This module aims to:

Provide students with an understanding of how a leader’s role in influencing organisational systems and human behaviour is integral to developing a positive culture and healthy working environment;

Provide students with an understanding of how different leadership and people practices, along with ethical perspectives, impact on behaviour and culture;

Provide students with an understanding of the development of leadership theory together with a critical appreciation of its applicability in a range of organisational contexts;

Examine contemporary leadership issues including moral-based leadership, i.e. ethical, servant and/or authentic leadership, and how leadership relates to diversity, leadership for sustainability;

Provide students with an understanding of how giving people a meaningful voice enables people professionals to influence behaviour, unlock potential and shape organisational culture;

Provide students wit h an understanding of how to enable high levels of people engagement, promote learning, and select appropriate approaches in different situations for individuals and teams;

Provide students with an understanding of how leaders in the people profession can think in a systemic way, i.e. understanding how to align the different elements of the organisation’s system, for example the values, the culture, structures, people practices and policies, to maximise the organisation’s performance.

(LO1) Students will be able to define leadership and explain how it differs from management, the different theoretical perspectives that underpin leadership and how they can be applied across different cultures.

(LO2) Students will be able to critically appraise responsible leadership, how leaders contribute to ensuring corporate social responsibility and how these impact on employer brand, reputation and management of different stakeholders.

(LO3) Students will be able to apply behavioural science theories, e.g. fight-or-flight response, thinking biases, to how leaders shape people practices and create the conditions in which people can thrive and perform.

(LO4) Students will be able to critically analyse different ethical perspectives on leadership, and how different mindsets and values influence internal and external decision-making.

(LO5) Students will be able to demonstrate critical awareness of the relationship between culture and voice, and how leaders can apply tools and methods that give a diverse range of people a voice within the organisation.

(LO6) Students will be able to identify the different approaches to culture development and how to align people practices to the organisations culture using systemic thinking.

(LO7) Students will be able to critically appraise the role and purpose of governance, its structure in the area of work, and the broader regulatory environment.

(LO8) Students will have developed their business acumen through an understanding of the organisation, the commercial context, the external environment and the wider world of work, and how they impact people and organisations.

(LO9) Students will have developed their personal leadership skills and critically appraise coaching and mentoring in relation to leadership development.

(S1) Adaptability. Students will consider different perspectives from two nations and hence demonstrate adaptability in the approach to leadership considerations.

(S2) Problem solving skills. The challenges of discussing cross-cultural leadership is key to resolving leadership issues.

(S3) Commercial awareness. This is a real ‘theory to practice’ module and students need to apply theory to two leaders in their assignment and also use a commercial example in their presentation.

(S4) Teamwork. Reflection on group discussions.

(S5) Organisational skills. Planning as a group can be a challenge and is a key skill that is developed, hence improving organisational skills.

(S6) Communication skills. Written assignment needs strong communication skills.

(S7) IT skills. Developed through the hybrid teaching model.

(S8) International awareness. Cross-cultural awareness via two different examples from nations.

(S9) Leadership. The focus of the module is leadership.

2 hour lecture x 6 weeks
2 hour seminar x 6 weeks
1 hour group learning x 6 weeks
120 hours self-directed learning

Indicative topics on this module will include:

Fundamentals of leadership: managing and leading people;

Leadership theories and their application: including trait and behavioural theories of leadership; and newer approaches relevant to strategic leadership, e.g. transactional, transformational, contingency, moral-based leadership, leadership for sustainability etc.;

Responsible leadership: sustaining an effective and ethical organisational culture through people practices;

Leading across cultures: authentic leadership, ethical challenges in the contemporary leadership environment and its implications for diversity and different national cultures;

Becoming a strategic leader: characteristics, and interpersonal skills relevant for strategic leadership, business acumen, governance, the organisational and environmental context;

Personal leadership development: reflection on one’s own leadership style and critical appraisal of coaching and mento ring in relation to leadership development.