The Creative Leader

This aims primarily at post-baccalaureate students interested in leadership theory.

The course has four modules. Module 1 covers definitions and foundations of creative leadership. Topics include, What is creative leadership? Why creative leadership? And foundations of creative leadership. Module 2 addresses the facilitative functions of the creative leader. Topics include employee creativity on an individual level; employee creativity and team complexity; and employee creativity and team diversity. Module 3 addresses the directive functions of the creative leader. Topics include directive creative leaders in politics; directive creative leaders in haute cuisine; and directive creative leaders in the arts. Module 4 addresses the integrative functions of the creative leader. Topics include integrative creative leadership and final creative products; and integrative leadership and others’ individual creative products

This is one course in the Coursera specialization, Leadership: An Introduction. It examines current trends in leadership theory invoking several disciplines, including business, sociology, philosophy, history, and psychology.

To complete this course successfully students should be able to analyze college-level readings and audio/visual presentations into understandable parts, including premises and conclusions; synthesize the results of the analysis into coherent and accurate summaries; and evaluate the results for accuracy and practical applicability.

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to

• Define creative leadership

• Explain the facilitative functions of a creative leader

• Explain the directive functions of a creative leader

• Explain the integrative functions of a creative leader

• Assess the value of creative leadership to contemporary organizational leadership

• Apply techniques of creative leadership to organizational challenges