Work Product

Question 1

Prompt: For Milestone One: Teams, you will submit a short paper assessing how Bill Gates structured the organization and his or her executive team, and evaluating the best practices used by the leader. In this assignment, you will use the text and your research on your chosen leader. In the assignment, identify specific leadership actions used by your chosen leader to build and structure a productive organization and culture such as policy, communication, and training. Explain at least two examples of best practices for leaders in team development and communication in the organization using the three dimensions of energy, engagement, and exploration. Identify planning methods used by the leader to align teams with organizational vision, and explain actions that built and fostered team development and teamwork. Include the utilization of resources to build teams, including training, projects, and programs.

You will be evaluated on the analysis of executive team-building practices, theory, concepts and techniques; identification and summary of results of leadership actions that structured the organization for success; application of team-building and leadership action examples; critical thinking applied to your work product; and the articulation of your response in the writing process.

Question 2

Consider your reading “Leadership Initiatives for Achieving Cultural Diversity” in Chapter 14, and then research how Bill Gates did or did not follow best practices and initiatives for achieving cultural diversity in the organization. For example, did the executive board contain any minorities? Explain which leadership practices were successful in diversity efforts and which practices needed improvement.

Also:

• Do you think these initiatives are critical for successful leadership? Why or why not?
• Did the leader hold managers accountable for diversity practices? How or how not?
• Did you particularly identify with an initiative or rate one initiative as more important than others? Why?