Comparing the book to articles on coaching at workplace/leadership communication

Comparing the book to articles on coaching at workplace/leadership communication. The book is only 100 something pages.
Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to analyze a popular press book on leadership using academic (peer-reviewed) literature. You may find that the literature agrees with your author’s arguments/conclusions, disagrees with your author’s arguments/conclusions, or partially agrees/disagrees with your author’s arguments/conclusions. Any of these is fine. The point of the paper is the comparison. You do not have to find something to dislike about your book (although all books can probably use improvement). You may choose your author’s conclusion over the literature if you have a solid rationale/reason. The same is true if you choose the literature over your author’s conclusion. Again, the point of the paper is the comparison between the arguments made/conclusions drawn by the author(s) of your popular press book and the academic literature. You will want to center your analysis on a main argument (your idea) and try to have no more than three main points to support that idea.
Research Paper: Popular Press Book Analysis
(250 points)
Communication majors can use this paper as your Fulbright Senior Writing Requirement (FWR) if you
meet the following conditions: your paper must be (1) 10+ pages in length, not counting title and
reference pages, (2) use at least six academic/peer-reviewed sources from outside of the course
readings, and (3) receive at least a grade of “C.” Please note that you do not need to tell me you wish
to use this as a FWR; I submit all students’ names whose papers meet the requirement. I will inform
you via email if your paper does or does not meet the requirement after I have had time to grade all of
the papers. You must submit your paper through Blackboard Ultra no later than 11:59 pm on Friday of
Week 14 for full credit and a 15-point bonus. You may submit no later than 11:59 pm on Friday of Week
15 for full credit, but forgoing the bonus points. You must submit your paper as a Word (.doc or .docx)
or Adobe (.pdf) file. No .pages, please.
This paper is your 10+ page analysis (not counting title page and reference list) of a popular press book
about leadership.
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At its most basic, your analysis is focused on the author’s argument(s) in light of academic
research (i.e. peer-reviewed or recognized scholarly sources). You will compare/contrast what
you author has to say with what academic research says about the same topic (e.g., they may
agree, disagree, or agree & disagree with the author’s argument(s)). As you consider your analysis
remember that an analysis is not only negative. You may want to include elements of the author’s
arguments that support or extend the academic research you locate. While you may utilize materials
from class in your analysis, you must incorporate at least six additional peer-reviewed/academic
sources from your own research. In this type of analysis, you should not report on each source and its
relation to the author’s argument individually—rather you are building broader arguments that might
utilize several sources. And do not be afraid to use more than six sources!
As you think about your overall argument, you might begin by considering the following questions:
• What is the author’s overall argument?
• How does the author use other arguments to support this argument?
• How do the author’s arguments compare/fit with other authors you have read?
• What arguments, examples, evidence, etc. does the author use well?
• What’s missing, if anything, from the author’s argument?
You may or may not answer these specific questions. They are meant to get you started, not to
organize your paper. Here’s some generally
helpful information:
• Research
o I recommend the following databases for this topic within EBSCO: Academic Search
Complete, Business Source Complete, Communication Source, and PsycINFO.
o ProQuest, JSTOR, and Google Scholar can also be helpful, although they may be a bit
broad.
o You should “mine” any source’s bibliography; that is, if the authors cite something else that
is relevant to your argument follow to that source and read it as well. They may have not
included something from the source that will be useful to you.
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o You should also see who else has cited an article that is particularly useful to you.
• Basic Structure (with some ideas for content – not required)
o Introduction (situate your book, provide a short overview of the book, and your main
argument/thesis)
o Supporting Arguments (bulk of your paper)
▪ First Point (e.g., book’s author says/leaves out, research says,
compare/contrast/extend)
▪ Second Point (same as above)
▪ Third Point (same as above)
o Conclusion (review your main argument, discuss its implications, provide a personal
reflection on your reaction to the book)
• Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab has helpful resources for APA Style. You will find it under
“Most Popular Resources” on their main page (owl.purdue.edu).
• Use Grading Rubric so they can provide the best help possible.
