Leading from Within from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

The Big Questions in Ethics

In this first week of the course, you will reflect on some of the big questions in ethics within the context of your leadership goals. By the end of the week, you should be able to articulate a clearer guiding ideal of success in life when it comes to your work and your personal goals. Activities in this week’s lessons ask you to ponder what your life’s purpose is. Throughout the week, you will be prompted to reflect on the question of whether or not ethics can be taught and whether or not motive matters in ethics. You can also discover ways in which your work intersects with your faith.

The Personal Level of Moral Behavior

This week’s lessons cover several topics related to leadership and the personal level of moral behavior. By the end of this week, you will learn what it means to live in moral and spiritual alignment and identify the values and beliefs that define you morally and spiritually (who you are), and how those shape your exercise of leadership (how you act). You will also be able to appreciate the foundational importance of the four cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude to effective leadership. As the week progresses, you will gain insight into factors that undermine moral behavior through reflection and the video about the Milgram experiment. You will also learn about different types of friendship. The final lesson in this week guides you in the development of a systematic approach to resolving moral dilemmas (how you decide) and tests your knowledge of all that was covered in Week 2.

Ethical Leadership at the Organizational Level

This week, you will learn seven lessons relevant to leadership at the organizational level. Some of the lessons have to do with leadership itself, and some have to do with organizational life. You will begin by articulating your leadership point of view and then reflect on how to cultivate a reputation for ethical leadership. You will then consider the Notre Dame ideal of being a leader who is tender, strong, and true. Having already pondered your purpose as a leader, you will then ponder the overriding purpose of business itself. Next, you will consider the choice leaders face between taking an ethically minimalist, compliance-based approach to ethics management or a more aspirational, integrity- or values-based approach. Finally, you will learn both the four main drivers of moral behavior that lead people to do the right thing, as well as the seven deadly sins, which represent persistent tendencies to do the wrong thing and harm individuals and relationships in the process.

Ethical Issues at the Societal Level

Business leaders are increasingly pressed to take stances on pressing social issues like racial justice, gender equity, climate change, a living wage, and gun control. This week will introduce concepts that will help those who want to lead from within to develop a thoughtful point of view on social issues by reflecting on the following topics: human nature, the distribution of benefits and burdens in society, Catholic social teaching, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, resolving pressing social issues, resolving cross-cultural ethical dilemmas, and the role of solitude in effective leadership.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops critical thinking, self-reflection, and decision-making skills, which are core skills for leaders and managers

Explores ethical decision-making from various perspectives, including personal, organizational, and societal levels

Taught by Joe Holt, an experienced leadership expert and author

Provides tools and insights to support personal growth and development of ethical leadership

Covers a wide range of ethical issues relevant to contemporary society

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Leading from Within with these activities:

Create a resource folder on ethical leadership

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Creating a resource folder on ethical leadership will help you organize your learning materials and make them easily accessible for future reference.

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Collect resources on ethical leadership from a variety of sources.
Organize the resources into a folder on your computer or in a cloud-based storage system.
Review the resources regularly and add new resources as you find them.

Review the main ethical theories

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Refreshing your understanding of the main ethical theories will help you better understand the course material and apply it to your own leadership practice.

Browse courses on Ethics

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Read an overview of the main ethical theories.
Create a table summarizing the key features of each theory.
Reflect on how each theory applies to your own leadership style.

Develop a personal code of ethics

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Creating a personal code of ethics will help you make more informed and ethical decisions as a leader.

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Identify your core values.
Consider how your values apply to your leadership role.
Write a statement outlining your personal code of ethics.

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Discuss ethical dilemmas with peers

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Discussing ethical dilemmas with peers will help you develop your critical thinking skills and learn from others' perspectives.

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Find a group of peers to discuss ethical dilemmas with.
Choose an ethical dilemma to discuss.
Share your thoughts on the dilemma and listen to the perspectives of others.

Read 'The Ethics of Care' by Nel Noddings

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Reading 'The Ethics of Care' will provide you with a deeper understanding of the ethics of care and its implications for leadership.

View Teaching Controversial Issues: The Case for... on Amazon

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Read the book.
Summarize the main arguments of the book.
Reflect on how the ethics of care applies to your own leadership style.

Attend a workshop on ethical leadership

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Attending a workshop on ethical leadership will provide you with the opportunity to learn from experts and develop your ethical leadership skills.

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Find a workshop on ethical leadership.
Attend the workshop.
Reflect on what you learned at the workshop.

Develop a plan for implementing ethical leadership in your organization

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Creating a plan for implementing ethical leadership in your organization will help you put your learning into practice and make a positive impact on your organization.

