Aberystwyth University
Module
XN13230
Effective Leadership
Programme Handbook
Cohort 4: October 2012
2012-2013
Contents
Section 1: Introducing the Programme
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
Programme Aims
Structure
Programme Team
Mentors
Registration
Bilingual Provision
Further Information
Section 2: Programme Content
2.1
2.2
Programme Outcomes
Programme Elements
2.2.1.
2.2.2.
2.2.3.
2.2.4.
2.2.5.
2.2.6.
2.2.7.
Introductory Session
Leadership Development Workshops
Peer-Mentoring Sessions
Programme Mentor Sessions
Personal Reflection on workshops
Personal Reflective Journal
Problem Solving Scenario and Presentation
Section 3: Assessment
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
Module Assessment Overview
Assessed Elements
The Portfolio
Assessment Panel
Referrals and Fails
Board of Studies
Section 4: Mentoring
4.1
4.2
Mentors
Mentor Meetings
Appendices
1.
2.
3.
4.
Mentor Meeting Record
Skills Development
Module Assessment Criteria
Bilingual Provision
Section 1: Introducing the Programme
1.1
Programme Aims
member of staff who has not previously been
exposed to leadership development.
Welcome to the Aberystwyth University Effective
Leadership module. The module is designed,
primarily, for early-career staff at Aberystwyth
University, but will offer something to anyone who
already manages staff or may do so in the future.
The intention is that, on successful completion of the
module, staff will be in a position to understand the
wide range of issues that may arise whilst leading
others and to help them to function better as part of
a team.
The University sector is a complex and rapidly
changing work environment.
Organisational
structure and, therefore, the lines of responsibility,
authority and communication, are often less clear
than in other, similar sized organisations. Leading
and managing people, in this environment, can be
demanding and requires skill in negotiation and
persuasion with people that have a wide range of
different strengths, weaknesses and values. The
flexible and adaptive nature of the setting often
means that staff may be thrown into positions of
temporary or long-term leadership at short notice
and with little preparation.
The programme is an accredited CQFW level 5, 30
credit module developed, delivered and administered
by the Centre for the Development of Staff and
Academic Practice (CDSAP) and accredited through
the School of Education and Lifelong Learning (SELL).
The principle behind providing this module is that it
delivers the package of awareness, skills and
behaviours at a much earlier stage in the career of a
university staff member, than is usually the case,
preparing them for leadership positions, but also
providing a range of inter-personal tools and skills,
useful at all stages of their careers.
The programme is designed to develop inter-personal
behaviours, widely seen to underpin the key skills for
effective leadership, based on increased awareness
of self and others and an appreciation of how others
perceive us. However, the programme also aims to
deliver pragmatic outcomes that can be immediately
applied in a work context.
The programme is designed to be useful to both
academic and non-academic staff and although
aimed at early-career staff, may be useful to any
The module is designed to be work-based and flexible
enough to be completed within two semesters. The
submission dates of the portfolio will be June and
November of each year. Participant will only have
provisional markings until September of each year as
the external examiner only verifies the marks once a
year and then the marks go through the appropriate
SELL board of studies. It is expected the candidate
completes the module in 9 months, from
commencement of the programme, extending to as
much as 12 months under extenuating
circumstances.
1.2.
Structure
The module involves both taught and work-based
elements and independent study. The taught
element, consisting of a linked series of 7 leadership
development workshops, introducing a number of
techniques that can be used in a leadership context
and encourages you to use your previous and current
work as a basis for reviewing your practice as well as
your knowledge and understanding of key concepts
of leadership. Through this process, the module aims
to develop the key skills listed in appendix 2.
In addition, you will be asked to familiarise yourself
with selected relevant literature, meet with a peermentor and programme mentor and reflect on
leadership issues raised on the programme and in the
work place, through a personal reflective journal.

The work-based nature of the programme means
that some learning activities take place during your
usual work routines.
1.4
The programme includes:




