Introductory description

The module aims to examine best practice in Collaborative Working in a Project (and to some extent programme) context. The impact of effective Leadership, Teamworking, Communication and Stakeholder Engagement will all be explored. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on their own style of leadership and interaction in order to facilitate their personal and professional development.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Programme Introduction;
Module Introduction and Objectives (and Personal Leadership SWOT)
Personal Reflection (psychometric)
Creating a Collaborative Environment
Managing Individual Differences
Context: Organisational Structure & Culture
Context: International Culture and Global Collaboration
Teambuilding & Teamworking: Understanding Group Processes
Team Lifecycle; Team Roles (Belbin)
Perspectives on Leadership
Personal Leadership Style
Situational Leadership and SE Leadership Styles
Project Oriented Leadership
Leading Virtual Teams
Ethics & Governance
Stakeholder Engagement Strategies & Tools
Conflict Management & Negotiation Skills
Communication for Collaboration
Context, Stakeholders, Competences
Current & Future Systems Engineering Leadership
Module Applications (Personal Reflection & Action Plans)
Module Summary, Next Steps (inc PMA) & Review
Keynote Speakers

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Describe some of the key contemporary theories of leadership and management, and explain their relevance and application to the Systems Engineering context.
• Apply appropriate techniques to the management of subordinates and other stakeholders, based on individual characteristics of personality and motivation.
• Deploy appropriate techniques for negotiating effectively with project stakeholders and for resolving organisational and interpersonal conflicts.
• Describe and analyse the impact of organisational structure, culture and politics on the collaborative working environment.
• Develop communication plans for projects, programs and portfolios to win the support of stakeholders, and explain the role of emotional intelligence in achieving this.
• Articulate the requirements for effective leadership within their company – now and in the future – in order to achieve successful collaboration.
• Understand the challenges of leading and managing a virtual team and be familiar with some of the tools and techniques which can be used to support virtual team working.

Indicative reading list

Huczynski & Buchanan (2013) Organizational Behaviour
Briner, Hastings & Geddes (1996) Project Leadership
Lock & Scott (2013) Gower Handbook of People in Project Management:
Beardwell & Claydon (2010)Human Resource Management
Katzenbach & Smith (2005) The Wisdom of Teams
Muller & Turner (2010) Project Oriented Leadership
HBR (2013) On Collaboration
MacNicol & Coleman (2015) Project Leadership
Buttrick, R (2013) The Project Workout:
McCarter & White (2010) Leadership in Chaordic Organizations:
Husted & Allen (2010) Corporate Social Strategy
Mayfield (2013) Practical People Engagement
ICW (2018) Insight into ISO 44001:
APM (2020) APM Book of Knowledge (7th Edition)
Arnold, Silvester, Patterson, Robertson (2004) Work Psychology,
Boddy & Buchanan (1999)Take the Lead: Interpersonal Skills for Project Managers
Friedman & Miles (2006)Stakeholders, Theory and Practice
Kliem & Ludin (1994), The People Side Of Project Management
Mayfield (2013) Practical People Engagement
Reiss, G (1996) Programme Management Demystified
Zander & Zander (2002) The Art of Possibility

Subject specific skills

Understanding the role of stakeholder collaboration in P3M, appreciation of individual differences, understanding the structure and governance of joint ventures and commercial partnerships, appreciation of the influence of corporate culture and structure, collaboration and leadership in virtual environments

Transferable skills

Collaboration, negotiation, conflict management, facilitation, groupwork, presentation skills, communications skills, critical thinking skills, leadership, self-reflection, cultural awareness, strategic thinking