Leadership and Politics

American politics, in general, and presidential campaigns, in particular, hold many lessons for leading for-profit and not-for-profit start-up ventures. Capital must be raised; a large, diverse team must be organized and deployed; and a brand must be developed and sold. The hours are long, the pressure is incredibly intense, and the stakes could not be higher. Succeed, and you are on your way to a plumb job in Washington, DC. Fail, and you are left looking for a job. Accordingly, popular politics provides remarkable lessons in compelling leadership and successful management. This course aims to harvest them by way of an analysis of recent presidential campaigns and contemporary politics. Though emphasis is placed on American politics, lessons may be applied across the public and private sectors. Our readings are drawn from history, literature, philosophy, business, and politics, and in addition to lectures and discussion, the course also features guest speakers from business, journalism, and politics. Students may not take both GOVT E-1353 (offered previously) and SSCI E-144 for degree or certificate credit.