an introductory session (1.5hr)
7 x workshops (27hrs)
4 x peer-mentoring sessions (4x45min)
2 programme mentor sessions (2X45min)
In addition, you will be expected to keep a journal of
your thoughts and ideas. This will be included in the
final submitted portfolio and drawn upon in writing
other elements of the portfolio.
Assessment is through a portfolio, built in stages
throughout the programme. You will demonstrate
evidence of the development of your professional
skills and knowledge of leadership in both personal
and wider (departmental and University) contexts.
This evidence is drawn from normal work activities as
well as professional development activities
undertaken on the module.
Annette Edwards Staff Development Assistant,
CDSAP (aee@aber.ac.uk) ext. 2117
Mentors
Mentoring and coaching approaches provide a solid
foundation for modern leadership approaches and
you are strongly urged to take full advantage of this
aspect of the programme. There will be two forms of
mentoring on the programme: programme mentors
and peer-mentors.
Programme Mentors
Each participant will be assigned a programme
mentor, by the programme team. The programme
mentor will have experience of leadership and act as
both a point of contact and a source of experienced
advice. You will be expected to meet with your
programme mentor, at least twice during the
programme and these meetings may also inform your
personal log and portfolio.
Peer-mentors
The module assessment criteria may be found in
appendix 3.
The peer-mentors are fellow participants on the
programme, who will act to support you by sharing
experience and ideas and acting as a “critical friend”.
The peer-mentoring sessions offer the chance to
practice your own mentoring and coaching skills.
1.3
1.5
Programme Team
The module has been developed by Graham Lewis,
Co-ordinator of the Centre for Development of Staff
and Academic Practice (CDSAP), who has 15 years
experience of developing leadership and related skills
with staff in 5 HE institutions across the UK. The
workshops and participant support are provided by a
range of University and external leadership experts.
Key contacts are:

Graham
Lewis,
Coordinator
(gjl@aber.ac.uk) ext. 1802
of
CDSAP
Registration
The module is open to applications from all staff at
any level, both full time and part time. There is no
charge made to staff or departments but admission is
on a competitive basis and requires a commitment to
take a full part in all aspects of the programme – the
programme forms a coherent whole and failure to
take part in all events and aspects will diminish the
experience for others as well as yourself.
Applications can be made to the Co-ordinator of
CDSAP at any time during the academic year. Final
decisions, on who will be admitted, will be taken at
the beginning of September and January each year.
Formal registration for the programme takes place
during October and February of each year. Please
contact the Centre for the Development of Staff and
Academic Practice (cpdstaff@aber.ac.uk 01970
622117).
1.6
Bilingual Provision
The taught element of the programme will be
delivered through the medium of English.
In
common with all AU courses, assessed work may be
submitted in English, Welsh or bilingually. Please see
appendix 4, for further information.
Where
requested and possible, Welsh-speaking programme
and peer mentors will be assigned.
1.7
Further Information
Further details of dates and additional information
and resources can be found on the Centre for the
Development of Staff and Academic Practice (CDSAP)
website:
http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/cdsap/professional/lead/
or on the Effective Leadership Blackboard site for
registered participants:
http://blackboard.aber.ac.uk/
You will be asked to log in, using the same username
and password that you use to access your email.
Section 2: Programme Content.
2.1
Programme Outcomes
Clearly, the programme can only set participants on
the road to a much longer development process.
However, on completion of this module, participants
should be able to:
1. evaluate their own leadership style.
2. reflect on and apply models of mentoring.
3. analyse processes of team working.
4. apply theories of leadership to a problemsolving scenario.
2.2
Programme Elements
The full course programme consists of the following
elements. Dates, times and locations are found on
the Blackboard site http://blackboard.aber.ac.uk/.
2.2.1
Introductory Session
This session presents an overview of the programme,
offers the opportunity to meet fellow participants
and registers participants onto the module.
2.2.2
Leadership Development Workshops
Each participant will attend 7 leadership
development workshops. Each workshop may have
some preparation work and post-workshop reading
or activity.
Workshop 1: Models of Leadership (400 word
reflection)
Workshop Outcomes
 Develop definitions of leadership.
 Have an appreciation of the different styles of
leadership.
 Analyse the leadership style of yourself and
others.
 Explore the characteristics of good leaders.
Workshop 2: Effective Mentoring (400 word
reflection)
Workshop Outcomes

A clear understanding about the role and
conduct of mentors
 An increased knowledge about the effective
skills of mentoring.
 Useful strategies for dealing with problems and
challenges.
 Explore how mentoring can be used in
leadership roles.
Workshop 3:
reflection)
Working in Teams (400 word
Workshop Outcomes
 Understand your own preferred team role.
 Develop an appreciation of how others see you
as a team member.
 Understand how different team roles work
together.
 Explore team dynamics in meetings.
Workshop 4:
reflection)
The Reflective Leader (400 word
Workshop Outcomes





Understand the definition of reflection.
The value of reflection time.
Looking back and looking forward.
Seeing the big picture.
Using reflective journals.
Workshop 5: Dealing with Difficult Conversations
(400 word reflection)
Workshop Outcomes
 Active listening
 Types of Questions
 Importance of summarising.
Workshop 6: Leading Teams (400 word reflection)
Workshop Outcomes
 Understand how teams develop.
 Suggestions on how to facilitate a group
discussion.
 Explore the different learning styles of team
members.
Workshop 7:
Problem Solving Scenario and
Presentations (1000 word reflection)
Workshop Outcomes

