Leaders influence an organization’s strategic direction, culture, and day-to-day operations. In this course, we will highlight the complexity of leadership processes, and show that leader effectiveness is best understood by considering workplace dynamics and the organization’s external environment.

The course will cover some of the big questions related to leadership. Why do organizations need leaders? Is there one ideal way to lead? How do leaders and leadership development contribute to organizational development? Exploring these questions will be of value to anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of leadership and how to maximize its positive impact at work.

We begin with a brief overview of leadership history, from the ancient world to the present day, which explains how we arrived at contemporary mainstream leadership frameworks.

Our next section will focus on leadership traits and behaviors; students will learn about the traits and behaviors most commonly attributed to effective or ineffective leaders, and how context influences these relationships.

We will then question what is expected from leaders, and why people choose to pursue leadership roles. Students will learn about the role of leader identity and emotions in leadership processes and organizational outcomes.

Next, we will look at leadership development with a particular focus on coaching. Students will be able to explain the impact and limitations of coaching as a leadership development technique, and how to assess its effectiveness.

Our final section describes how leaders foster engagement and sense of meaningful work among employees.

This course is part of the UCx Micromasters in Organizational Psychology, and each key topic will increase your knowledge about this exciting field. In order to qualify for the MicroMasters Credential you will need to earn a Verified Certificate in each of the five courses.