Study Guide

Objectives (course unit)

One of the core issues in project management is to lead people effectively to joint goals in the framework of the given strategy. This course provides the students with practical tools and methods to find out the expressed and tacit motives that are the drivers of team success. Once this information is available the manager can lead the team to excellency.
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When the student has passed this course he/she will know:
- Current leadership theories and their implications.
- The relevance of competence management in projects
- The concept of trust and how to build it fast
- Typology of different motivation theories
- The motivation theory of 16 basic desires
- What motivates you personally and how others may differ in their motives
- What are the best practices in leading international teams effectively
- What is coaching in Project Management
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When the student has completed the course he/she can:
- Better manage and lead people and their competences for the benefit of a project
- Identify different motivations in teams
- Learn to behave in a way which increases team members’ commitment and performance in projects
- Build and maintain high level of trust faster across countries and cultures
- Use some best practices in leading international teams
- Use the coaching style when appropriate in getting the best out of people in projects analyse her own business environment and apply the analysis in practice
After completing the course the student is:
- An authentic and effective project manager to lead her team to excellency in today's turbulent business environment

Content (course unit)

- Current leadership theories
- How to motivate others
- Leading diverse individuals in distance and without formal authority
- Leading a project team effectively

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2) (course unit)

The student defines the role and the responsibilities of a manager and a leaders. He/she has some knowledge of his/her own individual life motives and understanding about motivating and leading others with the help of this information. He/she can, with the help of others, solve challenging people-related problems using some of the leadership theories and practices. The student is able to apply some coaching skills but still needs more practice to help others develop better. He/she can give feedback but mainly considers and assesses things from his/her own point of view without being able to assess his/her own behavior critically or showing real strong empathy towards others. Commitment to continuously develop as a leader remains somewhat unclear. 

Assessment criteria, good (3-4) (course unit)

The student understands and analyses the role and the responsibilities of a manager and a leader and can generalise current leadership theories and practices in their own working environment. He/she analyses his/her own actions and behaviors with the help of his/her individual life motives and is able to apply this information both in self-leadership and in the leadership of others. The student creates new useful strategies for motivating and leading others both individually and in a team. He/she combines leadership theories and practices for solving challenging and practical people-related cases. The student is able to apply coaching skills in a professional manner. He gives feedback in a constructive and systematical manner to help others develop. He/she demonstrates deep commitment for becoming a better leader with the help of critical and continuous self-evaluation.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5) (course unit)

The student understands and analyses the role and the responsibilities of a manager and a leader and can generalise current leadership theories and practices in their own working environment. He/she analyses his/her own actions and behaviors with the help of his/her individual life motives and is able to apply this information both in self-leadership and in the leadership of others. The student creates new useful strategies for motivating and leading others both individually and in a team. He/she combines leadership theories and practices for solving challenging and practical people-related cases. The student is able to apply coaching skills in a professional manner. He gives feedback in a constructive and systematical manner to help others develop. He/she demonstrates deep commitment for becoming a better leader with the help of critical and continuous self-evaluation.

Location and time

This course will be completely online with the Zoom video conferencing tool.

Exam schedules

Open book group exam on the last lecture time

Assessment methods and criteria

- Individual assignment (graded 0-5), 50 % of the total grade
- Group exam (graded 0-5), 50 % of the total grade

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

- Interactive lectures
- Individual reading and writing
- Practicing skills
- Open book group exam

Learning materials

The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner (any edition)
Selected other literature as given in the course

Student workload

This is a 5 credit course (135 hours of student work) with 5 x 3 hours for lectures, the rest of individual work.

Content scheduling

1) Leadership theories and practices
2) Self-leadership
3) Motivation
4) Leading a team
5) Competence management
6) Coaching skills
7) Group exam: Challenging Leadership cases

Completion alternatives

None

International connections

International cases will be used, together with the students' own international experiences and connections.

Further information

This course is strongly built on experience sharing and collaboration, that takes place during the lecture hours. Therefore participation each time is essential.

More information from the teachers Päivi Mayor, paivi.mayor@tuni.fi and Toni Lehtimäki, toni.k.lehtimaki@tuni.fi

Assessment criteria - fail (0) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

Does not participate in the group exam or does not complete the written assignment, smaller tasks not all done.

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student can list some leadership theories and practices and is able to mention them in the group exam. The student analyses the leadership cases, including the motivation factors and competence management, but the analysis stays on a superficial level. Suggestions are given for improving the leadership situations but they remain quite shallow and simple. The student has participated in the mandatory lectures but the reflection in Leadership Handbook about the literature and its application at his/her own working life shows only superficial understanding of the course topics. The student participates in the group exam but does not contribute very positively to the team's exam outcome as evaluated by the other team members. The student does not manage to transform the learned leadership skills in his/her working context as can be seen in the Handbook and/or in the Group exam.

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student can list some leadership theories and practices and is able to mention them in the group exam. The student analyses the leadership cases, including the motivation factors and competence management, but the analysis stays on a superficial level. Suggestions are given for improving the leadership situations but they remain quite shallow and simple. The student has participated in the mandatory lectures but the reflection in Leadership Handbook about the literature and its application at his/her own working life shows only superficial understanding of the course topics. The student participates in the group exam but does not contribute very positively to the team's exam outcome as evaluated by the other team members. The student does not manage to transform the learned leadership skills in his/her working context as can be seen in the Handbook and/or in the Group exam.

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

The student can describe with concrete examples some leadership theories and practices and is able to apply them in the group exam. The student analyses the leadership cases, including the motivation factors and competence management, and the analysis is detailed and combines different elements. Logical, realistic and creative suggestions are given for improving the leadership situations and they are described clearly. The student has participated in the mandatory lectures and the reflection in the Handbook about the literature and its application at his/her own working life shows deep understanding of the course topics. The student participates in the group exam and contributes positively to the team's exam outcome as evaluated by the other team members. The student manages to transform the learned leadership skills in his/her working context resulting in positive impact in his/her own work environment as can be seen in the Handbook and/or Group exam. The student takes responsibility as a transformative leader and helps other students succeed by encouraging them and providing them with constructive feedback to strengthen continuous learning.