Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Class Activities
Chapter 1: Understanding Leadership
Guide to the Class Activities
Each activity is designed based on Fink’s Learning Taxonomy and is tagged with the following
tags under the taxonomy’s learning and assessment structure:
1. Foundational Knowledge (F)
2. Application (A)
4. Human Dimension (H)
6. Learning How to Learn (L)
These activities may be used in either small-group or large-group settings, depending on class
size and time available. Some may also be suitable as homework.
Activities
Get the Ball Rolling (F, A, I)
Here are some ideas for starting discussion in class. (1) Ask all students to share a key idea from
the reading as a way to do quick review; (2) Ask students to write down the universal leadership
trait that they think is most important. Have them share the trait in pairs, aloud, as a way to
Practicing Effective Leadership (A, H, C)
In class, brainstorm what the pressing issues are in your community (high unemployment,
political corruption, scholastic underachievement, etc.). Select one for discussion. Ask students
to form small groups and assign each one a different leadership approach (trait, skills, etc.). Ask
each group to think about how their leadership approach would contribute to better leadership in
this area. For example, what traits are most needed by the leaders involved in this issue? How do
traits empower these leaders to lead? Do they give them inner strength, inspire others, or build
trust? Ask each group to share its insights with the whole class. Discuss: Do different social
problems require different types of leadership?
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Learning from the Past (I, H, L)
Every community has members who contributed to its success in the past, or events that shaped
its identity, such as war or another tragedy. Often these people or events are remembered through
public monuments or memorials. This assignment asks students to become informed about key
aspects of their community’s history through examining its public memorials. The assignment
can be developed in several ways:
• Individually, students can research a memorial of their choosing. They should make a
site visit to examine the memorial in its setting, and then do some archival research
on its construction and the person or event being commemorated. Some questions to
consider: What is the significance of the person or event being commemorated?
Inspirational Quotes (F, A, H)
Option 1: Ask students to bring their favorite leadership quotes to class. If needed, they can look
some up online. In small groups, ask individuals to share their quotes with others and why these
quotes are meaningful to them. Then put up sheets of newsprint around the room, each with a
different leadership approach mentioned in the chapter (“Leadership is a trait”, “Leadership is a
behavior”, etc.). Have students find the leadership approach that is reflected in their favorite
quote and tape their quote onto that sheet. Once all quotes are posted, what patterns emerge?
Which leadership approach has the most quotes? The least? Why?
Opinion Box (I, C, L)
One way to encourage honest responses to questions and issues in class is for students to
communicate anonymously without worrying how the instructor or fellow students will react.
Instructors can make a lidded cardboard box into a drop box for reactions to class lectures
(“What was the best part of today’s lecture?”), opinions on controversial issues, parts of the
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Writing Assignments
Valuing My Culture (F, A, H)
Have students look up a significant leader from their culture (or subculture) and write a 2- to 3-
page reaction paper showing which of the universal leadership traits the leader displays. In what
ways is this leader unique (i.e. culturally specific)? Could this leader be equally effective in any
other country (or subculture)? What leadership approach described in this chapter best explains
this leader’s effectiveness?
Current Events (A, H, L)
Have students write a 1-2 page paper about a current leader in their community. Which of the
leadership approaches previewed in this chapter best describes this leader’s effectiveness?
Stepping Up (A, H, C)
Ask students to respond to this statement: “The challenge for each of us is to be prepared to lead
when we are asked to be the leader.” On what occasions has the student been asked to lead?
Why? How did he or she respond? What types of leadership roles does the student anticipate
being asked to fill in the future?
One Minute Paper Topics (A, I)
What is involved in the process of influencing others?
Which of the leadership approaches previewed in this chapter best explains unethical leadership?
Is it bad character? Bad behavior? Bad relationships?
Making It Personal (A, H, C)
Ask student to identify the leader who has been most influential in their lives and the leadership
role this person held. Why was this person so significant? In what ways did he/she influence the
student? What about this person would they emulate?
Storyboarding (I, H)
Storyboarding is a way of graphically representing information in consecutive steps that lead to a
desired outcome, or answer a specific question. This planning strategy will be used throughout
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
the course to help students visualize how a leadership process takes place or a goal can be
achieved. Steps can be drawn as squares or circles. Sample templates can be found online.
For chapter 1, ask students to consider the process behind this question: How do leaders on the
“dark side” emerge? Research suggests three pre-conditions: a destructive leader, susceptible
followers, and weak checks and balances in the organization/system. What are the steps that lead
to this outcome?
Have students research a modern day leader they consider to be unethical, manipulative, or
After students have completed their individual storyboards, class discussion can positively
address:
• What are common themes in the leaders’ stories?
• How can we identify leaders whose goals are self-serving or harmful to others?
• How can we discourage people from following such leaders?
Sketch-noting (F, A, I)
Sketch-noting is gaining popularity as a way to think visually about an issue. There are several
books and online resources that demonstrate this technique and its applications. For example, see
Sunni Brown’s TED talk, “Doodlers, unite!”: https://www.ted.com/talks/sunni_brown
It’s helpful for instructors to practice this method first and see how extensively they want to use
it in the course. Consider:
• Do you want students to learn about the importance of visual language?
• Do you want students to learn to draw basic icons and symbols they can use
repeatedly in class activities?
Instructor Resource
Northouse, Introduction to Leadership, 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Making sketch notes is not about drawing, or artistry, but about making marks on paper (or a
white board) to help oneself think. There is no right or wrong way to do this. Everyone will do it
differently.
A basic, introductory exercise is to ask students to take a piece of paper and sketch out what they
consider to be the most important points in chapter 1. THIS IS NOT A TOPICAL OUTLINE,
but what stands out for them in the chapter. After they put down some words, or boxes or
symbols, ask them how the different parts relate to one another and how they might represent
them? What questions do they have about what they read? Where would they mark them on the