Study information

Leadership Skills Expedition

Module titleLeadership Skills Expedition
Module codeMBAM847
Academic year2023/4
Credits5
Module staff

Dr Hannes Leroy (Lecturer)

Duration: Term123
Duration: Weeks

1

Number students taking module (anticipated)

20

Module description

The leadership expedition is an opportunity for MBA students to implement and practice the theoretical leadership insights they have gathered during their MBA experience. At the end of the expedition, students come to a new consolidated leadership narrative they can use moving forward, based on good understanding of the skills they bring to the table. At the same time, this expedition is an opportunity to transition – from the turbulence and learning environment of the MBA to the new chapter of their life and the professional identity that comes with that. A moment to press pause and reflect with the intent of moving forward with energy and intent.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The leadership expedition is an opportunity for MBA students to implement and practice the theoretical leadership insights they have gathered during their MBA experience. At the end of the expedition, students come to a new consolidated leadership narrative they can use moving forward, based on good understanding of the skills they bring to the table. At the same time, this expedition is an opportunity to transition – from the turbulence and learning environment of the MBA to the new chapter of their life and the professional identity that comes with that. A moment to press pause and reflect with the intent of moving forward with energy and intent.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 1. Understand facets of research/theory supporting mindfulness.
  • 2. Discuss your potential impacts on plants, wildlife, human beings…
  • 3. Build strong connections with others through careful and powerful questions, attentive listening, and coaching to help others

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 4. Leadership & Teamwork: Understanding of the basic four components of leadership (task, relation, change, and ethics) and the inherent tensions between them.
  • 5. Apply skills in each component area, such as time management (task), perspective taking (relation), storytelling (change) and ethical reasoning (moral).

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 6. Understand basic notions of mindful and active listening as well as appreciative inquiry and powerful questions, in relation to coaching.

Syllabus plan

 

Typical day-by-day itinerary

Day 0

 

Days 1 – 6
practicalities

Actual Expedition:

Each day follows a similar structure. Students operate in groups of five. In these groups they navigate independently through the wilderness (their safety ensured) with rotating leadership and coaching roles.

 

Morning:

  • Wake at 7:00am
  • Make your own breakfast
  • Leadership instruction (theory/exercise) over breakfast. We address one component per day: task, relation, change, ethics.
  • You get your 360o feedback on site; students are encouraged to process this feedback alone or with others during the day.
  • Leave camp by 9:00am latest.

 

Afternoon:

  • Lunchtime is set by students themselves (no more than 1 hour)
  • During lunch instructors provide the principles of mindful attention and awareness, increasing the complexity of instruction day-by-day
  • Students are encouraged to try these principles during the rest of the day

 

Evening

  • We start our evening at 5:00pm latest
  • Debrief of the day: observed behavioural patterns; translation to work practice
  • Go to bed around 8:00pm

 

Day 7

Rest & Recover: Depending on the student’s progress, we spend the last afternoon and night closer to civilisation, connecting to local culture (inc. real food). This wraps up the expedition.

 

Day 8

Travel home

 

 

Teaching for this course is very hands-on. Because every person is unique and every outdoor challenge is unique, there is little in terms of standardized format in which challenges present themselves. Ensuring safety first and foremost, we follow these guiding principles:

1)     Personal challenges: Students will decide on the activity they choose which ranges from meditation to a challenging hike. On day 3, there will be time/opportunity to debrief the day’s events and lessons learned and discuss the challenges for the future (e.g., experiences at work). The challenges will follow the four buckets, building on each other: task, relation, change, and ethics.

2)     Leading yourself and others: Everyone will receive ample opportunity to lead, follow, and share leadership. Throughout the course instructors will increasingly (depending on the skillset of the followers, ensuring safety at all costs) distance themselves from the actual goal to instead focus on coaching and supporting personal growth. Students will not only be coached, but throughout the trajectory will receive the skills to coach each other. These coaching skills are an effective ingredient to the capacity to lead effectively and we see this as the culmination of experience throughout the trajectory: first you learn how to lead, second you learn how to follow, third you learn how to share leadership, and fourth you learn how to coach others how to lead themselves.

3)     Mindfulness: A final ingredient of this course is mindfulness. Although one possibility, you do not have to meditate. The outdoor setting and hikes provide ample attitude for students to engage in mindfulness in a very natural way. Instructors will gradually introduce students to the basic principles of this ancient, scientifically tested technique. We see mindfulness not as an end goal but as a catalyst: mindfulness enhances the likelihood that learning occurs. 

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
1832

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities18In-person guidance and workshops on personal challenges, leading self and others, and mindfulness
Guided Independent Study32Reflection, peer-to-peer discourse, practice in action, private study

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Legacy speechOn site – around 8 minutesAll ILOsDuring the expedition by coaches

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
07030

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Pre expedition case submission - Challenge501000 words (approx. 375 per topic)All ILOsDuring the expedition by coaches/instructor
Post expedition case submission – Challenge and Solution501000 words (approx. 375 per topic)All ILOsDuring the expedition by coaches/instructor
0
0
0
0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Pre expedition case submission - ChallengePre expedition case submission - ChallengeAllNext reassessment window
Post expedition case submission – Challenge and SolutionPost expedition case submission – Challenge and SolutionAllNext reassessment window

Re-assessment notes

In the event that a student misses the expedition a reflective assignment will be set as re-assessment.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Leader identity:

Task-oriented leadership:

 

Relation-oriented leadership:

  • Harvard Business Review: Casciaro & Lobo (2005). Competent jerks, lovable fools, and the formation of social  networks.
  • California Management Review:Too hot to handle
  • Article: How to take feedback, Psychology Today
  • Book: George, B. (2007). True north. Jossey-Bass, US. Ch. 7: Building your support team.

 

Change-oriented leadership:

 

Ethics-oriented leadership:

Book: George, B. (2007). Ch. 5 Practicing your values and principles

Key words search

Leadership, retreat, expedition.

Credit value5
Module ECTS

2.5

NQF level (module)

7

Available as distance learning?

No

Origin date

15/08/23