Research Paper: Popular Press Book Analysis Grading Rubric
Preliminary Requirement √ Ø
Each of the following elements will be graded on a scale of:
Exceptional, Good, Average, Poor, and Missing
Structure/Organization (20% of overall paper grade)
Introduction is interesting and central argument/thesis statement is clear 9 points
Sensible paragraph organization with effective transitions 9 points
Each paragraph is clearly constructed (e.g., generally addresses only
one topic) 9 points
Unifying conclusion, making a strong statement regarding your overall
thesis and personal reflection 9 points
Overall structure of the paper aids in development of argument 14 points
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`Content (60% of overall paper grade)
Argument
Overall central argument is clear, interesting, and workable 15 points
Overall central argument provides a clear analysis of popular press
book 15 points
Additional/Subordinate arguments clearly support overall central
argument 10 points
Paper deals with all important aspects of the central argument 10 points
Paper focuses on central argument, avoiding tangential arguments
and evidence 5 points
Paper is internally consistent (e.g., arguments do not contradict each
other) 5 points
Evidence/Research
Paper uses high quality, relevant, and adequate evidence in support
of central and subordinate arguments 15 points
Paper makes logical use of evidence in support of arguments 15 points
Paper employs and interprets research creatively; the paper does not
merely “report” but evaluates the book and evidence critically 15 points
Paper utilizes at least six academic sources (e.g., peer-reviewed or
recognized scholarly source such as book from an academic
press) not used in course (Note: When in doubt ask me or the
research librarian)
15 points
Overall Concerns
Paper must provide an overall sense of the popular press book,
author’s main argument, definition of leadership, and the
elements/practices of leadership the author identifies as most
important (Note: Sometimes these are implied)
15 points
Paper has new ideas, interesting and/or insightful interpretations,
and/or creative extensions of the ideas 15 points
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Mechanics and Style (20% of overall paper grade)
Free from typographical, grammatical, and editorial errors* 15 points
Language is concise and precise, avoiding over-generalizations 10 points
Paper content is at least 10+ pages in length (this does not include title
page and reference list) 10 points
Follows APA Style 15 points Cover Page (an abstract is not required)
Typed in black ink
Double-spaced with 1” margins
Page Numbers
In-text citations
Reference List
Headings
Grade
(A=250—225; B=224—200; C=199—175; D=174—150; F=0—149)
*This is a formal research paper and so your writing should reflect that. I have provided some additional
comments on this type of writing here.
Your paper should be free from typographical errors (e.g., spelling errors and typing “thus” when
you mean “this”), grammatical mistakes (e.g., punctuation, subject-verb agreement, incomplete and
run-on sentences), and editorial errors (e.g., avoids meaningless sentences, overuse of passive
voice, jargon, clichés, and casual/colloquial language). For example, to avoid passive voice you
would change “this idea was reinforced by the author in every argument” to “the author reinforced
this idea in every argument.” These are some additional basic mistakes I consistently see in student
writing:
o inappropriate use of its and it’s
o inappropriate use of e.g. (for example) and i.e. (that is)
o inappropriate use of that, who, and which
o inappropriate use of their, there, and they’re
o don’t use contractions
o You do not need to use “I think” or “I argue” or similar language; if you do not cite someone else, I will know it is your idea.
Here is some basic stuff about the book:
The Seven Essential Questions:
The Kickstart Question – “What’s on your mind?”
This is a great opening question that allows the other person to bring up what’s important to them. It sets the stage for a productive conversation by immediately focusing on their agenda.
The AWE Question (And What Else?) – “What else?”
After the initial response to the Kickstart Question, asking “What else?” encourages deeper exploration. Often, the first answer isn’t the whole story, and this question helps uncover more layers of the issue.
The Focus Question – “What’s the real challenge here for you?”
This question helps to clarify and get to the heart of the matter. It shifts the conversation from surface-level details to the underlying issue that needs addressing.
The Foundation Question – “What do you want?”
This question helps to define the desired outcome or goal. It brings clarity to what the person is working towards, which is crucial for guiding the conversation towards actionable steps.
The Lazy Question – “How can I help you with that?”
The “lazy” part of this question refers to the idea that as a coach, you don’t need to come up with solutions yourself. Instead, you empower the other person to think about how you can support them in reaching their goal.
The Strategic Question – “If you’re saying yes to this, what are you saying no to?”
This question encourages thinking about trade-offs and priorities. It helps the person consider the consequences and focus on what’s truly important.
The Learning Question – “What was most useful for you?”
After a conversation or a coaching session, this question helps to reflect on what was valuable and what can be applied moving forward. It promotes continuous learning and improvement.
Habit Formation:
The New Habit Formula:
“When [trigger], I will [behavior].”
The book suggests identifying a specific trigger, such as a common event or situation, that will remind you to engage in the new behavior (in this case, asking coaching questions).
Anchoring to an Existing Habit:
Stanier recommends linking the new habit to an existing one to make it more automatic. For example, if you always start team meetings with a certain phrase, you could add one of the coaching questions to this routine.
Impact on Leadership:
The book emphasizes that adopting a coach-like approach can transform leadership styles from directive to empowering.
Leaders who ask questions and listen actively create a culture of collaboration, innovation, and personal development within their teams.
Examples:
Kickstart Question: “Hey, what’s on your mind today?”
AWE Question: “That sounds like a big project. What else do we need to consider?”
Focus Question: “Of all the challenges we’ve discussed, which one feels most important to tackle right now?”
Foundation Question: “What do you ultimately want to achieve with this initiative?”
Lazy Question: “How can I support you best as you work on this?”
Strategic Question: “By committing to this strategy, what other priorities might need to take a backseat?”
Learning Question: “After our discussion, what stood out to you as the most useful insight?”
These questions are designed to guide conversations, encourage self-reflection, and empower individuals to take ownership of their challenges and solutions. They form the backbone of the coaching habit advocated in the book. The focus is to stop the “advice monster”.
Here are some articles I found:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/15234223231193359
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/TPM-11-2021-0085/full/html
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/EJTD-07-2020-0122/full/html
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889490623000765?via%3Dihub
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jocn.16951
https://web.p.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=30deb7f7-9b4a-472d-b7e6-71cb44f73216%40redis&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHNzbyZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=162057632&db=bth
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17521882.2013.824015
https://web.p.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=483b1460-586a-4ae9-b97e-b033b48d7faf%40redis