Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Authentic Leadership (Online)

MGMT 6250-A71

Course: MGMT 6250-A71
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: MHRH
CRN: 33924

Course Description

This course builds on the foundations of leadership to help students develop into effective, authentic leaders. Taking a practical approach, this course will help students become more self-aware of their natural leadership style, how their personal leadership impacts others, and what they can do to become a more effective and authentic leader. (Spring - 1st Session, Summer - 2nd Session) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): MGMT 6150 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C Registration Restriction(s): MBA majors and MSBA majors and CSIA - Management Emphasis (M.S.) only

Required Texts

The materials for this course include True North, Emerging Leader Edition by Bill George (ISBN: 978-1119886105) and two-course packs of articles and case studies that need to be purchased online from Harvard Business Publishing.  Additional articles may be posted on Canvas or be available online from the SUU Library.
The text for this course, True North, Emerging Leader Edition by Bill George (ISBN: 978-1119886105) is available from many book retailers for less than $25.
MGMT 6250 Authentic Leadership Articles - Fall 2025. The required articles for the course can be purchased from Harvard Business Publishing via the following link: https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/1320786 
MGMT 6250 Authentic Leadership Case Studies - Fall 2025.  The required case studies for the course can be purchased from Harvard Business Publishing via the following link: https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/1320785
Once purchased, these articles and case studies can be downloaded directly as PDF files from the Harvard Business Publishing website. We will be using the textbook, articles, and case studies each week, beginning immediately on the first day of the course.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Theoretical Understanding: Discuss the core theories and concepts of authentic leadership and their impact on creating a high-performing organization, including the role of the principles from True North by Bill George.
  2. Practical Application: Apply the appropriate theories and concepts of authentic leadership to diagnose organizational issues and develop practical and effective solutions to real-world problems faced by managers.
  3. Personal Development: Develop your personal authentic leadership potential through the practical application of authentic leadership theory as well as learning from the insights and experiences of classmates.
  4. Ethical Implications: Consider the importance of good ethical behavior in leading and managing organizations as you develop your authentic leadership potential.

Course Requirements

Course AssessmentsCourse Outcomes
Quizzes1
Online Discussion1, 2, 3, 4
Case Study Analysis1, 2, 3, 4
Personal Reflection2, 3, 4
Personal Development Plan2, 3, 4

Quizzes (80 Points / 10% of total grade)

There will be eight required quizzes, seven quizzes on the module reading assignments (10 points each) plus one quiz on the course syllabus (10 points). All quizzes will count towards your final grade.

All quizzes consist of multiple choice and True or False questions and are open-book. There is no time limit and you get one opportunity to take the quiz before the due date (no multiple attempts except for the syllabus quiz). The deadlines to submit the weekly reading quizzes are listed on Canvas. 

Quiz questions are taken from the readings and videos (lecture and non-lecture videos). It is a good idea to watch the videos and complete the assigned reading and while doing so, take notes so you not only have them available for the quizzes but the assignments and discussions as well. 

Professor's Corner Online Discussions (40 points / 5% of total grade)

During the term, I offer what I call Professor's Corner. There are four of these meetings scheduled. This is an opportunity for students to dive deeper into the content and review the case study, article(s), and video(s) for that week and for me to connect with you and for you to connect with each other. Discussion is a heavy component of these meetings as students share insights, ask questions, and share experiences. 

After attending live (highly encouraged, but optional) and/or viewing the recording, you are asked to participate in an online discussion. Participation in these discussions is expected if you want to receive points for this assignment. There are four total discussions at 10 points a piece. 

Since active participation is critical to the online discussion, no credit is given for late submissions

Written Case Study Analysis Assignments (400 points / 49% of total grade)

To enhance your understanding of the principles we are studying and their application in real-life scenarios, a Written Case Study Analysis Assignment is required to be submitted for each case study assigned. Guidelines and a rubric are provided for the Written Case Study Analysis Assignments in the respective Canvas modules. 

There will be six Written Case Study Analysis Assignments, each worth 80 points. As explained in the rubric, each assignment should be at least 650 words and no more than 850 words long. Please include the word count with each submission. Additional details are provided on the assignment grading rubric, so please review the rubric carefully before each assignment.

