Registering for classes each semester should be a no brainer. Aside from the vast amount of general education courses, if you are a Business major, you take Business classes. If you are an Education major, you take Education classes. If you are a Biology major, you take Biology classes, so on and so forth. These specific classes in your field should fully equip you to be the most prepared and successful you can be after graduation, right?

Well, I would say that certain courses offered in the Communication discipline are fundamentally important for the success of students in any major, specifically the Leadership area of Communication Studies.

Wayne State College offers courses devoted completely to the art of Leadership:

• Organizational Leadership: An introduction to leadership; focuses on the relationship between communicating and leading, and explores different leadership styles in order to develop leadership skills.
• Leadership Theory: An in-depth look at leadership theory from a communication perspective; focuses on communication patterns in leadership issues.
• Case Studies in Organizational Leadership: Analyzing cases from the past and present that deal with aspect of communication in organizations.

Dr. Ron Whitt, Communication Professor for these Leadership courses, stressed the importance of leadership. He says that through these courses people can change the way they see themselves and the lives they hope to lead. He said that through leadership courses students can see why leaders are important in businesses, education, and even in the family.

Each class stresses the importance of being a good leader, as well as how to become an effective leader in an organization. Other aspects of leadership covered in these courses provide students with the tools to “climb the corporate ladder” or just to help your organization run smoothly. “Inventories can be managed, but people must be led.” (H. Ross Perot)

For instance, Transformational Leadership touches on a person’s ability to cast a vision to others. Transformational leaders are able to “create significant change in the life of people and organizations… redesigning perceptions and values, changes expectations and aspirations of employees.” (James MacGregor Burns) Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mother Teresa are two well-known examples of transformational leaders.

Group and Team Leadership is addressed in these courses. Naturally a leader will emerge out of any group. Leadership classes explore how to communicate and make decisions within a group or team. Dr. Ron Whitt mentioned that leadership from a communication prospective gives a person “understanding on how to deal with everyday processes.” These everyday processes can be in meetings with co-workers, as a coach dealing with a team, etc.

Ethical Leadership is important for an organization’s success in everyday as well as crisis situations. Times will arise when a crisis needs to be attended to or a tough decision may need to be made. Leadership courses will coach you on how to properly handle those situations.

Followership takes into account not only the importance of the leader, but also the roles of the followers in the success of the organization. Whether it’s the basketball players following the captain or subordinates fulfilling their positions underneath a manager, the role of followership is just as important as leadership.

Empowering others encompasses the ability to make other leaders; to give power away in order to challenge another person on to greatness. Leadership is all about making other leaders. Mentors have the ability to empower their mentees to do good things, as well as bosses have the ability to challenge a worker to try something new by giving them the power to do so.

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” John Quincy Adams

Dr. Whitt summed it up by saying that leadership can be learned and that is why training in leadership is important. So, this spring when you are registering for classes, consider taking a Leadership course in the Communication discipline to develop the Leadership skills necessary for success in the business/organizational world.

CNA faculty and students gather around the Christmas Tree that features stocking caps and gloves for the Wayne Area Head Start Program.

Wayne State Alumni, Students, and Faculty atend National Communication Association

Faculty, alumni, and former students met at Drs. Deb and Ron Whitt's home for a BBQ.