Handbook : Unit informationEdith Cowan University

School: Business and Law

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

• Unit Title

  Project Leadership

• Unit Code

  MAN6304

• Year

  2017

• Enrolment Period

  1

• Version

  1

• Credit Points

  20

• Full Year Unit

  N

• Mode of Delivery

  On Campus
  

• Unit Coordinator

  A/Prof Peter Paul STANDEN

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Description

Successful projects require strong leadership. Project management can be a highly technical process but fundamentally depends on leading people rather than just managing them. This unit introduces the theory and practice of project leadership, focussing on awareness and development of students' skills. We examine theories of leadership and basic workplace psychology, but the focus is on skills for self-management, good interpersonal relations and effective team-work or group collaboration in the context of project work. Opportunities for the development of your skills in future work practice are an important focus.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. Appraise their present leadership skills and future learning needs.
2. Critique major modern theories of leadership, describing their advantages, limitations and personal relevance.
3. Formulate a strategy for developing effective interpersonal skills for project leadership.
4. Formulate a strategy for future learning of leadership skills.
5. Summarise their approach to self-management as a project leader.
6. Summarize their approach to developing effective teamwork and collaboration in managing projects.

Unit Content

1. Communication skills for project leaders.
2. Developing your project leadership skills.
3. Emotional intelligence in project leadership.
4. Leading yourself and others: unit overview and future directions.
5. Managing conflict in projects.
6. Modern theories of leadership.
7. Power and influence in projects.
8. Self-management: time and stress.
9. Team building and facilitating collaboration.
10. The psychology of leading and managing others.
11. Traditional theories of leadership.
12. What is leadership? Theory and skills for leading projects.

Additional Learning Experience Information

On-campus students attend a weekly three hour seminar. This unit involves both theoretical and practical learning. In the early weeks we examine theories of leadership and workplace psychology using readings, and discuss their application to different types and areas of project management. In later weeks we look at specific skills underlying leadership using self-reflection, self-assessment quizzes, observation outside class, classroom activities (involving getting to know students from different backgrounds and discussions of the cultural relativity of the leadership skills) and discussion. The emphasis here is on learning about yourself and planning for the future development of your leadership skills. These discussions and activities will also develop your skills in communicating with diverse individuals through getting to know students from different cultural backgrounds and by presenting personal opinions. They will help you learn to appraise theories and the personal viewpoints of others. In weeks on power, conflict and teamwork you will gain knowledge of teamwork theories and practice in relevant skills. You will also be asked to present your own viewpoints and learning, helping you learn to generate ideas. Students are expected to come to class prepared by reading the text or other readings, and to discuss their leadership skills and learning challenges as they currently understand them. Assignments provide an opportunity to deepen theoretical understanding and awareness of your practical skills, developing critical appraisal skills and require reporting on classroom and other learnings over the semester, where you will generate ideas and personal opinions. The off-campus version requires students to work through the Blackboard materials and to access the unit site regularly. It also requires self-study activities such as completing self-assessments, and where possible, discussing the results with others to gain realistic feedback on leadership skills.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

Core Reading(s)

• Fritz, S., Brown, W., Lunde, J. P., & Banset, E. A. (2005). Interpersonal skills for leadership (2nd Asia-Pacific). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

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