Please note that the Written Case Study Analysis Assignments make up 49% of the grade in this course. Successful students dedicate sufficient time and energy to ensure that these are well-written, meaningful assignments that thoroughly meet the criteria set out in the assignment rubric.  

Written Case Study Analysis Assignments can be submitted up to one week late and still receive up to 50% credit. The lowest grade on the Written Case Analysis Assignments is dropped and reflected throughout the semester.

Personal Reflections (120 Points / 14% of total grade)

To help you in your leadership development, you will be required to complete a personal reflection assignment during modules 2 through 4. This assignment will consist of you responding to a series of questions that apply the principles/theories discussed during the module to your own experience. 

Each personal reflection assignment will be worth up to a total of 40 points and should be at least 500 words long and 850 words max. Be as clear and concise as possible. The number of points awarded will be dependent on the quality of the essay and the ability of the student to convey their responses in a manner that integrates the principles addressed during the associated module. Submissions that do not meet the minimum 500-word requirement and/or do not apply the principles from the reading assignments and discussions will receive 0 points. 

The deadlines to submit the personal reflection assignments are listed on Canvas and assignments can be submitted up to one week late and still receive 50% credit.

Authentic Leadership Development Plan (180 points / 22% of total grade)

In this final assignment, you will describe the purpose of your leadership and the principles and values that will guide and inform your leadership. Discuss the areas of your development as an authentic leader that you plan to focus on in the years ahead, and the steps you plan to take to become a more effective and authentic leader. In completing this assignment, you should integrate all of the previous exercises you have completed in the course. Be sure that you begin this process well in advance so that you will have adequate time to think it through and make changes as appropriate. Be as thorough and complete as possible in developing your plan, even if this requires some speculation on your part about the future.

See the date The Authentic Leadership Development Plan (ALDP) is due in the modules.  Late papers will not be accepted and will receive no credit.

The ALDP should be at least 1,000 words, but no more than 2,000 words, in length. The quality of the content will be more important than the number of words, but your submission must meet the minimum word requirement to receive credit.  Papers of less than 1,000 words will receive no credit.  Please include the word count as part of your submission.

Your ALDP should consist of six sections.  The first section is an introduction and assessment based on your life story.  Section two should apply the concepts related to Losing Your Way and Crucibles, Section 3 should apply the concepts related to Self-Awareness, Section 4 should apply the concepts related to Your Values and Your Sweet Spot, Section 5 should apply the concepts related to The Support Team and Integrating Your Life, and Section 6 should wrap it up with how you plan to apply the concepts of Leading with Purpose and Empowering Others. In each section, you should apply the principles to your own situation and should clearly state a course of action for personal leadership development. A detailed discussion with instructions, guidance, and expectations is outlined in the “APDLP– FINAL PAPER” assignment in Module 7 on Canvas.

The grading rubric for this assignment is also broken down into specific assessments for each one of these areas.  Please carefully review the grading rubric as you complete this assignment.

Grade Scheme

The following grading standards will be used in this class:

GradeRange
A100 % to 94.0%
A-< 94.0 % to 90.0%
B+< 90.0 % to 87.0%
B< 87.0 % to 84.0%
B-< 84.0 % to 80.0%
C+< 80.0 % to 77.0%
C< 77.0 % to 74.0%
FLess than 74.0 %

Course Outline

Module 1: Authentic Leadership and Life Stories

Module 2: Crucibles and Leading without True North


Module 3: Self-Awareness

Module 4: Your Values and Your Sweet Spot

Module 5: Lead an Integrated Life and Your Support Team

Module 6: I to WE

Module 7: Authentic Leadership Development Plan and Review

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Deadlines are established for each assignment, group discussion, and quiz. Written case study analysis assignments, and reflection assignments can be turned in up to one week late and still receive 50% credit. No credit will be given for late submissions of the discussion assignments because preparation and active participation are critical to the case study discussions. Additionally, since the Authentic Leadership Development Plan is the final assignment of the course, late submissions will not be accepted and will be assigned a grade of zero. Please note that all times for due dates are Mountain/Mountain Standard Time (Utah time). Exceptions may be considered for serious illness or a family emergency. Excuses must be documented. I will make the final decision as to what constitutes an emergency.

