ORGL3009/MGMT3009: Bennis Leadership Accelerator

Students must be of at least sophomore standing to enroll. 

This class is cross-listed under both ORGL3009 (honors) and MGMT3009 (honors). UHP students who are not in the Lindner College of Business should register for the ORGL3009 (honors) class. UHP students who are in the Lindner College of Business should choose the MGMT3009 (honors) class. Both ORGL3009 (honors) and MGMT3009 (honors) will count as an honors seminar.

Leaders aren’t born—they are made. Inspired by the legacy of Warren Bennis, former UC president and “The Father of Leadership,” this course accelerates your leadership journey by helping you build the skills, awareness, and confidence to lead with impact.

In this course, you will:

• Develop self-awareness to recognize your strengths, values, and blind spots.

• Learn to harness the diverse perspectives of others to solve complex problems.

• Understand how to navigate and adapt to systems in order to create meaningful change.

• Study real-world role models and apply evidence-based leadership research.

• Engage in reflection, collaboration, and innovation to prepare for leadership roles in your career and community.

Whether you aspire to lead in business, healthcare, education, the nonprofit sector, or beyond, this course equips you with the mindset and tools to drive positive transformation.

At their best, leaders are principle-driven and innovative. They empower collective problem solving, foster trust, and catalyze transformational change. Building from the wisdom of Warren Bennis, this honors seminar challenges students to explore the qualities and practices of leadership and apply them to their own lives.

The course follows the Bennis approach, built on three pillars:

1. Self-awareness – understanding your strengths, values, biases, and blind spots.

2. Appreciation of others – recognizing and leveraging varied perspectives.

3. Systemic understanding – developing the capacity to comprehend and adapt to organizational and societal systems.

Through multidisciplinary research, case studies, exemplars, and personal reflection, students will build a leadership toolkit grounded in evidence-based practices. Class sessions will include discussion, collaborative exercises, and opportunities to apply leadership principles to real challenges.

This course is part of the Warren Bennis Leadership Institute, UC’s interdisciplinary hub for leadership development, housed in the 1819 Innovation Hub. By enrolling, students become part of a community dedicated to preparing tomorrow’s leaders to ignite innovation, lead inclusively, and make a positive impact.