MGT 411 Leading High Performance Teams

Overview of Course

A team is more than a collection of individuals—it is a dynamic system of people who rely on one another to achieve shared goals. This course invites students to explore the art and practice of working in and leading teams through the unique lens of the Semester at Sea experience. As we travel across countries and cultures, students will engage with diverse perspectives on leadership, collaboration, and organizational life, gaining a deeper appreciation for how culture and context shape the way teams function.
Students will examine foundational concepts of organizational behavior and culture, with special attention to the dynamics of team roles, communication, motivation, and conflict management. Alongside theory, the course emphasizes personal growth: participants will assess their individual styles as team members and leaders, experiment with different approaches to leadership, and develop strategies for adapting to varied situations.
Learning will be highly interactive, combining experiential activities, case discussions, reflective exercises, and applied projects. Students will have the opportunity to practice building trust, fostering inclusion, and leading teams in high-pressure or ambiguous environments. Field experiences in different cultural settings will provide real-world opportunities to compare organizational practices, test assumptions, and refine leadership skills.
By the end of the voyage, students will have developed the competencies necessary to participate in and lead high-performance teams in a wide range of organizational contexts worldwide.