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Identify the key ethical challenges facing your organization.
Develop a set of strategies for addressing these challenges.
Create a plan for implementing these strategies.
Monitor the progress of your plan and make adjustments as needed.

Mentor other leaders on ethical leadership

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Mentoring other leaders on ethical leadership will help you reinforce your own learning and make a positive contribution to the development of others.

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Find a leader to mentor.
Share your knowledge and experience on ethical leadership with your mentee.
Provide support and guidance to your mentee as they develop their own ethical leadership skills.

Career center

Learners who complete Leading from Within will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Chief Executive Officer

As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a company, you are responsible for ensuring that the organization achieves its mission, vision, and goals. CEOs must possess strong leadership skills, a clear understanding of business ethics, and the ability to make tough decisions. The Leading from Within course at the University of Notre Dame can help you develop these skills and gain a deeper understanding of the ethical dimensions of business. This course will provide you with the tools and insights you need to lead your company with integrity and achieve long-term success.

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Management Consultant

As a Management Consultant, you help businesses identify and solve their management challenges. You may work on a variety of projects, including developing new strategies, improving operations, and implementing new technologies. This course will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role, including strong analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and a deep understanding of business ethics.

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Nonprofit Executive Director

As the Executive Director of a nonprofit organization, you are responsible for leading the organization's mission and ensuring that it achieves its goals. You must possess strong leadership skills, a clear understanding of business ethics, and the ability to build relationships with donors and other stakeholders. This course can help you develop these skills and gain a deeper understanding of the ethical dimensions of nonprofit leadership.

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Public Administrator

As a Public Administrator, you work in government agencies to develop and implement policies that serve the public good. You may work on a variety of issues, including public health, education, and environmental protection. This course will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role, including strong analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and a deep understanding of business ethics.

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Human Resources Manager

As a Human Resources Manager, you are responsible for managing the human resources function of an organization. You may work on a variety of tasks, including recruiting, hiring, and training employees, and developing and implementing HR policies. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role, including strong leadership skills, a clear understanding of business ethics, and the ability to build relationships with employees.

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Sustainability Manager

As a Sustainability Manager, you are responsible for developing and implementing sustainability strategies for an organization. You may work on a variety of projects, including reducing energy consumption, managing waste, and promoting sustainable practices. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role, including strong analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and a clear understanding of business ethics.

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Corporate Social Responsibility Manager

As a Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, you are responsible for developing and implementing corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies for an organization. You may work on a variety of projects, including developing CSR policies, engaging with stakeholders, and reporting on CSR performance. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role, including strong leadership skills, a clear understanding of business ethics, and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders.

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Ethics and Compliance Officer

As an Ethics and Compliance Officer, you are responsible for developing and implementing ethics and compliance programs for an organization. You may work on a variety of tasks, including identifying and mitigating ethical risks, training employees on ethical behavior, and investigating ethical violations. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role, including strong analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and a clear understanding of business ethics.

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Diversity and Inclusion Manager

As a Diversity and Inclusion Manager, you are responsible for developing and implementing diversity and inclusion strategies for an organization. You may work on a variety of projects, including developing diversity and inclusion policies, training employees on diversity and inclusion, and creating a more inclusive work environment. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role, including strong leadership skills, a clear understanding of business ethics, and the ability to build relationships with employees.

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Corporate Philanthropy Manager

As a Corporate Philanthropy Manager, you are responsible for developing and implementing corporate philanthropy strategies for an organization. You may work on a variety of projects, including identifying and supporting charitable causes, managing corporate giving programs, and reporting on philanthropic activities. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role, including strong leadership skills, a clear understanding of business ethics, and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders.

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Social Entrepreneur

As a Social Entrepreneur, you use business principles to solve social problems. You may work on a variety of projects, including developing new products or services, creating new businesses, or advocating for policy changes. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role, including strong leadership skills, a clear understanding of business ethics, and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders.

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Policy Analyst

As a Policy Analyst, you research and analyze public policy issues to inform policy decisions. You may work on a variety of issues, including healthcare, education, or environmental protection. This course can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role, including strong analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, and a clear understanding of business ethics.

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Nonprofit Program Manager

As a Nonprofit Program Manager, you are responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating nonprofit programs. You may work on a variety of programs, including educational programs, social services programs, or environmental protection programs.

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Community Organizer

As a Community Organizer, you work with community members to identify and solve community problems. You may work on a variety of issues, including housing, education, or healthcare. This course will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role, including strong leadership skills, a clear understanding of business ethics, and the ability to build relationships with community members.

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Social Worker

As a Social Worker, you help people navigate social problems and improve their lives. You may work on a variety of issues, including poverty, mental illness, or addiction. This course will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to be successful in this role, including strong leadership skills, a clear understanding of business ethics, and the ability to build relationships with clients.

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