Application of techniques from the rest of the
programme.
 When and where to use different leadership
techniques and styles.
 Increase the understanding of team dynamics.
2.2.3 Peer Mentor Sessions
Four mentoring sessions between participants, two
where you act as mentor and two as mentee.
2.2.4 Programme Mentor Sessions
Two individual mentoring sessions with an
experienced member of staff.
2.2.5 Personal Reflection on workshops
This is a reflective piece of your thoughts and ideas
on the taught and work-based experience on each
workshop.
2.2.6 Personal Reflective Journal
This is a reflective piece of your thoughts and ideas
on the taught and work-based experience,
throughout the programme as well as reflecting on
peer and programme mentoring meetings. It may
also include a summary of what you gained from
the readings and perhaps a record of day-to-day
thoughts on leadership, as the programme
develops.
2.2.7 Problem Solving Scenario and Presentation
Short group project and assessed presentation, with
a further write-up on the experience.
3.2.2 Group presentation (15 minutes) on problem
Section 3: Assessment
3.1
solving scenario – 10%
Module Assessment Overview
The module assessment criteria are contained within
appendix 3. The module is assessed against the
learning outcomes.
3.2
Assessed Elements
The assessed elements of the module are as follows:
3.2.1
Leadership Development Portfolio – 90%
NB: Due to the confidential nature of the module, no
reference should be made to either staff or student
names, departments or faculties as confidentiality is
core to creating a success environment for
developing leadership.
The required content
development portfolio is:
for
the
leadership
Title page

Index page

Leadership
Development
Reflections (6 x 400 words)

2 Peer Mentor meeting records which you
act as a Mentee.

Personal Reflective Journal (2500 words) to
include the peer and programme mentoring
reflections and optionally, reflections on
readings and work settings.

3.4
Workshop
An analysis of the team approach to the
problem solving scenario (7th workshop)
(1000 words)
Bibliography and references
The word count for the entire portfolio should be
5900 words +/- 10%.
Information on reflective writing is available on the
Blackboard site, as are sample reflections
Assessment Panel
Each candidate will be first and second assessed by
members of the programme team and other
assessors appointed by the team. The assessors
complete an assessment sheet and, where both
agree, this recommendation for pass, referral or fail,
will be forwarded to the examination board.
Where the assessors seek further clarification or
evidence, they may decide to ask the candidate to
provide further material. Where the assessors
disagree, the Internal Moderator will normally also
assess the submission.
3.5


