MANAGEMT 7086 - Fundamentals of Leadership

North Terrace Campus - Trimester 3 - 2014

Upon completion, students will possess an understanding of the development of management thought and practice, providing a background against which new trends in management can be viewed. They will be able to identify and discuss the major challenges facing management in today's environment, and, with heightened self-awareness, develop the understanding and communication skills required to effectively lead and manage a diverse workforce. To achieve success in today's competitive environment it is essential that managers develop the ability to interact positively with others, whether they be employees, employers, colleagues, customers or suppliers. Strong interpersonal skills are also required if students are to maximise the benefits from their management studies. Fundamentals of Leadership, positioned at the beginning of the MBA program, encourages students to explore issues and develop personal skills central to leadership. By exploring self-awareness, students will be well placed to broaden their understanding of others. Topics include written and oral communication skills, team skills, conflict management and stress management.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code MANAGEMT 7086
    Course Fundamentals of Leadership
    Coordinating Unit Adelaide Business School
    Term Trimester 3
    Level Postgraduate Coursework
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Course Description Upon completion, students will possess an understanding of the development of management thought and practice, providing a background against which new trends in management can be viewed. They will be able to identify and discuss the major challenges facing management in today's environment, and, with heightened self-awareness, develop the understanding and communication skills required to effectively lead and manage a diverse workforce. To achieve success in today's competitive environment it is essential that managers develop the ability to interact positively with others, whether they be employees, employers, colleagues, customers or suppliers. Strong interpersonal skills are also required if students are to maximise the benefits from their management studies. Fundamentals of Leadership, positioned at the beginning of the MBA program, encourages students to explore issues and develop personal skills central to leadership. By exploring self-awareness, students will be well placed to broaden their understanding of others. Topics include written and oral communication skills, team skills, conflict management and stress management.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Lois Whittall

    1.3 COURSE FACILITATOR

    Lois Whittall, B.A. Hons, (University of Liverpool, UK), MBA (University of Adelaide), FCMA

    Office The Business School, Rm 1031, 10 Pulteney St
    Telephone: +61 417 871 218
    Email: lois.whittall@adelaide.edu.au
    Skype name: loisemma

    Lois Whittall is an Adjunct Lecturer in the University of Adelaide Business School with extensive experience in facilitating management education in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore. Currently, she teaches the core courses Fundamentals of Leadership (FOL) and Managing Contemporary Organisations in the MBA programs both on and off shore, and an elective Entrepreneurship. Lois has background in finance and completed the Chartered Management Accounting qualification in 1982.

    Lois' research interests are in Adaptive Leadership and Change, Appreciative Inquiry and Social Entrepreneurship. She is currently using Action Research to explore these topics in Cambodia.

    Lois has a background in Organisational Development, Human Resource Management and Finance. She has worked in a variety of public and private sector organisations in the UK and Australia in senior management roles, and is currently working with multi-national companies in Australia and North and South East Asia.

    Lois’ last full time role was as Executive Director of a small company with about 40 employees. In the five years before she left she worked with her team to more than double the size of the business. At present as well as teaching in the MBA she works extensively for the University’s Executive Education Division as well as a consultant primarily with senior management teams in multi-national organisations. She has designed and delivered Leadership Development programs for a number of global companies working in the oil sector, electronics, pharmaceuticals, for a large software supplier and several government corporations. She has broad hands-on experience in the areas of organisational change, performance management, finance and customer service.

    In early 2005 Lois started a project in Northern Cambodia which provides resources so that young women living in remote communities can finish high school and (if they do well enough) continue with higher education. The aim is to return teachers, doctors, nurses, business people and confident young women leaders to their villages. There are currently have 36 students completing years 10 – 12 of high school, 11 students at university and four qualified primary school teacher, three high school teachers one nurse and four midwives working back in their villages. Four other ex-students are running a successful solar business. Working with some of the world’s poorest people in a province still infested with landmines involves a lot of learning especially about culture and leadership and creates an interesting life balance.

    Availability for consultation: Please email in the first instance.
    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    Fundamentals of Leadership, positioned at the beginning of the MBA program, encourages students to explore issues and develop personal skills central to leadership. By exploring self-awareness, students will be well placed to broaden their understanding of others thoughout the MBA program. Objectives for the course inlcude:

    2.1.1 To develop an understanding of leadership theory but more importantly to develop a personal definition of leadership.
    2.1.2 To explore the concepts of ‘leadership’, ‘authority’, ‘technical’ and ‘adaptive’ change.
    2.1.3 To identify the major challenges facing management in today's complex orgnaisational environment.
    2.1.4 To gain a heightened self-awareness
    2.1.5 To appreciate the range of communication skills required to effectively lead and manage a diverse workforce
    2.1.6 To explore how to interact positively with others, whether they be employees, employers, colleagues, customers or suppliers
    2.1.7 To gain awareness of the interpersonal skills required to maximise the benefits from their management studies
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised. 2.1.1
    The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner. 2.1.1 - 2.1.6
    An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems. 2.1.5 - 2.1.6
    Skills of a high order in interpersonal understanding, teamwork and communication. 2.1.3 - 2.1.4
    A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life. 2.1.1 - 2.1.6
    A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community. 2.1.1 - 2.1.6
    An awareness of ethical, social and cultural issues within a global context and their importance in the exercise of professional skills and responsibilities. 2.1.3 - 2.1.6
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources

    The following two books are required reading for this course:

    Heifetz, R.A and Linsky, M., 2002 Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading (Boston: Harvard Business School Press,)

    Joiner, B., and Josephs, S., 2007 Leadership Agility: Five Levels of Mastery for Anticipating and Initiating Change (Jossey Bass)

    A third text is highly recommended:
    Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey, 2009, Immunity to Change, How to overcome it and Unlock the potential in Yourself and your Organization, (Harvard Business Review Press)

    Recommended Resources
    Students may wish to read more widely in specific subject areas, something that the BUSINESS SCHOOL wholeheartedly encourages. There are many general texts on management and leadership, and on managerial skills that students may find useful. Perhaps of greatest assistance though are readings from leading academic journals, current business journals and the better newspapers. Relevant journals include:

    • Academy of Management Journal (USA),
    • Academy of Management Review (USA),
    • Administrative Science Quarterly (USA),
    • Australian Journal of Public Administration,
    • California Management Review,
    • Harvard Business Review (USA),
    • Journal of Management and Organisation,
    • Journal of Conflict Resolution,
    • Journal of Management,
    • Leadership Quarterly,
    • Personnel Psychology (USA)

    Full texts of a great many of the articles that appear in these journals can be accessed via the University of Adelaide’s library databases. There are numerous references at the conclusion of each reading which will supplement your learning of particular topics. I will point out additional articles on various topics for those who are inspired to delve more deeply during the course.
    Online Learning
    Important messages, topic notes, power point slides, case studies, Discussion Boards and other materials relating to the course will be placed on MyUni throughout the course. MyUni can be found at (www.myuni.adelaide.edu.au)
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes

    No information currently available.

    Workload

    No information currently available.

    Learning Activities Summary

    No information currently available.

  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary

    No information currently available.

    Assessment Detail

    No information currently available.

    Submission

    No information currently available.

    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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