LEADERSHIP - 2020/1

Module Overview

Leadership is the process through which individuals influence and are influenced by one or more people to accomplish group / organizational goals. It is one of the most important determinants of employee well-being and performance as well as organisational effectiveness. The rationale for this module is to enable students to critically evaluate different approaches to leadership in organisational settings and to understand the determinants of leadership effectiveness and leadership development.

Module provider

Surrey Business School

Module Leader

THOMAS Geoff (SBS)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

The module takes a broad, multidisciplinary approach to leadership and leadership development. Module content will be selected to reflect contemporary issues in the field and staff expertise, and will normally include:

Indicative content

1. The nature of leadership and leadership development


2. Leader attributes and competencies


3. Leading in challenging contexts


4. Models, frameworks and tools for understanding effective leadership


5. Models, frameworks and tools for understanding leader development

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

None

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of both the theory of leadership and its application.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Individual Leadership Case Study Assignment: Using appropriate theoretical models, concepts and empirical research students undertake a 2500 word leadership case study assignment. This is a critical evaluation of the traits, skills, styles and effectiveness of an organisational leader. They are required to justify their analysis using theory, research evidence and interpretations about the leader. (2,500 words maximum)


• Individual Leader Development Portfolio: Using appropriate theoretical models, concepts and tools students undertake a 2500 word Leadership Development portfolio. This is a critical and reflective report on their own leadership skills, competencies and effectiveness and how they could develop and improve their leadership to enhance employee well-being and effectiveness. They are required to justify their analysis using theory, research evidence and empirically grounded data and interpretations about their leadership.

The assignemnts are due by Monday of week 43 (FT) and by the fourth Monday after completion of the module (PT).

Formative assessment and Feedback
This module adopts an enquiry based approach to feedback where the emphasis is on providing resources to students which allow them to identify their own strengths and weaknesses in order to develop learning strategies which will allow them to improve their performance

• Prior to the assignment, time will be spent discussing the assignment and feedback process;


• A detailed marking scheme which provides guidance on how marks will be awarded for each element of assessment. This marking scheme has benefits for both staff and students. For staff it allows for consistency of marking between markers and for rapid and rigorous marking. For students it makes it absolutely clear what is expected of them. Students will receive a mark for each element of the assignment which they can reference to the marking scheme for detailed individual feedback;


• Generic feedback which explains what students did well and did less well overall. This will take two forms. In the first workshop after the presentation, time will be spent explaining the key learning issues from the assignment and, once marking is completed, students will receive detailed generic feedback via SurreyLearn including a statistical breakdown of marks so that they can place their own performance into that of their cohort;


• Action Plans – students will be encouraged to produce action plans which demonstrate that they have engaged with the feedback resources and which identify their strengths and weaknesses and form the basis of a learning strategy for the end of module assessment

Module aims

• To provide frameworks, concepts and tools for students to raise student's awareness of the centrality of leadership and leadership development to understanding employee well-being and performance as well as organisational effectiveness.
• To develop student's analytical skills by providing them an opportunity to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of different leadership approaches used in organisations.
• To encourage critical thinking and an awareness of the different competencies and skills that are required for leaders to effectively lead others, especially in situations where leaders have to manage adverse conditions.
• To give students an opportunity to develop a plan for how to improve and develop their own leadership style and competencies.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Give students the opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding of the relevant theory and business practices and problems which are pertinent to the field of leadership.

The learning and teaching methods include:

Delivery of lectures and seminars/discussion groups. Whilst the lectures are mainly designed to illustrate and explain theoretical concepts and models, the seminars/discussion groups explore and illuminate the theoretical concepts and models by reference to and explanation of a range of topical issues and case studies. Seminars are therefore, designed to develop a practical view of Leadership. Prior to attending the lecture and seminar, students are expected to undertake the essential reading for the sessions. The teaching and learning format is designed to emphasise critical understanding and evaluation of leadership issues. The session will comprise one or more of the following: lecture, seminar/discussion, directed learning, self-directed learning, video, case study, analysis.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MANM345

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.