why did she have to Die?• Leadership and it's Contradictions
Week 4: Vision Gone Wrong: Role of Authenticity. Tughlaq by Girish Karnad
• Summary of the Story• The Rise and Fall of an Emperor in Thirteen Scenes• The Puzzle: A Visionary who Failed• Role of Trust and Authenticity in Leadership• Aziz and Aazam: The Cynical Exploiters in Organizations• Does the End Justify the Means in Leadership?• Analysis and Conclusion: Why did Tughlaq fail to Realise his Vision?
Week 5: Leaders' responsibility to society. Life of Galileo by Bertolt Brecht
• Why is this book considered as Brecht's greatest work?• Summary of the Story• Galileo's (self assumed) role as a teacher and a thought leader• Recanting by Galileo: Why is it a subject for debate?• Special responsibilities of a leader• Creating faith in leadership: Faith as a double edged sword
Week 6: Real vs. idealism: An existentialist view of leadership. Yuganta by Irawati Karve
• A fresh perspective of Mahabharata’s characters by Karve• Bhishma: Is selflessness enough? The role of expectations• Karna: Are talents and skills enough? Knowledge of one’s own identity• Draupati and Kunti: Shaping the story through focus and character• Why did Kauravas lose: The role of strategic leadership• Dhritarashtra: Blind by chance as well as choice• Leadership and its contradictions
Week 7: Summary
Course conclusion
