Temporary leaders exist in almost every sector--acting cabinet secretaries and agency heads, interim chief executive officers, interim university presidents and deans, temporary pastors, interim sports coaches, to name just a few. In many roles, they abound as more permanent leaders are often missing. Commentators typically lump temporary leaders into an amorphous caretaker category, with underwhelming performance, but that placement often does not match what interim officials are doing. In some sectors, we see women and persons of color breaking into roles they had not held before. 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 short reading reflections and a LAW 10-LAW 15 page paper on a relevant topic or interim leader. Elements used in grading: Class Participation, Written Assignments, Final Paper.
2 units · Law Honors/Pass/Restrd Cr/Fail
Temporary leaders exist in almost every sector--acting cabinet secretaries and agency heads, interim chief executive officers, interim university presidents and deans, temporary pastors, interim sports coaches, to name just a few. In many roles, they abound as more permanent leaders are often missing. Commentators typically lump temporary leaders into an amorphous caretaker category, with underwhelming performance, but that placement often does not match what interim officials are doing. In some sectors, we see women and persons of color breaking into roles they had not held before. 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 short reading reflections and a 10-15 page paper on a relevant topic or interim leader. Elements used in grading: Class Participation, Written Assignments, Final Paper.
Offered in Spring 2026 at Stanford University.