Temporary Leadership in Government and Business

Temporary leaders exist in almost every sector--acting cabinet secretaries, interim chief executive officers, interim university presidents, temporary pastors, interim coaches, to name just a few. In many roles, they abound as more permanent leaders are often missing. In some sectors, they are women and persons of color, breaking into roles that they had not held before. Commentators often lump temporary leaders into an amorphous caretaker category, with underwhelming performance, but that placement often does not match what interim officials are doing. This seminar will focus on temporary leaders in government and business, but use other sectors as relevant. Drawing on legal materials, social science research, business studies, historical examples, and guest speakers, it will explore the causes and consequences of interim leaders as well as the constraints under which they operate. The seminar will also consider how such leaders could be more effective and how interim officials can become more permanent leaders. Requirements will include multiple writing assignments (including short reading reflections and a 10-15 page paper on a relevant topic or interim leader). Elements used in grading: Attendance, class participation, written assignments, final paper. CONSENT APPLICATION: To apply for this course, students must complete and submit a Consent Application Form available on the SLS website (https://law.stanford.edu/education/courses/consent-of-instructor-forms/) by August 31, 2022.