HR9718 - Leader Identity and Leadership

This module is delivered through a combination of online resources, directed learning, group learning and independent learning. The taught sessions are interactive, with a mix of taught input, participation in group discussion, group activities, case studies, and individual reflection.
There will be directed reading and experiential learning activities to complete between the taught sessions and an opportunity for you to link your theoretical understanding of the topic to your practical experience and thus to achieve a reflective and critical understanding of your role within your organisation. This directed individual learning provides a further opportunity to integrate the material covered within the module with your existing professional experience. This then feeds into the analysis required for the module assessment. The learning strategy therefore places considerable emphasis upon independent and work-based learning, alongside the formal input from the module tutor and the use of recommended sources.

There will be an induction session before the start of the module which provides an opportunity to find out what is expected of you, the support available, access to resources and importantly, an opportunity to meet your fellow learners. Getting to know other learners in your group is of particular importance for this module, as you will be sharing your experiences of being a leader in your own organisation and as such it is essential that we facilitate a learning environment where you feel safe and supported in order to maximise your own learning about leadership and self.
As part of this module, we will provide you with a taught session on accessing our e-learning portal, accessing resources from the library, academic referencing and writing academic assignments. This will be supported by on line podcasts on the e-learning portal covering all aspects of academic study and access to the academic skills materials.
There will be an assignment briefing during the workshops covering what is expected and guidance on completion. This assignment briefing will also be available via a podcast.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
On completion of the module you will be able to:
1. Analyse your leadership approach, underlying values and motives and the evolution of your leader identity through critical reflection and evaluation;
2. Demonstrate a broad understanding of the field of leadership theory by critically analysing leadership models, frameworks, and approaches.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
On completion of the module you will be able to:

3. Evaluate the effectiveness of leadership in the context of an organization;

4. Plan for greater effectiveness as a leader, with a positive impact on others.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
On completion of the module you will be able to:

5. Demonstrate how diversity influences leadership practice.

Formative assessment: In each of the taught sessions you will complete a range of activities and engage in a number of discussions. Formative feedback will be provided by your tutors and your peers and this feedback will assist you in developing the necessary knowledge and understanding and personal skills to enhance your performance on the module.

Summative assessment: The summative assessment for this module comprises one major summative element and two low-stakes assignments:


Preparation for Learning Sheets (Prep Sheets) (10%)
Complete the relevant prep sheet prior to the meeting date selected for your reading circle group (4 meetings). Each prep sheet is worth 2.5% and is evaluated based on submission (i.e., yes/no) and timeliness (i.e., prior to the reading circle meeting time). This assignment ensures you are engaging toward learning outcome 2 and facilitates pursuit of learning outcomes 2, 3, 4, and 5 within your reading circle. Because this assignment is not to assess your knowledge or writing skill, no feedback will be given on this assignment.

Plagiarism Prevention Quiz (5%)
This quiz will be available for the first third of the semester and may be taken multiple times to improve your learning and your mark. The purpose of this assessment is developmental in nature to ensure that you know how to properly attribute your sources in academic writing.

Leader Interview (85%)
Interview a leader and using appropriate theory, summarise and analyse the interview; include your reflection on how your own leadership has been influenced as a result of the interview (2,500 words). This assesses module learning outcomes 1-5.

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Are leaders born, or can they be developed? What does it mean to be a responsible leader? The module is designed to be both stimulating and enlightening in terms of your practice as a leader and/or manager, as informed by classical and contemporary theories of leadership. The module will engage you in a process of analysing yourself and others as leaders, and how you can progress leadership through development. You will consider your identity as a leader; your values, motives and goals and thereby develop intra and interpersonal awareness. You will engage in a number of activities designed by the teaching team that will help you to understand what it means to be a responsible effective leader. You will also further explore the relationship between leadership and followership, and demonstrate how leadership practice is influenced by diversity.