Challenging the Status Quo as a Leader: Creating a Plan for Positive Change

Why Challenging the Status Quo is Important

Effective leaders both learn from the past and are able to adapt what they have learned to the present context. In your paper, discuss how you, as a leader or potential leader in a professional or community context, can challenge the status quo and make a positive difference. In brief, your paper should outline a plan by which you can change (and hopefully improve) a context with which you are currently involved or expect to be involved soon. Use the readings in Module 5 as a point of departure (that is, Wren Part V), but incorporate readings from across the course that you feel are appropriate as well. Be sure to clearly describe the context you wish to challenge as well as a time frame for your plan: for example, 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, or more. 

1. Review the notion of challenging authority as discussed in the Wren book. How did the 16 leaders in the Wills' text exemplify or display challenges to authority?
2. Discuss why the idea of of challenging authority—as developed by writers from different historical periods—are important to an understanding of leadership today and, more specifically, to leadership practice today.