This will be assessed by members of the programme
team.
Referrals and Fails
Where assessors judge that a candidate does not
meet the requirements to achieve a pass, the
candidate is referred. Referred candidates will also
be assessed by the internal moderator, and where
the referral is agreed by the moderator, the
candidate will be informed and given guidance
concerning alterations required to demonstrate
achievement of the learning outcomes.
Referred candidates must re-submit at the next
available date. Candidates may re-submit on two
occasions before the candidate is deemed to have
failed the programme.
3.6
Board of Studies
The SELL Board of Studies meets once each year to
confirm a pass or referral of each participant
assessed. The External Examiner will also read a
selection
of
the
submissions.
Section 4: Mentoring
4.1
Mentors
Mentoring forms a core element of this programme
and is now seen by leadership experts as a key skill
for leaders. The term is currently used loosely at the
University and is applied to everything from ‘buddy’
arrangements to coaching to true mentoring. The
practice and protocols of mentoring will be
introduced in workshop 2. The programme mentor
acts both as a contact point between the
participants and the programme – similar to that of
an academic tutor – but is also an experienced
leader and a trained mentor, providing expert advice
and a framework for helping you to work through
leadership issues.
The peer mentor performs a different role. Here,
the main objective is to practice your own mentoring
skills. You will act as both mentor and mentee for
other participants. However, again, this provides
you with a framework for working through
leadership issues and you will provide the same for
others.
The programme mentor will approach you to
arrange dates, times and venues for meetings, but
for the peer-mentoring, you will be expected to
make the arrangements between yourselves. Try to
ring-fence the time for these sessions as they are
important to the success of the programme.
4.2
Mentor Meetings
Mentors and mentees should meet for about
45mins. For peer-mentoring, there should be 4
meetings in all, two where you act as mentor and 2
as mentee. The programme mentor will ask to meet
with you twice, but you are free to request
additional meetings.
For the Peer Mentor meetings, mentees are
required to make a record of meetings and intended
actions (see appendix 1).
In all mentoring meetings, mentors are to ensure
discussions have continuity and direction.
The content of mentor meetings is determined by
the participant, but will normally include discussions
linked to work based leadership issues.
The Mentor Meeting Record is provided in appendix
1. The four mentor meeting records form a
compulsory, though un-assessed element of the
module portfolio. Only the two meetings in which
you act as a mentee should be included in your
portfolio.
Appendix 1: Mentor Meeting Record
For meetings with the peer mentor, participants are asked to complete a mentor meeting form, provided
overleaf. This may also be used for programme mentoring meetings, but is not required. However, for both
forms of mentoring, you are expected to write a summary reflection in your personal reflective journal. Copies of
this form are available on the Blackboard site.
Effective Leadership Peer Meeting Form
Participant Name………………………………………………
Mentor Name.....................................................
Date of Meeting……………………………………………….
This form records the purposes and outcomes of a meeting with your Mentor. The mentor meetings should
demonstrate engagement with the module learning outcomes. You should make relevant notes which will assist
you with the reflections on the workshops and other aspects of the programme.
Module Learning Outcomes
1. evaluate their own leadership style.
2. reflect on and apply models of mentoring.
3. analyse processes of team working.
4. apply theories of leadership to a problem-solving scenario practice.
Topics for discussion
Reflection and Outcomes
Participant Signature
Mentor Signature
Note: Please copy this form and retain in a safe place.
Appendix 2: Skills Development
Skill
Developed
Assessed
1. Problem Solving:
Through critical evaluation of problems posed during the course,
including relating course concepts to case studies and students’
own experience. Part of the assessment is a problem solving
scenario.
Yes
2. Research Skills:
Through finding information from AU library and the Internet to
prepare for written and oral work. Research and referencing skills
are assessed.
Yes
3. Communication:
Through contribution to workshop discussion, mentoring sessions
and a group oral and visual presentation.
Yes
4. Improving own learning
and performance:
Through using tutor feedback on group and individual activities in
and outside of workshops to develop written assignments.
Yes
Through reflection on own performance and practice, including
assessed reflection on mentoring practice.
Yes
5. Teamwork:
Through contribution to group exercises and discussion. Reflection
on students’ own team working abilities is assessed.
Yes
6. Information technology:
Through use of students’ own and AU IT facilities for presentation of
class and assessed work. Students will be encouraged to use
resources provided on Blackboard.
Yes
7. Application of number:
Students will be encouraged to use and interpret statistical
information relating to subjects studied on the course.
No
8. Personal development
and career planning:
Students will receive information about progression to other courses
and opportunities for personal development.
No
9. Subject Specific Skills
Students will gain a grounding in key concepts of leadership skills.
Yes
Appendix 3: Module Assessment
Type of assessment
%
weighting
1. Reflection on each individual workshop (400 words x6)
30
2. Personal Reflective Journal 2500 words (minimum)
50
3. Reflection on the team approach to the problem solving
scenario 1000 words
10
4. Group presentation (15 minutes) on problem solving scenario
10
All failed elements of assessment must be retaken if the
student’s average mark falls below the pass mark of 40%.
1. Reflection on each individual workshop (400 words x6)
30
2. Personal Reflective Journal 2500 words
50
For re-submission the student should carry out an additional
one hour mentoring session as mentor.
3. Evaluation of the student’s contribution to a team. 1000
words
4. Written report on a problem solving scenario. The student will
be provided with a new scenario.
10
10
Appendix 4: Bilingual Provision
The module Effective Leadership conforms to the
requirements of the Aberystwyth University’s Welsh
Language
Scheme
(see
http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/cgg/.
In order to assist the Programme Coordinator to
facilitate the use of Welsh on the programme,
participants are asked to provide the following
information at various stages of the programme.
At Induction every effort is made to ensure that
individual and group activities, can be conducted
through Welsh, English or bilingually. Participants
are asked to state their preferred language when
they complete the registration form.
Programme and Peer Mentor Meetings: as the
programme team are responsible for assigning
mentors to staff, participants who would prefer
mentor meetings to be available through the
medium of Welsh are advised to discuss this on
application or at the earliest possible occasion.
Submission of Portfolio: in common with all
assessment at Aberystwyth University, portfolios
may be submitted in Welsh, English or bilingually.
Where staff wish to use Welsh in their portfolio, they
are asked to advise the programme team so that
Welsh speaking assessors may be sourced.