Attendance Policy

None. This is an online course. 

Additional Policies and Information

This course is taught online and asynchronously, meaning that there are no regularly scheduled class meetings. 

Instructor's Response Time & Feedback

Online classes provide unique challenges for interaction. For messages sent to me or our Academic Coaches, please expect a response within one business day.  My responses may be slower on the weekends.

Feedback is an important part of learning.  Please carefully review the feedback that we provide on your assignments.  For assistance in finding feedback on assignments, please refer to this tutorial: How do I view assignment comments from my Instructor?

It is our goal to:

  • Respond to student messages within 1-2 business days (normally within 24 hours)
  • Provide grades and feedback within 3-5 business days from the due date

Grading Philosophy

Many of you may be balancing multiple, competing demands in your life – career, education, family, etc. I understand that unexpected situations might arise during the semester. For this reason, I have included some flexibility in the design of the course and will drop the lowest grade in certain assignments as described above.

Rounding Up Grades

I don't round grades up - ever, so please don't ask. I have found that rounding grades causes too many issues and isn't fair. Let me explain. If I round your grade up then I have to round everyone's grade up and where do I draw the line? No matter where I draw it someone will think it is unfair. My hands are unfortunately tied. Many in the class will be on the "cusp" of an A, A-, B+, etc. at the end of the term. If I allow you to do extra credit to round your grade up, then I have to open that up to every student in the class to make it fair. That doesn't make it better because I will have a whole new group of students just on the cusp asking what they can do to get an A, A-, B+, etc. I understand this can be frustrating, but my philosophy with grading is that is your responsibility, not the professor's. Sorry to be so direct, but this seems to be a recurring problem every term. I will provide you with every opportunity during the semester to succeed, but at the end of the day, it is your responsibility to get the grade you want :-)

Grading Rubrics

In the interest of fairness, consistency, and transparency, assignments are evaluated using grading rubrics that provide the assessment criteria. You will earn points based on the extent to which you achieve the objectives defined in the assessment criteria. Please carefully study the grading rubric before beginning each assignment and allow it to guide your work.

Discussion of Grades 

I will discuss grades on individual assignments up to one week after the grade is given. If you can make a clear, logical, and convincing argument in favor of increasing a grade, I will consider it. After that point, I will not alter grades for any reason. Also, unless you honestly believe I erred in computing your final grade, please do not email me after grades are posted and ask for a higher grade. The answer will be no.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do Your Own Work 

All assignments should be fully prepared by the student. Developing strong competencies in the skills associated with this course, from critical thinking to practical application, will prepare you for success in this program and your career. Therefore, I will assume that any work submitted for a grade by students will be generated by the students themselves. Under this policy, the following constitute violations of academic honesty: a student has another person/entity do the work of any portion of a graded assignment for them, which includes purchasing work from a company, hiring a person or company to complete an assignment or exam, and/or using generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Bing, Claude, etc.). More information can be found below on my AI policy. It is a violation of university policy to misrepresent work that you submit or exchange with me by characterizing it as your own.

Purpose

To ensure academic integrity and the development of critical thinking skills, this policy governs the use of AI tools in all assignments including case study analyses and reflection papers.

Policy

  1. Prohibited AI Use
    AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, GPT-4) may not be used to generate, analyze, or complete any part of an assignment unless explicitly authorized.

  2. Permitted Technology
    Tools for formatting, grammar checking, or citation management are allowed, but work must remain original and reflect the participant’s own efforts.

  3. Transparency
    Any use of AI for non-prohibited purposes (e.g., idea brainstorming) must be disclosed.

  4. Consequences
    Violations may result in:

    • Disciplinary action per institutional guidelines including failing the class and/or being dismissed from the university.

Acknowledgment

By submitting assignments, participants confirm compliance with this policy.

Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent. 

Canvas Information

Canvas is the where course content, grades, and communication will reside for this course.

Prerequisite(s)

MGMT 6150 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C

Registration Restriction(s)

MBA majors and MSBA majors and CSIA - Management Emphasis (M.S.) only

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.