DESCRIPTION:
This course is for the
experienced (10+ years) Christian executive or business professional leading or
managing a firm. Themed “Getting the Right Things Done,” this course will integrate a
Christ-centered theological strategy into the best of Peter Drucker's
business management and innovation techniques.
Topics addressed will include the development of organizational vision,
values and management; innovation and entrepreneurship; self-management;
organizational performance expectations; the customer’s role; and the
management of opposition. Paradoxes inherent in faith-based business management, and in delivering goods
and services to others competitively for God’s purposes in a manner worthy of
Christ, will also be addressed.
Respecting the unique struggle of Christians in business or professional
leadership, this course will offer intensive high-level interaction, giving
attendees the opportunity to dialogue about the integration of faith with their
own business responsibilities and goals.
This course will provide a theological understanding of business
innovation and entrepreneurship as viable vocations within God’s call to Christian service and ministry.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
• Gain the ability to identify
and articulate vision and business purpose
consistent with Christ and His kingdom.
• Develop existing skills and gain new skills in Christ-centered business
management.
• Learn to articulate and implement your set of God-honoring business values
for your company.
• Learn how to adopt and pursue reasonable performance expectations for your
organization.
• Develop a Christ-centered understanding of the role of the customer.
• Learn skills to manage self in the face of opposition to your organizational
goals and values.
• Gain an understanding of how eschatology (views on Christ’s return) may
impact the way you lead your company.
COURSE FORMAT:
This intensive course meets on
two Winter/2005 weekends, beginning each Friday afternoon at 5pm and concluding
on Saturday afternoon at 5:30pm; the two weekends build upon one another.
Fuller credit students must be concurrently registered as conference attendees
with Faith Integrative jmillikan@faithintegrative.org
no later than December 15, 2004. The
course includes 6 working session meals ($150.00 added cost for Fuller credit
students). A team-faculty of five will
provide top-notch lecture content for approximately half the class time. The other half consists of group exercises
and faculty feedback. The course will
challenge participants to grapple with and to reflect on their own context of
business leadership and to share individual assessments with other participants
for the purpose of improving one another’s business leadership.
REQUIRED READING: For 4-unit course credit, a minimum of 1750 pages of reading is required, along with an annotated bibliography of each book read.
Drucker, Peter F., The Effective Executive, New York:
HarperCollins, 2002.
De Pree, Max, Leadership Jazz. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing
Group, Inc., 1992.
Collins, Jim, Good to Great: Why Some
Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t.
New York: HarperCollins, 2001.
Hardy, Lee, Fabric of this World. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990, Reprinted
2001.
Maciariello, Joseph A., Work & Human
Nature. Claremont Graduate
University & Claremont McKenna College, 2002.
Rodin, R. Scott, Stewards in the Kingdom. Downer’s Grove: InterVarsity Press., 2000.
Weber, Max, The Protestant Ethic and the
Spirit of Capitalism. New York:
Routledge, 2002 (Original, 1930 England).
RECOMMENDED READING:
Drucker, Peter F., The Daily Drucker. New York: HarperBusiness. 2004.
Blumen, Jean Lipman-Blumen, Connective
Leadership: Managing in a Changing World. New York: Oxford University
Press, 1996.
Pollard, William C., The Soul of the Firm. HarperBusiness Zondervan, 2000.
Mouw, Richard, He Shines In All That’s
Fair: Culture and Common Grace.
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001.
Kouzes, James & Barry Posner, Credibility:How Leaders Gain and Lose It,
Why People Demand It. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003.
Wright, Jr., Walter C., Relational
Leadership: A Biblical Model for Leadership Service. Paternoster, 2000.
ASSIGNMENTS: For MA or other course credit
• A 3,750 word essay on a
faith-based business topic approved by faculty of record, Walter Wright, Ph.D.
• A summary report assessing the process and content of small group and faculty
interactions, what was learned and by what means.
• An annotated bibliography for each required text.
PREREQUISITES: 10 years business/professional firm leadership/management & current senior management position; or faculty permission.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective
FINAL EXAM:
None
Last Date Edited:
November 3, 2004