There are three Learning Outcomes which you will cover in the course. On completion you can:

1. Understand an organization’s ethical and value-based approach to leadership

1.1 Analyze the impact of the organization’s culture and values on strategic leadership

In addressing this assessment criteria a good answer would analyses the impact of the organization’s culture and values on strategic leadership taking into consideration some of the following:

• Shared Culture – Trice and Beyer
• Types of leadership
• Task or people? – Peter Farey Leadership motivations and behaviors
• Leadership context
• Leadership vs management skills, e.g. in a project life cycle – Wireman
• Leadership vision and values

There are many writers on this subject and reference will also be made to the work of Covey, Kotter, Warren Bennis, Robert Townsend and Boyett and Boyett amongst others.

1.2 Discuss how organizational specific, legal, regulatory and ethical requirements impact on strategic leadership demands

You will differentiate between (a) generic legal and regulatory demands, (for example, employment law), (b) health and safety as well as sector specific demands, (for example food safety), (c) the regulatory bodies that relate to your sector (for example, gas safety) or other closely regulated sectors.

1.3 Evaluate current and emerging social concerns and expectations impacting on strategic leadership in the organization

You evaluate the current and emerging social concerns and expectations with reference to the debates on green issues including any carbon tax, waste emissions and concerns expressed by stakeholders in your specific sector or one of your choice. Other social concerns will be explored in terms of how they help organizations hire and retain their people.

2. Understand strategic leadership styles

2.1 Evaluate the relationship between strategic management and leadership

You evaluate the relationship between strategic management and leadership with reference to some of the following ideas concepts and their associated models:

• Leadership and motivation
• The cultural web – Johnson
• Situational leadership – Hersey and Blanchard
• Transactional leadership
• Transformational leadership
• Action-Centered leadership – Adair
• The leadership continuum – Tannenbaum & Schmidt

2.2 Evaluate leadership styles and their impact on strategic decisions

This assessment criterion requires an evaluation of leadership styles and their impact on strategic decisions. You will therefore comment on the following ideas in context of your organization:

• Leadership behaviors
• The leadership grid – Blake and Mouton
• Emotional intelligence and leadership styles – Goleman
• Level 5 leadership – Jim Collins

2.3 Discuss why leadership styles need to be adapted in different situations

Here you are required to discuss why leadership styles need to be adapted in different situations incorporating some of the following ideas and theories:

• Leadership and motivational theory
• Theory X and theory Y
• Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
• Motivational theories developed by Chris Argyris, David McClelland and Rensis Likert

2.4 Evaluate the impact of leadership styles on the organization

In evaluating the impact of leadership styles on the organization there are a number of writers and models:

• Characteristics of leadership
• Attributes of leadership – John Gardner
• Seven ‘megaskills’ of leadership – Burt Nanus
• Leadership as capabilities – Ancona et al

3. Understand leadership strategies and their impact on organizational direction

3.1 Evaluate two differing leadership strategies

Here you should chose two differing leadership strategies with reference to the following:

• Organizational contexts and adaptations
• The strategic context
• Contextual factors in strategic change
• Evolution or revolution?
• Situational leadership

3.2 Determine situational variables which could cause a change in leadership strategy

The situational variables which could cause a change in leadership strategy include:

• Strategies for change: overcoming resistance to it – Kotter and Schlesinger (2008)
• The ‘change equation’ – Beckard and Harris
• The cultural context – Edgar Schein and Hofstede,
• The interplay of organizational culture, leadership, and organizational effectiveness, – Parry and Proctor Thompson

3.3 Analyze a leadership strategy to support organizational direction

You will analyze a leadership strategy to support organizational direction, and will consider the following:

• The leader as change agent
• Tools for culture change
• Four tools of co-operation and change – Christensen et al
• Informal coalitions and the leadership agenda
• Leadership vision and values
• Engaging people with vision
• A motivationally rich vision
• The 7Rs of changing minds
• Communicating the vision
• Effective communication – Kotter
• The 5Ms of magic meetings
• Gaining followers through values and building trust
• Ethical leadership – Monty Burns

Ethical leadership as a strategic issue

The Strategic Leadership course is taught through our online Teaching Zone using essential reading material such as checklists, models, templates and articles coupled with short videos. There are also optional live and recorded webinars delivered by our tutors. Plus, you will also have a personal tutor who is a subject expert whom you can contact if you have any questions.

The course is split into four one-week sessions. Coupled with time for your assessment to be marked and confirmed it should take you approximately 8 weeks in total to complete this qualification. Although it may vary in practice depending on your commitment and how easy you find it to study. It is possible to take less than four weeks if you concentrate on the course and commit your time to it, or equally if you have the pressure of other commitments you can spread your studies out over a longer period.

In our online Teaching Zone, the course content is divided into weekly activities which cover the three Learning Outcomes. You work through the study material in the order presented. When you have finished the course content you then need to complete the assignment in the Assessment Section. You can submit drafts which your personal tutor will review and give you any advice or feedback they think is relevant. When you are happy with your assignment, you submit it online through the facility in the Assessment Section and receive your results about one month later.